For me, it raised questions from an employer’s perspective as well:

• Do you encourage “down time” for your employees to help them spark creativity and new ideas?
• If so, do you have any kind of organized process for this?
• Do you think it’s healthier for your employees to be constantly busy, or to have opportunities to be idle and think or explore a topic or project completely different from their normal job duties?

I have included the video below; When you have a moment, it’s worth a watch.

Effective onboarding decreases the time it takes for a new hire to reach the minimum expected productivity level on the job. During these tight economic times, it has never been more important that companies work to ensure their new hires’ ability to thrive at an organization. When assessing or creating your employee onboarding program, avoid these common mistakes. 

1. Onboarding is Treated Like Orientation. Unlike orientation programs, onboarding programs are not one-time events but long-term processes.  According to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a good onboarding process should take about a year – that’s about how long it takes for a new employee to experience an organization’s entire business cycle and become assimilated. And after all, you can’t possibly expect an employee to absorb everything he or she needs to know in a year in only the first few weeks.
2. The Process Starts Too Late. Onboarding new hires needs to begin with the interview process. Interviewing is vital to retaining employees as it both sets an employee’s expectations about the culture of the company and can lead to poor hiring decisions if improperly executed. According to a 2008 study by Leadership IQ, 82 percent of managers reported that, in reflection, the interview process could have been handled more effectively. They say they would’ve avoided certain mistakes had they taken the following steps: been more focused on the interview itself; listened more and talked less; spent more time on the actual interview; and had stronger interviewing abilities and experience.
3. There’s No Measurement for Success. Onboarding programs should operate like any other business process – with metrics that cover time to productivity, new hire retention/termination rates, new hire error rates, new-hire referrals, and program ROI, according ERE.net’s Dr. John Sullivan. You need to figure out a way to measure the success of your onboarding program and find ways to enhance it – otherwise, what’s the point? One of the best ways to measure success is to administer surveys to both employee and supervisor - to assess how well the employee is adjusting, strengths and areas for improvement – periodically throughout the first year.
4. Managers are M.I.A.  One of the main reasons employees either leave or thrive in an organization is a direct result of their relationship with their manager. Research shows that 56 percent of Americans say their relationship with their boss has a direct impact on their work-life happiness.  Taking the time to greet new employees in person and show them the ropes makes a critical first impression and is not something that can be delegated, according to Karen Lawson, author of “New Employee Orientation Training.”
5. There’s No Onboarding Program to Speak Of. Onboarding programs communicate to new hires how important their personal success is to your organization, immediately fostering a sense of both confidence and loyalty. Furthermore, a strong investment in employee training and development may also have quantifiable value to the organization’s bottom line: A recent study from the American Productivity and Quality Center (APQC) provides evidence to suggest that organizations that invest more money and effort in employee training may produce greater revenue per employee than those that invest less in this endeavor.

What does your onboarding program look like?  Any ‘mistakes’ you’ve learned from at your organization that you’d like to share?

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1.    If you could give one piece of advice to bosses, what would it be?

Kathi: I think they should give every new hire the boss baggage assessment. I think they should not hire people who cannot fulfill their expectations and needs, or whose fears they know they’re going to trip. I just think it’s important.

Katherine: What I would also say is, to carefully state your expectations and find out what theirs are of you. Define the relationship from the beginning. Oftentimes, that never happens. The boss is the one who has to define the relationship, because you could be hired by HR or someone else–that doesn’t matter. What matters is once you’ve accepted the job and you’re in that office or whatever setting, and you’re working for that person, you need to know what the job really is—what’s expected of you and what you can expect from your boss.

Kathi: I also think I’d like bosses to own the fact that there is an unfairness in the power between an employee and a boss. And that that generates issues and fears for people. That they do have power over this person, and to be responsible with that. A lot of bosses misuse it. They put fear in people, and I would just like them to be more responsible with that power.

