Category: Economy
IT’S A WRAP: October in Review
Nov 3, 2008
Post-season baseball, football in full gear, entertaining politics, creative costumes, lots of candy and cooler weather—what’s not to love about this past October (other than losing half of your retirement)? Aside from the “Trick or Treat?” you asked last Friday, this past month had its share of many other questions:
Marcia, Marcia, Marcia… You did what???
Why did I stay up to view the most-watched (yawn) VP debate in history?
The bailout’s here! The markets will be safe now, right?
The Dow lost how much in one day? The Dow gained how much in one day? Wait, now you’re saying the Dow lost more points again? Hold on a sec, I thought you said it lost 800–today it gained 800?
O.J…. guilty? Really?
- Comments 0 Comments
- Categories Economy, Employee Attraction, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention, Employer Advice, Interviewing, Monthly Review
Difficult Times Ahead Bring Opportunities to Embrace Change
Oct 28, 2008
I had an interesting conversation today with a VP of Global Recruiting for an international financial services firm, which inevitably turned to the current state of the American economy. To paraphrase his comments he said, “…yes, the economy is bad, but I still have commitments I need to deliver on for next year. I can’t have open sales positions. I have to complete our PeopleClick implementation. I have to make sure that my offices overseas are staffed. I have to advertise our company and the employment brand.” While acknowledging that the economy isn’t good, he also acknowledged that his business still needs to run – the world still turns.
This is an important lesson. We need to continue pushing forward. The environment will be more difficult, but it is in these difficult times that we will focus on the actions that really matter. And through those actions we will create success.
- Comments 2 Comments
- Categories Economy, Employee Attraction, Employer Advice, Generational Hiring, Innovation
The Smartest Investment You’ll Make in This Economy
Oct 21, 2008
from OPEN Forum:
The smartest investment you’ll make in this economy is your investment in your employees. Companies that plan to survive, even thrive, in this economy should increase their investments in their employees. That’s right. Companies should invest more in their employees during this challenging economic period.
Forget those CDOs (collateralized debt obligations) or CDSs (collateralized debt swaps) and Wall Street banks hoping for a comeback or those secret Santa Claus-like portfolios of sub-prime home loans you’ve heard are all the rage. Forget about green energy technologies like wind or solar or geothermal. The smartest investment you’ll make in this or any economy is your investments in your employees.
Now’s the time to not only maintain your current investment program of salary and benefits (You do offer benefits, don’t you?), but find ways to increase that investment. Here’s why: Employees are your company’s number one asset. Oh sure, we’ve all heard that cliche bandied about. Peter Drucker, the legendary management expert, coined that phrase decades ago. It stuck. It stuck because it’s true.
Who makes your company’s products and services? Who talks to your customers? Whose efforts make them love your company and tolerate your mistakes to their credit cards and bank accounts that ruin their day and waste their time? And, who comes up with the systemic solutions to those problems?
- Comments 0 Comments
- Categories Branding, Economy, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention, Employer Advice, Events
It’s 10 p.m.–Do You Know Where Your Leaders Are? 5 Reasons for Developing Them
Oct 17, 2008
That phrase is most often associated with old sci-fi movies depicting little green men disembarking their UFO and uttering the request to wide-eyed earthlings. But what if someone made this request to you (regardless if it’s a laser-toting alien or just some average Joe Plumber on the street)? If you’re a decision maker in your organization you likely consider yourself a leader. Could you take the inquirer to anyone else beneath you?
- Comments 1 Comment
- Categories Economy, Employee Engagement, Employer Advice, Leadership Development
Unintentional Results of Implementing a Hiring Freeze
Oct 13, 2008
Today I came across an article by Dr. John Sullivan on ERE.net that was so well written and to the point that I felt it was worth passing on verbatim. Plus, for me to say hiring freezes are inherently bad for a business seems a little self-serving. In the article, Dr. Sullivan discusses how The Economic Downturn Means That Hiring Freezes Will Soon Decimate Recruiting.
His statements, however, extend beyond the world of the recruiter, and flow into overall company operations. He suggests that although a hiring freeze may free up some company funds in the short term, ultimately the company ends up spending more due to the costs of outsourcing and overtime. And this doesn’t even start to gauge the unmeasured costs of employee burnout, the missed opportunity to grab up top players from the competition or the inability to add new innovative thinking to an organization - just to name a few.
- Comments 4 Comments
- Categories Economy, Employee Attraction, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention, Employer Advice
The Top 14 Interview Questions: How to Cut Through the Clutter
Oct 10, 2008
Questions are the key of any interview. While that’s an obvious statement, what isn’t quite so obvious is deciding which ones to ask.
Interview questions can be inappropriate (”Is that your natural hair color?” or “Can I buy you a drink after we’re through here?“). Or illegal (So, what religion do you practice?). They can also be routine (”What is your greatest strength and weakness?“). A few may be outright bizarre (”Why are manhole covers round?“). And some just shouldn’t ever be asked.
- Comments 7 Comments
- Categories Economy, Employee Attraction, Employer Advice, Interviewing
Loading ...
