Just before Christmas, David Woods wrote an article for HR Magazine stating that "Managers have vowed to put the development needs of their teams a top priority in 2010, ....."
When I was employed as a sector director in a building consultancy, I tried very hard to encourage the right development of staff, but found the process to be very hard going due to the resistance of HR and more senior managers, which resistance was basically caused by cost.
The cost never seemed to be seen as an investment.
Now that I am not employed, and looking at staff development from a different perspective, I have come to realise, as other managers seem to have done, that investment in the development of existing staff will improve long term income through several factors; e.g. reduced churn, more efficient use of resources, better understanding of client needs, and a more focussed approach to value for money.
The biggest problem that employers have is assessing the baseline from which development is to start. Speaking from my own experience of being assessed, most assessments are carried out subjectively, with no baseline, and no defined objective. Any development of me was through my own requests. No assessor ever suggested that I should attend a Presentation Skills seminar, I had to suggest that myself. Other development requests were ignored, year after year, even though I knew the particular training was vital to my success, and therefore my employer's.
The main problem is a complete lack of role definition. I was employed as a project manager. When I started there was no definition of that role, nor was there any definition of what sort of person made a good project manager and a good employee. The only definition was a list of the services a project manager had to provide to the client. The Quality Assurance Certification produced tick boxes of what had to be done to satisfy the services, but, until now, there was no system in place that allowed an employer to specifically define not only the qualifications and experience of a potential employee, but also the "fit" into the ethos of the company.
Now there is such a system, that allows the employer to precisely define the sort of person they wish to have as an integrated part of the company. That definition is used as a baseline for the development of any employee through appraisals, it can be used to promote staff, to recruit staff, or, in these horribly difficult times, to terminate staff. The beauty of this system is that it is objective, rather than subjective, and meets all equal opportunities requirements.
Details of the system can be found at www.pariprofile.com.
The report that David Woods referred to was issued by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). This report also highlighted three key barriers which may prevent managers from doing what they know they need to do. These were; lack of time (75%); reduced budgets (42%); and a reduced workforce (33%).
I would have thought that a reduced workforce would have made it easier to set up a good system, and I know that the system I referred to takes very little time to produce each definition, and the cost of doing so can only be measured in time, as there is minimal money involved.
I really hope, for the sake of employees throught UK, and for the sake of each and every employer, that this resolution to develop staff is pursued vigorously.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Thursday, 17 December 2009
Has any one considered SRP for the Government
The Government is facing legal action by the European Commission for alleged failure to properly implement certain aspects of European directives supporting equal treatment.
According to law firm Eversheds, this may give the Equality Bill further momentum as it approaches its second reading before the House of Lords this week and could see it take a step closer to the statute books and potential implementation in the spring.
Audrey Williams, partner and head of discrimination law Eversheds, said: "The UK Government will clearly not wish to be on the receiving end of legal proceedings and may wish to take steps to placate the European Commission.
"One way of doing so might be to ensure the relatively smooth passage of the Equality Bill but the two-month timescale for responding may not allow for that. The practical reality in any event is that infringement proceedings are known to take months, if not years, by which time the Equality Bill or any subsequent legislation may be concluded.
"What may be more interesting is whether the Government will opt to make further changes to the Bill in light of the threat from EU. Despite a favorable response to the introduction of claims by representative bodies on behalf of groups of individuals in 2008, the Government is still considering the options here and had planned to revisit this issue after the Equality Bill as a separate measure.
"As far as the infringement proceedings are concerned the Government now has two months within which to respond or it will face defending legal proceedings in the European Court of Justice. Whether in the meantime the Bill receives more impetus remains to be seen."
The news comes as women and equality minister Harriet Harman reportedly announced the Equality Bill could be watered down, with equal pay audits only being applied to employers with more than 500 staff.
Article source: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/weeklyupdatebulletin/article/974008/?DCMP=EMC-Dailynewsalert
According to law firm Eversheds, this may give the Equality Bill further momentum as it approaches its second reading before the House of Lords this week and could see it take a step closer to the statute books and potential implementation in the spring.
Audrey Williams, partner and head of discrimination law Eversheds, said: "The UK Government will clearly not wish to be on the receiving end of legal proceedings and may wish to take steps to placate the European Commission.
"One way of doing so might be to ensure the relatively smooth passage of the Equality Bill but the two-month timescale for responding may not allow for that. The practical reality in any event is that infringement proceedings are known to take months, if not years, by which time the Equality Bill or any subsequent legislation may be concluded.