——————-

2.    Anything else you’d like to tell employers?

Kathi: This is our second bosses on workplace interpersonal dynamics, and this is something we’ve been studying and working on for a long time, and I think it’s getting really, really critical for people to wake up, because the multicultural workplace and multi-generations, it’s so evident that we’re not going to get along if we don’t start paying attention to these things. It’s no longer just white men running companies anymore—it’s really, really changed tremendously, and continues to change. And I think younger generations want more of a work-life balance, they have different priorities. So I think the time has really come to start looking at your employees as people, and knowing if you want to grow a company, you have to understand how to grow your people. I think that was dropped out for quite some time. It’s not that we all need our hands held–I’m not talking about child care. But just to understand that people come to work but they have needs, expectations and fears and they have to be dealt with, not ignored.

Kathi: First of all, there’s no offices anymore, everybody’s sort of out in the open and you hear so much, and then the people who aren’t even in the office, the telecommuting, and then the diversity of freelance, part-time, that whole element–if we don’t start getting this whole communication thing under control, it’s going to be a big problem. As they say, people don’t quit jobs, or companies, they quit bosses. They usually like the company. Usually people like what the company stands for; that’s why they went to work there. But they leave because of the treatment. They don’t leave because they don’t like the work–that’s the easy part.

Kathi: And now, we don’t have that much loyalty to companies–people just jump from one job to another. And part of it is because there isn’t any kind of human loyalty, and we need people in companies to have corporate memory of how things are done, otherwise we’re constantly reinventing the same wheel. But when you have people there who say, no, we did that five years ago, or we can do that again but let’s remember this…  Without that, it’s just not as healthy for a company.

——————-

3.    What is one thing bosses can do right now to start on the path to becoming better bosses?

Kathi: We get into that boss baggage, which is that everybody brings three things to the relationship: expectations, needs and fears.  I think understanding that, even if they don’t take that test, understanding that the employee has needs, they have expectations, and they have fears of authority. It is a set-up relationship, you’re not equals. The boss has the power. So I think if bosses were just to begin to think about that, if they put a little more time into understanding what each person needs and expects and fears…

Katherine: And I would say to give each employee some face time, and in that time to state your expectations. Back to what Kathi was saying before, when we don’t know what’s expected of us, we assume the worst. But even just that one-to-one face time can dispel a lot of the

Kathi: I just had a meeting with an employee, somebody at a pretty high level in the company, and told the employee her expectations, and then she asked the employee, “What are your expectations of me?” and the woman had an amazing answer. She said, “I need you to back me. I need you to stand up for me.” And then come find out what happened. And the boss said, I never would have known that. Thank you for telling me that. And I’ve checked in a couple of times, and she’s doing that, and the employee’s now in love with her–they get along so well now. That’s a simple thing that now she knows, and she can do.

Katherine: There are a lot of cases in which people have been working together for a long time, and those employees need to know that you’re watching out for them-–or that you’re just watching them. And noticing how they’re doing–whether they feel overwhelmed, or whether they need some help.

Missed the beginning of my interview with Katherine and Kathi? Catch up with Part I and Part II.

