It's Your Move

Employee Retention: Fact or Fiction by Bernie Reifkind, CEO Premier Search, Inc.

Fiction:             Money and security are the most important reasons that people change jobs.

Fact:                 The most important reason that people stay or leave is their boss.  Are you providing an awesome place to work?

Fiction:             Employers should have a policy of fairness and should treat every employee the same way.       

Fact:                 Every employee is a dynamic individual and is motivated by tangible and non-tangible factors.  Your job is to find their “hot buttons.”  Some people respond with honey, others need vinegar.

Fiction:             With regard to an organization: A rule is a rule and we all must follow it.

Fact:                 Sometimes rules are outdated and can hinder true creativity.  At times we must break through the “tried and true” to increase efficiency and effectiveness.  Do you maintain rules that are stale?

Fiction:             The goal for employees is lifetime employment. 

Fact:                 Lifetime employment is over.  The average career will likely encompass two or three “occupations” and half-dozen or more employers. Hold on to your superstars.

Fiction:             Job mastery is essential to job performance.

Fact:                 We live in a world of ambiguity and change.  We need to thrive in ambiguity and master “the dance” of job requirements and job politics.

Fiction:             Employee talent is easy to recognize.  You either “have it” or you don’t.

Fact:                 Sometimes employee talent is there and you can’t see it.  Some things to look for in discovering talent:

a.      Passion

b.      An ability to inspire

c.       Loves action

d.      Thrives under pressure

e.      Emanates fun 

f.        Creativity

g.      Know how to finish the job

Fiction:              Employees should be happy that they have a job.   

Fact:                 The deepest human need is the need to be appreciated.  Does your staff know how much you appreciate them?      

Fiction:             The way to create leaders is by training after company seniority and loyalty.

Fact:                 If you have someone great, put them in charge and LET THEM LEAD.  Leading is not about age.  It’s about talent.  Don’t make a superstar “wait their turn.” 

"Help! I Need Some Bodies!"

A Beatles Guide to

finding and keeping

super talent!

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Its a “Hard Day’s Night” so

here's a "Ticket to Ride” 

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5 employment ideas in

Beatles songs:

       

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Help!

It’s Friday afternoon and one of your key employees gives notice that he or she is resigning.  At first your blood pressure begins to rise, your heart is pounding and you break out into a cold sweat and you are thinking, “how could you do this to me?” “You’ve got to be kidding me?”

a.       Keep a level head and do not panic.  Sometimes you can rectify the situation in the coming days. 

b.      Assess your available resources

c.       Take action immediately: call a professional recruiting firm, contact any leads and reach out to your vendors.  Sometimes referrals can come from the most unlikely sources.

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          Come Together

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“Here come old flat top”:  Remain calm even when panic is setting in.  Sometimes, having to replace a crucial employee can actually effect an even better and more efficient operation.  Things can seem flat at times and having the right energy and talent can boost your organization to new heights.

a.       Bring together your staff and let them know of the current situation

b.      When appropriate, solicit their input as to what is needed in the new hire

c.       Find out what challenges need to be addressed

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       Hello Goodbye

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“I don’t know why you goodbye, I say hello”:  The number one reason that most people change jobs is: their boss.  So you’re the boss and you’re doing your job and working long hours and demanding a lot from yourself and your team, but you know what?  Somebody may be very unhappy and you might not even know that you’re the cause of it!

a.       “You say goodbye and I say hello”- you’re not on the same page and you’re not communicating!

b.      Communicate, communicate, communicate!

c.       “I say yes, but I may mean no” : don’t assume that people understand your intentions or plans-if you believe there are doubts-address issues right away.

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        Can’t Buy Me Love

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“I’ll give you all I’ve got to give”: Are you giving your team the resources and freedom to do their job?  Are you treating them the way you’d like to be treated?  Are you paying them the most that you can?  Obviously money doesn’t buy love, but it does show love.

a.       Make sure that you are paying competitive wages.

b.      At the same time, don’t be held hostage to an employee that is making outrageous demands.

c.       Be fair with wages and lean on the side of generosity.  Your employees will reciprocate during “crunch” time.

