Tour and theme park operators, hoteliers, airlines, and other groups will soon be offering more tours and other services in (Brazilian) Portuguese, Russian, and Chinese to encourage more visitors from Brazil, Russia, India, and China (the BRIC countries) to visit their destinations.
Last week, Global Advertising Strategies (GAS), an international marketing and advertising agency, released an extensive study. Exploring the consumer preferences of over 500 million travelers by polling over 15,000 people, the study revealed many travel details including their preferred airlines, top United States' destinations of interest, as well as the average budget per traveler.
GAS focused on non-traditional routes and destinations. Cities like New York and Los Angeles have been actively marketing to BRIC travelers through in-language materials, international travel expos, and partnerships with the airline industry for years. Unaware of the interest from this emerging travel audience, other destinations have not proactively marketed to these foreign segments. The study's findings reiterate the necessity of reaching out to this "new" travel audience and capitalizing on their growing interest in the US. The leading airlines already have direct routes between Moscow, Shanghai, and Sao Paulo.
Over 66 percent of the Chinese travelers surveyed noted a lack of in-language information for destinations outside of New York and Los Angeles. The US destinations of interest that scored highest included Las Vegas, Washington, DC, and New Orleans. Vast majority of travelers from China expressed a desire to explore the United States, outside of the traditional New York - Los Angeles - San Francisco offerings. Unfortunately, they did not have enough knowledge to finalize such an itinerary. Also of particular interest was the desire of over 40 percent of Russian travelers who want to visit Houston's NASA Kennedy Space Center---if they can count on in-language materials.
With huge emerging middle classes in these particular countries, the potential and buying power of these BRIC consumers is incontrovertible. Convention and Visitors' Bureaus throughout the US will lead the charge by helping their members offer these in-language services. By inference, we will see more US students studying Portuguese, Russian, and Chinese to accommodate this growing need.
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ARE YOU READY FOR THE RECOVERY?
Most employers are unprepared. The recovery next year will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336.210.3548 or email joyce@hermangroup.com
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GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION
If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html
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IS YOUR EMPLOYER AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE®?
Our effective, onsite seminars, workshops, and consulting can help you get there. We offer 1-, 2-, 3-hour, and full-day programs to help you communicate what it takes to become an Employer of Choice® and inspire your folks to get it done. In the future, being an Employer of Choice® will not be optional. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 to arrange a no-obligation conference call. Now announcing an opportunity in Africa (Ghana). Email info@EmployerOfChoice.com for more information.
*********
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
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July 21, 2010
According to the National Institutes of Health, scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have found two antibodies that can stop more than 90 percent of the known strains that cause the AIDS virus. (Antibodies are proteins produced by white blood cells to fight bacteria, viruses, and other foreign substances in an organism.)
There are two aspects of this breakthrough that are exciting advances. First, the discovery of these "exceptionally broadly neutralizing antibodies to HIV" and second, finding the structural analysis that explains how they work. These landmark discoveries will accelerate NIAID's efforts to develop a preventive for HIV. The final stage of the HIV infection is AIDS, or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. These recently discovered naturally occurring antibodies, called VRC01 and VRC02, neutralize more HIV strains than any other known antibodies.
Though we have had antiviral medications for a while, we have never before had an understanding of the role these particular proteins play.
Scientists, including those from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston; Columbia University, New York; Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, Boston; Rockefeller University, New York; and University of Washington, Seattle, all participated in this research study. Recently, the online edition of the research journal "Science" published details of the study.
Over the years several pharmaceutical companies, notably Merck & Co., Sanofi-Aventis, and GlaxoSmithKline PLC, have all tried to develop HIV-vaccines. To date, no vaccine has reached the commercialization stage. Typically, a variety of anti-viral medications are used to treat HIV.
This breakthrough in finding these powerful proteins that defeat the AIDS
virus is just the beginning. As insights build on our growing bodies of
knowledge about these diseases, we expect medical breakthroughs to increase
exponentially. These discoveries are the next steps toward cures for more
viruses and cancers. Big Pharma is poised to step in and then manufacture these
resulting products.
As more studies expose the causes of disease, we will increasingly find links to
previously undetected poisons in our environment---our air, our soil, and our
water. Humanity will be forced to focus on clean-up. . . as a matter of
survival.
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
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July 14, 2010
In his landmark book, "The Seven Secrets of Learning Revealed", our late THG Consulting Partners colleague, Laurence Martel, details adolescents' optimum times for learning.