"What may be more interesting is whether the Government will opt to make further changes to the Bill in light of the threat from EU. Despite a favorable response to the introduction of claims by representative bodies on behalf of groups of individuals in 2008, the Government is still considering the options here and had planned to revisit this issue after the Equality Bill as a separate measure.
"As far as the infringement proceedings are concerned the Government now has two months within which to respond or it will face defending legal proceedings in the European Court of Justice. Whether in the meantime the Bill receives more impetus remains to be seen."
The news comes as women and equality minister Harriet Harman reportedly announced the Equality Bill could be watered down, with equal pay audits only being applied to employers with more than 500 staff.
Article source: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/weeklyupdatebulletin/article/974008/?DCMP=EMC-Dailynewsalert
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Marketing Site With Really Good Information
I have followed Sean D'Souza's site http://www.psychotactics.com/ for a few years now, not always reading his newsletters but when I do there is always alot of interesting and very useful information. I have just been following this up again and I think it is well worth a look, and to sign up for his newsletter.
Monday, 14 December 2009
HR Depts are increasingin size
HR struggle to cope with the increasing demands of staff reduction and incentivisation - that's because they don't have the systems in place to assist
HR departments have weathered the economic storm of 2009 - with a quarter taking on new staff, new research reveals.
Only 35% of HR departments have had to decrease the size of their department in the past year, while almost a quarter (23%) increased the number of staff and 42% reported no change in their HR staff numbers. But 20% of companies have had difficulty recruiting for HR roles in the past year.
The report, The HR Function - a Survey of HR Structures, Pay and Conditions, from employment information and research provider Incomes Data Service (IDS), is based on the responses of 178 organisations, with more than 7,000 HR staff and almost 600,000 employees.
The average (median) salary for an HR director in the UK is £91,350. And according to IDS, compensation and benefit specialist roles tend to be the highest paid. At manager level the median salary for a compensation and benefit specialist is £50,000, 7.3% higher than for a generalist HR manager - whose median salary is £46,335.
Graham Brown, author of the report, said: "Despite fears that the recession would bring sweeping job cuts to support functions within companies, staffing levels in most HR departments have remained robust."
"With almost a quarter of HR departments actually taking staff on over the past year, it seems like they have managed to avoid the worst ravages of the post credit crunch job cuts.
"Some HR departments may even argue that a recession actually creates more work for them. They may have to run complicated headcount reduction programmes or find cost savings through the introduction of new incentive packages.
"During a recession, pressure from their day-to-day tasks, such as managing performance and dealing with potential employment disputes, may also increase."
The IDS report finds that the most senior person in HR reports directly to the CEO at only 48% of organisations. HR is represented at board level in 67% of SMEs but only 55% of large organisations.
Brown said: "For many years HR has been seeking a seat at the ‘top table' - and it appears it still has much work to do.
"HR is still often seen in a support role - providing metrics and statistics to the finance or operations departments, rather than advising on strategy."
Source: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/weeklyupdatebulletin/article/973782/?DCMP=EMC-Dailynewsalert
HR departments have weathered the economic storm of 2009 - with a quarter taking on new staff, new research reveals.
Only 35% of HR departments have had to decrease the size of their department in the past year, while almost a quarter (23%) increased the number of staff and 42% reported no change in their HR staff numbers. But 20% of companies have had difficulty recruiting for HR roles in the past year.
The report, The HR Function - a Survey of HR Structures, Pay and Conditions, from employment information and research provider Incomes Data Service (IDS), is based on the responses of 178 organisations, with more than 7,000 HR staff and almost 600,000 employees.
The average (median) salary for an HR director in the UK is £91,350. And according to IDS, compensation and benefit specialist roles tend to be the highest paid. At manager level the median salary for a compensation and benefit specialist is £50,000, 7.3% higher than for a generalist HR manager - whose median salary is £46,335.
Graham Brown, author of the report, said: "Despite fears that the recession would bring sweeping job cuts to support functions within companies, staffing levels in most HR departments have remained robust."
"With almost a quarter of HR departments actually taking staff on over the past year, it seems like they have managed to avoid the worst ravages of the post credit crunch job cuts.
"Some HR departments may even argue that a recession actually creates more work for them. They may have to run complicated headcount reduction programmes or find cost savings through the introduction of new incentive packages.
"During a recession, pressure from their day-to-day tasks, such as managing performance and dealing with potential employment disputes, may also increase."
The IDS report finds that the most senior person in HR reports directly to the CEO at only 48% of organisations. HR is represented at board level in 67% of SMEs but only 55% of large organisations.
