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Evaluating the Performance Review

Whether you’re reading this as a manager or an employee, chances are you feel the same way: Performance Reviews are the absolute worst. In fact, a report by the Society for Human Resource Management dove into the success of performance management. Their findings showed that more than half (53%) of human resource professional grade their organization between a C+ and a B, another fifth (21%) chose a C, and a mere 2% gave their management an A.

performance review tips

A key to making performance reviews successful is ensuring this isn’t just happening once a year, but that you provide consistent, valuable feedback. In addition, the review should strike a balance between evaluating the past and setting goals for the future. These three components are essential to a healthy, successful performance review that both managers and employees can stand behind.

Consistent and Quantifiable Feedback

SHRM reported that 72% of performance appraisals were done on an annual basis. However, a study by Globoforce reported that 71% of employees prefer to receive feedback ASAP. While this doesn’t mean you should totally eliminate the annual performance review, it does mean you should find ways to provide ongoing feedback throughout the year. Perhaps this means tracking goals in a spreadsheet, or maybe it means writing down current projects and their outcomes every quarter. However the team functions, it’s important to track and record successes and failures and ensure you’re giving feedback immediately and not waiting until the end of the year.

Concrete Evaluation of Previous Performance

The most important thing to remember is that evaluating past performance does not mean focusing on the negative. Studies have shown that positivity has a major impact on work performance. In fact, psychologist Martin Seligman reports that Optimistic salespeople sold 37% more than their pessimist colleagues, who, on the other hand, were twice as likely to leave the company during their first year of employment. Take some time before you meet with the employee to evaluate which goals they’ve met and which you need to revisit. If you’ve been tracking these all along, this should be pretty straightforward. Encourage employees in the areas where they have been successful and challenge them in the areas where they struggled. You may be surprised at the results.

Clear Goal-Setting for the Future

A huge success factor for performance appraisals is tying the employee’s goals with the company’s mission and goals overall. According to Globoforce, 70% of employees say the point of performance reviews is to help them develop and grow. By tying their personal achievements to company successes, this helps to not only give them clarity around their responsibilities, but also increase motivation in the future. These goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. Encourage employees to write down their goals and put them in a place where they will see them throughout the day. After all, goals are pointless if you forget what they are.

Need help getting started? Here are a few useful phrases to ramp up your performance reviews.

Promoting Mindfulness at Work

Mindfulness, as defined by Merriam-Webster,  is “the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis”.

promoting mindfulness at work

While the Eastern hemisphere has practiced mindfulness for years, the Western world is slowly coming around to the idea. Perhaps with the increase of technology and constant distraction, mindfulness is becoming more important as a practice. In fact, a recent report showed how schools have implemented mindfulness as a replacement for detention and the results have been staggering. We’re also seeing yoga and meditation rooms popping up in offices and airports all over the U.S.. What was once confined to monasteries is now flowing into our everyday lives.

Practicing mindfulness can change your perspective, your leadership, and your mind:

Mindfulness changes your perspective

A fascinating article by Psychology Today goes through the various ways that mindfulness molds the mind. From making us more empathetic and compassionate to decreasing fear and anxiety, mindfulness can truly change your point of view. Instead of fixating on the problems that surround you, mindfulness gives you the opportunity to clear your mind and think more positively. By stopping, breathing and focusing on more positive things, you can turn your whole day around.

Mindfulness makes you a better leader

To lead others well, it’s important to first take care of yourself. Maybe that’s why companies like Google, Ford, Target and Goldman Sachs have all initiated programs to promote mindfulness. As leaders sit down to empty their minds, they are able to make better decisions. Don’t just take our word for it. Mindfulness can help leaders de-stress and focus on the tasks at hand. And studies show that happier leaders, lead to happier employees. Want to engage your employees? Try mindfulness on for size.

Mindfulness is great for the mind

It’s no surprise that mindfulness also impacts our mind. Inside the brain is a region known as the hippocampus which is composed of grey matter that is essential for our functions of memory, learning, emotions, and motor skills. This grey matter is largely affected by our age, drug use, and even poverty. While all of these “stress factors” are known to reduce the amount of grey matter, practicing mindfulness has been proven to have the opposite effect. In a Harvard study, participants who engaged in an average of 27 minutes a day in meditation, showed an increase in grey matter in just eight weeks. Who knew getting smarter was so easy?  