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Get Back

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Get back to where you once belonged”: When a company is growing and hopefully thriving, it’s a good time to remember the basics that got you to this point.  Are you remembering the details?  Are you providing the level of sacrifice, service and production with the same (if not better) level of professionalism as you did back in the day?  How are you treating your human capital?

a.       Get back and remember that your employees are the most precious aspects of your business.

b.      You will attract talent and retain your best people by “getting back” to the basics of what made you successful.  Always pay attention to the details of why people work for you.

c.       When you are actively recruiting for a new employee, get back to the days leading up to your own employment and remember what led you to your present job.

 

I am Bernie Reifkind, CEO of Premier Search, Inc.

                                           www.psihealth.com

Promises, Promises Promises

A promising scenario in the life of a recuiting professional. 

             

Promises, promises, promises....

A recruiter finds an outstanding candidate for a client with a critical job opening and the candidate has expressed sincere interest in the job.  A resume is then requested. 

So what happens next?  A promise.

Monday

Candidate:        Candidate: “Yes of course, I’ll send you my resume-I will email it to when I get home.”

Recruiter: “Great!  I’ll call you when I receive it!”

Tuesday

Recruiter: “Hi, I haven’t received your resume………are you still sending it?
Candidate: “Oh I’ve been so busy…….I’ll email it to you tonight when I get home.”

Wednesday

Recruiter:          Leaves a message on candidate's voice mail: “Hi, I still haven’t received your  resume………and I do not want to push you, so can you please tell me if you are still interested in applying?  Are you sending me your resume? 

Candidate:         No response………..yet………….the candidate calls back late at night and leaves a voice mail message knowing that you’re at home sleeping: “Hi…..I have been so busy……..and I am returning your phone call.”

Thursday

Recruiter:          Calls the candidate and finds out that the candidate is in meetings all day and is not available.

You get the picture.

A rookie recruiter would keep chasing this candidate to get the resume when in fact:  this candidate is not really interested in making a change.  If this candidate really wanted to send a resume or investigate an opportunity nothing would stop them.

So why do candidates "lie" to recruiters about sending their resumes?  Because they can. 

It’s very flattering to receive a phone call from a recruiter about changing jobs.

When people make a promise to send a resume,  it’s easy to do so because they believe in the moment that they are telling the truth……..it feels good to think that change is on the way.  However it’s very difficult to call and say that they have changed their mind.

Friday

Seasoned Recruiter:       “Respectfully, this will be my final phone call to you.  If you are still interested in sending a resume, terrific, however until that happens I will assume that you are not interested and I will move on.  Good bye."

Conclusion:                  People (as they should) act out of their own self interest and (within reason) do what they want to do.   Don’t chase people.  Hold them accountable to their word and then judge them by their actions.

I am Bernie Reifkind, CEO of Premier Search, Inc.  "Its your move."

Employment Secrets Revealed

Link: .

Email Has Replaced The Telephone

It's almost 2008 and the fact is: email has replaced the phone. Email is the number one business tool.

Why do I say this?  Our company email server exchange is down and our business is almost paralyzed, (at least for the next few minutes.)

Have you noticed that most of us would rather send an email then pick up the phone? 

Calling someone takes effort:  you have be "on" so to speak.  You have to be polite and use the right tone and more importantly you have to think in real time rather than composing your thoughts and typing away.  Thinking on your feet is way too hard.

Emailing has replaced the telephone.  Is this a good thing or bad?  Neither.  It's just a fact.

It's a fact made very clear the minute your server goes down or something happens that effects your ability to send and receive emails.

So here's what I suggest that you do when you are unable to send an email:

• Pick up the phone and make your calls- the way we did it in the 90s.
• This is going to kill you:  pick up a pen and write a letter- oh and don't forget to put a stamp on the envelope.  What a "relic from a different age."
• Use your fax machine......even though it's so yesterday.
• Go home.

By the way, if you do decide to go home-check your email when you get there.  You're probably going to receive a termination email from your boss!

I am Bernie Reifkind, CEO of Premier Search, Inc.

How to Be Productive at Work After Thanksgiving Week

OK, admit it: Other than coming back to work after New Years, going back to work after Thanksgiving is the hardest week of the year.

