Human resources

Managing the Balding and Grey

How did this happen? When you were a teenager, you were very clearly smarter than your parents. Then you went on, and got yourself a whole bunch of education, worked hard, and are now leading a team of people. Half of them are old enough to be your parents.

Managing your mom? You didn’t sign up for this.

Oh to be a Baby Boomer — The single most important demographic cohort in the history of the planet. The baby boomers have absolutely dominated the workplace since the 1960s, and are only slowly giving up their grip now. If you were born after about 1965, then it is a good news/bad news story for you.

The bad news is the Boomers racked up your “societal credit card debt”, that will take several generations to pay off. The good news is they’ve already cured erectile dysfunction, and they are bound and determined to stay youthful forever, which bodes well for all those that follow.

In the workplace, this has a number of ramifications. If you’ve got a boomer working for you, you might have to put up with the occasional tardy arrival, if you are to believe the Cialis commercials. It also means when you start talking about ISPs, ASPs and HTML, their eyes will glaze over faster than Paris Hilton’s would on Jeopardy.

Keep in mind that there is something to be learned from this generation. Yes they were financially reckless with your future, and made the planet into an environmental disaster, but that doesn’t mean they don’t know a thing or two about whatever business you are in.

The Boomers have seen several business cycles come and go, and will tell you (with certain credibility) that they’ve seen it all previously. Everything in business comes full circle – just the details are marginally different. If you listen carefully to the Boomers working for you, you just might get a jump on whatever is going to happen next.

They can’t manage email to save their life, and they think microwaves and fax machines are high tech, but if you discount their input and feedback, it is at your peril.

Baby Boomers: Managing People Older Than You

Learn how to lead and manage the balding and grey.

Watch the ‘Baby Boomers in the Workforce’ Video (13 mins 46 sec):

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Managing Baby Boomers in the Workforce

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Baby Boomers in the workforce are a force to be reckoned with. They are the single largest cohort in the history of the planet, and they have dominated culture, economics, and the workplace for the past half century in countries where the Baby Boom phenomenon exists.

Baby Boomers in the workforce are most pronounced in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (presumably because the Second World War was six years long for these countries, but when they returned home, they did not have to rebuild their cities), followed by the United States and Western Europe.

First, we should define Baby Boomers in the Workforce:

Traditionalists: 1925 – 1945

Baby Boomers: 1946 – 1965

Generation X: 1966 – 1980

Millennials: 1980 – 1999

Who Cares About Baby Boomers in the Workforce?

Clashes between generations can directly affect turnover. If team members do not feel like they “fit in” or that their values are not reflected in the workplace, the there is a risk of unwanted turnover.
Baby Boomers in the workforce have been influenced by different life events than other generations and thus have different perspectives that can impact motivation and performance. Understanding this better ensures the capture of discretionary effort.
A 2011 Robert Half survey revealed that 72% of hiring managers find it challenging to manage teams composed of members of different generations. This is particularly challenging when younger generations are put in the position of managing Baby Boomers in the workforce.

Factors that Shaped Baby Boomers in the Workforce:

Birth of Rock n Roll.
Many Baby Boomers in the workforce are the former hippees of the 1960s.
Space exploration. Many Baby Boomers in the workforce can remember a time before regular space travel.
Baby Boomers in the workforce are the most affluent generation in history.
Unlike previous generations, Baby Boomers in the workforce grew up in peaceful times, and most of them have never gone to war.
Baby Boomers in the workforce were the first to reject traditional values, after having grown up during the Civil Rights Movement, and other significant social changes.

Expectations of Baby Boomers in the Workforce:

Baby Boomers in the workforce value peer competition.
Boomers started the “workaholic” trend. Where Traditionalists saw hard work as the right thing to do, Baby Boomers in the workforce see it as a way to get to the next level of success.
Baby Boomers in the workforce are committed to climbing the ladder of success. They are seeking status, prestige, and money.
Baby Boomers in the workforce don’t like restrictive rules and regulations.