1.  They’re not afraid to relinquish a little control. Despite reports that over half of employers still ban social networking at work, companies who’ve embraced it have found tremendous reward in enabling employees to use social media. Zappos was one of the first companies to embrace social media, giving employees the freedom to use Twitter.  The strategy has worked well for the online shoe retailer: By enabling employees to talk freely about their jobs, new products, or other interesting aspects of company life, they’ve effectively made their employees into brand advocates, and created buzz about being a great place to work. More recently, Whole Foods has taken a similar approach to social media, believing that letting individual employees’ personalities shine through is essential to for social media to work well and engage people.
2. They embrace new media as a recruiting tool. Staffing firm Kelly Services, a 2008 Best Place to Work in Western Pa., created a virtual community in Second Life to provide job seekers with an interactive experience to see what it’s like to work for Kelly. It has also helped to create buzz about Kelly and differentiate the firm from its competitors. For much the same reason, staffing firm Spherion decided to leverage the current popularity of viral video when it created its Web series, “The Temp Life.”  Seems to be working: the 17-episode series is clearly resonating with audiences, with over 1 million views to date.
3. They embrace new media as an engagement tool. IBM did it with Beehive. Best Buy did it with Blue Shirt Nation.  Now, companies of every size are utilizing online social communities for internal purposes - engaging employees and keeping them informed of important company news, events and projects. Over 50,000 companies worldwide, including Fox and Adobe use microblogging site Yammer, while companies like Starbucks and Pepsico have found success with cfactor’s “enterprise social networking” solution.  
4. They think outside the Facebooks. Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of users on Facebook, Twitter and other social media giants? Think “niche.” That’s what Seattle-based Tableau Software did recently when it needed a Web developer with extensive knowledge of Drupal:  the company’s recruiters began surfing social networking sites that catered to Drupal enthusiasts, where they eventually found their new hire.
5. They ask for employee feedback (and actually listen to it).  Feedback from Aetna’s employee surveys – administered regularly to enable employees to voice their thoughts about how the company is doing and where there is room for improvement – led to the establishment of Aetna’s current recognition program, The Aetna Way Excellence Awards, according to CEO Ronald Williams in an interview for our Leadership Series. Leadership recognized that employees wanted more company-wide recognition events, so they delivered. “That whole program came about as a result of employees’ suggestions that came through the survey,” Williams said.
6. They work in partnership with Human Resources. “People decisions are some of the most important decisions I make, so I make those decisions in collaboration with my HR partners,” says Stryker CEO Steve MacMillan in a recent interview with CareerBuilder. “Responsibility for our people may be a human resources function, but we all manage it together.” It’s no accident that Stryker is a three-time winner of the “Gallup Great Place to Work Award,” in addition to other best place to work honors.  
7. They actively encourage learning and development. Smart companies know the power of providing opportunities for professional development and personal growth in helping to retain top talent.  Spectrum Health does both: The company’s relationship with University of Michigan provides opportunities for leadership members to gain experience in project-based work. And its EXCEL Professional Development Model program recognizes and provides monetary awards for nursing staff for academic and professional accomplishments, as well as community service.

What about you? What particular practices make your organization a best place to work?

During Part II of my conversation with “Working for You Isn’t Working for Me: The Ultimate Guide to Managing Your Boss” authors Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster, we covered everything from the failure of many bosses to recognize the non-business side of employee relationships, to bosses being terrorized, to what it means for employees to take back their personal power, to learning to accept one’s boss–and more. Read on for interview Part II (of three):

1.    The 8 phases of the distressing employee/boss cycle seems very similar to progression of a non-work toxic relationship. It seems that many bosses forget the interpersonal aspect of employee relationships and focus on the business side only–would you agree?

Kathi: I think we both agree with that, and that’s why we write these books, and why we do executive coaching. Because they don’t want to do this–the people part.

Katherine: And we understand that most people in management today have not received management training, and probably, in addition to being a manager, also have their own workload that they are attending to. That seems to be the way it’s structured right now. And the tendency is to focus on my workload and to wish that my employees will do what they need to do to get their work done.

Katherine: One thing that seems so interesting is when colleagues don’t get along. Again, arguing and conflict tend to mount in stressful times. So when two members of a staff don’t get along, they become furious that, I have to spend part of my day helping them resolve this conflict. Not avoiding those things and stepping in and finding out what’s going on is really the best remedy.

2.    Can the tables be turned? Is it possible for these same things to happen to bosses as a result of their employee behavior?

Kathi: Yes.

Katherine: Absolutely. A boss can be terrorized by an employee.

Kathi: And they also will hire somebody and there will be a honeymoon, thinking that person is what the resume said, and then they get disappointed that the person undersold and is under-delivering. It does happen in reverse.

Kathi: But you know, there’s a power thing-–the boss still has more control. The boss can let them go. We wrote this book with that in mind, that it went both ways.

3.    Is it much harder to deal with and fix a bad boss/employee relationship that’s in the 7th or 8th phase, rather than the 1st or 2nd? Is the process different?

Katherine: These are progressive stages, so by the time you get to 7 or 8, you’ve been in pain for quite some time, you’re caught in this relationship, you feel trapped and have tried all kinds of things to change it. It’s not a pretty picture. A boss, if they realize their employee is in the 7th or 8th phase, could have an a-ha moment and stage an intervention and say we have to change what’s going on between us, how can we do it? If both parties are willing, there’s a possibility of it changing.

4.    In Chapter 2, you talk about boss behaviors that drive employees crazy. We see these personalities and behaviors in our non-work lives too–but in the workplace, do these behaviors have potential to be more toxic?

Kathi: They are toxic in general. But what happens at work is that a boss has a power over you, so it may feel worse at work.

