Performance Reviews in a Tough Economy

I was just wrapping up and organizing files from my contract job, getting ready to turn everything over to the full-timers that will be left behind when I leave on Thursday, and remembered an interesting conversation I had while rolling out a coaching & performance management training program last month.

Like many organizations, this one was forced to put annual performance raises on a shelf this year to control their budget. Everyone throughout the organization (the lucky group that is left after several tough rounds of layoffs) seems to have taken this fact in stride, I assume due to the effective communication campaign that the organization engages in regularly. In short, they get it; it's a tough economy and sacrifices need to be made.

However, what I found was, many managers would like the performance management process to get put on that shelf right next to the raises. One went as far as to vocalize that giving a performance review with no raise was a tedious and pointless process, a joke if you will.

What do you think? What about your managers? I subscribe to the theory that communicating with and developing your employees is essential all year round, with or without impact to pay. It's about developing your business to be more effective, more responsive, more customer-focused and ready to pounce at the first sign of a turn-around in your sector, not about whether you're giving out a 2% raise this year or not.

Be honest with your employees. They should understand the economic realities of your business. But more importantly, they should understand how they are performing against expectations, what can be improved and what they can do to grow with the Company. Grow the trust your employees have in you and they will weather the economic storm along side you.

And consider removing pay increases from the performance review cycle all together. If you give annual raises, set it apart from the performance review by 3 or 6 months. Focus on developing your employees and re-visit the pay question later on. Just a thought that bucks the current social trend.

ZW
www.azmobilehr.com

Stress....

People close to me often ask why I do not appear more "stressed out" than I do. They are quick to point out the challenges before me and to share how they would react if faced with similar circumstances.

• I was recently out of work for 5 months (and blew through a lot of savings during that time)
• My current position, a 4-month contract, ends the first week in July
• That MBA is coming back to haunt me with student loan payments starting in July
• I'm driving a new business that is completely unproven and lacks a foundation of clients to support it

Well, that does seem daunting. Perhaps I should freak out. But, then again, what does "freaking out" really accomplish for me? I suppose I could garner some sympathy (at least for a little while) or burn some extra calories from sobbing or running around hyperventilating. That's just not me though.

The advice I'd give to anyone facing significant challenges is to get out and do something.

I found solace at the gym during my 5 months of unemployment and managed to lose 40 pounds. Perhaps not the best strategy during a time that I could not afford the new wardrobe necessary to clothe my newly sized self, but it certainly fulfilled a need for accomplishment.

I've also met a ton of great people by attending a dozen different networking events all over town. While my list of client potential is still small from these events, I've met people with supporting services (which could lead to business leads), people who provide business support (which could lead to new, low cost options to market my business), and a small group of very like-minded, positive individuals that make me believe that hard work and positivity will pay off in the long run.

We all reach challenging times in our lives. The choice we each have is to either look beyond them and begin to shape what is to come, or to focus too much in our current reality and fear the same.

I vote for the "glass half full" method.

ZW

http://www.azmobilehr.com/

Fix Your Water Damaged Cell Phone

This is a bit off topic for my usual posts, but I found this article to be highly intriguing and potentially helpful. I have been in this predicament at least twice and it is extremely frustrating.

http://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/06/ff_water_damaged_cellphone/

While I do not plan to drop my phone in the toilet to try this out, I would love to hear from someone who is brave enough to do so. Let me know if it works!

ZW
http://www.azmobilehr.com/

Big Brother Wants to Watch You

I know, a second blog post in the same week! Amazing! I simply could not go into the weekend without sharing an article that was posted by a friend on Facebook (ironically).

There is a lot of debate and discussion about privacy; What do people have the right to engage in outside of work that is ultimately no one's business other than there own? I think there are varying degrees to this debate, mostly surrounding how "public" you choose to make your activities. Especially in this age of social media, "private" activities have a way of being posted, blogged about and/or distributed online in very public ways. However, if you choose to effectively use your privacy settings on things like Facebook, Myspace, etc., why is it your employer's business what you are doing? They are your employer, not your Facebook friend (unless you foolishly let them be)!!

