24 Δεκ 2008

Why You Need to Be a Happier Manager

Take note, managers: Happiness can be passed from person to person, even from strangers.

A groundbreaking study by researchers at Harvard and the University of California San Diego demonstrates in the words of Nicholas Christakis, M.D. "Emotions have a collective existence - they are not just an individual phenomenon." He told the New York Times that "Your happiness depends not just on your choices and actions, but also on the choices and actions of people you don't even know who are one, two or three degrees removed from you."

What this means for managers is that their actions, positive or negative, can influence the emotional health of others. Common sense may have told us this but this study affirms a principle of positive organizational scholarship, in fact that happiness can be "contagious." This finding could not have come at a better time. With the economic travails grinding away the edges of even the most optimistic managers, this research may give impetus to managers who want to do something to cheer up their teams. Here's how:

Resolve to cheer. It is a leader's job to spread confidence. Optimism is critical. While few of us can do anything to affect business conditions, we can control what occurs on our watch, in our organizations. Therefore, managers owe it to their people to look on the bright side, when possible. Not naively, but resolutely. Optimism is not an excuse to be oblivious; it is an obligation of leadership.

Pick your moments. Too much optimism and good cheer, especially in the wake of layoffs or serious downturns, may seem foolhardy. And, in fact, may be perceived as such. That's why the manager has to choose her moments carefully. When it comes to radiating optimism, you don't do it when layoffs are announced or poor earnings reports are published. Rather you do it when you think people need that extra boost, that extra bucking up.

Keep on doing it. The story of legendary explorer, Ernest Shackleton's ill-fated but heroic journey to the Antarctic is well known, in particular that every man with him was saved. What is less known is exactly how much attention to morale Shackleton paid. He shared his rations with the sick, ensured everyone had proper clothing, and spread confidence as best he could. My favorite story is that of Shackleton skiing out over the ice to bring hot tea to men returning from a periodic supply trek to their abandoned ship, Endurance.

What's more, there may also be a business incentive in happiness. James Fowler, co-author of the study, told the Times, "if your friend's friend becomes happy, that has a bigger impact on you being happy than putting an extra $5,000 in your pocket." In recessionary times that should be music to the ears of any manager seeking ways to improve morale. While happiness will not make up for real (or perceived) shortcomings in compensation, a happy workplace, as researchers for generations have demonstrated, does make coming to work a more pleasant experience. Productivity even improves, and so too does engagement.

Happiness will not save a failing enterprise. That will require gumption and grit, as well as a strong business plan and marketable products and services. But an elixir for keeping organization in good spirits may be a dollop of managerial cheerfulness.

23 Δεκ 2008

Careerhub

Το CareerHub είναι ένα πάρα πολύ ενδιαφέρον blog που ασχολείται με θέματα σταδιοδρομίας, καριέρας, αναζήτησης εργασίας κλπ.

Από το site προσφέρονται δωρεάν οι ακόλουθοι οδηγοί τους οποίους βρήκα πολύ χρήσιμους:

1. Insider's Guide to Networking
: Expert advice on how to network successfully - subjects include advice on networking for introverts, tips on what NOT to do when networking, hints on using the Internet for interviewing and strategies for maintaining an active network once you secure your next position.
2. Insider's Guide to Interviewing:Expert advice on how to succeed in interviews - topics covered include effective interview planning, tips on taking control of the interview situation, advice on closing, and best approaches to salary negotiation.
3.
Insider's Guide to Resume Writing:In this book, our experts tackle all aspects of effective resume writing, including defining your branded value proposition, the value of story-telling, the secret ingredient of context, common resume mistakes, and how you can go beyond the resume in your career marketing.
4.
Insider's Guide to Job Search: This is the first book in our Insider's Guide series. From determining career direction, through resume writing to networking and interview skills, each of our experts provides real-world strategies for job search success.