Katherine: I think it can feel more toxic at work. It would be as toxic as if you were having this problem with someone else with whom you depend on for your livelihood. So, in other words, the intensity of the difficult experience is especially great with bosses because you literally feel your survival depends upon this person. Whether it actually does or not, that’s the feeling state, so I think you can have just as toxic an experience in a really bad marriage or with a really horrible parent.

Kathi: In a way, a bad boss/employee relationship is like the parent/child relationship. We have a lot of different authority figures in our life, and sometimes when you get married, that person you also perceive to be the authority figure in your life, and you project, so, it’s very similar.

Katherine: What’s interesting is as adults, generally, we spend more time at work than anyplace else, unless you’re at home, and so one of the things we always notice is that you’re talking about the bosses inside and outside of the workplace, you talk to the grocery check person about it, you’re talking about it at parties—you’re talking about it all the time. I think because we spend so much time in the workplace, the amount of real estate a difficult boss takes up in your brain can be all-consuming, because not only all day are you thinking about it, but when you go home and are with your family or are with your friends, you’re thinking about it.

5.   Do you think a lot of bosses become complacent if employees have been with them for a long period of time, assuming everything is fine–and that’s when they hit a snag in the relationship?

Katherine: I do, only because if you just assume everything is fine–assuming is always just a dangerous activity. And what I’ve found, when I’m meeting with some of those employees, is that no one is checking on them and they’re not being given even some kind of feedback can lead them to look for opportunities elsewhere, or to feel like they’re not measuring up. Again, no information creates too-easy avoid for the employee to assume not pleasant things.

Kathi: I also think that as your career changes, every couple of years, every 5-10 years, we tend to have different needs and wants at work, so while at one point in our life you may have wanted a high-powered TV job, and then 10 years later, maybe you have children and maybe then you want to only work four days a week. So, anything could happen where the employee’s needs change, and therefore the work environment probably has to change. And nobody wants to talk about that.

Katherine: Right. When you have a good employee you don’t want them to change.

6.    Can you talk a bit about the importance of employees taking back their personal power?

Katherine: This idea, about taking back your personal power is our second step, about detaching. The aim of detaching is to get some emotional distance, and the reason why you have to take back your power is the tendency with a difficult boss, to give that person your power, to have their description of you, their reaction to you, define who you are. So taking back your personal power isn’t necessarily about changing the boss; in fact, it’s absolutely about taking care of yourself. So, there are these three areas of restoring your energy, repairing your emotional state, and rebuilding your confidence. And those activities don’t really involve “the boss.”

Kathi: When we coach people, this is what we have found–the boss is not coming in for coaching. They are not the ones losing their sense of  grounding–it’s the employee. So, it’s very difficult for them to look at the situation objectively when they’re not feeling well, and their confidence is below ground, and all of that. And people resort to all those bad habits. When they don’t like the boss, they start drinking, they start not taking care of themselves, isolating, getting depressed. So, it’s really critical that we do get people to understand that they do have control, that the boss only has control over your paycheck, or whether you’re going to keep that job, but you have control over yourself. And you can’t really make smart decisions, or capture this relationship and do well in this relationship, if you’re not taking care of yourself. And then you can build from there.

Katherine: It’s almost like we let difficult bosses hold us hostage emotionally. And so what we’re talking about is letting yourself out of that jail. Here are some actions you can take to reconnect with your physical health, with your emotional health and with your confidence, understanding that you do have skills, you do have value, and you do deserve good things.

Kathi: I mean, you rarely will somebody say, I hate my boss, so I’m going to take up tennis. You don’t think that way. You think, I hate my boss, so I’m going to go get a big bottle of wine and watch terrible TV. You feel like crap, so therefore you’re going to feel like crap. It’s the complete opposite.

7.    You talk about accepting who your boss is at some point, and then focusing on the things that you can do.

Kathi: Acceptance is a really important aspect of this, and no one likes to hear it–-no one wants to accept. But when we’re giving a workshop and we explain it this way, it sometimes helps. Everyone has a family member who they wish wasn’t in their family–-but eventually you grow to accept that person. You accept that they’re going to drink too much at Thanksgiving, that they’re going to do something stupid. Eventually you grow to accept it and it’s part of the family. So we’re all capable of accepting, but we don’t want to. But we’re capable of it, and it’s really important, if you can accept your boss they way they are, then you can build from there. But if you continue to fight it, you’re always in a battle.