Reinforcing Martel's work, a pilot study, conducted in a small private high school (St. George's School) by Hasbro Children's Hospital located in Providence, Rhode Island, confirms a brief delay in school start time of only 30 minutes was associated with significant improvements in adolescent alertness, mood, and health. These findings were published in the July issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
Inadequate nightly sleep in adolescents, defined as fewer than nine hours, is a known problem and a major public health concern. For years, pediatric sleep experts have encouraged delayed school start times to address this concern. In fact, the start time in this study was delayed only from 8am to 8:30am.
Due to a shift in circadian rhythms, biological changes in adolescents can cause a "phase delay"---later sleep onset and wake times. Despite the shift in their wake/sleep times, the optimal sleep amount for adolescents is nine to 9-ÂĽ hours per night. On a practical level, this sleep pattern means that the average adolescent rarely falls asleep before 11pm, so the ideal wake time is around 8am. Not surprising, many studies have documented that the average adolescent is "chronically sleep-deprived and pathologically sleepy".
The consequences of sleep deprivation are far-reaching: impairments in mood, attention and memory, behavior control and quality of life; lower academic performance and a decreased motivation to learn; and health-related effects including increased risk of weight-gain, lack of exercise and use of stimulants.
Overall the percent of students sleeping fewer than seven hours, after the change in school start time, decreased by 80 percent. Plus, there was a significant average increase in sleep duration of 45 minutes on school nights. across all grades (nine to 12).
We have only begun to scratch the surface in discovering how to support learning among people of all ages. Certainly, we may expect these insights about sleep and start times to result in more student-centric schools similar to many of the changes made at High Point University.
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
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July 7, 2010
Last week, in Part 1 we discussed new jobs in Health Information Technology, Geriatric Healthcare, Health Law, and Data Mining and Occupational Health and Safety. This week we explore other fast-growing industries an occupations.
Embedded engineers will bridge the gap between software and hardware design and work specifically on microchip processors. Most companies will hire candidates with a bachelor's degree and experience with computer systems and train them. Common majors preparing students for these jobs are computer science, software engineering, control systems, and other technical disciplines.
As the worldwide Web expands, people will be needed to write the features providing the content. To write for the Web and stay relevant and employable, candidates should also have a general understanding of HTML, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and social media. The mobile Web is also growing rapidly. To meet its huge demand for content design and development for mobile platforms, Web providers are hiring graphic designers, videographers, casual game/application developers, and software engineers.
There are now more than 350 million Spanish speakers worldwide, including 31 million here in the US, where Hispanics are now the largest minority group. To accommodate these populations, we will need Spanish-English language translators and interpreters.
In numerous other Herman Trend Alerts, we have discussed the growing need for employees who can support sustainable business practices. Every job in every sector will be affected, as employers look for ways to be more environmentally responsible and save money at the same time. Moreover, we will need accountants to help businesses measure the financial impact of environmental problems and their solutions. In the sustainable energy and automotive industries, the need for "green engineers" will also increase.
As the adult education market continues to expand, colleges, universities, and technical schools will need to hire college professors and instructors for these adult learners. Schools will hire secondary school teachers to accommodate the adults going back to school for their high school diplomas.
College graduates who have studied Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
will find waiting teaching positions in Europe, Asia, Africa and Central and
South America as well as intensive teaching programs in the US. The requirement:
Teaching English as a Foreign Language or TESL certification.
With the oil spill generating growing concerns about marine biodiversity and
conservation, marine toxicologists*, conservation scientists, marine ecologists,
fisheries scientists, and policy makers for the oceans will be hired in record
numbers. Graduates with varying degrees should watch this industry, particularly
if they have interest in environmental science or public policy issues.
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
*Toxicologists study harmful substances in natural systems and their effects on the biosphere.
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June 30, 2010
A couple of weeks ago, we examined the "Mixed Outlook for College Grads" and
saw that the STEM*-degreed graduates were more likely to find employment and be
paid more than other grads.http://www.hermangroup.com/alert/archive_6-16-2010.html
In a related exploration, we offer you insights on the expected growth of
occupations and industries, based on data from the United States, Bureau of
Labor Statistics and other reliable sources. Not surprisingly, the job growth in
technical fields will exceed the increases in the non-technical.
The combination of aging Baby Boomers, the shift to digital medical records,
and the sequencing of the human genome will result in the strongest growth being
in the field of Health Information Technology. By the year 2018, jobs in this
field will grow by 20 percent, or 35,100 new positions. According to a report
from the University of California (UC) San Diego, this growth will fuel the
demand for engineers, analysts, consultants, and support specialists. With the
exponential increase in cancer therapies, we see an increase in the areas of
clinical trials design and management for oncology.
