I always thought that technology would lead to some form of emancipation in the workplace and to a great degree that is true. Many workers now have the opportunity to work from home or from anywhere that they like that has a high speed Internet connection. But there is a disturbing development on the telework front that has shaken many of us who have been pushing for more control (and thereby less stress) in worker’s lives.
It comes in the form of a leaked internal memo from Yahoo’s head of Human Resources directing all employees who are currently working from home to start working from a company office in June of this year. No discussion, no debate, no dialogue. I thought this was Yahoo.. not Nike!! I don’t know what the internal discussions were like or what the reasons were for this management decision but it flies in the face of so many things that it’s hard to know where to begin.
Let’s give it a try anyway. This decision is wrong in spirit, content and delivery. In spirit it moves workers back a few steps in evolution and enforces a top-down hierarchy that only works in the papacy and the military. In content it costs everybody more money, wastes tons of fuel and energy and takes up space that could be used for almost any other good purpose. In delivery it just sucks. Take it or leave it to me is not a choice. I would leave and so will many Yahoo employees.
Finally this decision comes under the regime of CEO Marissa Mayer who Bloomberg News reported today had a nursery built near her office last year so that she could be closer to her newborn son. Now she paid for the facility with her own money but she could afford to. Who else could do that? Not the thousands of Yahoo workers who now have to scramble to find daycare and arrange for transportation to obey her edict.
Yahoo is still swimming against the tide of telework and mostly because companies and employers have figured out that is much cheaper to let their staff work from home than to bring them into the office. But that doesn’t mean that Yahoo isn’t wrong. Again. There’s a reason why Google is more successful that its older cousin. Yahoo might want to check out their campus.
Mike Martin is a freelance writer and author of The Walker on the Cape, a Sgt. Windflower mystery.
One of the most unpleasant tasks of any manager is to have to fire someone. It doesn’t really matter if the person deserved it or not or what the circumstances are, it almost always sucks. That’s why most of us are not very good at it and because of that we often make it harder on ourselves and the unfortunate person who is going to get the axe.
There may not be any good way to tell someone that their services are no longer required but there are certainly some things that we should never do. So here are some of the Don’ts of Firing.
Don’t Wait
It doesn’t help them or you to postpone the inevitable. If you know that a person must go, and this is usually after repeated attempts to correct behaviour, then cut the suspense and just do it. By now they have figured out that they are not going to make it and they probably feel like a mouse with their tail in a mousetrap. Put them and everybody else out of the pain.
Don’t Say You’re Sorry
Unless you have made a mistake in hiring them in the first place, then don’t apologize for letting them go. Give them the reasons: wrong fit, attendance, problems getting along… whatever made you come to this conclusion. And tell them the truth. If you have to make something up then you should be fired, not them.
Don’t Drag it Out
Go in with a prepared script, give them a chance to respond, and then stand up and shake their hand and say goodbye. You don’t have to debate your decision, you are the boss. You don’t have to answer any questions that you feel uncomfortable with. You have the right to remain silent and anything you do say can and likely will be held against you.
Don’t Let Someone Else Do Your Dirty Work
You are the manager and it is your job to hire and fire. That’s why they pay you the big bucks!! Don’t shuffle this unpleasant task off to a supervisor. Man or woman up and take responsibility for your decisions. It may get any easier to fire someone but you can get better at it.
This post first appeared on my blog at www.jobs.ca
Mike Martin is a freelance writer and author. His book Change the Things You Can: Dealing with Difficult people is a valuable resource for manager, supervisors and anyone who wants to get along in the workplace.
He is also the author of The Walker on the Cape, a Sgt. Windflower mystery.
Sometimes science catches up. We have all known that we would be better off if only we could get a couple of hours more shut-eye. Now science has confirmed it. Researchers from the Harvard Medical School have found out that not only is getting too little sleep bad for us, but it hurts the bottom line as well. According to the Wall Street Journal business, particularly big business like Proctor and Gamble Co. and uber investment bankers Goldman Sachs Group are taking this problem very seriously.
How seriously? Well for starters they are investing big bucks in slumber training courses and providing melatonin-regulating lights to their employees so that they can get the best possible sleep possible. Proctor and Gamble is working with a sleep expert to create a pilot project that is going to work with shift workers, including some at a plant in Belleville, Ontario to help them get better rest, and the company hopes, to be more productive.