Brown said: "For many years HR has been seeking a seat at the ‘top table' - and it appears it still has much work to do.
"HR is still often seen in a support role - providing metrics and statistics to the finance or operations departments, rather than advising on strategy."
Source: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/weeklyupdatebulletin/article/973782/?DCMP=EMC-Dailynewsalert
Friday, 11 December 2009
6 Aspects of a Social Media Recruiting Strategy Every Company Should Know
For 6 Aspects of a Social Media Recruiting Strategy Every Company Should Know, follow the link
Top 3 Facebook Mistakes
Top 3 Facebook Mistakes
1. Market all the time - Why do people do this? In a social setting, would you walk in carrying a giant billboard? Can you imagine what the reaction would be?
Yet it happens all the time. Someone sets up a new Facebook account and begins to flash their marketing messages all over the place. This is the quickest way to get ignored.
What to do instead - Follow the 80/20 rule of Social Marketing - 80% conversation & relationship building and 20% marketing. Share the parts of your life you are willing to share. Respond to what other people share. Help out when you can by answering questions and referring to any resources you know about that could help. Sometimes these can be your resources. Now you are able to market while being social. Which is the point.
2. No Regular Updates - Another big mistake I see is failure to be involved and update regularly. It only takes a few moments to update your status. And by update your status I do not mean your latest adventures in Mafia Wars or what you have added to your Aquarium or Farmville. This does not help your marketing and just makes you look like someone with too much time on their hands.
What to do instead - Follow my LIFE model of Social Marketing. You can update with Links, Information, Fun, and Events. Links can be information you have found or information about you. Information can be tips and tools about your niche. Fun can be sharing your life with your followers, to the extent with which you are comfortable. Events can be events you are attending or events you are holding.
3. No Fan Page - Lots of people try to have both their friendship world and their marketing world on the same page. I admit I made this mistake when I first started out. It gets confusing for your followers and for you. At the time of this writing, I'm in the process of moving my business followers to my Fan Pages and using my Facebook Profile for my longtime and new friends.
What to do instead - Create a Facebook Fan Page. Some of the advantages are:
1) Your updates are indexed by Google which helps you build your online visibility.
2) On your Profile Page you are limited to only 5000 followers. On your Facebook Fan Page there is no limit to the number of Fans you can have.
3) You are allowed to treat your Facebook Fan Page as a marketing tool, inviting followers/fans to sales pages and opt in pages.
And to learn more about how to leverage the Social Networks for waves of traffic and more, get your FREE Instant Access to our Social Marketing Video Training Series when you visit http://SocialMarketingBlueprint.com/7laws
The source for this article is: http://ezinearticles.com/?Facebook-Tips---Are-You-Making-Any-of-These-3-Deadly-Social-Marketing-Mistakes-on-Facebook?&id=3399337
1. Market all the time - Why do people do this? In a social setting, would you walk in carrying a giant billboard? Can you imagine what the reaction would be?
Yet it happens all the time. Someone sets up a new Facebook account and begins to flash their marketing messages all over the place. This is the quickest way to get ignored.
What to do instead - Follow the 80/20 rule of Social Marketing - 80% conversation & relationship building and 20% marketing. Share the parts of your life you are willing to share. Respond to what other people share. Help out when you can by answering questions and referring to any resources you know about that could help. Sometimes these can be your resources. Now you are able to market while being social. Which is the point.
2. No Regular Updates - Another big mistake I see is failure to be involved and update regularly. It only takes a few moments to update your status. And by update your status I do not mean your latest adventures in Mafia Wars or what you have added to your Aquarium or Farmville. This does not help your marketing and just makes you look like someone with too much time on their hands.
What to do instead - Follow my LIFE model of Social Marketing. You can update with Links, Information, Fun, and Events. Links can be information you have found or information about you. Information can be tips and tools about your niche. Fun can be sharing your life with your followers, to the extent with which you are comfortable. Events can be events you are attending or events you are holding.
3. No Fan Page - Lots of people try to have both their friendship world and their marketing world on the same page. I admit I made this mistake when I first started out. It gets confusing for your followers and for you. At the time of this writing, I'm in the process of moving my business followers to my Fan Pages and using my Facebook Profile for my longtime and new friends.
What to do instead - Create a Facebook Fan Page. Some of the advantages are:
1) Your updates are indexed by Google which helps you build your online visibility.
2) On your Profile Page you are limited to only 5000 followers. On your Facebook Fan Page there is no limit to the number of Fans you can have.
3) You are allowed to treat your Facebook Fan Page as a marketing tool, inviting followers/fans to sales pages and opt in pages.