And speaking of healthcare and Boomers, with 34 million people over the age
of 65, and that number set to double by 2050, the Geriatric Healthcare industry
will provide a variety of new positions. We will need people to attend to
seniors, manage facilities, and develop healthcare plans for them. We also see
growth in the area of personal trainers specializing in working with seniors.
An enlarged healthcare system will need more professionals trained in Health
Law. Peripheral careers in the field span a wide range, including healthcare
administration, program and policy development, public health, and the
pharmaceutical industry.
According to a study out of UC Berkeley, the amount of data in the world
doubles every three years. Career prospects in mining those data include jobs in
advertising technology, fraud detection, risk management, and law enforcement.
With the increase in legislation to protect workers we will need
substantially more occupational health and safety specialists who will analyze
work environments to prevent injury, particularly in industries involving
chemical, physical, or biological agents.
Check us out next week for Part 2 of Where the Jobs Are (And Will Be)
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
* STEM: Science Technology, Engineering, and Math.
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June 23, 2010
There is an attitudinal shift happening in today's labor marketplace, and it is not good news for employers. As we have said in previous Herman Trend Alerts, increases in consumer confidence result in churning in the labor marketplace. More people are able to find jobs; others feel confident enough to quit them without firm offers. They are seeing more hiring and a strengthening economy.
It is interesting to note that in the United States more people quit their jobs in the last three months than those who lost their jobs. After 15 straight months of time in which layoffs exceeded voluntary departures, it appears that the job market is finally shifting. My guess is that the same phenomenon is being seen in some other countries, notably Brazil, India, Malaysia, and Singapore, whose economies are well into recovery already.
In September 2009, the number of people in the US who voluntarily left their employers fell by 40 percent to 1.72 million, the lowest level since the government began tracking the data in the year 2000. That figure was down from nearly 2.9 million in December 2007, when The Great Recession began.
In a related development, one-quarter of our business community's most promising employees are increasingly disengaged and many are actively seeking new employment opportunities. A recent study on employee engagement, conducted by the Corporate Executive Board's Corporate Leadership Council (CLC), found that 25 percent of the "employer-identified, high-potential employees" plan to leave their current companies within the next year. Compare that figure to the one from 2006 and we have seen an increase of 250 percent.
Moreover, 21 percent of today's employees identified themselves as "highly disengaged". This group has increased nearly 300 percent since 2007. Based on its findings, CLC believes that businesses must place greater emphasis and urgency around leadership succession planning to ensure future success and preserve the bottom line.
As in 2002 to 2003 in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, workers are corporate cocooning. The pressure to increase productivity, while reducing staff, has left today's workers feeling overworked, under-appreciated, and burned-out. Once more people feel confident that they will be able to find other jobs, we will see unprecedented churning in the labor marketplace.
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
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June 16, 2010
While for some of the 2.2 million college-age graduates in the class of 2010, it's a terrible time to be looking for a job, others have companies chasing them. The Great Recession has forced many grads to be "boomerang kids", until they can find a job. Often when they do find jobs, they are low-paying, part-time positions outside their fields of study.
Though recent college grads are not ideal job candidates, those with certain specialized degrees are in high demand in some cities, notably Cincinnati, and they’re commanding surprisingly high starting salaries. With the 10.2 percent unemployment in that Metro Area and the thousands of out-of-work professionals looking for jobs, it is curious.
A recent survey of the 1,400 member companies in the Employers Resource Association (ERA), a Cincinnati-based HR services and consulting consortium revealed some fascinating statistics about average starting salaries for recent college graduates.
As usual, engineering and technical students will earn the most. Of the top ten best-paying fields for students with bachelor's degrees, eight were in engineering and the sciences, with starting salaries ranging from $48,000 to $54,333. Many of these engineering and science jobs are highly skilled positions requiring training. Employers are willing to pay for graduates' specialized knowledge.
The bachelor-degreed graduates commanding the highest starting salaries in Greater Cincinnati are chemical engineering ($54,333), public relations ($54,000), software engineering ($53,964), electrical engineering ($51,266), and construction science ($51,000). Reinforcing these results was a recent report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers in which eight of the ten top-paying majors are in engineering.
By contrast, the graduates commanding the lowest starting salaries are criminal justice and corrections ($26,000), liberal arts and sciences ($29,970), English ($30,470), psychology ($33,500) and communications ($36,079).