Η Αγορά Εξεύρεσης Στελεχών Μετά την Κρίση

Αυτή η ύφεση έχει ιδιομορφίες. Δεν επηρεάζει το σύνολο των κλάδων της οικονομίας όπως οι περισσότερες υφέσεις του παρελθόντος, αλλά φαίνεται να επηρεάζει επιλεκτικά μόνο κάποιους τομείς και κάποιους τύπους θέσεων εργασίας. Στη χώρα μας περισσότερο φαίνεται να έχουν επηρεαστεί ο κατασκευαστικός κλάδος και το λιανεμπόριο, αλλά παρόλα αυτά το πρόβλημα της έλλειψης ταλαντούχων στελεχών παραμένει.

Η ζήτηση για ικανά στελέχη πωλήσεων και marketing δεν φαίνεται να παρουσιάζει κάμψη, ενώ σε κλάδους όπως η ενέργεια και η υγεία αυξάνεται όχι μόνο η ζήτηση στελεχών, αλλά και ο "παγκοσμιοποιημένος" ανταγωνισμός για τα ικανότερα στελέχη. Με την ανάπτυξη διεθνών εφοδιαστικών αλυσίδων και της αυτοματοποίησης οι εταιρείες μπορούν σήμερα να κάνουν περισσότερα με λιγότερους, και οι νέες θέσεις εργασίας που δημιουργούνται απαιτούν εκπαίδευση και δεξιότητες που συχνά λείπουν από την υπάρχουσα δεξαμενή υποψηφίων. Όλα αυτά οδηγούν σε αλλαγές στον τρόπο με τον οποίο προσελκύουμε και προσλαμβάνουμε στελέχη.

Οι υποψήφιοι θα γίνουν πιο προσεκτικοί. Το Internet τους δίνει πλέον απεριόριστη σχεδόν πληροφόρηση γύρω από έναν μελλοντικό εργοδότη, ενώ οι περικοπές προσωπικού, οι συγχωνεύσεις και όλα τα σχετικά έχουν κάνει τους εργαζόμενους πολύ πιο κυνικούς όταν ακούνε υποσχέσεις. Όλο και περισσότερα ανώτερα στελέχη θα ζητάνε στο μέλλον κλειστά συμβόλαια, εγγυήσεις αποζημίωσης, αναγνώριση προϋπηρεσίας και άλλα παρεμφερή προνόμια προκειμένου να κάνουν μία μετακίνηση.

Οι ελεύθεροι επαγγελματίες θα αυξηθούν. Συνήθως σε περιπτώσεις ύφεσης αυξάνεται ο αριθμός των ατόμων που, είτε από επιλογή είτε από ανάγκη, φεύγουν από τη μισθωτή εργασία και αποφασίζουν να δοκιμάσουν τις δυνάμεις τους σε κάτι δικό τους. Πολλοί δεν θα πετύχουν και θα επιστρέψουν αργότερα σε υπαλληλική σχέση, έχοντας όμως γίνει στο μεταξύ πολύ πιο επιφυλακτικοί στο να συζητήσουν πιθανές μετακινήσεις. 'Αλλοι, συνήθως οι ικανότεροι, θα κρίνουν ότι προτιμούν να δουλεύουν μόνοι τους παρά να ελέγχονται με τους τρόπους που συνεπάγεται η μισθωτή εργασία. Συνεπώς οι εταιρείες θα πρέπει άμεσα να βελτιώσουν τους τρόπους αναγνώρισης, επιβράβευσης και συγκράτησης των στελεχών-κλειδιών τους, ώστε αυτοί να διστάσουν να κάνουν κάτι μόνοι τους.

Οι εταιρείες οφείλουν να αναπτύξουν κοινωνική/οικολογική συνείδηση. Η νέα γενιά στελεχών το ζητά επιτακτικά, δείχνοντας σαφή προτίμηση προς εργοδότες που αποδεδειγμένα έχουν κοινωνικές και οικολογικές ευαισθησίες, όχι μόνο στα λόγια αλλά και στα έργα. Και οι recruiters θα πρέπει να κατανοούν βαθύτερα τις αξίες των εταιρειών με τις οποίες συνεργάζονται, ώστε να παντρεύουν πιο αποτελεσματικά τους υποψηφίους με τις αξίες αυτές.