Katherine: One of the things we always say to people is, you’re telling me I have to approve of this person, and that’s not true at all. What we’re saying is, acceptance is acknowledging the reality of who the person is. It’s a careful distinction, but it’s a really important one. I can’t work with a chronically late boss if I don’t come to terms with the fact that this person is chronically late.

Kathi: So once you accept that, then you start to build in the time buffers without resentment. You start to come up with strategies that actually make you both successful, without resentment. Because there’s something you have to accept about everybody; no boss is perfect. They may be great at supporting you and communicating but maybe they’re not good at getting you a raise.  There’s always something.

Stay tuned for the final part of our interview next week — and catch Part I here if you missed it.

Cult Classics
The following traditional interview questions received multiple mentions – in one form or another. Clearly, these oldie-but-goodies still do the trick for many of you:

1. Why do you want to work here? “I’m constantly amazed at how many applicants don’t know anything about the company they have applied to.”
2. Tell me about a disagreement you had with a colleague or a supervisor and how it was resolved. “The candidate’s response will demonstrate their honesty, problem solving ability, ability to work with others, and ability to handle conflict.”
3. If you could design your perfect job, what would it look like? “I want to know what motivates and excites people.”
4. If I asked a previous employer what you could improve upon, what would they tell me? “I hate the question, ‘What are your weaknesses?’  I’ve tweaked it to ask [this question instead]. It’s easier to step outside of your ‘perfection’ and think, ‘What do others perceive as a weakness?’” 
5. If you were me, why should I hire you for this position? “If the applicant can’t provide a positive comment about themselves it’s hard to believe they can be a team player.”
6. What is the best interviewing question you’ve ever been asked? “It’s a great variation on the tried and true ‘tell me about yourself’ – but with an unexpected twist.” (Editor’s note: check out even more variations on “tried and true” interview questions here.)

Power of Three
Three is a magic number for hiring managers, apparently. Here are just a few of the many responses where the number appeared.

1. If you were hiring for this position what would be the three key things you would be looking for in this person? Tell us why. “I have received some very revealing answers.”
2. Can you please share at least three of your pet peeves? “Typically provides a hint of what one might expect as far as temperament.”
3. Tell me three things you really liked about your previous job and three things that you would have changed to make it a better place to work? “I’m looking to see if there is a match in what they like and what they are looking for.”
4. What in your mind are the top three characteristics required for success in any career? “This question gives me an opportunity to learn more about the person I’m interviewing.”
5. Describe the three professional accomplishments you are most proud of and why. “I can start to recognize patterns in how they work, think, communicate with others, and what they are motivated by.”
6. What are the last three books you read? “People who read learn faster, contribute more ideas and make better employees!”

Surprise Contenders
Questions that “throw the candidate off guard,” make them “think on their feet,” or that they “never expect” were very popular. Take a look-see at some of the most, um, unique.

1. Can you milk a goat? Why or why not? “This is a way to get to know the candidate by discussing a “funny” challenge.”
2. If you were a cartoon character, who would you be and why? “More than likely, the candidate has not ’prepared’ for this question to be asked. Their answer should give you some insight as to their overall personality.”
3. If I asked you to paint a 10 x 10 room with squares 1″ by 1″ how would you begin? “This question will allow you to see how the applicant would approach a project, whether they are more executive level, management level or staff level thinkers.”
4. If you were a cucumber in a salad, and someone was about to eat you, what would you do? “This question catches people off guard and they let some of their personality show, and it lets you know something about their work ethic.”
5. Tell me three things you can do with a paper clip besides hold papers together. “Their reaction to this question often gives a good glimpse of their overall personality and not just their approach to rehearsed questions.”
6. If you were a performer in a circus, what would your role be and why? “It can throw the candidate off a bit, and you can read their reaction to something they didn’t expect. If they are able to go with the flow and answer, it shows adaptability and confidence.”

What are your favorites – or least favorites – from these lists? Any that you think we overlooked?