Also recently, Yahoo.com released its list of the most desirable degrees:
• Healthcare (Nursing, Pharmacy, Medical Technician, and Physical Therapy)
• Business Administration (Business, Business Administration, and Business Administrative Support)
• Computer Science (Computer Science, Technical Information Technology and Systems)
• Accounting/Finance
• Engineering (Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Network Engineering and Administration, and Programming and Software Engineering)
• Marketing
Other data from the ERA study reflected that employers are paying the most for specialized degrees. Expect this payment for specialization to continue and the move towards specialization in all fields to intensify.
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WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF. . .
What would happen if 25% of your top performers left in the next year? According to a recent study from The Corporate Executive Board, that may well happen to you! Turnover costs A LOT, especially when you lose top performers, and it comes right off the bottom line. Let The Herman Group and its team of very experienced consultants help you address your turnover issues right away. We have an impressive track record and stand ready to help you. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 for a no-obligation conference call.
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WANT TO SEE THE NEXT BIG THING IN ONLINE TRAINING?
On May 20th Joyce debuted brand new technology that combines streaming video with PowerPoint®. Her topic was "The Future of Speaking, Training, and Meetings". You will be fascinated by the material and enjoy seeing this new technology come to life. To view this special presentation, visit http://www.telenect.com/u/2b4e66x3w0
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GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION
If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html
*********
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
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June 9, 2010
Recently, many in the United States were shocked to learn of major shifts in young people's attitudes about having children out-of-wedlock. The report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that "approximately 71 percent of females and 64 percent of males between the ages of 15 and 19 said they "agree" or "strongly agree" that "it is okay for an unmarried female to have a child". When we look at their celebrity role models young people, it is not difficult to understand how they developed these attitudes.
Young people also pick up other information, values, and attitudes from these role models---information they used to acquire from authority figures they respected. That is why a national survey of hiring human resources professionals and business leaders shows that many college grads fail to show the needed level of personal professionalism.
According to a new poll conducted for the Center for Professional Excellence (CPE) at York College of Pennsylvania, nearly 60 percent of the hiring decisions for new college graduates are based on assessments of the applicants’ professionalism.
HR pros and business leaders polled identified five primary characteristics of professionalism: 1) personal interaction skills, including courtesy and respect, 2) skills to communicate, and listen, 3) a great work ethic; 4) being motivated and staying on task until the job is completed, and 5) professional appearance, and self-confidence and awareness.
When respondents were asked if professionalism had increased, decreased, or stayed the same among entry-level college graduates during the past five years, 86 percent believed levels of professionalism had stayed the same or decreased. Moreover, one in every three respondents believed that fewer than half of all new graduates’ exhibit professionalism in the workplace. Those who cited a decrease in professionalism pointed to young workers’ sense of entitlement for the jobs, changes in culture and values, and lack of work ethic among new workers.
Based on the results of this survey, York College founded their Center for Professional Excellence where their students learn professionalism. York College is not alone; many colleges and universities have similar programs with different names. In addition, the Internship Institute's internship certification provides the much of the same material. (www.InternshipSuccess.com Use code “COMP0610” for a 30 percent discount) Expect more academic institutions worldwide to realize the need for this education, as they become aware of the deficiencies in their graduates' preparation.
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REDUCE COSTS BY LOWERING EMPLOYEE TURNOVER AND INCREASING ENGAGEMENT
It may seem strange to you to talk about employee retention with the high rate of unemployment here in the US? However, a recent study indicates that 45% of today's workers are not happy and as soon as the economy turns around, they plan to leave. Let The Herman Group and its team of very experienced consultants help you address your engagement and turnover issues right away. We have an impressive track record and stand ready to help you. Call Carol at 800-227-3566; international, call 336-210-3547 for a no-obligation conference call.
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GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION
If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html
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WANT TO BE RECOGNIZED WITH THE EMPLOYER OF CHOICE® AWARD?
Our effective, onsite seminars, workshops, and consulting can help you get there. We offer 1-, 2-, 3-hour, and full-day programs to help you communicate what it takes to become an Employer of Choice® and inspire your folks to get it done. In the future, being an Employer of Choice® will not be optional. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 to arrange a no-obligation conference call. Now announcing an opportunity in Africa (Ghana). Email info@EmployerOfChoice.com for more information.
*********
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
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June 2, 2010
Government estimates describe the BP oil spill as the worst in United States' history. The two main effects on the environment will be petroleum and dispersant toxicity and oxygen depletion. These effects will damage fishing and shrimping in the Gulf of Mexico, the regional tourism industry, and the habitat of more than 400 species that live in the islands and marshlands of Louisiana.
