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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">Is Management A Profession?</p>
<p>What is a manager? A reasonable definition might be, “One who controls actions, functions or people in some process usually intended to result in a predetermined outcome.”</p>
<p>In today's workforce we often confer the title of manager to people as a reward, a status symbol even to people who don't actually manage anything or anyone. However, on most federal forms (such as Affirmative Action Programs, EEO-1 reports, etc.), the title “Manager” means the person manages and evaluates the performance of people.</p>
<p>Using that guideline we might more properly say, “Management is performing functions, pursuing goals and getting things done <em>through other people</em>.”</p>
<p class="section">What skills do you look for (or train for) when selecting a manager?</p>
<p>Now here's where our troubles start! Probably 90% of us select managers based on two things. The first is chemistry, selecting someone in our own image! (“He or she is a lot like me and I know I'm good, besides I know we'll get along well, so…”) The second is productivity. That is to select operatives who do the best work. Makes sense! But as most of us have learned, being a good worker does not always mean being the best manager of other workers. It often means that we have not only lost our most productive worker but we now have an incompetent manager in charge of our most important asset, our people!</p>
<p class="section">What's the problem here? Why wouldn't this work?</p>
<p>The answer is clear with even a basic analysis. The skills needed for management are usually quite different from the skills needed for a technical, administrative or production worker. You can readily identify the skills wanted in a technical or operative worker. But when you attempt to identify the skill and talents needed for a manager, what do you look for? Although there are many to consider for each particular manager's job, there are clearly some universal traits that apply to all managers.</p>
<p class="section">The 5 basic skills of good managers</p>
<p>You would, of course, generally want them to know the functions of the work they are going to manage. But if at all possible, a good manager lets the people manage their work, the manager manages the people! These are the 5 primary skills and talents to do that.</p>
<ol>
<li><b>Time Management.</b> Organizing, planning, getting things done on time, being efficient, coordinating the efforts of many people, making deadlines.</li>
<li><b>Knowing Clearly The Outcome Desired.</b> Having a clear picture of what you want to end up with, where you are going, what the goal is, the milestones that need to be identified. Knowing how to achieve may be important unless the people being managed already know that! Your manager is at an advantage if he/she knows that too, but, the job is not to instruct people how to do but much more so what to do! The people being managed almost always do better without being told how to do the work. Good management is seldom micro-management.</p>
<li><b>Delegation.</b> A manager should be able to divide the work into doable bites and assign each to the right individual for that assignment based on their skills and ability to perform it. If someone can't do the job, then the manager needs to determine why. No knowledge?, no skill?, no tools?, no materials?…What? Whatever it is, provide it! Delegate someone to show them, or train them, supply the tools, arrange to get the materials, reassign the work to another. Your manager doing their job for them is not the answer. As a manager he or she wants to multiply themselves through delegation!</li>
<li><b>Interpersonal Skills.</b> It's a fine line that separates the qualities of being respected, liked or feared. Good managers need to present a balance of these. They do not act in fear of their employees. They move, speak and act with confidence. They know how to communicate (and to praise in public, criticize in private), they communicate freely, they are good listeners, they respect their people and their opinions, but they keep the goals in focus. They keep their “eyes on the prize.” Good managers do not see their people as extensions of themselves, whose purpose is to make the manager look good. That concept, at best, will produce a duplication or repetition of the talents of one individual. The best managers pull together the skills, talents, brains and abilities of each person on their team to multiply the quality and quantity of the outcome.</li>
<li><b>Objectivity.</b> Good managers are not motivated by prejudices, self-interest or personal gain; they do not use harsh, arbitrary or unfair treatment against others. They do not let personal friendships or personality determine actions. They are objective. A manager makes decisions or assignments based on objective considerations such as, who is the best performer, or who earned this assignment or promotion, as opposed to favoring the next door neighbor or bowling buddy. They are not ridged or close-minded. They consider employee suggestions, requests and needs. They objectively arrive at decisions that may not be popular, that they may have to defend and even for which they may have to take a little heat, but they know are the right things to do. They can make exceptions to a rule when it's called for and they feel that they can justify the reason.</li>
</ol>