Want to implement more mindfulness practices into your office? Here are five tips for where to start.

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Strategic Questions, Higher Engagement

Every Total Rewards professional has the desire to improve employee engagement. But sometimes it’s difficult to know where to start. Should you conduct a company-wide survey? What questions should you ask? What do you do with the information?

strategic questions, higher engagement

The key to a successful employee engagement strategy is asking the right questions. Although you can throw out surveys all day long, unless your questions are centered on the right things, they become just one more document to file and a whole lot of useless information. In fact, a recent article by Deloitte states that “among 80 of the most advanced users of engagement surveys, only half believe their executives know how to build a culture of engagement.”

As leaders it’s important to assist others in their professional development, which means asking intentional questions and listening well.

Here are a few of our favorite strategic questions to improve employee engagement:

Questions for Advancing Careers:

  • Which projects have you enjoyed working on the most?
  • What would others on your team be likely to come to you for help with?
  • Are there strengths of yours that you feel are not being utilized?
  • What new responsibilities would you like to take on in the next few months?
  • What projects would you like to be more involved in?

For more questions about career advancement click here.

Questions for Dealing with Change:

  • What do you think about this new change?
  • How do you feel about this change? (the key here is to get their honest opinion)
  • What is your new role in this change? How does it affect what you’re working on?
  • In what way will this new change be challenging for you?
  • What would help you most in adapting to this change?

For more questions about dealing with change click here.

Questions for Measuring Motivation:

  • Can you see a clear connection between your work and the company’s goals and objectives?
  • What makes you proud to be a member of your team?
  • When something unexpected comes up, do you know who to ask for help?
  • Do you have the appropriate amount of information to make informed decisions?
  • Do you have a clear understanding of processes and procedures within the organization?

For more questions about measuring motivation click here.

While asking the right questions is important, it’s also vital that you listen well to the responses. There are so many ways that listening can improve the employee experience, including creating a trustworthy relationship between managers and employees that “are transparent and breed loyalty.” This is the key to success. You can ask questions all day long, but if you don’t actually hear and respond to employees, it is all in vain.

Are there questions you find more effective than others in improving employee satisfaction? What are some ways you’ve seen listening improve the employee experience? Leave us a comment below!

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Corporate Philanthropy: Serve a Good Cause, Make a Lasting Effect

Corporate philanthropy is “the act of a corporation or business promoting the welfare of others, generally via charitable donations of funds or time.”

Over the years, corporate giving and employee volunteering has provided tremendous value not only to businesses but to society as whole.

There are various ways your business can provide philanthropic efforts:

  • Company-wide service day
  • Corporate giving (everyone receives $X to give to the charity of their choice)
  • Volunteer competitions
  • Matching gift programs
  • Volunteer grants

corporate-philanthropy-impacts-employee-engagement

No matter what type of philanthropy you choose, here are a few ways giving back can increase employee retention and engagement:

Employees Learn Something New:

Looking for new and creative ways to develop your employees? This is it. Through volunteering, employees are provided opportunities to not only give back, but also learn something along the way. From improving their leadership skills to physically building a house, there are a variety of ways employees can serve their community and continue their professional development. By pushing them to give back, employees feel valued and trust that their employer is invested in their future.

Employees Feel Supported:

According to a Robert Half survey, 41% of employees are already volunteering in some capacity. In fact, many employers find that by either matching their existing donations or giving them the day off to participate in volunteer efforts they can show their support for activities and passions employees may already have. Consequently it’s an excellent way to see great talent doing great things.

Employees (Especially Millennials) Feel Good about Their Work:

The Millennial generation has a strong desire to make an impact in the world. Idealism? Maybe. But we can’t fault them for wanting to do meaningful work. For this reason, many companies are seeing employee engagement spike as they empower their employees to make a difference. In fact, one report states that over 90% of companies that participate in community involvement found positive correlations between volunteer participation and employee engagement.