So far, the Gulf Oil spill has shut down 50 percent of Louisiana’s oyster production. Louisiana's seafood industry is already suffering losses estimated in the millions. Though according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, only about two percent of seafood consumed in the US originates from the Gulf and about four percent of shrimp, about 26 percent of blue crabs, and about 41 percent of oysters come from Louisiana. Expect seafood prices to rise in both supermarkets and restaurants. It is likely to be three to five years before the environment and fishing/shrimping return to normal.
We will see lost wages and lost jobs. Though the oil spill has not yet affected the price of crude oil, experts still expect increased gas prices, affecting consumers and businesses alike. Certainly tourism along the Gulf Coast will take a hit and property values are likely to decrease. Some hotels and restaurants, already slammed by the recession, will go out of business. Many people will be injured or develop illnesses as a result of exposure to chemical toxicity or affected seafood.
The oil companies will be discouraged and may even be prevented from off-shore drilling---perhaps permanently. Long term, drilling will be more expensive for oil companies that must embrace new safety standards.
With all of these negative consequences, there is an upside for some. Resorts on the East Coast of Florida and elsewhere may see an increase in tourism. Restaurants serving meat, poultry, and vegetarian fare will have more business, especially local ones. The folks cleaning up the mess will have jobs for months---perhaps years. The stress will create a higher utilization of anti-anxiety drugs as well as antidepressants. Finally, the ensuing litigation will put money into the pockets of many lawyers.
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
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May 26, 2010
Back in the early 1990s, we forecasted growth in personal services, like personal trainers, life coaches, nutritionists, etc. Another example of these personal services is the new category: transition advisors.
Transition Advisors come in many varieties: Certified Public Accountants will help sell your business; career transition advisors will help with job change or retirement.
But the most interesting is the new occupation represented by Lori Sharton and Kathleen Buckley of Moving Forward Advisors in Needham, Massachusetts. These two young women were sharing ideas one day about their challenges with their divorces and helped each other find the resources they needed. Other than each other, Sharton and Buckley had no one they could call for help.
Shortly thereafter, their friends and acquaintances asked, "Who did you call to help you with _____?" The callers were looking for referrals on lawyers, real estate agents, accountants, plumbers, electricians, etc. They began thinking that since they had "been there" and "done that", they could help others through this challenging time.
Now, Sharton and Buckley assist with all kinds of transitions. From corporate layoffs to divorces, from the death of a spouse or a parent to moving an elderly relative to a facility, from downsizing empty nesters to preparing a home for sale, they do all this and more. They also assist women who want to re-enter the workforce after having stayed home with children.
Often people who have lost jobs or are divorcing their spouses must now find ways to live on reduced resources; they provide that guidance as well. They will help prepare items for online auction or help a client find the right professionals to help them. With a background in social work, they are also able to provide the counseling and coaching to ease these emotional transitions. Not surprisingly, they are now receiving many referrals from local attorneys and CPAs.
Sharton and Buckley are working on a manual that will help people worldwide who want to become transition advisors. We forecast these workbooks will be very popular. As the economy recovers, expect more personal services occupations like this one to appear.
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
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May 19, 2010
In response to a recent United States Department of Labor (DOL) warning about intern compensation and exploitation, the issue of unpaid internships has attracted considerable attention. The DOL subsequently issued "Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs under the Fair Labor Standards Act" (April 2010). This document clarifies their employer guidelines about what constitutes "trainee status" to qualify for a compensation exemption. The reaction has ranged from confusion to uproar.
The DOL guidelines indicate that any for-profit company with an unpaid internship not providing mutual value is probably breaking the law. To support employers, The Internship Institute (TII), an action-oriented, non-profit organization has issued a "Compliance Advisory" that summarizes the DOL’s guidelines and offers a solution. http://www.InternshipSuccess.com
The site offers a comprehensive intern and career development training course that awards a "Certificate of Career Preparation". This certification course enables students to align their career paths, gain meaningful work experience, and develop the skills to perform at their best. The course is valuable for employers, whether or not they pay their interns, because it tangibly demonstrates the company's investment in these young people.
"Interns increase talent equity. Aside from an inherent commitment to train them, the value of making them more capable, efficient, productive, loyal, and motivated provides a straight line to greater return on investment. Providing a compliance remedy is secondary to being substantive and beneficial for everyone," said Matthew Zinman, founder of the Institute.
Ten percent of all course proceeds will support TII's "Unpaid Intern Compensation Fund" to make internships accessible for disadvantaged youth. For a limited time, TII has also issued a 20 percent compliance subsidy for companies to make certification more accessible. Employers---with and without paid internships---are invited to utilize the code: “COMP0610” for group registration.