<p>Are these management skills different from those of the technical, administrative, production worker or craftsman? Yes, they certainly are! Does this mean that you cannot reward good, productive people with promotions? No, it doesn't mean that either. The answer may be to view management as a separate profession. You can then select the best worker <em>who is also trainable</em> in management skills and then actually do the training!</p>
<hr />
<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 />
<h2>Hitchhiking on the Information Highway</h2>
<h3>Hitchhiking on the Unemployment Highway</h3>
<h4>Part 1: The Battle of the Unemployed Sexes</h4>
<p>During the first three years of the economic downturn the majority of job losses were among men. That's because the first jobs hit in most recessions are in industries like construction, manufacturing and transportation which are considered primarily male occupations. Many economists dubbed this event the “Mancession”. And as some new jobs began popping up more men were hired back than women. However, that hire-back process is now leveling out as an equal number of women were rehired during the last quarter as men.</p>
<p>Sometime during 2012 women will become the average American worker as their numbers will surpass men in the labor force. Among the reasons for this phenomenon:</p>
<ul>
<li>Even as more men enter female dominated occupations such as education, social services and government, far more women are entering male dominated occupations such as those mentioned above.</li>
<li>Women now make up 52% of all managerial and professional jobs (compared to 26% in 1980), 60% of all accountants, 32% of all physicians and 31% of all lawyers.</li>
<li>Fewer men are graduating from college as their drop out numbers soar, while women earned 60% of all bachelor's and master's degrees. Moreover, 48% of all medical school grads and 47% of all law school grads are female.</li>
</ul>
<p class="quote">
“I didn't get the memo, but did I get the message.”<br />
– Anon
</p>
<h4>Part 2: Unemployment As Calculated By Government Accountants</h4>
<p>The current unemployment rate is 8.5%. The unemployment rate is a pretty simple matter. The government needs two numbers:</p>
<ol>
<li>The number of people in the workforce</li>
<li>The number of people who are unemployed</li>
</ol>
<p>They then divide the number of unemployed people by the number of people in the workforce. That gives them the percentage or rate of unemployment.</p>
<p>But these are not the accountants or bookkeepers you use in your business. No, these are government accountants working under the standards set up by government economists so get your boots on.</p>
<p><i>The number of people in the workforce</i> – To be logical they will not count those in the military, prisons or institutions. And they will take out those under 16 years of age and those who are in school. But when summer vacations start students over 16 will then be counted as part of the labor force. Oh and also during the holidays, but not at spring break. Are you following all this? Also, the numbers of people who have used up all their unemployment benefits are no longer counted as part of the workforce. That lowers the number of people who have to be employed. If we counted all the people who were in the workforce at the start of the recession our unemployment rate would be 11.5%.</p>
<p class="quote">
“He sees the stars but he still doesn't see the light.”<br />
– Country Western Song
</p>
<h4>Part 3: 2012 Employment Forecasts</h4>
<p>In December the economy added 120,000 new jobs. But 315,000 people dropped out of the workforce. It's estimated that over half of the added jobs will be cut back in January as the number of retail and delivery workers are let go.</p>
<p><i>The Kiplinger Letter</i> (forecasts for management) is forecasting that only half of the jobs lost since 2008 will be restored in 2012 producing an unemployment rate of 8.4%. The primary industry that will provide those jobs is health care, followed by restaurant and bar workers, IT specialists, accountants, engineers and temporary workers.</p>
<p>The U.S. has 65 million fewer jobs than it did in 2007. At the current rate of growth it will take until 2016 to get back to that level of employment.</p>
<p>Many states are tightening up the eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits as well as reducing the number of weeks you can draw those benefits. Isn't that a little hard hearted? Well the money is running out. Here are some of the reasons:</p>
<ul>
<li>The federal government gave stimulus funds to the states so that they could provide better and longer benefits for the unemployed. In many areas benefits were over $500 per week for 99 weeks. That's almost two years and can be over $52,000! But it came with conditions. One condition was that when the government funds ran out after one year, the states must continue to provide the same benefits from state funds. The stimulus money has been used up. And those states that took it are now paying the bills and their running out of money.</li>
<li>Reports from around the country indicate that people are refusing work until their benefits run out. They apply for jobs because they are required to do so, but they don't show up for them. Using up all those 99 weeks of benefits is draining the funds.</li>
<li>In previous recessions (1980s and late 1990s) it was primarily younger workers who were unemployed while older workers were well entrenched in their jobs. Those younger workers were not yet eligible for unemployment benefits so the funds were somewhat less needed. In addition unemployment benefits in most states back then maxed out at about $250 per week for 26 weeks. In this recession many more young people are in school and it's the older workers who are being laid off in large numbers. And they are eligible for benefits and because of their higher earnings are eligible for the higher benefits.</li>