How to Lead and Motivate Baby Boomers in the Workforce:

Position, Titles and Prestige. Baby Boomers in the workforce are achievement oriented, and respond to status represented by titles and position.
Provide Stability. Baby Boomers in the workforce are mostly a loyal group, so even though many are close to retirement, longer term incentives are important to this cohort.
Recognize Their Experience and Contributions. Baby Boomers in the workforce have a wealth of experience that younger generations have yet to achieve. Recognizing this allows other generations to learn from the Boomers, and also motivates Baby Boomers in the workforce.
Respect their knowledge and experience. Set up formal opportunities for Baby Boomers in the Workforce to share their expertise with younger workers.
Personal Relationships. Deal with Boomers face to face. Do not rely solely on email with this cohort.

Three Things that Frustrate Baby Boomers in the Workforce About Other generations:

Generation X has no company loyalty. They will jump ship quickly, and without regard for the organization.
Generation Y has no patience. They seem to be unwilling to “pay their dues”.
Traditionalists rules and values are out of touch with modern reality.

Watch the ‘3-Minute Crash Course’ about Managing Baby Boomers in the Workforce (CLICK THE ARROW TO START THE VIDEO):

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How Asking for a Raise is Like a First Date

You’re out on a limb when you ask for a raise. It’s kind of like being a teenager again, and asking someone out on a date for the first time. The stakes are high – if you’re successful, you’ll feel good, and look like a hero to your peers. If you’re not successful, you’ll look and feel like an idiot.

The reactions to success and rejection are similar too. If you get the raise (or the date), you become the cock of the walk. If you get rejected, you try to keep it quiet, or if asked, you say you really didn’t want it anyway.

The outcome of a raise request is highly personal – people equate it with their personal value. It’s a bad idea to attach your perception of personal value to someone else’s assessment of you. It is a good idea, however to attach your professional value to the goals of the organization.

Several years ago I did quite a bit of work with a company that conducted employee satisfaction surveys. In addition to many questions about their leadership and work environment, we asked employees about compensation. We discovered that there is almost no way that compensation can be a driver of employee satisfaction.

People are either neutral or dissatisfied with their compensation level. No one is ever actually satisfied with the money they make, presumably because more is always better.

People become dissatisfied with their compensation for a variety of reasons, but one of the most prevalent is because they find out someone else is making more than them. This judgmental itch often extends beyond our immediate peers, causing anger because of how much the CEO makes, or others far removed from our own circle.

There seems to be a disproportionate amount of anger addressed at CEOs and politicians; while we have a collective blind spot for sports and movie stars. The CEOs have successfully equated their action and leadership with value for the organization (or they bribed the Board of Directors), and politicians, for the most part are underpaid.

If we should be angry at anything, it should probably be at overpaid movie stars who have done little else than won the genetic lottery for meeting our narrowly defined societal version of what is good looking. However, many movie stars have a good argument that if a movie is going to make $300 million dollars, then $20 million for a pretty face has certainly contributed to its success.

And that’s the lesson for the rest of us. We should spent no time being angry or bitter about what other people are getting paid, and channeling our energy into clearly demonstrating the value that we add to our organizations.

Either that, or ask the boss’s daughter out on a date.

Asking Your Boss For A Raise – How to Ask for a Raise … and Get It

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When asking your boss for a raise, there are a number of things to keep in mind. You need to prepare in advance and choose your timing well; focus on the value you add, and anticipate counter-arguments. Before asking your boss for a raise, you should give each of these areas more thought, with the help of the points below:

Prepare for Your Conversation Before Asking Your Boss for a Raise

You do not want to improvise in the meeting where you will be asking your boss for a raise. Here are a few preparatory steps:

Look at industry benchmarks when good data is available. In many cases it is difficult to establish a market value for certain skills, but in other cases, there may be data available. Before asking your boss for a raise, check to see if such information is available.
List your accomplishments. You need to be able to articulate what you have done for the organization and its success. This is perhaps the most important ingredient to success when asking your boss for a raise.
Have a number in mind. When asking your boss for a raise, you will know s/he is at least considering it when you are asked for a number. You should not be caught flat-footed when this question comes up. In some cases, you will have a specific number in mind. In other cases, you will want to offer a range when asking your boss for a raise.