At a much higher cost the site InternBridge.com also offers support materials to employers; however the certification program offered by the Institute is a unique solution to this challenge.
This compliance solution is an excellent example of how innovation may be applied to benefit all parties. Given the global use of interns, we will not be surprised to find this valuable easy-to-implement course translated into several languages.
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THE FUTURE IS HERE TODAY
Join Joyce and her friends on May 20th wheJoyce will debut brand new technology that combines streaming video with PowerPoint®. Her topic will be "The Future of Speaking, Training, and Meetings". You will be fascinated by this new technology come to life. To register, visit http://www.telenect.com/u/2b4e66x3w0
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FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL
Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html
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GIVE YOUR LEADERS THE BOOST THEY NEED
Help your leaders to excel. Thousands have used our weekly Lessons in Leadership to help their supervisors and managers remember how to hold onto top talent. The 52-week subscription is only $47, a bargain when you think about the savings to your organization in reduced turnover. Quantity discounts available by calling Carol at 336.210.3547. Order today at http://www.hermangroup.com/store/subscription_all.html#3
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
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May 12, 2010
More than 60 percent of today's college students are women. Hoping to reverse the decline in women's business school enrollments, Forte Foundation, a consortium of schools working to increase the number of women pursuing MBAs, has launched a new online tool.
Designed for college women and recent graduates who are contemplating a business major or uncertain about their career goals, the tool is a new interactive game called "Career Gal Road Trip". The online game allows students to explore different business majors and career paths. They participate by making virtual work and life decisions.
Those decisions include everything from whether they should exit the workforce to pursue an MBA to when they should start a family. The particular path that the player chooses eventually leads the student to a video segment of an interview with a successful woman in business who followed a similar career trajectory, from entrepreneurship to investment banking.
Believing that their campus events didn't reach enough college women, Forte Foundation Executive Director, Elissa Ellis Sangster, found a way to leverage their content and make it more accessible to young women and make it fun and interactive.
In a joint study conducted in 2007 by Forte Foundation and McKinsey & Company, more than 85 percent of women surveyed believed it was "important to expose women to business early in their careers". Among women who graduated from an MBA program, the survey showed 28 percent decided they wanted to pursue business while in college and 20 percent decided in high school.
In a 2010 study, released by the Higher Education Research Institute, 58.6 percent of college freshmen said there was a possibility they would change their major, while 20.3 percent were undecided about their major. Their exposure to business as a career will promote their choosing to earn MBAs.
The United States Army has done well using a computer game called "America’s Army: Special Forces" to promote enlistments. Expect more organizations to engage Generations Y and Z by creating online games and using social media. Meeting these younger generations on their favorite platforms will be very successful.
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LOOKING FOR A DYNAMIC KEYNOTE SPEAKER?
Joyce Gioia (joy-yah) is a sought-after speaker in Asia as well as Europe, and of course the United States. Joyce shares her knowledge and expertise about talent engagement and retention with business executives around the globe. Her understandings and insights will inform and fascinate you. For more information, call Carol McKinney at 336-282-9370 or visit the web site at http://www.hermangroup.com/joyce.html for more information on Joyce's topics.
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WANT TO SEE THE NEXT BIG THING IN ONLINE TRAINING?
On May 20th Joyce will debut brand new technology that combines streaming video with PowerPoint®. Her topic will be "The Future of Speaking, Training, and Meetings". You will be fascinated by the materials and enjoy seeing this new technology come to life. To register, visit http://www.telenect.com/u/2b4e66x3w0
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THERE'S A REASON WHY ASSESSMENTS ARE BECOMING MORE POPULAR
The reason is because they work to help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
Posted at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Email this Blog to a Friend
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May 6, 2010
Recently, Hilton Worldwide announced it has been secretly monitoring the energy use in 1300 of its 3500 hotels worldwide. Using its proprietary system LightStay, the corporation has calculated and analyzed its environmental impact.
In the first full-year of findings, the 1,300 LightStay-equipped properties conserved enough energy to power 5,700 homes for a year, saved enough water to fill more than 650 Olympic-size pools, and reduced carbon output equivalent to taking 34,865 cars off the road. Reductions in water and energy use alone also translated into estimated savings of more than USD $29 million in utility costs for hotel owners in 2009.
Using LightStay, the Hilton properties reduced energy use by 5 percent, carbon output by 6 percent, waste output by 10 percent, and water use by 2.4 percent in 2009 over 2008. (Hilton engaged an independent auditor and adjusted the results for differences in occupancy levels and major weather events year over year.)