The reason for all this attention to a good night’s sleep is that these companies have found that it is directly affecting productivity in their operations. The Harvard study is just a confirmation of what people already knew: if you are tired you work less efficiently, become easily distracted and are more likely to both work unsafely and make mistakes. And we are talking big bucks here! The Harvard researchers pegged the cost of sleep deprivation at $63 billion a year in the United States every single year.
So the next time you hear that incessant ringing in the morning don’t jump out of bed. Just roll over and catch a bit more sack time. And if your boss asks you why you’re late just tell him that you are trying to improve production on the line.
Mike Martin is a freelance writer and workplace wellness consultant and the author of Change the Things You Can: Dealing with Difficult People.
He is also the author of The Walker on the Cape, a Sgt. Windflower mystery.
The law is still being written in Canada about the extent of an employee’s right to electronic privacy, particularly when they are using the employer’s equipment or facilities. As these rights are being debated in various courtrooms across the country there are a couple of things that everybody, employees and employers should know.
No Guarantee
First of all there is no guarantee of employee privacy at work. In fact the Privacy Commissioner of Canada says that it is okay for employers to collect personal information as long as they can demonstrate a “need to know” in regards to this information. And, “Employers can balance their “need to know” with their employees’ right to privacy, if they ensure that they collect, use, and disclose personal information about their employees for appropriate purposes only.”
Collecting Information
Another question to consider is “how” they collect this information? It would seem to be fair game for employers to know about information that employees voluntarily disclose in their hiring interviews or during performance appraisals. And other information that would naturally come to light such as medical conditions that require time off from work or personal problems that employees self-identify.
Planned or Accidental
But what about information that an employer gets from either planned or accidental sources such as surveillance cameras or by other forms of snooping. First of all it is not normally illegal for an employer to use a private investigator or surveillance to check up on an employee who claims to be sick. They can’t film a person inside their house but if they see them at the mall it’s fair game.
CCTV
Surveillance cameras at work are also both commonplace and perfectly legal, as long as the employer has a good reason to install the equipment, such as security or protection of property. But employers have to be careful not to target ‘innocent’ employees in their attempt to protect their interests and it always better to inform employees if there are security cameras within their areas of work.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line on electronic surveillance is that employers can almost always get away with it if they have can demonstrate a suspicion of stealing, lying or defrauding the organization. But they have to be careful not to overstep their bounds into the personal lives of their staff or face legal challenges and consequences later.
If you are an employee or employer with concerns in this area please get your own legal advice. And be careful. You never know who might be watching.
This post first appeared on my blog at www.jobs.ca
Mike Martin is a freelance writer and the author of The Walker on the Cape, a Sgt. Windflower mystery.
A wise person once said that humility is not thinking less of ourselves but thinking of ourselves less often. That in itself makes humility a valued trait in the workplace. Humility allows us to accept our own imperfections as well as those of others. It also lets us make mistakes and learn from them instead of punishing ourselves or others for the process of growing.
Not a Weakness
Many people think of humility or being humble as some sort of weakness but the reality is far from that belief. We have plenty of arrogant, boastful and vain people around us. Those are the weaklings. The strongest people are those who don’t need to pull other people down so that they can rise up. Humility can distinguish a true leader from someone who just seeks power or authority.
No Ego in the way
Most people who have a high degree of humility are the best people to work for or with. Their ego does not have to be stroked all the time and they will often go more than halfway to meet the needs and demands of others. What’s not to like about that?
Strengths
It also possible to be prideful or one’s own abilities and attributes and still be humble. Famous athletes like Jesse Owens and Gordie Howe are prime examples of that. Their strengths allowed them to win Olympic gold medals and Stanley Cups but their humility is what makes us like them. And we suspect why they seemed so happy and carefree about their lives.
Without Arrogance
Humility may in fact be pride without arrogance, another worthwhile ideal to strive for, at work and in the rest of our lives. Too many managers and CEO’s have been brought down to earth because of their excessive pride and massive egos. Those less than positive attributes may have allowed them to walk over others on the way to the top, but it’s always a pleasure to meet them again on the way down.
