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<b style="color: blue">Human Resource Associates</b>
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<span class="heading">HR - On The Job</span>
<p class="issue">The Boss Book</p>
<p class="subtitle">How to Handle Me</p>
<p>When most of us begin a new job we are provided with a copy of the company's employee handbook. It's a great tool that tells us about our rights and responsibilities as employees and orients us to how things get done in our new company. When we start working in our new environment, we often find an operating manual that shows us the processes and procedures for doing the work that needs to be done in this department. And we often find additional manuals on safety, and other how-to handbooks. All these documents are valuable, they help us to understand our job better and learn the best way to make things work.</p>
<p>But, these handbooks and manuals don't cover the most important job-related subject most employees would like to know more about — how to satisfy or please the boss! Whatever the project, function, or task we are working on, at some point the following questions come up: "Is this the way the boss wants it?" "Will this please or disappoint the boss?" "Is she more interested in quality, efficiency, cost, or speed?" "Do I understand him?" "What does she think of me?" "What does he want?" "How do I handle my boss?"</p>
<p>A few years ago, a president of a large hospital group in Massachusetts hired a new vice president of performance improvement for his three-hospital, 500-employee health system. The VP came on board wanting to ensure his success and determined that the key to that lay in the working relationship he would have with his staff. So, he created what he thought of as an owner's manual, a document designed to show employees how to navigate the relationship with the boss.</p>
<p>The new VP had been thinking about this for a long time. He figured that even a $25 gadget comes with instructions. He thought it would be nice if he could be equipped with an owner's manual that said, "Here's how to turn me on, and here's how to turn me off, and WARNING, here's what will get you in trouble." "As trite as this sounds," he said, "I want to do a really good job," and he wanted everyone to do the same. Before he came up with the concept of his personal manual he had always sought frank and useful feedback on how he communicated. He often had to ask questions over again to ensure he was being understood. He thought he might be using analogies that were not clear. And he was often surprised when employees seemed to purposely do things they should have known annoyed him. With his new job and staff, he felt this was the time to create improvements to those kinds of problems.</p>
<p>He wanted employees to know how he operated, what he expected, how he listened, and what he listened for. He wanted them to know whether he wanted to discuss procedures and functions in detail, or if he wanted quick, prepared updates. So, he prepared, and then circulated, his "soul baring" manual in which he included his earnest expression that he wanted and expected employees to let him know about problems he may be causing. He reinforced this at each staff meeting by encouraging bold and honest feedback. As time went on, he found that he was sometimes perceived as rambling on a subject, seeking too much information, and using too many analogies that in fact the employees did not understand. He was asked to clarify his points to ensure that employees understood the information and what he expected as the end result.</p>
<p>In his manual, he let it be known that when he inquires about a project, he wants to hear about the progress, not the problems, unless they will hold up results or if it was something that required him to intercede. When he "talked around" a subject that was a sign that he was seeking more information or that he didn't understand something. He was seeking clarification. After collecting responses and recognizing the changes occurring in his work methods, he updated the document. New employees got a copy of the revised manual, and employees used it to improve operations. With the success of his manual, the directors, managers, and supervisors could also prepare their own "boss book."</p>
<p>Preparing your own boss book can be an enlightening, even soul-searching, experience that improves efficiency, productivity, and the end result. It can also eliminate a lot of stress and tension about "How do I handle my boss?"</p>
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<p align="center"><b><i>Have an employment question?</i></b></p>
<p align="center">Send it to <a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=From HR On The Job">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p align="center">Please include Company Name and Association in your e-mail. Company identification will be kept confidential.</p>
<hr />
<p class="heading">Hitchhiking on the Information Highway</p>
<p><b>Dateline:</b> November 2010</p>
<p><i>(Note: Although we attempt to provide the HRU update on the first of each month, we are normally delayed awaiting the release of several monthly government statistical reports. We will hereafter update the information as each report becomes available without waiting for all of them to be released.)</i></p>
<p class="section">Trigger Words</p>
<p>In his very creative book "What a Great Idea", Author Charles "Chic" Thompson produced the following phrases called "Trigger Words". These are words that trigger images and thoughts that generate positive, pro-active influences. He says that any business person seeking success can find value in this list of phrases.</p>
<table width="100%">
<tr><td>
Closer to Consumer<br />
Improve Communications<br />
Immediacy<br />
Automate<br />
Meaningful Incentive<br />
Speed Up<br />
More Profit
</td><td>
Higher Quality<br />
Zero Defects<br />
Reduce Stress<br />
Cut Paperwork<br />
Increase Sales<br />
Self Confidence<br />
Lower Costs
</td></tr>
</table>
<p class="quote">"People are eternally divided into two classes:<br />
1. The believer, The builder, The praiser<br />
2. The unbeliever, The destroyer, The critic"<br />
- John Ruskin</p>
<p class="section">I Fought the Law -- and the Law Won</p>
<p>After McDonald's restaurant lost the infamous law suit against them for serving hot coffee, and they were vilified in the widely circulated film "Super Size Me" because people liked their food so much they overate, they have been diligent about warnings labels, the temperature of their coffee and the addition of salads and low calorie foods (which are their lowest selling products).</p>
<p>But the law is not through with the nefarious evil-doers. A former manager at a McDonald's restaurant in Brazil sued them because after 12 years of working for them, he had gained over 60 pounds. He claimed that the company provided him with free lunches everyday and required him to sample certain foods to assure they were up to standards. He claimed that their food was unhealthy (Like the customers, he chose the burgers, fries and soft drinks over the salads and low calorie foods). The former employee was awarded $17,500. Another victory for the defenders of the justice who warn us all that crime doesn't pay.</p>
<p>In that same vein, AVON products a few years ago faced a law suit when they terminated an employee caught sleeping on the job. Security videos showed that he was doing this quite often. When the supervisor decided that he needed to address the issue with him he discovered that the employee had already left early for the day.</p>
<p>The supervisor tried to contact him to no avail. His sister however, said that he was very sick. When finally contacting him he agreed to a meeting to discuss the issue. He failed to show up for the meeting and he was terminated.</p>