LightStay is an integral part of Hilton's effort to implement sustainability practices in every aspect of their businesses---helping them to quantify their impact on the environment. Excited about their first year results, they have committed to using LightStay throughout their entire network by December 31, 2011.
LightStay measures indicators across 200 operational practices including housekeeping, paper product use, food waste, chemical storage, air quality, and transportation. The data inspired the Hilton New York to donate more than 5,000 pounds of leftover food to a local charity---food that would have gone to waste. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=88577&p=irol-newsArticleOther&ID=1415140&highlight=
On the heels of this announcement, hotelworld Network blogger Jason Freed suggests an "Eco-Loyalty Program" for rewarding "eco-conscious travelers". Freed proposes rewarding them for participation in various sustainability initiatives---particularly those in hotels, including a monitored-temperature program, towel and linen programs, recycling paper and plastic, eating organic in the restaurant, taking the hotel shuttle instead of a taxi, and having the receipt e-mailed instead of printed. http://www.hotelworldnetwork.com/green-new-concept-reward-eco-conscious-travelers/?utm_source=HWN&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily_04_22_10&utm_content=green-new-concept-reward-eco-conscious-travelers
Sustainability is not just good for the environment, it's also good for the bottom line. Given the tremendous cost savings for hoteliers and other businesses, we believe it is only a matter of time before we see these rewarding ideas implemented to effect all kinds of savings.
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JOYCE DEBUTS NEW TECH: SAVE THE DATE: APRIL 20 AT 4PM EDT
Wonder about the Future of Speaking, Training and Meetings? Attend this special online seminar and see for yourself this breakthrough technology that combines streaming video with PowerPoint®. You don't want to miss out and space is limited, so sign up today http://www.telenect.com/u/2b4e66x3w0
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FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL
Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html
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THERE'S A REASON WHY ASSESSMENTS ARE BECOMING MORE POPULAR
The reason is because they work to help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
Posted at 12:52 AM | Permalink | Email this Blog to a Friend
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April 28, 2010
From the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) comes a breakthrough
that is certainly a first step in artificially producing hydrogen reserves.
Energy companies could then use these reserves to generate electricity or even
produce liquid fuels for transportation.
Using sunlight, MIT researchers have created a catalyst solution that splits
water into its two atomic components---hydrogen and oxygen. Imitating
photosynthesis in plants, the researchers engineered M13, a simple, harmless
virus that assists in the separation process.
In this process, the hydrogen atoms in the water are actually split into
their component protons and electrons. Within two years, the team hopes to
develop a new process that would combine these components back into hydrogen
that could be stored.
Other researchers had already developed different systems that use
electricity to split water molecules. As the team explained in their article
published in the journal "Nature Nanotechnology" (www.nature.com), the
difference is that their system, based on biology, uses sunlight, rather than
electricity, to power the reaction.
The approach that proved the best was to mimic the processes that take place
in plants, rather than simply borrowing their components and re-adapt them like
others had done before. "In plants, chlorophyll absorbs sunlight while catalysts
promote the water-splitting reaction." The team engineered a wire-like,
bacterial virus that efficiently splits the oxygen from water molecules.
Acting as the chlorophyll the virus captures light, then, acting like a wire,
transfers the energy down its length. The viruses' wire-like structure also
allows the other ingredients to line up in such a way that it drastically
improves the system's efficiency.
To be competitive with solar power, the new system must be at least 10 times
more efficient than natural photosynthesis. Moreover, the system must be able to
repeat the reaction almost indefinitely, as well as use cheaper materials. MIT
has clearly accomplished the first step.
Sometimes we forget the importance of pure science in our technological
advancement. Support for research like MIT's will be critical to US remaining
competitive. More importantly, our support of Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Math (STEM) subjects will be important, if we are to have the people to
conduct this research.
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
Posted at 9:39 AM | Permalink | Email this Blog to a Friend
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April 21, 2010
Companies have long used technology to support the work of people with disabilities and moved form-completion online to eliminate paper. We have also seen airlines and railways use self-service kiosks to eliminate service personnel. Recently, hoteliers have followed suit with self-service kiosks―with mixed results.
Now, a just-released study from Cornell University reports that when self-service works correctly, it enhances guest satisfaction and ultimately improves hotels' financial results. However, when problems occur with the system, guests are far less likely to return. . . much less be willing to pay a premium rate.
Titled " Integrating Self-Service Kiosks in a Customer Service System" the hospitality study found that adding self-service kiosks improved the hotels' financial results, but the improvement showed a time lag. Thus, they caution hoteliers not to expect instant returns from adding self-service kiosks. Moreover, when something went wrong with the self-service check-in, the hotels in question saw a reduction in guests' willingness to pay and willingness to return. For this reason, the study's authors urge "careful rollout of self-service technology, along with substantial staff support for guests who are using computers to check-in".