• After all, the great American holiday of Thanksgiving just came and went, and there is no shortage of related items to distract you while you pretend that you are working. 
• But here’s the good news: You’re not alone.
• Your coworkers and colleagues around the country would similarly prefer to skip the meeting or put off making that phone call or writing that report for at least a few more days.
• We all need to shake off the cobwebs.

But it’s precisely because nobody else wants to be working all that hard that you have the chance to make this one of your most productive weeks of the year. Here’s what you need to do:

• Dive into what needs to be done right now.
• Be as cheerful as you can, even if you’re faking it-your boss and co-workers are watching you.
• Create small successes for yourself and feel good about your progress.
• Initiate your next several projects now. 
• Stand out from the crowd.  If you spend this week cranking through all of your assignments while your coworkers resort to goofing off, who do you think will be sitting pretty in the eyes of your boss this Friday afternoon?

So don’t be a Thanksgiving victim, and stay focused.  A reminder: New Years is right around the corner!

Secrets To Winning The War On Talent

Where are all the great candidates?

(Hint: They’re everywhere)

Why is it that days, weeks, sometimes months go by and critical job openings remain unfilled.  Where are all the great candidates?

Here is a little secret. They’re right under your nose. Great candidates are everywhere.

» Click here to read this article.

Retain Your Senior Talent!

To compete successfully in the business world –in any industry–successful recruitment and retention of senior talent is the ultimate goal of most progressive organizations.

The costs associated with talent turnover not only in real dollars but in employee morale can be devastating to the momentum of an organization moving forward.

Contrast that with successful employee retention, an organization can reach new heights, weather potential storms and most importantly generate substantial employee morale in which everyone benefits. This translates to huge revenue generation.relationship.three times more likely to leave their jobs within two years than those who feel they are treated respectfully.

In addition, “indifferent treatment” such as failure to recognize and reward employees for jobs well done, has an enormous impact on how employees feel and employers’ ability to retain them.

Almost 90% of employees (who are changing jobs) say that they don’t receive acknowledgement for the work that they do. The most common reason why people make a job change is the relationship with their boss.

Obviously many factors come in to play as to reasons why people make job changes more money, distance, commuting, personal factors, ambition, etc.) However the main reason why people stay or go is directly related to their relationship with their boss.

The following suggestions may be of significant value in showing respect and appreciation with regard to retention of your best people

1. Recognize people for their accomplishments and provide them with the freedom to use their judgment
2. Appreciate employees in frequent and creative ways
3. Solicit, listen to and act on work related ideas from employees such as input on how they can be more successful
4. Encourage innovation and new ideas
5. Provide employees with helpful feedback and coaching
6. Value employees as individuals and give them a sense of being included
7. Encourage full expression of ideas without fear of negative consequences
8. Listen and fairly handle employee’s complaints.

Successful employee retention is vital to the health of a dynamic organization and is completely dependent upon actions that management can take to directly impact a company’s essential resource: human capital.

Your people need to know that you care about them.

Playground Rules On The Field Of Business

From a young age, even as early as the school playground, we learn rulls of playing... Guess what?  These rules still apply to the field of business. Do not let anyone intimidate you.

1. Understand the rules prior to the game. Ask questions if you are not completely clear on any aspect of the rules.
2. Play fair but play extremely hard to win.
3. The game is usually won by strategy, not always by being first.
4. Play by the rules and demand the same of your opponent.
5. Confront anyone who cheats, immediately.
6. Stand up to bullies. If you have to fight, do so.
7. Catch your opponent off guard by throwing the first punch as hard and quickly as you can.
8. Better to fight and lose, than to back off. You will keep your high self esteem.
9. Do not let anyone change the rules in middle of the game.
10. Refuse to continue if the game or rules have changed without your full approval.
11. When winning, celebrate with dignity and hold on to that memory for the rest of your life.
12. If your opponent wins, accept defeat graciously but remember what you have learned.
13. Remain in shape for the next game.

You’ve Just Been Offered the Job. Now What?

You’ve just been made a job offer and you’re probably feeling Excitement, Gratitude, Fear, Relief, Rich. You may even fell Buyer’s remorse, Confusion, Expectation Anxiety.

All of the above and probably hundreds of more emotions are felt when you are about to
make a job decision. It’s one of the most important decisions that you will ever make.

» Click here to read this article.