Employees Bond with Each Other:

An obvious side effect of employees engaging in volunteer activities is that they learn to work together in a team. For many companies, cross-departmental cooperation doesn’t happen on a daily, weekly or even monthly basis. Volunteering can be a great time to learn how others in the company work and improve communication as a whole among departments.

Because we’re all about the perks, and corporate philanthropy is just one of many easy and inexpensive ways to engage and retain employees. Therefore by commissioning employees to give back, you’ll show them you’re invested in their well-being and their passions.

Q&A with a Millennial Manager

There is a lot of information out there about millennials. From hopes and dreams to workplace perks, everyone is trying to figure out what makes them tick. But are we analyzing this group accurately? Generally, we imagine an older manager surrounded by an office of disgruntled young professionals. The fictitious manager often struggles with decisions like signing off on work-from-home policies and catering pizza parties for the office.

But is this reality?

As millennials become the largest population in the workplace, they are also filling a significant amount of managerial roles. This change brings a new dynamic to the workplace: The Millennial Manager.

millennial manager perkspot culture

To truly dive into this topic, we interviewed Michael DeRose, Staffing and Compensation Manager at the Michigan Department of Transportation. Throughout his decade of experience, Michael has insight not only as a Millennial Manager but an HR expert as well.

We asked him to share his thoughts on life as a Millennial Manager in a world of baby boomers.

Here’s what he had to say:

Tell me a little bit about yourself!

Currently, I am the Staffing & Compensation Manager for the Michigan Department of Transportation. I worked in state government for just over 10 years after obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Michigan State University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Western Michigan University.

When did you reach management level? Was it challenging to “prove” yourself as a millennial?

I became a manager about 2 ½ years ago, after working in various HR roles for the State of Michigan for about 8 years. Thankfully, I am lucky to be surrounded by incredible direct reports and colleagues within my office but I certainly felt, and continue to feel, a pressure to prove myself. I am the youngest member of just about any meeting of organizational leaders. Whether feeling the need to prove myself is perception or reality is tough to discern, but I certainly feel like I have more to prove than colleagues that are 10, 20, or 30 years my senior.

What frustrates you about fellow millennials?

Feelings of entitlement are frustrating to me. This is not exclusive to millennials but I often speak with millennials that are frustrated about not getting a job, not getting a raise, etc. Millennials are an instant gratification generation. We can click a few buttons on our phone and have a new television delivered in 2 days, we bank from home and on the go, find answers in the blink of an eye, and connect with complete strangers in a matter of seconds online. I think some Millennials struggle when things aren’t granted to them immediately. That is probably my biggest frustration, especially working in a very large organization.

How do you measure performance as a manager?

For me, measurement is two-fold. I rely heavily on ongoing feedback from my staff and our customers. I find this to be important and I think it helps to have a general understanding of how things are going. Additionally, I try to utilize metrics as much as possible. I want to have data to back up the feedback that I receive. For example, I trust when my staff tells me it has been a busy year. However, I run a report of all application activity for the department at the end of each year. Not only is the data useful for determining inefficiencies and process improvements, it provides a great starting point for more discussion with staff.

What are some strengths you feel you bring to the table as a Millennial in management?

I think being a millennial allows me to see possibilities for significant, and rapid, growth. Millennials have come of age in an era where the Internet transformed the world. I think this backdrop allows me to feel that significant and rapid change is achievable. Additionally, I think I have strengths in the ability to understand and utilize technology to solve problems and create efficiencies. I’m no technology expert. However, I have a good enough understanding to know what may or may not be possible if the technology experts are brought in.

What is one common misconception you think millennial managers get?

One misconception that I think millennial managers get is that we aren’t solely focused on technology “because we are Millennials.”  I think Millennials, at least I know this is the case for me, are just as uncomfortable with an archaic paper process as baby boomers are with newer technologies. In other words, we’re not just trying to use technology to “try something new”. We just feel more comfortable with the efficiency and convenience that technology provides.

What is one thing you wish Baby Boomers (coworkers or superiors) knew about you?