And to learn more about how to leverage the Social Networks for waves of traffic and more, get your FREE Instant Access to our Social Marketing Video Training Series when you visit http://SocialMarketingBlueprint.com/7laws
The source for this article is: http://ezinearticles.com/?Facebook-Tips---Are-You-Making-Any-of-These-3-Deadly-Social-Marketing-Mistakes-on-Facebook?&id=3399337
Be careful how you use facebook
It is no surprise why Facebook has grown so much and is passing by MySpace to quickly become the leader in social networking, it is clean. From day one Facebook has been strict on how people use their social platform. Obvious self promotion is severely frowned upon and could quickly get you banned from their website.
Facebook has very strict guidelines on how they want people to use their social networking tool and they will not hesitate to pull the plug on your profile. Launching a profile under your business name is a huge nono. Many people still try to launch personal profiles under their business name but be warned that you could spend a great deal of time and effort building up that profile only to have it shut down. You will still see friend requests coming from businesses because Facebook has not caught up with those profiles yet but it is only a matter of time before they do. In order for things to work out nicely you must launch a profile from an actual persons name. Then you can reach out to the community and try to express what it is that you offer but you must do it tastefully. Sure it makes it a bit more difficult to send someone a friend request from a person rather than a business but this is how Facebook keeps things as clean as possible in order to receive additional rounds of funding. If you want to target your business on Facebook you must create a business page located in the advertising section. You can then direct traffic to your business page through your personal profile to build awareness around your business.
Source for this article: http://socialmarketingjournal.com/category/facebook/
Facebook has very strict guidelines on how they want people to use their social networking tool and they will not hesitate to pull the plug on your profile. Launching a profile under your business name is a huge nono. Many people still try to launch personal profiles under their business name but be warned that you could spend a great deal of time and effort building up that profile only to have it shut down. You will still see friend requests coming from businesses because Facebook has not caught up with those profiles yet but it is only a matter of time before they do. In order for things to work out nicely you must launch a profile from an actual persons name. Then you can reach out to the community and try to express what it is that you offer but you must do it tastefully. Sure it makes it a bit more difficult to send someone a friend request from a person rather than a business but this is how Facebook keeps things as clean as possible in order to receive additional rounds of funding. If you want to target your business on Facebook you must create a business page located in the advertising section. You can then direct traffic to your business page through your personal profile to build awareness around your business.
Source for this article: http://socialmarketingjournal.com/category/facebook/
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Disquieting trends in the psychometrics industry
This is blog item at the following link - this is just the sort of conversation we should be joining - so who and how many of you are going to:
http://community.hrmagazine.co.uk/forums/t/582.aspx?DCMP=EMC-Dailynewsalert
http://community.hrmagazine.co.uk/forums/t/582.aspx?DCMP=EMC-Dailynewsalert
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Re-inventing the wheel - not
This guy is an Internet Marketeer - which means he sells stuff through the internet. As such he has to attract all his customers that way and he has lots of tips about how to do that. You can follow his tips and blogs, as well as lots of stuff you may be less interested in, at http://fromthedeskofjeffherring.com/. You can also follow him on Twitter, his id is JeffHerring.
Personally i think if folk out there have proven methods of social/internet marketing and are happy to share them why try to re-invent the wheel so to speak
Personally i think if folk out there have proven methods of social/internet marketing and are happy to share them why try to re-invent the wheel so to speak
Presenting to you rclients from the comfort of your office
Here's a cunning idea. Why not save your time and the planet by presenting RMP or SRP to your potential clients without leaving your office or spending any money. How do i do that i hear you ask - the answer is "Webinars"
Webinars are a bit like conference calls only they allow you to provide a presentation as well as talking. This can be done on a 1 to 1 basis or 1 to many depending on what you want to do and what interest you get.
I searched for Free Webinar Software in google and got at least 2 options to download free programmes to enable you to do this. I will be downloading one of them myself when i get time but as the PARI tools are all browser based i thought this might be quite a clever way of demonstrating it whilst reinforcing the capability and benefits of online working.
Just a thought!
Webinars are a bit like conference calls only they allow you to provide a presentation as well as talking. This can be done on a 1 to 1 basis or 1 to many depending on what you want to do and what interest you get.
I searched for Free Webinar Software in google and got at least 2 options to download free programmes to enable you to do this. I will be downloading one of them myself when i get time but as the PARI tools are all browser based i thought this might be quite a clever way of demonstrating it whilst reinforcing the capability and benefits of online working.
Just a thought!