In the end, however, everyone came away a winner: Out of over 600 entries, we compiled for you a comprehensive list of the best of the best interview questions that readers swear by - from the old standbys, to some new classics, to the downright bizarre - in a two-part series. 

This first part of this series features the top 10 interview questions that stood out for us here on THS as both original and purposeful, followed by submitters’ comments.

1. What does a company owe its employees? “The interviewer learns more about what true expectations a candidate has for a company.”
2. What Web sites do you visit on a regular basis? “The answer to this question tells me if the applicant is aware of industry-related websites and keeps up with industry trends and news and is therefore more qualified for the position.”
3. If you were to be hired, what do you think would be a reason you may not stay in this position or with the company? “The answers to this question may really surprise you. I.e. ‘I’d leave for more money,’ or ‘If I didn’t like my co-worker,’ or ‘we’re trying to move back to my hometown.’ Red flags for sure.”
4. What risks did you take in your last position? “I like this question because it lets me know what I can expect from a candidate. Are they willing to step outside the box?”
5.  If an employee went about a task in a way which clearly contradicted your instruction, yet was highly successful. How would you handle it? “When hiring for a management position I like to ask a candidate [this question]. You can gauge a lot about their management style by how they handle the situation and what they focus on in this scenario.”
6. Tell me what your ‘ideal’ work day/week would consist of. “I want the candidate to convey what’s important in terms of applied work time; processing time; down time, if any.”
7. Things don’t always go the way we’d like; sometimes we cannot deliver on a promised deadline. What is the best way to deliver a negative message to your customer? “This can give you insight to how the candidate thinks, and their honesty and integrity.”
8. Tell me when you used your sense of humor to diffuse a situation. “Most large corporations and many small ones feel that a sense of humor is not needed and it is not encouraged. We firmly believe that a happy employee is a productive one.”
9. What was the most useful criticism you ever received, and who was it from? “You learn what kind of feedback the person is receiving so you can determine their performance. It gives you insight into their weaknesses that others view as well.”
10. What sorts of trends do you think affect our business?  “Good to see if they understand business influences and if they’ve spent time trying to learn about our industry.”

Stay tuned for Part II: The Best of the Rest…

During our conversation, we covered everything from boss attitudes in our current economy, to recognizing and understanding employee coping tactics, to the severe lack of communication in today’s workplace, to the one thing bosses need to do right now to become better employers–and more.  Read on for interview Part I (of three):

1.    What are the biggest complaints you hear about bosses from employees?

Katherine: I think the biggest general complaint is a lack of communication–-just in the sense of they not either communicating exactly what they want, or changing what they want, or not letting the employees know what’s coming down from above, or not even being clear about what their expectations are or what their priorities are.

Kathi: Yes, I think it’s that whole piece of, they may have an assignment but they don’t really know how they’re being judged on, they don’t know when it’s due, they don’t know when changes were made–-there’s a whole lack of communication.

Katherine: And a sort of a lack of a feedback loop–-here’s what I expect, here’s how you’re doing, here’s where you should put your efforts, and here, now I’m evaluating you. “Just do it.”

Kathi: And there’s a handful of people out there who don’t need much directive, and bosses are always looking for those people. But there’s very few, and those people are not that self-motivated. They need more input.

———-

2.    Have you noticed more feedback from employees since the economy has taken a turn for the worse?

Kathi: Yes, because now they’re really feeling more than ever that everything is secretive. So while they may not have known what the expectations of a certain project were, now they don’t know if the company’s going to exist. So that lack of communication is now really red hot.

Katherine: Also, the bosses themselves are under a great deal of stress, and  have to justify both themselves and their staff. And unfortunately, under stress we revert to our less constructive work habits. So if I’m a boss who has a hard time stating exactly what I want, as I get busier I probably communicate even less of what I need from my employees. Or if I have a hair-trigger temper, you’re going to see that temper more when I’m feeling pressured. Or if I give you mixed signals, if I constantly change my mind, I may trust that decision making even less in these conditions.

Kathi: I think employees are looking for all signs right now. If you close your door more often, that’s a worry sign, you look upset, that’s a bad sign, and without the communication, they’ll make it up. So if I see your door’s closed a lot and you’re not telling me why, you’re not saying, look I have problems with my medical insurance so I’m making a lot of personal calls–if you don’t tell me, I’m going to think you’re having discussions about who you’re going to let go. And then I may tell a co-worker, who’s going to tell another co-worker, and that’s how rumors begin. And fear.