I hope my coworkers and superiors know that I value loyalty. The idea of a 30-year career with a pension and a gold watch ceremony upon retirement is appealing to me. That is simply not the work world I entered into. Millennials may want different things (I.e. Flexibility, career changes, etc.) but we are also presented with significantly different options than our predecessors. The removal of the pension (in most cases) is huge.

What are the weaknesses of being a millennial manager?

I think my greatest weakness related to being a millennial is understanding co-workers from other generations. It can be difficult to explain how a computer document is more efficient than paper documents. For example, when the individuals I’m explaining it to may have a strong comfort level with a paper process. I think it’s important to try to understand everyone’s view and communicate accordingly.

What trends do you see emerging in millennial management?

I think the biggest trend is that Millennials now make up the largest group in the country! Before we know it, millennials will make up a large majority of the workforce. Many of the generational differences will be between millennials and Generation Z, instead of with Generation X or baby boomers. It will be interesting to see how typical millennial traits change as millennials settle down, start families, and more closely align with previous generations, albeit at a later age.

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The Millennial American Dream

millennial american dream perkspot

The Millennial generation, lovers of Facebook, the selfie, and on-demand technology, view the world through a different lens. And when it comes to the idea of the American dream, this is no exception. Yes, a successful career, a loving family and financial security are still as desired by millennials as their predecessors. But their means of achieving these successes is changing quite a bit. In fact, they may think these achievements look entirely different than their parents did.

The Millennial Career Dream

While the Baby Boomers and Generation X sought to earn a good wage and advance in their career, millennials are diving a little deeper. Facing the tragedy of September 11th, increasing gun violence, and the War on Terror, this generation is seeking to make a change. No longer is a paycheck enough to keep them satisfied at their nine-to-five. More important to these echo-boomers is making a difference in the world around them and being happy with their work. Sounds simple, but like many things, a closer look proves satisfaction in the workplace is more complex than it appears.

The Huffington Post reports that 67 percent of millennials want to be entrepreneurs. This entrepreneurial spirit is ingrained in this generation, giving them a greater appreciation for independence and autonomy. To them, a successful career is defined by freedom and opportunity to grow and learn. This, however, is not in the traditional corner-office type of way. Job titles and fancy views aren’t enough to keep them satisfied. But give them a chance to learn something new and change the world, and you will discover what they can accomplish.

The Millennial Family Dream

The American dream, however, goes beyond just having a career. For many, this ideal also encompasses strong family values and creating a better life for the next generation. This is a far cry from the stereotyped “Me Generation” . But just because millennials aren’t having kids right now doesn’t mean they never will, says an article in Bloomberg.

PEW Research Center reported in 2013 that fewer than half of U.S. kids today live in a ‘traditional’ family. Because millennials have grown up in these non-traditional environments, many are waiting to start their families until they are emotionally and financially ready in order to provide a more stable and sustainable family environment. Which often means starting a family later in life. But, according to a Gallup survey, only 5% of Americans say they don’t want kids, up only 1% from 1990. So just because they aren’t married by 30, doesn’t mean they never get married. It just might take them a little longer than it did in the 70’s.

The Millennial Financial Dream

Another possible reason millennials are waiting to start a family is due to an increase in financial problems. While the “rags to riches” stories of generations past may be lost on these Americans, they are no strangers to financial hardship. Graduating in the middle of the recession, this generation has struggled to find jobs and, adding insult to injury, battled the weight of student loan debt. For that reason, financial security ranks high among the priorities of millennials. Not for the purpose of putting a car in the garage or buying that house with the white picket fence, but for many millennials the goal is financial freedom from the overwhelming debts.

Understanding how millennials view the world and their hopes for the future will provide insights into our workplaces and our homes. While the American Dream lives on in this generation, the methods and goals have changed quite a bit. One thing, however, will never change: the American Dream is what drives this country and will continue to do so for generations to come.