Monday, 7 December 2009
How to be Successful on Twitter
I get asked a lot, how can I increase my chances of being successful on Twitter? So I thought that I would write down what I consider to be the four most important things you can do on Twitter, which when done properly, will give you the greatest chances of success.
What do I mean by Success?
That in itself is an important question, as to each person, success can mean different things. So before you start on Twitter, I would suggest that you think through exactly what success may look like for you, and how you are going to go about measuring it.
Success, may mean more sales, more website traffic, more sign ups to your newsletter, more people to collaborate with, more PR about you or your company… It may mean a combination of the above, or simply may mean more people to talk to.. Thats 100% up to you..
I have broken down the 4 things to do to achieve success:-
1. Commitment - this means adding a good photo, perhaps adding a bespoke background, adding your website URL, and writing an interesting Bio. Try and differentiate yourself from so many others in the same line of work as you, and make sure that the Bio, contains keywords, so that others can find you.
2. Consistency - this means showing up each day, and tweeting. Whatever time is available, it is far more important to do a small amount each day, than doing loads 1 day, and then nothing for a week or so. Twitter is a long term thing, much like any forms of networking. Very little will be acheived in days, when thinking about Twitter, you really need to be thinking long term strategy, rather than quick fix win..
3. Be Interesting - this means what you are tweeting about.. Try and tweet 3 types of messages. Social chit chat, the sharing of: resources, links, tools, info, ideas, opinions, use of photos, being humorous, and adding value and the tweets that answer peeps questions, which demonstrates your knowledge, which in time will build your brand and credibility … aim for a nice balance.. too many of 1 category is not recommended….
4. Be interested - this means engaging with others. Adding value, answering questions, joining into conversations. Find conversation to enter into via http://search.twitter.com and then engage with those people where you can help, or have the ability to answer their issues. This is not about selling things.. It may well be that many of the answers, are on your website / blogsite.
What do I mean by Success?
That in itself is an important question, as to each person, success can mean different things. So before you start on Twitter, I would suggest that you think through exactly what success may look like for you, and how you are going to go about measuring it.
Success, may mean more sales, more website traffic, more sign ups to your newsletter, more people to collaborate with, more PR about you or your company… It may mean a combination of the above, or simply may mean more people to talk to.. Thats 100% up to you..
I have broken down the 4 things to do to achieve success:-
1. Commitment - this means adding a good photo, perhaps adding a bespoke background, adding your website URL, and writing an interesting Bio. Try and differentiate yourself from so many others in the same line of work as you, and make sure that the Bio, contains keywords, so that others can find you.
2. Consistency - this means showing up each day, and tweeting. Whatever time is available, it is far more important to do a small amount each day, than doing loads 1 day, and then nothing for a week or so. Twitter is a long term thing, much like any forms of networking. Very little will be acheived in days, when thinking about Twitter, you really need to be thinking long term strategy, rather than quick fix win..
3. Be Interesting - this means what you are tweeting about.. Try and tweet 3 types of messages. Social chit chat, the sharing of: resources, links, tools, info, ideas, opinions, use of photos, being humorous, and adding value and the tweets that answer peeps questions, which demonstrates your knowledge, which in time will build your brand and credibility … aim for a nice balance.. too many of 1 category is not recommended….
4. Be interested - this means engaging with others. Adding value, answering questions, joining into conversations. Find conversation to enter into via http://search.twitter.com and then engage with those people where you can help, or have the ability to answer their issues. This is not about selling things.. It may well be that many of the answers, are on your website / blogsite.
Avoid the three deadly mistakes of tweeting
Do you make any of the top 3 deadly Twitter marketing mistakes? Read on to discover these mistakes and what to do instead so you can become a Twitter Rock Star.
Twitter is a great way to use Social Media Marketing to build visibility, grow your list and make profits. But you gotta know how to do it right.
I see newbies and even experienced marketers alike making the same three deadly yet avoidable mistakes. Let's take a closer look at these mistakes and what to do instead. If you see yourself in any of the 3 avoidable deadly mistakes, don't panic. Be glad you discovered the mistake and what to do about it, and then change your course. Don't sit around pining over your mistakes and get stuck there. Just change your strategies and move forward.
Mistake 1 - Begin with marketing - This applies to those who are just starting out on Twitter as well as how to start every day on Twitter. When you are just starting out, focus on relationships and building connections, as well as being visible. Think of it this way: you have to earn the right to market. You earn the right to market by being sociable. After you have spent time building relationships, then you can market, drive traffic, build your list and even make sales from Twitter. Always think relationship first.
Start out each day on Twitter by being sociable. How would you like it if your spouse started to market you first thing in the morning before ever saying good morning? Exactly.