Focus on the Value You Add When Asking Your Boss for a Raise

Just because you want a raise, doesn’t mean you should get one. You need to direct attention to the tangible value you add to the organization and its goals when asking your boss for a raise. If you cannot clearly articulate the value you add, you should reconsider asking your boss for a raise.

Illustrate the mismatch between your current salary and your value. You should draw attention to your accomplishments and growth. If you have recently taken on more responsibility, then ensure you highlight this when asking your boss for a raise.
Don’t bad-mouth others. You should never compare yourself to others in a negative frame. It is fine to point out that you have more responsibility, but to promote your own interests by being negative and critical of others will reflect poorly on you when asking your boss for a raise. It is quite likely your boss already knows about others’ performance anyway.
Connect to the big picture. Draw a line between your efforts, and overall organizational goals and results when asking your boss for a raise. It is hard to argue with a request for a raise if it is blatantly obvious that the results you produce contribute significantly to organizational success.
Don’t invoke guilt. You should speak rationally about what you feel you deserve when asking your boss for a raise. Do not talk about your higher mortgage payments, or cost of living increases. Your boss has these pressures too. You need to convince your boss that any more money spent on you is a wise investment in future success, NOT just an added expense.

Choose Your Timing Wisely When Asking Your Boss for a Raise

You need to carefully consider your timing when asking your boss for a raise. If you know your boss has had a particularly frustrating day or week, you may want to put off the conversation. Examples of good times for asking your boss for a raise are:

Soon after a good performance review.
Soon after some other form of recognition.
When you know extra dollars are available.
When you’re asked to take on more responsibility.
When the decision maker is relaxed.

Anticipate Counter Arguments

Don’t underestimate the element of negotiation when asking your boss for a raise. You should anticipate potential counter-arguments when asking your boss for a raise. Here are some standard reasons for denial, and how you might counter them:

Seniority. Seniority is not an appropriate measure of value. There are many examples of people who add more value their first day on the job than someone who has been there for decades.
Time since last raise. Perhaps it has only been six months since your last raise, but time is not relevant to value. If you have taken on more responsibility, or are adding more value, then point out that these elements are not dependent, and neither should qualifying for a raise be.
Time as an employee. Perhaps you have only been on the job for three months, but have contributed significantly in that time. It is not appropriate to measure value by the time on the job.
Can’t afford a raise.You need to decide whether this is true or not when asking your boss for a raise. Is there possibly something else that you could ask for instead?
- More time off? Could you negotiate extra vacation time?
- Flex hours? Perhaps you could work more time from home?
- A raise at some future point. If the organization can’t afford a raise now, at what point in the future would a raise be conceivable?

Close the Conversation, and the Details When Asking Your Boss for a Raise:

Confirm effective dates. When does the raise take effect? You need to nail this detail down.
Confirm follow up dates. If there are follow up actions, you need to specify the date. For example, your boss may say he needs to think about it. This is reasonable, but you should ask what date you need to follow up with him/her.
If you get nowhere, you need to start looking for alternatives. Never threaten to leave if you don’t get what you want. However, if it is clear you will not get the raise you want, it is time to begin a search for something new.

Three Things to Remember When Asking Your Boss for a Raise:

Be forthright and positive – don’t invoke guilt or resort to blackmail.
Don’t be chatty. This should be a short meeting. Catch up with your boss on the weather and other trivia at a different time.
Take personality out of the equation. Focus on facts, and come armed with as much information as you can. Also don’t take it personally if you don’t get what you want, but rather act rationally to figure out what ever is next for you.

Watch the ‘3-Minute Crash Course’ about Asking Your Boss For A Raise (CLICK THE ARROW TO START THE VIDEO):

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Retention of Employees

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“Good help is hard to find”

This quote is as true in hard economies as it is in good economies. The retention of employees is something that all managers and all organizations must deal effectively with regardless of their current bench-strength. If you current don’t have a problem with the retention of employees, it won’t be long before you do again.

Why Should I Care About the Retention of Employees?