Θα απαιτείται από τους εργοδότες μεγαλύτερη ευελιξία σε θέματα ωραρίου/telecommuting. Το Internet και οι σχετικές με αυτό τεχνολογίες επιτρέπουν πλέον σε πολλούς "knowledge workers" να δουλεύουν από το σπίτι τους, πιο παραγωγικά απ' ό,τι από το γραφείο, και να μη χάνουν δύο ώρες την ημέρα μέσα στο αυτοκίνητο πηγαινοερχόμενοι στο γραφείο. Οι εταιρείες καλά θα κάνουν να το συνειδητοποιήσουν το ταχύτερο δυνατό.

Το recruiting θα γίνει πιο απαιτητικό και οι recruiters που θέλουν απλά "να καλύπτουν θέσεις" σύντομα θα ψάχνουν για άλλη δουλειά. Ο recruiter του αύριο οφείλει να είναι τεχνολογικά ευφυής, ευέλικτος στις αλλαγές και να ξέρει πώς να επηρεάζει τους πελάτες του ώστε να γίνουν και αυτοί πιο προσαρμοστικοί στις αλλαγές της αγοράς εργασίας.

Ευχαριστούμε για το άρθρο τον κο Χάρη Καραολίδη, Partner, Symvoli - InterSearch Greece

22 Δεκ 2008

When an Employee's Crisis Becomes HR's Problem.

Sometimes the line between the business world and the personal one blurs. An employee's unresolved problems can affect productivity and workplace morale. Here's what HR can do about it.

What impact does an employee's divorce, household fire, or serious illness have on your company? That depends on how you, and others in your organization, handle it. An employee's unresolved personal problems can walk with him into work on a daily basis. It's important that you, as the HR manager, are able to help that emotionally rattled person get connected with the resources he needs to solve his problems.

While it would be nice if we could draw a boundary between home and work, there seems to be an increasing trend for the office and home front to merge. Companies now, more than ever before, are offering EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs) that draw and hold both new and established employees. In fact, the ability to balance work and family life is the single most important job aspect, with 97 percent of workers indicating that it is "important," and 88 percent saying that it is "extremely important," according to a recent Rutgers University national poll of 1,000 workers.

HR has a key role in communicating with the employee in crisis, directing her toward an EAP that will help smooth her problems, and guiding her efforts to return to work as a productive team member as soon as possible.

Identifying the Problem

Before you can deal with a problem, you have to know that it exists. Sometimes an employee's personal issues are brought to HR by a supervisor. Other times, the employee herself will come to your office and reveal her problems openly. In either case, in your HR role, you want to communicate to the employee that the company cares about her situation and would like to help.

"When an employee is first dealing with a crisis, we have no hope of their being effective on the job," says Don McIver, vice president of human resources for MWW Group, a public relations firm in East Rutherford, New Jersey. "My position has always been to support, to empathize with their situation, and to work collaboratively on getting them through it," While the employee describes the problem to you, be sure to listen carefully. He will likely be upset, and may not be thinking clearly. It helps to reassure him that he doesn't have to worry about his job, and that you'll do whatever you can to help.

For full article go to:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FXS/is_1_80/ai_69294710/pg_1?tag=artBody;col1

Security policy being bypassed by employees, survey finds.

Many companies have security policies and procedures in place, but the results of a recent survey found that employees are bypassing many of them, bringing sensitive data home with very few protections.

In many cases, companies are struggling to find the right balance between strict security requirements and employee productivity as more employees work at home. Encryption and other security technologies are available, but some firms are accepting the risk and some may be unaware that end users are bringing customer data, personally identifiable information or company financial data home with them on laptops, smartphones and Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drives.

RSA Security Inc., the Security Division of EMC Corp., conducted the survey, polling 417 individuals at separate conferences in April, May and June. 46% work in the financial services sector, 46% are IT professionals and 54% work in companies with more than 5,000 employees.

The survey found that 94% were familiar with their organizations' IT security policies, yet 53% felt the need to work around security policies in order to get their work done.