Retention Before Recruitment

retention before recruitment

According to JB Training Solutions, “91% of Millennials expect to stay in a job for less than 3 years”. And with Millennials making up the largest part of the workforce, we definitely have our work cut out for us when it comes to retaining these individuals. As younger employees begin switching jobs more frequently, the effects are costly and quite frankly, exhausting. In fact, a study by the SHRM foundation states finding a direct replacement for an employee can cost the company anywhere from 50% to 60% of the person’s annual salary. So let’s say you are looking to replace an executive earning $80,000. Finding a replacement could cost your company anywhere from $40,000 to $48,000, not to mention the loss of productivity in the meantime.
So how can we beat these odds and ensure our employees stick around for the long haul?

Employee retention begins before the very first interview.

The best way to keep employees satisfied is to fully understand what they’re looking for. Gone are the days when a high salary and great compensation package was enough to entice an interviewee. Millennials long for purpose and direction in their career. Don’t misunderstand, while some are seeking a C-level title, the majority aren’t necessarily looking for a lofty position. The overall goal of a millennial is to learn, grow and be developed in their position.

Start by putting a plan in place for their career path. Think about where you’d like to see them take their role in the next three, five, or even ten years. Having this plan in place shows you’re investing in them as an individual and their career with the company. Maybe you don’t know exactly what type of position they’ll hold in five years, but you can show them the things they will learn. Discuss educational seminars they will attend or new skills they will develop while on the job. This is guaranteed to go further than a corner office would.

Recruitment and retention strategies are two sides of the same coin.

While setting them up for success is important, also keep in mind not everyone is going to be a great fit. In addition to thinking about what millennials want, also think about your company needs and the overall culture. The best way to ensure an employee sticks around is to determine if they are a great fit in the first place. I’ve seen this in my own experience when a job wasn’t exactly how it was laid out to me, I eventually got burnt out and left unhappy and confused.

You can prevent your employees from experiencing this new hire whiplash by making transparency an essential element of your interview process. When I left to seek a new position, PerkSpot stood out to me in one of the most obvious ways: the job description. Instead of the usual bullet points outlining the position in obscure terms, the description was familiar and informal. It painted an excellent picture of what my days in the office would look like. The transparency from the words on the screen to the face-to-face interviews ensured that from day one, nothing was ever a surprise. Within the first few days I knew the job was exactly what I had wanted and expected from the interview process.

Retention, by definition, is a continuous practice.

Beyond a new hire’s first week, remember that on-boarding is not an event that happens on the first day. When thinking about what millennials want, remember two of the most highly sought after aspects of a career for them are mentorship and development. You should already have your plan in place for where you want your new hire to take their career. Now, you just have to enable them to get there.

Keeping employees engaged isn’t a “set it and forget it” strategy. They need to know the specific goals you’ve set in place and receive feedback on their performance. Find a mentor who can meet with them in a comfortable, open environment. This is not only to provide necessary feedback, but also help them develop the skills they need to reach their goals. Millennials are eager to learn, but they can’t do it alone.

As employees long for job stability and your company profits from a secure workforce, don’t let employee retention become an afterthought. Think strategically about how to keep employees engaged. Remember that retention is an ongoing process that starts before, during and after the recruitment stages. Think of what you could do with that extra $48,000 when you don’t have to spend it on recruitment.

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Is Your Office a Foreign Country? (Tips for Onboarding New Hires)

Imagine stepping off the plane into a foreign country. The sights and sounds are unfamiliar: words written in a language you can’t decipher, people pushing past you spouting off strange colloquialism, and you may even find yourself surrounded by sideways glances and awkward stares.

Well, for many new employees, they carry these exact sentiments around with them their first week at work. As you seek to onboard new employees, keep in mind that they are outsiders fighting their way into this seemingly unknown territory.

Here are a few ways to make the transition a little easier for your new hires:

Make an Announcement

Don’t leave it all up to your new employee to make friends. Make an announcement on their first day. Maybe link to their LinkedIn profile and explain who they are, the position they are filling, and a little background information. It will provide a great jumping off point and give your current employees a reason to stop by and say hello.

Be Careful of Office Jargon

Listen, here at PerkSpot, we are just as guilty as the next guy at throwing around office slang. From perxicons to perkalerts, half of what we say needs to be filtered through some sort of strange decoder. But, when it comes to new hires, be sensitive to the fact that they are wrapping their head around a new product, business and environment. There is a lot to learn and part of that means learning a new language. Make sure to explain unfamiliar terms and steer clear of words that could be described in another way. Oh, and maybe just remove these from your vocabulary altogether.

