Does Your Employer Deserve Your Loyalty?

Take this acid test to evaluate how happy you are with your current employer:

1. Do you think you will be working for your current employer two years from now?

• Strongly Agree
• Very Likely
• Somewhat Likely
• Not Very Likely
• Not at All Likely
  

2. Do you like your physical work environment?

• Strongly Agree
• Very Likely
• Somewhat Likely
• Not Very Likely
• Not at All Likely

3. Do you feel a kinship with a many of your co-workers?

• Strongly Agree
• Very Likely
• Somewhat Likely
• Not Very Likely
• Not at All Likely

4. Do you like your boss?

• Strongly Agree
• Very Likely
• Somewhat Likely
• Not Very Likely
• Not at All Likely

5. Do you feel have growth potential with your company?

• Strongly Agree
• Very Likely
• Somewhat Likely
• Not Very Likely
• Not at All Likely

6. Are you proud to work for your company?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

7. Do you feel a strong personal attachment to your company?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

8. When your employer has problems, do you feel they are your problems, too?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

9. Do you feel like part of the corporate family?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

10. Can your customers rely on your company to deliver outstanding service and quality?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

11. Do you think your company values you, cares about you, and invests in your future success?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

12. Is your company respected in your industry.

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

13. Does senior management communicate openly and honestly with you?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

14. Do you think your company have a reputation for being fair and ethical?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

15. Do you feel your boss and senior management make it clear what is expected of you?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree

16. Does your company support community and charitable programs?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

17. Does your company look for opportunities to grow its business.

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

18. Does your company supply you with the tools you need to perform your job successfully?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

19. Is your company able to make good decisions and take action quickly?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

20. Does your company have a turn-over rate of less than 20%?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

21. Are you rewarded for your contributions and accomplishments fairly?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

22. Do you feel you have a good quality of life with your company?

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

23. Do you believe that your company deserves your loyalty.

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Neither Agree nor Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

24. How would you rate the overall quality of the products and services provided by your company?

• Excellent
• Very Good
• Good
• Fair
• Poor

25.What improvements could your company make to increase your loyalty to it?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Is Business Ethics an Oxymoron?

As Michael Douglas expounded in the movie Wall Street, "Greed is good!" And it seems a large number of companies out there have taken this statement to heart. Unfortunately, from my experience, the majority of CEO's and business owners are more focused on the "bottom line" and doing whatever it takes to turn a profit. What they evidently don't know is that doing right by the people they employ can make their organizations even more profitable. Instead, they resort to saying one thing to their employees and doing something else behind their backs. So, it should come as no surprise that loyalty is at an all time low.

Unethical Business Practices are unfortulately more common in the workplace than you might think. Unethical behavior is why there is no loyalty in the workplace anymore. One problem is that few companies truly keep their promises to their employees, yet foolishly they expect their employees to remain loyal. Many employees have become cynical about management in general, largely because of companies' broken promises concerning raises, promotions, bonuses, incentives, enhanced benefits, and other work related matters.

Failure to handle employees issues sensitively can result in serious consequences that range from creation of a disruptive environment and lack of productivity to lawsuits and, in some cases, workplace violence.

It annoys the hell out of me when I hear Donald Trump say, "It's not personal, it's just business." Well, Donald, I have news for you. It is personal! The truth is..... it's always personal, and it should be. Those people who think it's OK to separate the way they behave at work from the way they behave at home are living a very big lie. A man is a hypocrite if he prides himself on being a good husband and family man, but treats is employees with less than the same level of respect.

The Solution - These days, loyalty is not the rule, it's the exception. Yet most employers expect loyalty from their employees. But loyalty is not a quality to be expected; it must be earned. The employer, the one doing the hiring, must earn the respect and loyalty of employees if the company wants it returned. Its' not enough for CEO's to say they are ethical, they must prove it by working actively everyday to earn and maintain the trust of their employees.

Today's 'ethical leaders' must put their employees' best interest first. An employer should never expect something from their employees they are not willing to do themselves.

The stability and profitability of any organization has a direct correlation to the way employees feel about their jobs. If you hire a candidate who is excited and ready to go to work, and if you treat that person as you would a friend, someone whom you really care about, you will see a resurgence of loyalty in your workforce.

They say it's money that makes the world go round
but it's people who make the money.

Learn the Principals That Will Dramatically Increase Your Percentage of Job Offers?

Do you know how increase your odds of landing the perfect job?
To walk into any interview relaxed and confident?
To know that you are presenting yourself in the very best light?

If you don't, I will tell you how you can.

First, it's important to understand that throughout the interviewing and hiring process there are some things you have control over and some you don’t. The interviewing process is not a science. So, how can you keep the ball in your court throughout the interview? And, how can you present yourself in a way that will leave a positive impression every time? (www.SuzanneRey.com)

Note: What we don’t have control over is the human element. Human beings are complicated, unpredictable creatures. So, you can’t always bat a thousand because some people will connect with you and some won’t. You can’t predict it. It’s just a chemistry thing.

With that said, lets start at the top. The single most important element to master is your…

ATTITUDE

Your attitude can dramatically hinder or help you in your job search, as well as in your life! Attitude dictates how you approach life and its challenges. If you don’t believe there are many good jobs available, guess what? You won’t find them. If you don’t believe you have what is needed to get that job you have always wanted, you will never get it. In other words, if you don’t believe in yourself, a potential employer won’t believe in you, either. Whatever you perceive can become reality. Your dreams will not come true unless you find a way to change your attitude.