Mistake 2 - Being serious all the time - I see so many people tweet like they are presenting a paper at an international conference. While you do want to be serious about what you do, you also want to add a little fun as well. Let your personality show. This goes a long way it helping people to know, like and trust you. Who do you like to be friends with? Those who are serious all the time or those that have an engaging personality and are not afraid to show it in any situation?
Mistake 3 - Don't get involved in conversations/community - I call this being a "hit & run" tweeter. These folks come in, dump their message, (usually a marketing message) and then they are gone. Big mistake. Become involved in discussions, answer questions, become a recognized part of the community.
You can take about anything. Recently I used a quote from M*A*S*H and got into a coversation with someone about the characters from the show. Simple relationship building.
And you don't have to get on a plane or drive across town to do it.
To learn more about how to leverage the Social Networks for waves of traffic and more, get your FREE Instant Access to our Social Marketing Video Training Series when you visit http://SocialMarketingBlueprint.com/7laws
You'll get a series of videos, audios and pdfs all about Social Media Traffic & Profits
From Jeff Herring and the SocialMarketingBlueprint.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Herring
Twitter is a great way to use Social Media Marketing to build visibility, grow your list and make profits. But you gotta know how to do it right.
I see newbies and even experienced marketers alike making the same three deadly yet avoidable mistakes. Let's take a closer look at these mistakes and what to do instead. If you see yourself in any of the 3 avoidable deadly mistakes, don't panic. Be glad you discovered the mistake and what to do about it, and then change your course. Don't sit around pining over your mistakes and get stuck there. Just change your strategies and move forward.
Mistake 1 - Begin with marketing - This applies to those who are just starting out on Twitter as well as how to start every day on Twitter. When you are just starting out, focus on relationships and building connections, as well as being visible. Think of it this way: you have to earn the right to market. You earn the right to market by being sociable. After you have spent time building relationships, then you can market, drive traffic, build your list and even make sales from Twitter. Always think relationship first.
Start out each day on Twitter by being sociable. How would you like it if your spouse started to market you first thing in the morning before ever saying good morning? Exactly.
Mistake 2 - Being serious all the time - I see so many people tweet like they are presenting a paper at an international conference. While you do want to be serious about what you do, you also want to add a little fun as well. Let your personality show. This goes a long way it helping people to know, like and trust you. Who do you like to be friends with? Those who are serious all the time or those that have an engaging personality and are not afraid to show it in any situation?
Mistake 3 - Don't get involved in conversations/community - I call this being a "hit & run" tweeter. These folks come in, dump their message, (usually a marketing message) and then they are gone. Big mistake. Become involved in discussions, answer questions, become a recognized part of the community.
You can take about anything. Recently I used a quote from M*A*S*H and got into a coversation with someone about the characters from the show. Simple relationship building.
And you don't have to get on a plane or drive across town to do it.
To learn more about how to leverage the Social Networks for waves of traffic and more, get your FREE Instant Access to our Social Marketing Video Training Series when you visit http://SocialMarketingBlueprint.com/7laws
You'll get a series of videos, audios and pdfs all about Social Media Traffic & Profits
From Jeff Herring and the SocialMarketingBlueprint.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Herring
Friday, 4 December 2009
Become a fan of the RMP facebook fan club
Guys
Paul Jones has created a Creative Wisdom fan club on facebook to start getting RMP talked about on this site. It would be great if you could all join his group and start some conversations.
The link to this page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Creative-Wisdom/89895381434?v=wall
Paul Jones has created a Creative Wisdom fan club on facebook to start getting RMP talked about on this site. It would be great if you could all join his group and start some conversations.
The link to this page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Creative-Wisdom/89895381434?v=wall
Recruitment is on the increase
The short and medium-term outlook for growth in recruitment is continuing to improve, according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).
The REC reports one in 10 employers anticipate an increase in their permanent staff levels over the next three months, an uplift of 5% on the previous month, while 16% expect their permanent staff numbers to rise in the next 12 months compared with 13% last month.
Five per cent of employers expect to increase their temporary workforce in the next three months and 72% expect to maintain the same level of agency staff over the next year.
Although four out of 10 employers said there had been no impact on their workforce as a result of economic changes but 22% of employers are making staff redundant.
Slightly more employers (3%) are now reducing hours or cutting pay in response to the continuation of the recession.