</ul>
<p class="quote">
“When there is no penalty for failure, failure will proliferate.”<br />
– George Will
</p>
<h3>The U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Wants You To Be Union</h3>
<h4>Union Promotional Poster Stopped Again</h4>
<p>In early 2011 the NLRB ruled that every employer in the country must display a new job-site poster advocating the benefits of union membership. The 11” X 17” poster advises employees who to call if they want to join or start a union, how to bring charges against your employer, how to bring in the NLRB to assist you and who to call if your employer resist any of these actions.</p>
<p>The poster was to be placed on job-sites by November 14, 2011. But business and political opponents fought the rule and it was postponed to January 31, 2012. Further resistance has now rescheduled it for April 30, 2012.</p>
<p class="quote">
“My grandmother is a very tough person. She's buried three husbands. Two of them were only napping.”<br/ >
– Rita Rudner
</p>
<h3>Minimum Wage Going Up In Nine States</h3>
<p>The Federal minimum wage laws set a minimum hourly pay rate for all workers. That rate is currently $7.25 per hour. With very few exceptions (apprentices, family members etc) No worker may be paid less than this amount. However, individual states have the right to set a higher wage rate if they choose. Altogether eighteen states have minimum wage rates that are higher than the federal rate. This year nine of those states are raising their rates even higher:</p>
<table>
<tr><td>Arizona</td><td>$7.65</td></tr>
<tr><td>Colorado</td><td>$7.64</td></tr>
<tr><td>Florida</td><td>$7.67</td></tr>
<tr><td>Nevada</td><td>To be determined by July 1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ohio</td><td>$7.70</td></tr>
<tr><td>Oregon</td><td>$8.80</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vermont</td><td>$8.46</td></tr>
<tr><td>Washington</td><td>$9.04</td></tr>
</table>
<p>Although few will disagree with a raise in the minimum wage many business people claim that thousands of jobs are lost or not filled whenever the minimum wage rate is increased. Small businesses that have low skilled jobs also have a very limited budget for such work. As the cost of that labor increases many companies have no choice but to cut the staff size to meet that budget.</p>
<p class="quote">
“There is no inherent criminal class… save Congress.”<br />
– Mark Twain
</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: center"><sub>© William J. Cook</sub></p>
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<div id="sidebar">
<span class="heading">Labor Stats</span>
<hr />
<b>Federal Minimum Wage</b>
<hr />
<p align="center">
<b>$7.25</b>/hour<br />
</p>
<hr />
<b>Average Income</b>
<hr />
<table>
<tr><td /><td class="u">December 2011</td><td class="u">December 2010<td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Hourly</td><td class="b">$23.24</td><td class="b">$22.77</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Weekly</td><td class="b">$799.46</td><td class="b">$778.73</td></tr>
</table>
<hr />
<b>Federal Povery Level</b>
<hr />
<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>
<hr />
<b>IRS Mileage Allowance</b>
<hr />
<p>July 1, 2011 through December 31, 2012</p>
<table>
<tr><td class="i">business</td><td><b>55.5</b> cents/mile</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">medical or moving</td><td class="b">23.5</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">charitable</td><td class="b">14.0</td></tr>
</table>
<hr />
<b>Postage</b>
<hr />
<table>
<tr><td class="i">1 oz</td><td><b>44</b> cents</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">postcard</td><td class="b">29</td></tr>
</table>
<hr />
<b>Population</b>
<hr />
<table>
<tr><td class="i">world</td><td class="b">7 billion</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">U.S.</td><td class="b">312.5 million</td></tr>
</table>
<p align="center">
<i>one birth every </i><b>8</b><i> seconds;</i><br />
<i>one death every </i><b>11</b><i> seconds;</i><br />
<i>one new immigrant every </i><b>45</b><i> seconds;</i><br />
<i>net gain of one person every </i><b>15</b><i> seconds.</i>
</p>
<hr />
<b>U.S. Civilian Workforce</b>
<hr />
<table>
<tr><td /><td class="u">December 2011</td><td class="u">December 2010</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Total</td><td class="b">240,584,000</td><td class="b">238,889,000</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Employed</td><td class="b">140,790,000</td><td class="b">139,220,000</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Unemployed</td><td class="b">13,097,000</td><td class="b">14,393,000</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Want A Job</td><td class="b">6,385,000</td><td class="b">6,482,000</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">Unemployment Rate</td><td class="b">8.5%</td><td class="b">9.4%</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>
<hr />
<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</td><td class="b">+3.6%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2011 1<sup>st</sup> quarter</td><td class="b">+1.8%</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2011 2<sup>nd</sup> quarter</td><td class="b">(-0.7%)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="i">2011 3<sup>rd</sup> quarter</td><td class="b">+2.3%</td></tr>
</table>
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