Ok, check out the article so that you can feel dirty and intruded upon..............
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=15465

Don't worry, this is just some crazy little town in Montana that has obviously gotten a little too big for their britches. There is a lawsuit, a settlement and a published article about how to keep your nose out of other people's business coming down the road on this one.

Word to the wise - Be careful how you use social media. Don't give your employer the excuse to use it against you by posting private business information, customer rants or other inappropriate content that can be directly traced back to you as an employee and agent of a particular organization. But in the opposite thread, don't feel that you have to bare your soul to your employer either. At least not until you start your own reality show and they start paying you for it!

ZW
http://www.azmobilehr.com/

Networking - Critical Mass

I think a lot of folks fail at networking (or simply give it up) because of society's need for instant gratification. I've been seeing it happen; If a new lead or, even better, a new client doesn't arise after one or two networking events, that event is scrapped and people look elsewhere. After experiencing this cycle with several different events, they assume that networking is useless and they abandon the medium for more antiquated methods like direct mail, cold calling or buying leads.

What I believe they are missing in their equation is the idea of critical mass. I've been on the networking map in the greater Phoenix area for most of 2009, attending a cross section of different events as regularly as possible. Here are a few observations I've made:

• Consistency creates efficiency - Attending the same events over and over again allows you to focus in on the "new" faces each time, making your networking plan more efficient at each subsequent event.
• Listening creates connections - Too many approach networking events from a hard sell perspective; "Here's what I can do for you and why you should hire me, buy from me, refer me, etc." Many forget to ask in depth questions of others, listen to responses and pose questions about other's businesses. Try being interested in someone other than yourself and others will do the same for you...... and start introducing you to their network.
• Have something interesting to say - When someone asks what you do, be original or add some flair. Instead of saying, "I'm an HR Consultant" I say "I fix people problems." This always leads to a follow up question that allows me to explain a little more in depth about what I do. It also helps take away any pre-conceived notions people may have about my services.
• Keep an open mind - If all you are looking for at a networking event is a client, you'll likely miss out on the real benefit; People that might be able to refer you to clients. I've yet to find even a small lead for a direct client through networking events. What I have found is a solid number of individuals that market to a similar clientele, people that offer supplemental services to my own and others that may have access to services that would be of value to my business. None of these are direct clients, but all are very valuable.

This list is obviously not exhaustive and there are books out there that do much more justice to the subject matter, but, it's important to have a plan when networking, even if it's just a small plan. You must meet and greet over and over again. Repetition builds trust with the people that run networking events. They start to view you as more stable, genuinely dedicated to your business and it gives them the opportunity to learn about you so they too can refer you to new people.

You have to keep at it and be genuine to reach a critical mass. Just as you shy away from Mr. Hard Sell, people shy away from you when you offer nothing more.

Have a great week!

ZW

http://www.azmobilehr.com/

Note to Employees: Keep Your Customers Out of It!

Sometimes employees can back themselves into corners. Sometimes they start digging a hole and just can’t stop themselves, even when just being nice and quiet would be the best way to preserve their job.

So, you just reached the boiling point at work and need to let off some steam with your spouse? My advice would be to take that call offsite. Go for a walk, drive somewhere, but whatever you do, don’t scream profanity about your boss on your cell phone at work where others can hear you.

So, you didn’t take my advice above? When you get a call from HR investigating the incident (because it WILL come), I advise you to throw yourself on your sword and profess a love of your job and a willingness to change. I can’t guarantee it will save your job, but it puts you in a much better light than trying to deny what others have attested to seeing and hearing.

Now, if by chance you get to keep your job, the next part is really important….

Remember to contact those customers who you told you were going to be fired and request that they NOT send the e-mail to your boss lambasting the Company for firing you. It just seems to paint you in a non-professional light.

Honestly, I know that customer service is becoming less and less common throughout industry. I want to poke my eyes out every time I have to attempt to find a human at the end of an automated phone system. However, it is completely inappropriate to take your dirty laundry to your customers’ doorsteps. It does a disservice to them, a disservice to your Company and it paints you as an opportunist whose loyalty is now severely in question.

Just a word to the wise.

ZW
http://www.azmobilehr.com/