“May I be direct?” asks an unsuspecting leader…
“Please do,” says almost everyone.
Don’t fall for it–they’re lying.
Now, I don’t mean it’s malicious, or even intentional. But make no mistake, most–the vast majority–of people who claim to appreciate directness… don’t. Or probably better stated, are simply not wired correctly to appreciate the brevity, succinctness, and well, directness of truly direct feedback or language. (more…)
(As I’m writing this, Hostess and the now-smarter Bakers have agreed to confidential mediation, which means they get into a closed-door room, and figure out if both sides can save face. The business needs are a distant and pale second.)
Hostess and the Baker’s union. Seriously, folks??
Now, let me be clear… I don’t believe in the continued viability of unions in America today. I just don’t. I believe they have completelyand absolutely outlived their usefulness, and become such an undue burden on business as to cost more jobs than they create, and createless job security for all but the most seasoned union veterans–who are damned near bullet-proof.
I think that’s wrong, don’t like it, cannot support it. (more…)
I think chasing employee happiness is a crock. A never-ending quagmire with little return.
I DO believe, however, that we can positively influence employee engagement, and those measurable efforts will frequently add to some employees’ overall “happiness” as a by-product. (more…)
I’m always amazed at automation–it’s allowed us to come so far, to realize more efficiencies, effectiveness, and productivity from our obviously dull existences.
But you know what? Automation is not necessarily the right thing in all situations. Changing under the guise of automation sounds sexy, streamlined, and fast. It sounds right.
But what if it isn’t?
This is an interesting and pertinent topic to me; most of my clients are undergoing some level of change in structure and/or processes regarding talent and workforce planning right now (some for positive reasons, others… not so much), and it’s unlikely that this trend will slow down for some time. (more…)
So, with most payroll surveys showing 2.0-2.5% increases in salary budgets for 2012, life’s a breeze, right? Just add the percentages into the Excel formula, press “Enter,” and you’re done, right?
Actually, wrong.
Enter “wage inflation.”
I’m going to avoid the ecomomist argument that higher wages do or do not cause inflation. That’s just not our relative concern here. What is clearly our concern is that stronger economic growth lowers general unemployment rate (even if slowly). This, theoretically, can cause us to “bid up” the price of labor and (hopefully) pass through those higher costs in the form of higher prices.
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