———-

3.    Do you think bosses realize their employees are using coping tactics to deal with them, and are taking a look at themselves and what they may be doing to contribute to employee behavior?

Kathi: No, I don’t think they realize it’s a tactic, I think they just get a headache from it, and they rarely know how to address an employee who’s shutting them out or badmouthing them–-they don’t know how to address it. They just hope that person would go away. These coping tactics are very childish, but yet we all do them.

Katherine: Yeah, bosses really want their employees to be better behaved in tough times.

———-

4.    Do you think some employers are taking advantage more now because of the state of the economy?

Kathi: Absolutely. I think they’re using the power with, I can replace you with somebody younger–-you’re replaceable. We’ve spoken to some employees who are afraid of going on vacation, because if they’re missed, their boss is going to get rid of them. That’s a lot of fear.

Katherine: Right, and a boss can convey that without saying, “Don’t go on vacation,” subliminally, or expecting them to work on vacation.

———-

5.    Is there anything you would tell employers as far as treating employees and addressing their fear? Employers who might be taking advantage of that reality?

Kathi: Yes. That as soon as the economy comes back, they’re going to be looking at an empty office.

Katherine: Fear-based management does not create the best results—that’s all there is to it. Bigger problems arise–-even if that’s handy right now and you think it’s a clever way to keep people in tow, the fact is that if someone is afraid all the time of losing their job, they’re not going to give you their best work, they’re not going to give you their most creative ideas, they’re may not let you know when things go wrong, because they don’t want to get the ax. So, fear-based management, I don’t think, is the most effective tool.

And as Kathi said, with the mobile work force, it really behooves all of us to learn to appreciate differences. What I would say to bosses now is that as difficult as it may seem, your employees need to be seen and appreciated. And disciplined, when it’s required, but they mostly need to be seen. And get some recognition. I’ve met with plenty of employees who know they aren’t going to get a raise this year, but they are happy to work for their employer because they understand that they are valued members of the team. And that means their work is acknowledged, that their ideas are heard, and that the boss, even if that person can’t give them a promotion or a raise, is finding other ways to show their appreciation.

Kathi: In the book, we call managing business parenting. I think if you want to be a manager, you have to be willing to be somewhat like a parent. And you have to be willing to understand that you’re taking on a responsibility of caring for people, and helping them grow. Everybody wants to grow on the job. They don’t want to be stagnant, and that’s a job.

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6.    Is there any specific advice you would give to employers, in light of the recession, to help them improve?

Kathi: Yes, I would tell them to be more open about communication and about what’s going on. And if it’s daily, that’s not a terrible thing. But keep people posted, you know, have more meetings about what’s going on. And if you have to talk to them individually about things, don’t avoid those kinds of tough conversations. They know tough things are going to happen, but people are happier when they are prepared than when it comes as a shock. I just read in the Times that 60 percent of workers were let go with no notice; they were just let go on the spot. That’s a lot. And that’s quite upsetting, but if people know there’s something going on, it’s less shocking.

Katherine: And I would also say, help them prioritize. You know, chances are at many companies now there’s been downsizing, so your four staff members are now doing the job that eight people were before. If you want better work out of your staff, help them manage their workload. Help them look at what’s on their plate and make decisions about where to focus their efforts.

Stay tuned for next week’s Part Two of our interview with “Working for You Isn’t Working for Me” authors Kathi Elster and Katherine Crowley.

That – or at least some variation of it – was one of the most common responses to my previous posts about why recruiters and hiring managers don’t call job seekers back. 

It seems many of you are bombarded with so many applications – and so many unqualified applications, at that – that it’s virtually impossible to get back to everyone…

As one commenter puts it, simply, “The problem is that so many candidates send their resumes for jobs they are clearly not qualified for.” A valid complaint, yes.  But what if there were a way to alleviate this problem yourselves?