And I love this quote by author Steve G. Makris to remind me and others why humility is such a great virtue: “Always remember when you are on top of the world, that the earth rotates every 24 hrs.”
This post first appeared on http://www.jobs.ca
Mike Martin is a freelance writer and author of The Walker on the Cape, a Sgt. Windflower mystery. http://www.walkeronthecape.com
There’s lots of great advice out there about what questions a prospective employee should ask at an interview. Like questions about possibilities for promotion which show that you are a go-getter and are looking to advance and succeed. Or even practical questions like when you might hear some results about the hiring process. But then there are another set of questions that you should never ask. I call them dumb and dumber.
Sick Days?
Dumb questions might be ones that talk about the candidates personal needs like how many vacation and sick days you are entitled to. Or if you can leave early to pick up your kids from daycare. They might be important questions to arrange your schedule but wait until you get the job already, before you start asking about the benefits or making special arrangements.
What does the company do?
Another dumb question might be to ask what type of business the company you are trying to get a job with is engaged in. Those are the things that you should have researched before you got into the interview room. Asking that sort of question not only makes you look unprepared. It makes you look dumb.
Drugs…?!
But there are even dumber questions than that. Ones that will probably ensure that you will never get the job you are interviewing for. Here are two of the best, or dumbest, courtesy of David MacFadden at the Alberni Valley Employment Centre in British Colombia. The first is “Do you require a drug test?” Duh? If I am sitting on the employer side of the table I do not know whether I should cancel the interview or call the police.
Do you check?
The second is “Do you check references?” Does that mean you have given us faulty references and are hoping we don’t check? Or that you can’t get a good reference. Either way it doesn’t look good to an employer and it makes you look dumb. Not getting that job either.
Warnings
And finally one more of the dumbest questions I’ve heard lately is “How many warnings do I get before I get fired?” The answer? None. Because we would never hire you!!
There are many more dumb and dumber questions that you should never ask because they make your chances of success remote at best. Instead you should focus on looking good, being prepared and showing up on time. Then you might actually get that job you’re looking for.
This post first appeared on my blog at www.jobs.ca
Mike Martin is a freelance writer and consultant and the author of The Walker on the Cape, a Sgt. Windflower mystery.
Almost all men and lots of women don’t ask questions and yet assume that they know the answer. Duh!! Even if you’re afraid try asking questions directly of your difficult person. What’s the worst that can happen, they’re already intolerable?
Why don’t we ask questions when we don’t know something? That’s the real question. Some people like to pretend they are smarter than they really are and others somehow see it as a failure of some sort on their behalf. Asking questions is not an admission of failure. It is a statement of your intention to understand or be understood.
There is an old Chinese proverb that says “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask questions is a fool forever”. Which would you prefer? In addition to not being considered a fool most of us would prefer to be successful. Sometimes to be successful we have to ask for help.
Some people don’t ask questions of the difficult people in their life because they don’t want to hear the answer. Because knowing the truth about a situation may move them out of their comfort zone and might force them to take an action that they don’t know if they can handle. But if you want to know what’s really going on inside the head of the difficult person, why not just ask?
In the immortal words of one of my heroes, Kermit the Frog “Asking questions is a very good way to find out about something.” Try it you might like it.
Steps to asking good questions: As Kermit said the easiest way to learn about someone and their ideas is to ask them. But your difficult people are sometimes reluctant to talk about themselves.
To get them going here are a few basic steps to asking questions:
Create a safe environment
This may include the time and location of your little chat. Find a quiet place with no one else around and begin by noting that you have noticed some difficulties. Ask them for their version of events in a non-threatening and friendly manner. If they grow cold or hostile, back away until another time. If they are open then keep going. Be willing to share information about yourself to create a two way communication link. If necessary ask if it’s okay for you to ask a few questions. Try not to put them on the defensive with “why” questions right off the bat. They will tell you “why” if they feel comfortable enough.
Give them time to answer
One guideline is to give them up to ten seconds to answer a question before asking anything else. Remember that this is a test as to whether you can be trusted, not them. A short pause as they think about an answer is a good thing. At least you’ve got them thinking.