There are a variety of reasons why organizations and individual managers should care about the retention of employees:

Poor retention of employees will leave to turnover, and turnover is expensive. The Journal of Compensation and Benefits estimates the cost of unwanted turnover to cost between 1.5 and 2.5 annual salary.
Efforts to improve the retention of employees will allow you to capture discretionary effort.
Recruiting is difficult and time consuming. Your life as a leader will be much easier with better retention of employees.
For the individual manager, it is worth noting that the retention of employees is not as much an organizational issue as a leadership driven one. Most people “quit” their boss, not their employer.
Many individual managers assume that the retention of employees is usually drive by compensation or other organizational factors. In fact, employee surveys show that these issues are usually secondary.

The Three-Step Process to Improved Retention of Employees

1. ASK. Not everyone values the same things, or the things that you value. The only way to understand what will motivate people to stay or leave your organization is to ask.

2. Tell them they’ve been HEARD. It is useless to ask, unless people know they have been heard. The improved retention of employees requires you report back to those asked with what you’ve heard.

3. ACT. You now need to act on the information you have gathered to improve the retention of employees

Step 1 to the Improved Retention of Employees: ASK

Figure out what people value. A common mistake is to assume that all your people value the same things you do. They do not.
Do not discount inter-generational issues. If you are managing people of a different generation then the things that would motivate you to stay or go, will almost certainly be different than the retention of employees of a different generation.
The improved retention of employees requires that you ask people both collectively and individually:
- Collectively: Use surveys or focus groups to establish collective data and anonymous comments.
- Individually: The informal conversations you have with your people will give you insight into the things that they value, and whether you at risk of losing them.
Don’t just ask once. Organizations that are particularly good at the retention of employees are continually asking their people for feedback. Sometimes this is done via rotating focus groups, while other organizations survey their people once every 12 or 18 months to get a pulse of the organization.

Step 2 to the Improved Retention of Employees: Tell them they’ve been HEARD

Respond in a timely manner with what you have learned. The best way to sabotage better retention of employees is to ask people’s opinion, and then give them the impression they have been ignored.
Communicate the collective list of what people value but don’t betray confidences. If surveying an employee group, report back on high level themes and trends. It may be easy to single individual comments out, but you need to resist the urge to do so.
Based on the feedback given for the improved retention of employees, articulate the one or two things you intend to act upon.

Step 3 to the Improved Retention of Employees: ACT

Below are some standard things for improving the retention of employees. They are not intended to be a prescription, but rather thought starters for your own organization:

Offer constant feedback. People can never get enough, so the more feedback you offer, the more likely to improve your retention of employees.
Role clarity and reinforcement. People are most content when they have clear idea of what they are supposed to do, and this is continually reinforced in a positive way.
Connect people to the big picture. Nobody likes to toil in obscurity. Connect people to the larger, organizational goals, and let them know how their contribution is important.
Promote a deeper sense of cause. Many organizations attempt to change the world in some small way. Try to leverage this, if it applies to your organization.
Build a community. If people have a community at work, it makes it harder for them to leave. If their social network is largely tied to work, then they would lose that if they chose to leave.
Provide skill-building opportunities to improve the retention of employees:
- Training and skill building can be motivating factor to stay with an organization.
- Mentoring opportunities can help fortify relationships and build competence
- Special assignments can build new skills, and improve the retention of employees.

Flexible work or flexible hours. This can be very important to some people. Don’t rule it out, just because your organization hasn’t done it before.
Provide career planning. People want to progress, and if they have some idea of future opportunities, they are less likely to look elsewhere.
Allow for project ownership. Giving people authority and accountability for specific projects or initiatives can be a motivator to stay.
Recognize personal needs. Everybody wants to be treated as an individual with unique values and needs. Where these can be accommodated, they can act as retention strategies.

3 Things to Remember about Improving the Retention of Employees:

Don’t wait for HR or the organization. Individual leaders need to take this upon themselves – particularly when the larger organization fails to do so.
People may not value the same things as you. Don’t project your own values on to others. They may not care about an inflated title and a corner office.
Don’t commit to anything you’re not prepared to do well. You make people cynical when you say you will do something and then don’t follow through. Ensure you can live up to any commitments you make.

Watch the ‘3-Minute Crash Course’ about Retention of Employees (CLICK THE ARROW TO START THE VIDEO):

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All Employees are NOT Created Equal

OK… maybe they are created equal, but after their first day of work, they are no longer on an equal footing.