For full article go to:

http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid14_gci1334613,00.html

21 Δεκ 2008

Burnout at work

Στα πλαίσια του πανευρωπαϊκού φεστιβάλ εθελοντισμού (http://www.iasismed.eu/) πραγματοποιήθηκε ημερίδα με θέμα το εργασιακό άγχος και τη σχέση του με την αποδοτικότητα. Όσοι ασχολούνται με επαγγελματίες υγείας (νοσοκόμους, γιατρούς, ψυχολόγους, κοινωνικούς λειτουργούς κ.α) θα βρουν χρήσιμη την παρουσίαση για την επαγγελματική εξουθένωση, τα αίτια και κάποιες στρατηγικές αντιμετώπισης που έκανε η Μαρία Βακόλα στην διάρκεια της ημερίδας.
Burnout at work
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18 Δεκ 2008

Infosys unveils new HR practices

As part of its inclusive HR policy, Infosys will throw open a satellite centre in the heart of the city to enable employees (particularly new and to-be mothers) to cut down on travel time to work.

The centre, which can accommodate up to 50 women at a time, is expected to be opened in the second week of January.

The company has also initiated a pilot project for employees giving them an opportunity to opt for a one-year sabbatical at any point in their careers.

This could be used for childcare, eldercare, higher studies or for health reasons.

For further information:

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/12/15/stories/2006121503380400.htm

17 Δεκ 2008

Should You Be Asking Your Applicants About their Social Presence?

President-elect Obama is requiring prospective aides to disclose, in a 9-page questionnaire, ALL social interactions and presence including blog posts, comments and “any Web sites that feature you in either a personal or professional capacity”. This also means disclosing Facebook profiles, MySpace pages and even posts on Match.com.

“…that requirement would force applicants to disclose information about Facebook and MySpace pages, profiles posted on dating Web sites, and even what was posted on Web sites like CNET and YouTube that allow readers to append comments.”

Should companies be forcing their applicants to do the same?

Recession will hit firms’ workforce planning and benefits, says survey

Multinational companies are trying to be selective in workforce planning, compensation and benefit cuts in 2009 despite expected declines in their businesses, according to new research.

While 81 per cent of respondents to Mercer’s survey say they expect a drop in their own company’s business performance in 2009, most of the 1,028 respondents are likely to curtail overall hiring, reduce salary increases and cut bonuses, but continue to hire talent to fill skills gaps.

Just over a third (35 per cent) of the HR and finance professionals surveyed in firms with operations in more than 100 countries say they are likely to make significant workforce reductions.

“Many multinational companies have been facing rising cost pressure throughout 2008 and in recent months have been managing compensation costs and workforce levels aggressively while working to keep employees engaged and productive,” said Patricia A Milligan, Mercer’s chief markets officer. “But our survey shows that – at least as a group – most of these companies have refrained from taking severe and broad-based steps.”

Milligan added that many fundamental HR-related decisions are likely to be revisited in response to year-end results and updated economic forecasts for 2009. “This is a balancing act. Discussions with our clients indicate that more dramatic actions are being considered by boards and senior management should the downturn become deeper or prolonged,” she added. “It is also likely that companies learnt important lessons in previous economic downturns about the importance of talent in creating competitive advantage, and so are reluctant to take actions that could hamper their recovery once the economy improves.”

Thirty eight per cent of respondents said they planned to maintain the level of HR investments, compared with 21 per cent who said they were “highly likely” to make such cuts. Additionally, 75 per cent of survey respondents said that their company is not likely to invest more to outsource HR functions in 2009.

16 Δεκ 2008

The role of basic psychological need satisfaction

This study examines the role of basic need satisfaction, as defined within Self-Determination Theory, in the relationships between job demands, job resources, and employees' exhaustion and vigour, the main components of burnout and engagement, respectively.

Positive affect broadens attention

Research has found that positive affect broadens attention.

Strategic Human Resource Management

The Psychological Capital of Chinese Workers: Exploring the Relationship with Performance

Everyone knows about China's huge population and the fast-growing economy...