Certainly, you’ll never be able to fully control job seeker behavior (might be a scary world if you could)…but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to minimize the number of unqualified applications you receive. Try the following:   

1. Look to Promote from Within First.  Promoting from within (when it makes sense for your business) not only cuts down on costs associated with new hire training, but it sends a positive message to your employees that you appreciate them and are invested in their development, which can ultimately increase both engagement and retention.
2. Re-Evaluate Your Job Postings: Start at the source – If your job posting sounds generic, job seekers who are applying to anything remotely to their field of interest are just going to scan it over before blindly applying.  Make sure that you clarify the responsibilities of the position and creating an accurate skill-based profile of the ideal candidate to get more targeted results. Also, format the posting into a concise, easy-to-read layout by breaking up information into categories so job seekers are more likely to read important information (like “Requirements”).
3. Respond to Applicants: An auto-response letter to acknowledge receipt of application could go a long way in cutting out duplicate resumes from job seekers who ‘want to make sure’ you’ve received their resumes and apply more than once.
4. Utilize Screening Questions: Attaching filtering questions to your job postings will screen out unqualified candidates from the beginning. Screening systems can be one of the first things to fall off the list when budget cuts are made; yet, they ultimately save recruiters and hiring managers time and save the company costs associated with lost production and turnover (and remember that screeners are free if you’re a CareerBuilder client…That doesn’t suck, right?). 
5. Create and Implement an Employee Referral Program: Who knows the kind of employee your company wants better than your own employees? Get the most use out of it by making it as easy as possible for an employee to recommend a candidate or forward a job posting to a friend, offering an incentive when an employee’s referral is hired – and by making sure your employees are aware of both the program and the opportunities available with clear, constant communication.

As in 2008’s most unusual sick excuses, this year’s list is spotted with strange animal injuries, other bouts with nature or pedestrians, and questionable friendships, as well many head-shakers, like “I accidentally hit a nun with my motorcycle.” In a new twist, however, this year’s survey results are reflective of the effect of our tough economic climate, as 28 percent of employers think more employees have been absent with fake excuses due to increased stress and burnout due to the recession.

Here are 2009’s Most Unusual Excuses for Missing Work:

1. No shoes, no shirt, no work:   I got sunburned at a nude beach and can’t wear clothes.
   
2. We’re not in Kansas anymore:  I woke up in Canada.
3. Scaly situation:  I got caught selling an alligator.
4. With friends like these… : My buddies locked me in the trunk of an abandoned car after a weekend of drinking.
5. Mom knows best:  My mom said I was not allowed to go to work today.
6. Stinging conclusion: A bee flew in my mouth.
7. Meh: I’m just not into it today.
8. Not hot: I have a headache from eating hot peppers.
9. Plant rage: A random person threw poison ivy in my face and now I have a rash.
10. Domestic bliss: I’m convinced my spouse is having an affair and I’m staying home to catch them.
11. Beach fun:  I was injured chasing a seagull.
    

“Longer hours and heavier workloads are common in the current economic climate and employers are becoming more flexible with their time off policies,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. “Sixty-three percent of companies we surveyed said they let their team members use sick days for mental health days.  If you need time to recharge, your best bet is to be honest with your manager.”

Manager (Over)Reactions?

Managers, however, don’t always give employees the benefit of the doubt, which doesn’t exactly cultivate a culture of honesty and trust. But would you do the same?

• 29 percent of employers have checked up on an employee who called in sick
• Of those employers: 70 percent required a doctor’s note, 52 percent called the employee at home, 18 percent had another worker call the employee, and 17 percent drove by the employee’s place of residence
• 15 percent have fired a worker for missing work without a legitimate excuse
  

So… what are the real reasons workers missed work? (Hint: they have nothing to do with alligators or angry poison ivy-throwing):

• 31 percent needed to get to a doctor’s appointment
• 28 percent needed to relax
• 16 percent wanted to catch up on sleep
• 13 percent wanted to run personal errands
• 12 percent said it was work-related (they wanted to miss a meeting, give themselves some more time to work on a project or avoid the wrath of a boss, colleague or client)
• 10 percent wanted to catch up on housework, and another 10 percent wanted to spend time with family and friends
• But the biggest reason for missing work? About a third of workers (32 percent) just didn’t feel like going to work that day.

What are the most unusual excuses you’ve gotten via phone, text, e-mail, sky message, or carrier pigeon (or, as is the trend above, seagulls)?