Listen carefully to their answers
Restate their answer in your own words to be sure you understand the reply. Avoid selective listening. That’s where you are filtering out or misunderstanding what is said. Some experts claim that we automatically eliminate from 70 to 90 percent of what is said to us. Paying attention is not only polite; it’s the best way to get what you need from your conversation partner. Participate mentally and physically in the dialogue using facial gestures, and body language and the occasional grunt or uh-huh to let them know that you’re still there. Smile. It just might be your best weapon for getting them to talk.
Build on what they say and ask follow up questions
If you are really paying attention you will notice that your difficult person is telling you a story, or at least their version of events. Think of yourself as a facilitator in a story telling contest and you want to know what comes next. So you ask them, and then what happened? If the story goes really well you might even ask them how they feel/felt about the story. But if they’re not ready for that yet, that’s okay. You’ve opened the door and it will never completely shut again.
Thank them for their time
When the conversation is over you should thank them for their time. It is not only good manners; it’s a signal to them that you respect them. It’s also a good way to end whatever type of conversation you’ve just had, on equal terms. No matter how grumpy, crusty, or pig-headed they are you will know a little more about what makes them tick, and what makes them explode. They will also know a little more about you and maybe realize that you are not their problem after all.
Excerpted from “Change the Things You Can: Dealing with Difficult People” by Mike Martin
www.changethethingsyoucan.wordpress.com
Mike Martin is also the author of The Walker on the Cape, a Sgt. Windflower mystery.
mike54martin 
Two Ways to Save Lives
If you had the power to implement 2 suggestions that could automatically save lives would you do it? Before you say yes you better prepare yourself for an avalanche of backlash. Are you ready? Because what I am going to say is going to be almost uniformly unpopular with many of you, maybe even all of us. But just because we don’t like it doesn’t mean it doesn’t make sense.
The 2 ways are to raise the drinking age to 25 and to stop allowing people over 80 to drive motor vehicles. Are you still prepared to act?
I won’t try and bamboozle you with facts because I don’t need it. The people who really determine the odds of living and dying are not in the medical profession, they are in the insurance business. And they say that the greatest risks for accident and accidental death, with or without a motor vehicle are those under 25, particularly males, and those over 75. Not only do they say that but they act for your money upfront to prove it if you are in one of these categories.
The case for raising the drinking age is simple. Young people drink, they drive, and they die. Not only that but they kill other young people. And they kill older people. They are not the only ones doing this but proportionally their stats are way out of whack. Young people also tend to drink excessively, binge drink (both males and females) and do really stupid things while drunk. Things like rape and sexual assault and sometimes they kill themselves and others accidentally without even getting behind the wheel of a car.
Somehow this type of drinking is glamourized and dressed up like some kind of bullshit coming of age when really it is a dangerous and deadly practice. One that we could postpone, at least until they were a little older and hopefully a little wiser. I just ask you this. If it was your son or daughter what would you prefer?
The case for withdrawing the privilege of driving a motor vehicle from people over 80 is also a very simple one. After age 60 or so all of us start losing a little bit of our physical and mental capacities in some way, some faster and some slower than others. These include our hearing and eyesight which can fortunately be supported through hearing aids and glasses. But they also include our reaction times and things like our depth and space perceptions. You can keep them up a little bit through special exercise and practice but eventually time wins out.
We have also made this issue one of personal liberty and freedoms but I would point out that while the greatest danger to older drivers is certainly to themselves, all the rest of the travelling public has to be aware when they are around. We license drivers for a reason: to prove that they can drive. After 80 most of us simply do not have the capacity to drive safely. As they say in Quebec: Point Final!! Once again I would ask you a question. If it was your mom or dad would you want them out on the 401 at 80?
I realize that I may have stirred up a hornets nest with these suggestions and maybe it’s my S.A.D. kicking in or the fact that I didn’t get to Cuba this year, or maybe I am just becoming a curmudgeon before my time. In any case I offer these early March thoughts in the hopes of provoking a discussion and I’d love to hear your ideas. (Please be gentle!!)
Mike Martin is a freelance writer and author of Change the Things You Can: Dealing with Difficult People.
He is also the author of The Walker on the Cape, a Sgt. Windflower mystery.
www.walkeronthecape.com