So before the letters start, let me be clear that I would never suggest inequality due to gender, race, sexual orientation or any of the other usual culprits. I am a firm believer that once you take the time to get to know a person, there are so many other reasons to dislike them, that normally defined prejudices need not apply.

But I read in the business press that I need to install a hot tub in every other office at work to make sure that no one quits. Here’s the thing: I desperately want a few of them to quit. I don’t exactly have grounds to fire them, but I know that if a vacancy comes up, I can do better. So the last thing I want to do is make it too comfortable for them… then they’ll never quit.

The HR people hate this part: some people are simply more valuable to organizations than others. It doesn’t mean that we don’t value all people, nor does it mean that we don’t treat all people with respect. It does mean that we will work harder to keep some people on board than others.

Many of the employee retention programs out there are horribly misguided in this regard. They are well intentioned in so far as wanting to create a positive working environment, but these programs miss the mark by not identifying and targeting those employees that we especially want to keep.

Yes, I know it’s problematic to only put the hot tubs in some offices, but not others. However, the very best employee retention tactic is investing in, and developing high quality leadership within an organization. Most people that leave a company actually “quit their boss”, rather than resign from the organization.

Interestingly, a high quality leader can also raise the performance of that employee I talked about earlier that I would rather part company with. If the employee can’t be saved, then a high quality leader will steward the employee’s departure out of the organization in a professional and respectful manner.

The bottom line is that if organizations are serious about retaining high quality employees, they should save the investment in air-hockey tables, hot tubs, and concierge services, and funnel those resources into the attraction and development of high quality leadership throughout the organization.

You’ll get better returns, retain more high quality employees, and won’t have water damage from the steam of the hot tub.

If HR Sucks, it’s Your Fault

Here’s a quiz: In my organization HR is/are:

a) A highly professional service provider that partners with managers to maximize shareholder value through effective people management practice.

b) The people who organize our Christmas parties and picnics

c) Where people who couldn’t make it in the core business go to be marginalized to the point where they do a minimum of damage.

OK – maybe HR’s an easy target in many organizations, but if beating up HR is a fun way to relieve some tension mid-day at the water cooler, you really won’t like what comes next:

If your HR group truly sucks, then your organization most likely sucks, too.

Yep, that’s right. I’m suggesting there is a direct correlation between highly effective HR, and a highly effective organization. Furthermore, I’d suggest that organizational managers get the HR departments they deserve. If your HR group is solely administrative in nature, and generally not very high performing, then that is exactly the quality of service you as a manager, or an organization has asked for.

You may like or hate Jack Welch, but it would pretty hard to argue that GE wasn’t a high performing organization when he was running it. Just about any time you heard Welch speak, he would talk about what he was doing, and he’d also talk about Bill Conaty – his HR guy. For GE, the HR portfolio was extremely important. Some other Jack Welch quotes about HR:

“A high quality senior HR person is as critical as the CFO”

HR should “get out of the picnic business”

And his advice to HR people: “Don’t be a victim”

Every organization has its version of the “People are our most important asset” speech, but Welch actually lived it. People will jump all over this, because Welch had an impressive record of firing people. But valuing people necessarily means that you remove barriers to a team’s success, and sometimes this means removing people.

The strongest organizations I have worked with have highly-competent, business-focused HR people. They also insist that every manager in the company is an HR manager. HR is not something that is delegated to a central group – it is actively managed by every leader, every day. The HR group’s role in these high-performing organizations is to set organizational leaders up to be outstanding managers of the human asset.

Picnics and Christmas parties need to be assigned elsewhere – perhaps the marketing department isn’t busy.

HR as a Strategic Partner: Why HR Often Sucks

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HR as a strategic partner is something that many people have written about, many organizations talk about, and few companies actually achieve. Below, we discuss some of the variety of reasons why HR departments fail to become a management strategic partner, but if people really are an organization’s most important asset, then this is a problem that requires attention urgently.

Why Care about HR?