While the jobs market remains largely static, employers' hiring intentions and overall optimism grew again, according to the report. Commenting on the figures, REC director of research Roger Tweedy said: "It is encouraging that employer confidence is slowly but surely starting to manifest itself in terms of hiring intentions. However, it is very early days and a number of employers are still making redundancies or cutting working hours. Regular data on how employers are reacting to subtle changes in the jobs market is essential and we will continue to monitor the outlook for both permanent and temporary employment."
Source: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/weeklyupdatebulletin/article/972133/?DCMP=EMC-Dailynewsalert
The REC reports one in 10 employers anticipate an increase in their permanent staff levels over the next three months, an uplift of 5% on the previous month, while 16% expect their permanent staff numbers to rise in the next 12 months compared with 13% last month.
Five per cent of employers expect to increase their temporary workforce in the next three months and 72% expect to maintain the same level of agency staff over the next year.
Although four out of 10 employers said there had been no impact on their workforce as a result of economic changes but 22% of employers are making staff redundant.
Slightly more employers (3%) are now reducing hours or cutting pay in response to the continuation of the recession.
While the jobs market remains largely static, employers' hiring intentions and overall optimism grew again, according to the report. Commenting on the figures, REC director of research Roger Tweedy said: "It is encouraging that employer confidence is slowly but surely starting to manifest itself in terms of hiring intentions. However, it is very early days and a number of employers are still making redundancies or cutting working hours. Regular data on how employers are reacting to subtle changes in the jobs market is essential and we will continue to monitor the outlook for both permanent and temporary employment."
Source: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/weeklyupdatebulletin/article/972133/?DCMP=EMC-Dailynewsalert
Thursday, 3 December 2009
An article copied from http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk
Why is Social Marketing so effective? The article below is one that i have copied from an HR forum. This is the perfect sort of comment to start a forum or blog conversation regarding effective and targeted appraisals.
Business success depends on good managers
Jack Wiley, 03 December 2009
Be the first to comment on this article
A global survey of 22,000 workers in 18 countries shows that UK employees are below the world average when it comes to rating their managers as effective. The study is relevant for HR because it highlights that 'good' management has a significant impact on the engagement levels of employees and on their overall perception of the organisation.
Our study found that India tops the global league table of managerial effectiveness. 68% of employees in India rate their manager as effective, followed by Brazil (61%), the United States (60%), Russia and the Gulf countries (57%), Canada (56%), China (53%), Germany (51%), the UK (50%), Spain (46%), Italy (44%), Japan (43%) and France (41%).
While these rankings may be of interest, it's more important that organisations recognise the benefits that come from having effective managers. Of course, a good manager is more likely to get the best out of employees, in terms of their performance. But good management has benefits that extend much further than productivity.
In our study, those employees who are satisfied with their manager state a much higher intention to stay with the organisation than those who are dissatisfied. Those who rate their managers as good also feel they have promising prospects within the company as well as confidence in the organisation's future.
In fact, those employees who regard themselves as working for a good manager have three-four times higher engagement scores than those who work for managers they regard as ineffective.
So, good management means employees are more engaged, more committed and more productive. For organisations, this means higher employee retention, reduced absenteeism and improvements in service quality, customer satisfaction and overall performance.
What make a ‘good manager'?
Employees' evaluations of their manager are driven by the extent to which the manager displays the fundamentals of managerial competence: doing a good job at managing the team's work and the team itself, and being perceived as a leader.
In other words, a good manager is someone who keeps his/her commitments, evaluates employees' performance fairly, makes use of employees' ideas, quickly solves problems and practices open, two-way communication. Their behaviour should be consistent with the mission and values of the organisation, they should provide opportunity for employees to improve their skills and they should reassure employees that they have a promising future.
HR implications
Each of these aspects of managerial effectiveness will be influenced by further factors. For example, to be an effective problem solver, a manager needs an awareness of the issues, a sense of urgency, knowledge of how the workplace operates and an understanding of how to create and communicate a plan for how the problem will be resolved.
By analysing the different aspects of managerial effectiveness, HR practitioners should be able to create a framework of skills (such as communicating, giving feedback and problem solving) and behaviours (such as acting in a way that's consistent with the vision and values of the organisation) that managers need in their organisations. The framework should also include the knowledge, competencies, abilities, values and attitudes that managers need to be effective in their role (such as being respectful, considerate, fair, open, encouraging and organised).
This framework can then be used as a benchmark when recruiting managers. It can also form the basis of management development programmes and the organisation's performance management and succession planning processes.
Of course, other factors will influence whether or not employees feel engaged. For example whether leaders inspire confidence in the future; whether employees feel their work is exciting and whether the organisation demonstrates a genuine responsibility to its employees and the communities in which it operates.
