Rob's Blog: Employees

In yesterday’s post, I talked about the worst hiring practices that, unfortunately, many of us (including me) are guilty of. In his talk, Barry Deutsch did more than point out common mistakes – he provided suggested best practices. Now, here are a few of the best practices from Barry:

• Include the results you are looking for from the position in the posted job description.
• Define the problems, obstacles, actions and results, before even thinking about beginning a search.
• Remember that the best candidates are seriously checking you out. Sell to them like you would sell to your top client. Be prepared, don't take calls or check email during the interview, and CHALLENGE the candidates.
• Ask for examples of previous results related to the results you want the candidate to achieve. Do not let candidates off the hook here.

Barry also said that the process for high level candidates will often be five rounds. The best candidates will understand and appreciate this.   I am not doing Barry justice, and I don’t want to steal his thunder. Check out his website for more. I can tell you that his presentation made me totally rethink our hiring (and management) process. See what NY Report expert Al Siebert says the top “Seven Tips to Hiring Resilient Employees” are.

On Monday, I had the pleasure of having lunch with Zane Tankel,who was on NY Report's September 2007 cover. We spoke about a lot of business issues, including a call Zane had with a landlord that resulted in his landlord wanting to meet somewhere for a fight. While the proposed ass-kicking didn’t surprise me (after all, who hasn’t almost come to blows with their landlord at one time or another), another topic of conversation did. Since Zane was on the cover, his company, Apple Metro, which owns the NYC Applebee's franchises, has grown significantly, despite a dismal year for the restaurant industry. Zane hired a new COO who came from the Applebee's corporate franchiser. Since then, the company has been hiring restaurant and district managers from all over the country. In fact, 50% of new management positions are filled by out-of-towners (at a significant expense to Apple Metro). The other half are promoted from inside the company. When I asked why, he had a few reasons including that the company needed a new perspective and that he found that people from the Midwest are hard workers.  

Even though our staff at NY Report has doubled in the past year we still run very lean. So my team works very hard and many wear several hats. Given the pace at which we work, and the fact that this pace will continue or get more frenetic, not to mention the effect of all the bad news in the media these days, it is a legitimate concern that we might get a little nuts. Last week I got the team together for a quick impromptu meeting and encouraged them to take many breaks throughout the day. Preferably out of the office. I think this helps everyone "take a breath" and keeps us sane, which should result in happier and more productive workers. The next thing I need to figure out is how to make sure they do take breaks without making it mandatory. Any suggestions?

Here’s a quick reminder from Deborah Shapiro, of Deborah A. Shapiro, LLC, regarding employee voting leave. Thanks to Deborah for this great piece of info, and Stacy Robin of The Degania Group for passing it along. “As Election Day approaches, please be aware that New York State law requires you to provide your employees with sufficient time to vote. Employees are entitled to “voting leave” if: -they are registered voters; and -they do not have at least 4 consecutive hours in which to vote, either between the time the polls open and the start of their work day or between the end of their work day and the time the polls close. These employees are entitled to take up to 2 hours of paid leave. They also may take an additional 2 hours of unpaid leave, if necessary, to have 4 consecutive hours off while the polls are open (but employees who are exempt from the overtime laws must not be docked for this time). If employees wish to take voting leave, they must provide you with notice at least 2 days, but not more than 10 days, before Election Day.  You are permitted to designate whether an employee takes his/her voting leave at the start or the end of the work day.”

Misery loves company. I just hope it doesn’t love my company. So, I asked my staff for ideas on how we can make the workplace a, dare I say it, fun place to be. While it may seem magnanimous for a boss to want employees to have fun at work, this approach is not without bottom line motivation. People who want to be at work, more often, will be at work. They are less likely to be clockwatching and therefore more productive. While I was expecting requests for an air hockey table, a tequila bar and a Wii set up in the conference room, the most requested addition to our office was music. Music, I can do. Since the musical tastes of my employees range from Top 40 pop to hard core punk to reggae, we had to set some guidelines. My only stipulation was that the music could not have vocals, because singing can be distracting. The group voted for jazz. We set up an iPod and speakers and loaded a playlist with jazz greats. Before The Dave Brubeck Quartet finished Take Five, the mood in the room was significantly lighter. As I looked around people were working and smiling. While I’m on vacation this week, I can relax knowing our newest office mates - Mr. Brubeck and Mr. Coltrane – are keeping my employees smiling and misery in someone else’s office. 

This time of year, a new crop of Generation Y college graduates are showing up at our office doors looking for their first jobs. And as the baby boomers advance toward retirement, business owners need these new recruits. The problem is there is often a disconnect between what we as business owners are looking for and what they as entry-level employees expect. They aren't called the Entitlement Generation for nothing. The typical Gen Y worker expects to fill the following position after graduation: Job title: Director of Ideas and General Office CriticSalary: $70,000Hours: 9ish to 5ishBenefits: 1.5 hours lunch, summer Fridays off, an office and an iPhone Responsibilities: Surf the internet, keep constant track of "what's up" via IM, offer solutions to antiquated company policies, roll eyes when given constructive criticism. Director of Ideas will NOT be required to send FedEx packages, take notes at meetings or make photocopies for anyone.Qualifications: Brilliant and all-knowing. No experience necessary. Unfortunately, this job description doesn't match any open positions I've heard of. But that doesn't mean this new generation won't be a great fit for our companies. For example, while they have high expectations of their employer, they also put high expectations on themselves. Their boldness may be aggravating to managers, but it is also a necessary quality in an entrepreneurial organization. Let's not overlook the fact that these kids are more educated than any other generation past. And most of all, this new workforce is by far the most technology-savvy. While their style may be different from the button-down attitude we're used to, maybe we should give them a fair shot at being successful at our companies. Business owners have a management issue at hand. How do we usher in the new generation of workers and capitalize on their potential? I don't know the answer, but let me know if you've got some suggestions. I myself am a Generation X worker. Our generation entered the workforce with an equally low set of expectations. The popular belief in the early 90's was that I would come to work unshaven, wearing a flannel shirt; half brain dead from watching too much MTV. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Well, maybe I did watch too much MTV. If you'd like to read more on this generational divide, check out this article from The Wall Street Journal.

It's the day before I leave for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, something I look forward to every year,  but  my main focus isn’t on packing or on the multitude of meetings I have scheduled. It’s on making sure everyone on my staff is prepared for the three days I’ll be away. Not only will I delegate tasks and make sure everyone knows what I expect will get done while I'm gone, I also need to be available to hear updates and project reports from my employees, all before I leave. Of course, no one can predict the little things that will inevitably pop up here and there, but that’s why it’s important to have a staff you can trust to handle it all. And this year I’m taking a firm stance on one thing - no phone calls (unless it’s absolutely crucial, of course). If you’re into the New Orleans music scene but can’t make it to this year’s festival, check out the webcast.