Why should organizations care about having an HR strategic partner? In many cases HR is viewed a necessary evil in a company, and is simply part of the overhead cost of doing business. This is the case in poorly run companies that do not have HR as a strategic partner. There are no world-class companies with weak HR departments. Excellence requires great HR, or an HR strategic partner.

Here are some other reasons to strive create an organization that has an HR strategic partner:

Employees are expensive, and good leadership/management maximizes the value of organization’s investment in people.
Great HR has better firm performance*
- 63% less unwanted turnover
- 400% greater sales per employee
- Over 3 times greater Market Value:Book Value

*Becker, Brian E., Mark A. Huselid and Dave Ulrich, The HR Scorecard – Linking People, Strategy and Performance (Harvard Business School Press, Boston, Mass. 2001)

Top 10 Reasons HR Often Sucks

There are a variety of reasons that people become frustrated with their HR departments. Here are our Top 10 reasons why organizations end up without an HR Strategic Partner:

Organizations don’t know what they want/need from HR. As companies evolve and grow, the focus of HR and what management needs them to do changes. Often, there is no thought given to what are the key drivers of human performance. Being an HR strategic partner requires a clear understanding of what the HR group will do, and what they will not do.
In the absence of clear direction, HR is reduced to arranging picnics and Christmas parties. Because there is no direction from the organization, the HR group ends up becoming a “catch-all” where all the administrative jobs fall into. Once the HR group becomes overwhelmed with useless trivia, they do not have the time or talent to conduct more vital and valuable work. Being an HR strategic partner requires elevating above mere administration.
We make HR the policy-cops. There is no doubt that HR should be involved in the drafting of policy, but their role in enforcement should be that of an advisor, not an enforcer. It is the job of individual managers to enforce policy. An HR strategic partner coaches, supports and advises managers through the enforcement of policy issues.
There is no HR business plan. HR needs to have clear deliverables and measures just like any other business. The HR business plan needs roll out of the greater organizations strategic, tactical and action plans. An HR strategic partner enables the achievement of the overall business plan through superior people practice.
Managers like to use HR as a scapegoat. It’s much easier for managers to tell their people unpleasant news if they can pin it on someone else. Usually the target of such finger-pointing is either higher-level management, or the HR group. In either case it is inappropriate. Managers need to take responsibility for the leadership and management of their human assets. An HR strategic partner is a trusted advisor to getting this done well.
HR is not properly staffed. If your HR group is filled with able administrators, but not people with any real business training or experience, you will not have an HR strategic partner (although your staff picnics will probably be great).
HR reports through finance. The practice of having HR report through Finance is far too common. If you want an HR strategic partner, HR needs to report to the people responsible for executing the strategy. If HR isn’t at the senior leadership table, then it is highly hypocritical to claim that “employees are our most important asset.”
HR people do not know the core business. In order to provide quality, professional advice to managers in the core business, an HR strategic partner needs to understand that core business. It is not necessary to be expert, but there are many organizations where the HR people do not fully understand how the company operates, or how it manages and measures its success.
HR should be a place for high performers, not the company ghetto. If an organization expects outstanding performance from its HR group, it needs to staff it with outstanding people. If HR becomes the ghetto of the organization where we put people who couldn’t make it in the core business, or a place where we hire less than the best to try to meet diversity requirements, you won’t have an HR strategic partner.
HR needs to be better at selling itself, and influencing others in the organization. An HR strategic partner is an influencer more so that s/he is a decision-maker. As such HR needs to become much better at “selling” its viewpoint. Moreover, for organizations that don’t’ know how they should best use HR, it is up to the HR people to define and sell its role in the company.

What’s to be done?

If you find that your organization has an HR department that sucks for any or all of the reasons above then action needs to be taken right away. As a starter:

Have an HR business plan that is attached to the organization’s strategic plan. Without a clear focus, there is no chance of having an HR strategic partner.
Get skilled business people into HR. If you staff your HR department like an organizational ghetto, your results will match. An HR strategic partner is a highly skilled, high-potential human asset.
Get HR to the table. An HR strategic partner needs to be included in all important discussions. If HR’s not at the table when those discussions take place, there is no change of maximizing the value of the human asset, and no change of truly being a high performing organization.

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