However, as our study shows, when ‘good management' prevails in an organisation, employees become more motivated to contribute to the organisation's success and more willing to apply discretionary effort to accomplish tasks that are central to the goals of the organisation.
By making a concerted effort to improve management practice, HR teams can not only influence employee engagement levels, they can also directly enhance the performance and productivity of the business.
Dr Jack Wiley is Executive Director of the Kenexa Research Institute which is a division of Kenexa, the global provider of business solutions for human resources.
Business success depends on good managers
Jack Wiley, 03 December 2009
Be the first to comment on this article
A global survey of 22,000 workers in 18 countries shows that UK employees are below the world average when it comes to rating their managers as effective. The study is relevant for HR because it highlights that 'good' management has a significant impact on the engagement levels of employees and on their overall perception of the organisation.
Our study found that India tops the global league table of managerial effectiveness. 68% of employees in India rate their manager as effective, followed by Brazil (61%), the United States (60%), Russia and the Gulf countries (57%), Canada (56%), China (53%), Germany (51%), the UK (50%), Spain (46%), Italy (44%), Japan (43%) and France (41%).
While these rankings may be of interest, it's more important that organisations recognise the benefits that come from having effective managers. Of course, a good manager is more likely to get the best out of employees, in terms of their performance. But good management has benefits that extend much further than productivity.
In our study, those employees who are satisfied with their manager state a much higher intention to stay with the organisation than those who are dissatisfied. Those who rate their managers as good also feel they have promising prospects within the company as well as confidence in the organisation's future.
In fact, those employees who regard themselves as working for a good manager have three-four times higher engagement scores than those who work for managers they regard as ineffective.
So, good management means employees are more engaged, more committed and more productive. For organisations, this means higher employee retention, reduced absenteeism and improvements in service quality, customer satisfaction and overall performance.
What make a ‘good manager'?
Employees' evaluations of their manager are driven by the extent to which the manager displays the fundamentals of managerial competence: doing a good job at managing the team's work and the team itself, and being perceived as a leader.
In other words, a good manager is someone who keeps his/her commitments, evaluates employees' performance fairly, makes use of employees' ideas, quickly solves problems and practices open, two-way communication. Their behaviour should be consistent with the mission and values of the organisation, they should provide opportunity for employees to improve their skills and they should reassure employees that they have a promising future.
HR implications
Each of these aspects of managerial effectiveness will be influenced by further factors. For example, to be an effective problem solver, a manager needs an awareness of the issues, a sense of urgency, knowledge of how the workplace operates and an understanding of how to create and communicate a plan for how the problem will be resolved.
By analysing the different aspects of managerial effectiveness, HR practitioners should be able to create a framework of skills (such as communicating, giving feedback and problem solving) and behaviours (such as acting in a way that's consistent with the vision and values of the organisation) that managers need in their organisations. The framework should also include the knowledge, competencies, abilities, values and attitudes that managers need to be effective in their role (such as being respectful, considerate, fair, open, encouraging and organised).
This framework can then be used as a benchmark when recruiting managers. It can also form the basis of management development programmes and the organisation's performance management and succession planning processes.
Of course, other factors will influence whether or not employees feel engaged. For example whether leaders inspire confidence in the future; whether employees feel their work is exciting and whether the organisation demonstrates a genuine responsibility to its employees and the communities in which it operates.
However, as our study shows, when ‘good management' prevails in an organisation, employees become more motivated to contribute to the organisation's success and more willing to apply discretionary effort to accomplish tasks that are central to the goals of the organisation.
By making a concerted effort to improve management practice, HR teams can not only influence employee engagement levels, they can also directly enhance the performance and productivity of the business.
Dr Jack Wiley is Executive Director of the Kenexa Research Institute which is a division of Kenexa, the global provider of business solutions for human resources.
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Huge increase in home-based businesses
The economy over the last year or so, according to the media, has been nothing but bad news. There has of course been upside as well, one of which being the number of home-based businesses that have started up.
If you are looking at the possibility of starting your own business, working from home and beating the rat race of corporate life, PARI offer reseller opportunities throughout the UK and Ireland.
If you want to earn in excess of £40,000 with a client base of fewer than 10 this could be for you. If you want to know more, please contact me on pari@convergedmanagement.co.uk
If you are looking at the possibility of starting your own business, working from home and beating the rat race of corporate life, PARI offer reseller opportunities throughout the UK and Ireland.
If you want to earn in excess of £40,000 with a client base of fewer than 10 this could be for you. If you want to know more, please contact me on pari@convergedmanagement.co.uk
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