Have Fun

My first day at PerkSpot was seamless thanks to some friendly coworkers taking me out to lunch. There is a delicate balance between making new employees the center of attention but also ensuring they are welcomed and included. Casual lunches or happy hours are a great way to get to know them in a low pressure environment. Plus, if you’re anything like our friends over at Southwest Airlines, having fun should already be a part of your company culture, so really you’re just inviting them to be a part of it!

Don’t forget, employee engagement starts from day one. Use these tools and more to make sure everyone has an A+ experience.

And if you really want to make them feel at home, check out our perks program. You can thank us later.

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The Hidden Challenges of Working Remotely

working remotely perkspot culture

A trend emerging in our 21st century workplace: the ability to “WFH”, or Work from Home. There’s nothing better than rolling out of bed, plopping yourself on the couch with your laptop, and getting to work.

Or so…. That’s what we used to think until we heard from employees who actually had the luxury to work remotely. Here’s what we found out.

Remote workers are often lonely.

There is something to be said about going into an office and seeing the same faces everyday. Working from home is often very isolating. There are few people to run your ideas by or even chat about that funny email you just got. In fact, Forbes reports that laughter in the workplace makes employees more productive.

Remote workers have a hard time getting things done.

While not only isolating, contrary to popular belief, it’s also hard to be productive when working remotely. When you collaborate on a project or try to solve an issue quickly, remote work presents new challenges. What is usually solved by turning around in your chair, might take over a day without that luxury. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. For technical writers, developers and the like, working alone is necessary to get into an intense focus mode this type of work often requires.

Remote workers are not necessarily more engaged.

For many businesses, offering flex time is a luxury provided in hopes of increasing employee engagement and retaining excellent employees. However, what often happens is that these employees, especially those who are full-time remote workers, fall into the “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy. For many, they feel forgotten by their employer who previously may have been a great mentor and resource to them. They miss out on these resources by simply not physically being around.

While there are clear benefits to offering flex time for employees, it’s also evident there are new challenges arising with this popular perk.

Does your business offer a work from home policy? What challenges or benefits have you seen with this implementation?

The Illusion of Busyness

illusion of busyness perkspot culture

“I’m so swamped”
“Just trying to keep my head above water”

You may have uttered one of these phrases at some point this month, week or even just a few hours ago. But is it busyness that has us feeling overwhelmed or, like a mirage in the desert, is it merely an illusion?

Technology has advanced at such a rapid pace I wonder if we are really as busy as think or if we simply have an unhealthy relationship with time. In fact, I think deep down some of us like saying these phrases as if they somehow make us feel important or purposeful. Multi-tasking is no longer a skill that only the most successful possess, but something that inundates the ins and outs of our everyday lives. But while we may get things done when we multitask, we often neglect to do things well.  We find ourselves running around from one task to another all for the sake of feeling “busy”, but never really accomplishing anything. Priorities are out of line and our work begins to suffer.

So how do we dispel the illusion of busyness in our lives? Is it even possible?

First of all, breathe. I think many of us grab our coffee and sit in front of our inbox dreading the day to come. When we let the weight of our tasks overwhelm us, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. Take a breath in the morning and spend time planning out your day. Prioritize tasks based on their importance and deadline. With a clear vision in front of us, the work will seem less monumental and more manageable.

Secondly, do something that you’re passionate about. We spend a lot of time just going through the motions of our days without focusing on the things that truly make us happy. If you’re truly passionate about your work (and I hope that you are!), spend time developing a new skill, read an educational book, or attend a seminar. These activities will renew your passion and keep you moving forward. If your passion lies outside your nine-to-five, jump into a cooking class, take photography lessons, or just spend time with your friends and family. Prioritizing our passions can refresh us and more importantly, give us purpose beyond our full agenda.

Remove the word “busy” from your vocabulary and start prioritizing. At the end of the day, you may not respond to every email in your inbox, but that doesn’t mean you weren’t productive.