<p>Two months later the employee finally did contact the company saying he had been under treatment and wanted his job back. The company refused and the employee filed a law suit citing violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Although he had never requested leave under the FMLA or indicated any need for assistance under the ADA, the court of appeals ruled that when the sister said he was very sick, the company had thereby been given sufficient notice that the employee needed FMLA leave and possibly needed accommodations under the ADA. The company, they felt, should have then offered the employee leave and accommodations without the employee having to request them.</p>
<p class="quote">"Our privileges can be no greater than our obligations.<br />
The protection of our rights can endure no longer<br />
than the performance of our responsibilities."<br />
- John F. Kennedy</p>
<p class="section">How <em>Not</em> To Fire An Employee</p>
<p>Lawyers representing terminated employees love an ugly, embarrassing firing the way that the personal injury lawyer loves a bad car wreck. Even when the termination is for good cause or bad performance, a bad firing can turn a jury against the company and can even be used as evidence of animosity towards the employee. Sometimes poor Managers using bad judgment over react when deciding to terminate an employee.</p>
<p>Here are a few actual cases from the files of Attorney Alan L. Rupe:</p>
<p><u>A Computer Engineer</u> took his daughter to work with him on "Take Your Daughter to Work Day." He was fired that same day with his daughter sitting beside him in the HR Manager's office and was then forcibly escorted out of the building.</p>
<p><u>A cattle feed Salesman</u>, employed for over 20 years was called late one snowy January night and instructed to drive to a city 300 miles away to discuss his sales goals for the coming year. When he arrived the next day, he was met by the HR Director, who handed him a notice of termination, which was effective immediately. The HR Director also took possession of the car. The Salesmen had to call his wife to drive through the snowstorm to come and pick him up.</p>
<p><u>Upon arriving at work</u> one Monday morning, several bank Managers and Supervisors (all over 50 years of age) were told to go to the banks large conference room for a special announcement. After waiting for over an hour, a security guard appeared with the banks HR Director, who handed each of the employees a severance agreement and a cardboard box containing all their personal items and family photographs that had been removed from their desks. The employees were then led single-file out of the building, under guard.</p>
<p class="quote">"What you do speaks so loudly<br />
that I cannot hear what you say"
- Ralph Waldo Emerson</p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><sub>© William J. Cook</sub></p>
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<span class="heading">Labor Stats</span>
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<b>Federal Minimum Wage</b>
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<p align="center">
<b>$7.25</b>/hour<br />
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<b>Average Income</b>
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<table>
<tr><td /><td class="u">October 2010</td><td class="u">October 2009</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Hourly</td><td class="b">$19.10</td><td class="b">$18.78 </td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Weekly</td><td class="b">$644.11</td><td class="b">$619.74</td></tr>
</table>
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<b>Federal Povery Level</b>
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<table>
<tr><td class="i">one person</td><td class="b">$10,956</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">family of four</td><td class="b">$21,954</td></tr>
</table>
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<b>IRS Mileage Allowance</b>
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<table>
<tr><td class="i">business</td><td><b>50</b> cents/mile</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">medical or moving</td><td class="b">16.5</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">charitable</td><td class="b">14</td></tr>
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<b>Postage</b>
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<table>
<tr><td class="i">1 oz</td><td><b>44</b> cents</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">postcard</td><td class="b">28</td></tr>
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<b>Population</b>
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<table>
<tr><td class="i">world</td><td class="b">6.9 billion</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">U.S.</td><td class="b">309.7 million</td></tr>
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<p align="center">
<i>one birth every </i><b>7</b><i> seconds;</i><br />
<i>one death every </i><b>13</b><i> seconds;</i><br />
<i>one new immigrant every </i><b>35</b><i> seconds;</i><br />
<i>net gain of one person every </i><b>11</b><i> seconds.</i>
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<b>U.S. Civilian Workforce</b>
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<table>
<tr><td /><td class="u">October 2010</td><td class="u">October 2009</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Total</td><td class="b">153,904,000</td><td class="b">153,854,000</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Employed</td><td class="b">139,061,000</td><td class="b">138,242,000</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Unemployed</td><td class="b">14,843,000</td><td class="b">15,612,000</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Want A Job</td><td class="b">6,255,000</td><td class="b">6,032,000</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Unemployment Rate</td><td class="b">9.6%</td><td class="b">10.1%</td></tr>
</table>
<br /><hr />
<b>U.S. Workforce Productivity</b><br />
<sub><i>(The amount of goods produced, divided by the number of work hours it took to produce it)</i></sub>
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<table>
<tr><td class="i">1992</td><td class="b">3.7%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">1993</td><td class="b">0.5%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">1994</td><td class="b">1.3%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">1995</td><td class="b">0.9%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">1996</td><td class="b">2.5%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">1997</td><td class="b">2.0%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">1998</td><td class="b">2.6%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">1999</td><td class="b">3.3%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2000</td><td class="b">3.4%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2001</td><td class="b">2.9%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2002</td><td class="b">4.6%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2003</td><td class="b">3.7%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2004</td><td class="b">2.8%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2005</td><td class="b">1.7%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2006</td><td class="b">0.9%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2007</td><td class="b">1.9%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2008</td><td class="b">1.8%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2009</td><td class="b">+5.8%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2010 1st quarter</td><td class="b">+2.8%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2010 2nd quarter</td><td class="b">-1.8%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2010 3rd quarter</td><td class="b">+1.9%</td></tr>
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