The number one key to utilizing a positive attitude during a job interview is to go into that interview with the sole intention of getting the interviewer to like you enough to offer you the job. That should be your only focus during the first interview.

Think of a job interview as a blind date. You are there to create rapport, which means you need to find some common bond or interest with the interviewer. Something you both have in common that connects you. Creating rapport is critical and will determine the success of your meeting.

Even if you decide during the interview that you don’t want the job, don’t let on. This is one time that I advocate a bit of acting on your part. Continue to show excitement and enthusiasm throughout. Leave the interviewer thinking that you are thrilled and very interested in the job.

Another very important reason to maintain a positive, enthusiastic attitude is that if the interviewer gets the impression that you’re not interested, at the very least the interviewer will recall you as the person who wasted their time. (www.SuzanneRey.com)

My advice is to put your best foot forward, and show your interest and professionalism. If you do, the worst thing that could happen is the hiring manager may decide to offer you the job, which you may then decline to accept. Even if you don’t accept the job, you have left a positive impression and have made a new friend in the industry.

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Why is the Hiring Process so Chaotic & Unpredictable?

Although lack of communication is the number one complaint by employees in the workplace, ineffective hiring practices is one of the reasons why there is such a problem with lack of communication! Bad or ineffective hiring practices is the core of most workplace problems. What can we do? (www.SuzanneRey.com)

2. Ineffective Hiring Practices - One of the largest percentages of an employer's overhead cost is employee salaries, but surprisingly, most employers don't pay much attention to it. Although the majority of employers feel they are keenly focused on profit margins and the bottom line, they generally base potential profits on things like production costs and sales volumes, which are more tangible. This focus is dangerously narrow. They do not think about how much it actually costs to hire, train and retain good employees, and how much bad hiring decisions can hurt productivity and profits over time.

In addition, most companies are not proactive in their recruiting practices. Instead, companies tend to be reactive, usually functioning in panic mode, trying to fill surprise openings. News Flash!! The days of the loyal twenty-year employee are gone! Most people will have at least 10 jobs in their lifetime. Successful recruiting strategies can save a company thousands, even millions of dollars over time. Less turnover increases productivity and that translates into higher profits. Considering the lack of forward planning in effective management training and hiring strategies, it surprises me how so many companies, struggling under the chaos, continue to do nothing to improve. So chaotic hiring practices have become the norm, and apparently this haphazard approach isn't going to change any time soon. Hiring managers are basically left to their own devices. Fortunately, even without the support of senior management, there are a number of things a hiring manager can do.

The Solution - First, get some support. Internally, you can seek advice from your human resources (HR) department. This department should have some systems in place for conducting a search for new talent. Outside support is also essential, in the forms of using external educational training and retaining a recruitment consultant, especially if a company is trying to attract senior level or hard-to-find individuals. Secondly, sign up for a management training class. Many employers will pay for seminars and continuing education. Take the initiative and make an effort to learn how to better communicate with your staff and co-workers. Thirdly, take the time to ask the kind of questions that will tell you who a job applicant is, not just if they can perform the job tasks. I call this the "Who Factor". It is the key to making good, solid hiring decisions. If you learn who someone is, you will be able to understand that person's interests, desires, needs, challenges and motivations. The Who Factor is everything. If you know who someone is, you will have the tools to be a more effective communicator and a better manager and co-worker. (www.SuzanneRey.com)

Is Loyalty in the Workplace Dead? Employee Turn-Over is Costing Employers Millions Every Year!

Loyalty in the workplace is at an all time low and employee turn-over is higher than ever for three major reasons:

1. Lack of Communication
2. Ineffective Hiring Strategies
3. Unethical Business Practices

There are solutions to these workplace issues. Some we have control over as individuals and some we don't. But, even the things we can't control can give us insight into establishing strategies that can help us make the right decisions when faced with a problem on the job. The key is to understand that there is no commodity more complicated and unpredictable than the human animal. So to be successful in any work environment you should understand some things about human behavior and how to communicate your desires and needs effectively. (www.SuzanneRey.com)

Today lets talk about 1. "lack of communication" - The number one complaint I hear about the workplace today is that there is a lack of communication. Communication between employee and boss, between departments, and between senior management and management staff. Many people who have been fired often don't even know why.

There are a number of reasons communication is such a problem in the workplace. One reason is that every day thousands of employees receive promotions into management positions for the first time. The majority of these new managers have little or no experience managing and motivating employees, so it's no surprise they don't know how to effectively communicate to their staff what is expected of them. As a job seeker it's important to understand the fact that most managers have no formal training. In fact, many people who are promoted into management positions should never have been put in charge of managing others in the first place!

The Solution - As an employee, the key is to take responsibility for your own life and professional career and ask your boss what is expected of you. Don't wait for your boss to tell you, because by then it might be too late. Ask for details about each of your job responsibilities and at what level they should be performed, as well as when your boss expects these tasks to be completed. Do this periodically and on a regular basis and you won't be surprised with a bad performance review or worse, with your walking papers.

I look forward to your feedback and experiences with communication in the workplace.

Please visit my website for more information about me and my book, "Secrets from a Body Broker" - www.SuzanneRey.com