13 Δεκ 2008

Manpower Employment Outlook Survey 1Q 2009 Results Now Available

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey of global hiring trends released today reveals that the pace of hiring is set to slow further in the first quarter of 2009 most notably in Singapore, India and Taiwan. The survey, conducted by Manpower Inc., shows that employers in 25 of 33 countries and territories still expect positive hiring activity in the coming quarter; however, those in 30 say they will slow the pace of hiring from three months ago. Year-over-year hiring forecasts are also weaker in 25 countries and territories; and employers in 21 countries and territories are reporting the weakest hiring plans since the survey was established there by Manpower.

The survey data reveals that the most favorable first-quarter hiring plans globally are reported by employers in Peru, India, Costa Rica, Canada, Romania, Colombia, South Africa, Australia, Poland, the United States and China. Conversely, employers in Singapore, Spain, Ireland and Italy are reporting the weakest hiring expectations for the quarter ahead.

10 Δεκ 2008

Ένα μικρό σχόλιο για τα γεγονότα των τελευταίων ημερών....

"Η Δημοκρατία μας αυτοκαταστρέφεται, διότι κατεχράσθη το δικαίωμα της ελευθερίας και της ισότητας, διότι έμαθε τους πολίτες να θεωρούν την αυθάδεια ως δικαίωμα, την παρανομία ως ελευθερία, την αναίδεια του λόγου ως ισότητα, και την αναρχία ως ευδαιμονία." Ισοκράτης (436 π.Χ-338 π.Χ.)

Πολλά ευχαριστώ στην συνάδελφο κα Αγγελική Πουλυμενάκου που μας το προώθησε.

Upgrading talent: A downturn can give smart companies a chance to upgrade their talent.

Downturns place companies’ talent strategies at risk. As deteriorating performance forces increasingly aggressive head count reductions, it’s easy to lose valuable contributors inadvertently, damage morale or the company’s external reputation among potential employees, or drop the ball on important training and staff-development programs. But there is a better way. By emphasizing talent in cost-cutting efforts, employers can intelligently strengthen the value proposition they offer current and potential employees and position themselves strongly for growth when economic conditions improve.

Περισσότερα μπορείτε να βρείτε εδώ.

Πολλά ευχαριστώ στον συνάδελφο κο Βλασση Νικολαΐδη που μας το προώθησε.

8 Δεκ 2008

How can HR help during an economic crisis?

Human Resources is an essential part of the business transformation process. In today’s increasingly challenging world the number-one challenge for all executive management teams is managing, retaining and growing talent. Moreover – doing more with less.

No longer can one element of the business operate in isolation; all parts must work cohesively on these and other business problems. In the past we have lived by the mantra of “people, process and technology”. That no longer works. People ... are but one of the elements. It really needs to be a focus on “Culture, Process and technology”. Why culture? With the generational expectations, skills shortages, technology adoption and work / life principles, it is critically important that to drive innovation, productivity and organisational growth the focus must be on culture.

Περισσότερα εδώ

Ethical Analysis and Human Resource Management

Ethical problems arise almost continually in human resource management. Human resources are people, and when people suffer some harm or loss for which they are not themselves responsible, as in a plant closing or corporate re-structuring, then ethical analysis is needed in addition to the more common financial, legal, and behavioral forms of reasoning. Ethical analysis involves an evaluation of the impacts of the proposed managerial action upon the members of the organization and the members of the society, and then justification of those impacts according to one of the first principles or essential values of normative philosophy. None of these first principles or essential values are adequate by themselves to justify a decision in an ethical dilemma, but taken together they do help in arriving at a decision that can be considered to be right and proper and just.

Περισσότερα εδώ.

5 Δεκ 2008

To LinkedIn σαν top of mind εργαλείο στο e-recruitment...

