Too Busy? Get Your Boss to do the Homework

Neotel, an IT company in South Africa, is serious about employee retention. They realize how difficult economic times effect employee morale, so they have implemented “My Virtual Neotel PA”, a personal assistant service for Neotel Employees.

Does your kid have a science project, but you have a deadline? Call the PA. Nothing in your refrigerator for dinner? Call the PA.

The Neotel PA system is there to take some of the daily stress off of hard-working employees’ shoulders.
It’s not all about running errands though, there are also counseling services available.

The program was developed with an eye on the financial welfare for the company. According to Neotel’s HR Head, the company recognizes that they can’t afford to spend the time and money training new staff.

“Organisations just cannot afford to lose the core skills, and spend time and money on training new staff to fill those positions.”

Read More At ITWeb

Neotel wants to hold onto staff

The Real Reasons Employees Leave

Leigh Branham, of Keeping the People Inc., partnered with David Aplin Recruiting to define “The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave”.  After months of intensive surveying, they discovered that employers had no idea why their employees left, and normally assumed it was because of money or better opportunities.

Turns out, that’s the wrong answer.

But it’s the wrong answer because employers aren’t asking the right questions.  According to the authors of the study, employers ask:

“why are you leaving?”

when they should be asking:

“why aren’t you staying?”

Read More At The New Brunswick Business Journal

Why do good employees quit?

The Man Who Gave His Employees $60 Million

If more people were like Leonard Abess, the world would be a better place.  You may not have heard of him, but Mr. Abess was the majority owner of City National Bank of Florida, until he sold in 2008.  With a full bank account, Mr. Abess didn’t behave like so many other CEOs, by grabbing his gold watch and heading out the door. He reached into his pocket and handed out $60 million, of his own money, to the loyal employees who had helped build City National. This is a bank that has never had a lay-off and has never missed paying bonuses to all employees.

When asked about what other CEOs can learn from the City Bank story, among other things,  Mr. Abess advises his counterparts:

“that before you cut anybody’s compensation, before you fire anybody for economic reasons, you deal with yourself. Your perks go, your bonus goes, your salary goes”

Read More At The Human Resource Executive Online

Sharing the Wealth

A Little Fear Not A Bad Thing

Great Common Sense Article out of the Washington Post today:

“For many workers, fear of layoff is big motivator”

Although we obviously don’t want employees completely stressed out, I never said that there was ever anything wrong with a little fear to keep people moving.  Just as I expect managers to express appreciation for the work their employees put into the company, I expect the same appreciation from employees.

It doesn’t hurt anyone to work through a lunch hour or two to get things done, especially when the people who sign your paycheques are having difficulties.

Nonetheless, I think that when you read the article, you’ll see that when there’s open communication about job stability, that’s when employees can move ahead and get things done. Because it’s not just about fear, it’s about working together to survive, and to come out the winners.

The key is to stay honest. If there’s something to be worried about, let your employees know and give them time to prepare, or time to come up with a solution, you never know. The most important thing is to maintain good relations with employees, even through lay-offs, so you can all prepare for, and see past, the hard times, and get back to business.

Read The Full Article At The Washington Post

For many workers, fear of layoff is big motivator

Long Winter = Entrepreneurial Success?

If you’ve ever spent a winter day in –40 celcius, you’ll understand how Ross Robinson, president and CEO of B.A. Robinson Co. Ltd., told Geoff Kerbison, of the Winnipeg Free Press, that it was the time indoors that got him thinking about his own business.

I personally have spent a great deal of time in –40 celcius weather, and I can tell you that you really begin to realize that there is nothing on television.  It was one of the most work intensive times of my life, and apparently it’s had the same effect on Winnipegers.  Our friendly, frozen neighbours have the distinction of having an overwhelming number of large firms owned by families.  We can’t forget that the infamous McCains and Molsons were all born and bred in Winnipeg.

Mr. Kerbison quotes the Canadian Association for Family Enterprise with predicting “the largest transfer of wealth in Canadian history”, as all these family businesses pass down to the next generation.   When you consider that Winnipeg already has the lowest unemployment rate in the country (4.7%), Manitoba has the potential to be a national leader in the future of Canadian business.

Read the Full Article At The Winnipeg Free Press

From mom-and-pop to multinational, Winnipeg’s the clan corporation capital