Ενόψει του Workshop που διοργανώνει το Οικονομικό Πανεπιστήμιο για το e-social networking, θα ήταν χρήσιμο να αναφέρουμε οτι και διεθνώς, το Linkedin θεωρείται το κατεξοχήν εργαλείο εύρεσης υποψηφίων ηλεκτρονικά. Στην ερώτηση: Ποιά εφαρμογή social networking είναι πιο πιθανό να χρησιμοποιήσετε σαν εργαλείο Εύρεσης/Προσέλκυσης Στελεχών, απο τους 446 που απάντησαν, οι 298 ανέφεραν το Linkedin (to 66.82%), και μόνο 35 άτομα ανέφερθηκαν στο facebook (7.85%), ώς δεύτερο σε προτίμηση. Και η ερώτηση για εμάς παραμένει: τελικά χρησιμοποιούμε τα e-social networking tools επαγγελματικά; και τα χρησιμοποιούμε και αποτελεσματικά;
ξ.π.

3 Δεκ 2008

2 Δεκ 2008

Why talent is overrated....

Το περιοδικό Fortune δημοσίευσε ένα εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρον άρθρο σχετικά με την έννοια του ταλέντου και πώς αυτό καλλιεργείται....
Ευχαριστούμε την Ελίνα Παπαθανασίου που μας το προώθησε.

1 Δεκ 2008

Εργαστήριο "e-Social networking: αποτελεσματική μέθοδος προσέλκυσης προσωπικού"

Ο Σύλλογος Αποφοίτων Μεταπτυχιακού Προγράμματος Δ.Α.Δ HR Society και το Μεταπτυχιακό Δ.Α.Δ του Οικονομικού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών θα συνδιοργανώσουν στης 12 Δεκεμβρίου 2008 εργαστήριο-σεμινάριο με θέμα

e-Social networking: αποτελεσματική μέθοδος προσέλκυσης προσωπικού

Η εκδήλωση θα πραγματοποιηθεί στην αίθουσα 802 του κτηρίου μεταπτυχιακών προγραμμάτων του ΟΠΑ, Ευελπίδων 47Α και Λευκάδος 33 και ώρες

Οι προσκεκλημένοι ομιλητές είναι επαγγελματίες και ακαδημαϊκοί με έντονη παρουσία και εμπειρία στη χρήση των μεθόδων αυτών καθώς αποτελεί κομμάτι της καθημερινής τους εργασίας.
Σκοπός της εκδήλωσης είναι να ενημερωθούν οι παρευρισκόμενοι για τις νέες διαδικτυακές μεθόδους επιλογής προσωπικού (πχ. LinkedIn), την πρακτική τους εφαρμογή καθώς και την αποτελεσματικότητα τέτοιων μεθόδων στις σύγχρονες απαιτήσεις των πρακτικών Δ.Α.Δ.

Το περιέχομενο του σεμιναρίου απευθύνεται αποκλειστικά σε αποφοίτους του Μεταπτυχιακού Δ.Α.Δ του ΟΠΑ και στα μέλη του Συλλόγου HR Society.

Για πληροφορίες επισκεφτείται το web site του Συλλόγου HR Society www.dmst.aueb.gr/hralumni

σαρωτικές εξελίξεις που θα αλλάξουν το τοπίο της γνώσης...

Σύμφωνα με πρόσφατες ειδήσεις, η Google προχώρησε σε συμφωνία εκατομμυρίων δολλαρίων με την Αμερικάνικη Εταιρεία Συγγραφέων και την Ένωση Αμερικανών Εκδοτών (που πριν λίγα χρόνια είχαν κινηθεί δικαστικά εναντίον της) για ψηφιακοποίηση και εκμετάλλευση έργων που υπάρχουν στις βιβλιοθήκες των μεγαλύτερων αμερικανικών πανεπιστημίων. Ενδεικτικά αναφέρεται οτι η βιβλιοθήκη του Πανεπιστημίου του Μίσιγκαν περιλαμβάνει 6 εκατ.τίτλους βιβλίων από όλον τον κόσμο.
Η συμφωνία γίνεται με απόλυτο σεβασμό στα πνευματικά δικαιώματα, τα οποία και θα αποδίδονται χρηματικά στους δικαιούχους. Οι ενδιαφερόμενοι θα μπορούν να κάνουν download ένα βιβλίο της επιλογής τους (ακόμα και από εξαντλημένες εκδόσεις) έναντι κάποιας τιμής, και θα το έχουν στην οθόνη τους άμεσα.