Another interesting finding was that the addition of self-service kiosks did not increase guests' perceptions of service speed at check-in. This finding is somewhat curious, since the addition of self-service kiosks at grocery stores is perceived by many to be a time-saver.
Remember when banks and airlines began using self-service systems? They had a human being there to assist people who were unfamiliar or fearful of using the technology. Apparently, hoteliers need to invest someone's time and attention for the same familiarization process.
Now, many mass-merchandisers including Wal-Mart, Target, and most supermarkets have installed self-service kiosks to assist in the check out process. Particularly younger customers happily embrace this technology; some older customers feel short-changed by the lack of service.
As different industries embrace various technologies to serve guests better, increase productivity, or work more efficiently, employers must realize that they will need more highly skilled workers to support these more complicated systems. Also, from the consumers' point of view, these systems must work correctly or there will be bottom line consequences.
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GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION
If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html
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REDUCE COSTS BY INCREASING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
It may seem strange to you to talk about employee retention with the high rate of unemployment here in the US? However, a recent study indicates that 45% of today's workers are not happy and as soon as the economy turns around, they plan to leave. Let The Herman Group and its team of very experienced consultants help you address your engagement and turnover issues right away. We have an impressive track record and stand ready to help you. Call Carol at 800-227-3566; international, call 336-210-3547 for a no-obligation conference call.
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FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL
Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066 or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
Posted at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Email this Blog to a Friend
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April 14, 2010
A recent study reveals that three-quarters of university students value job security to be more important than pay and benefits, when choosing an employer. Conducted by KPMG, the global network of professional services firms, the survey polled university students at a Berlin meeting of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), a global non-profit group active on college campuses.
Given the current economic environment, this shift away from career thinking is not surprising. In addition, over 50 percent of respondents would be interested in working internationally immediately after graduation; they obviously recognize that overseas opportunities are valuable for success in today's global marketplace.
Another effect of the global slowdown is their consideration of post graduate education immediately after graduation. Sixty-nine percent indicated they are now "more likely to study for a post-graduate degree than look to get a job". Moreover, the KPMG survey revealed that due to the downturn most (67 percent) said, they were more likely to work for a public or non-profit organization than a corporate business.
According to this survey, other factors important to students when choosing future employers included "real opportunities to learn new skills and develop themselves personally and professionally", "challenging and exciting work", and "opportunities to work with and learn from talented colleagues".
Students still believe "personal development and enrichment" are top priorities when selecting an employer. They also want to use their business skills to help their communities. Organizations like SIFE develop students' drive for community involvement, leadership, and career initiatives.
The majority of the respondents (55 percent) said they "might stay" with their first employer for two-to-four years---probably another example of the effects of economic concerns. Furthermore, the social media platform Facebook as the one they use most regularly and most often tap when researching information about a future employer.
The eclipsing of training and development by job security is temporary to the economic downturn. When the economies of the world recover---as many are starting to do already---we expect a return to career pathing and training being of primary importance---results found in our research for the book "How to Become an Employer of Choice".
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LOOKING FOR A DYNAMIC KEYNOTE SPEAKER?
You need look no farther. Joyce Gioia (joy-yah) is a sought-after speaker for corporate and association audiences. Joyce shares her knowledge and expertise about talent engagement and retention with business executives around the globe. Her understandings and insights will inform and fascinate you. For more information, call Carol McKinney at 336-282-9370 or visit the web site at http://www.hermangroup.com/joyce.html for more information on Joyce's topics.
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ARE YOU READY FOR THE RECOVERY?
Most employers are unprepared. The recovery next year will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336.210.3548 or email joyce@hermangroup.com
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YOUR EMPLOYEES NEED THEIR LEADERS MORE THAN EVER
Help your leaders to excel. Thousands have used our weekly Lessons in Leadership to help their supervisors and managers remember how to hold onto top talent. The 52-week subscription is only $47, a bargain when you think about the savings to your organization in reduced turnover. Quantity discounts available by emailing Carol at carol@hermangroup.com. Order today at http://www.hermangroup.com/store/subscription_all.html#3
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce L. Gioia
Posted at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Email this Blog to a Friend
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April 7, 2010
The recent prolonged economic downturn has shifted consumer values---for both external and internal customers. In a drastic change from its 2008 findings, Colloquy's 2010 Retail Loyalty Index found that low prices have replaced customer service as the top driver of customer loyalty.
Not surprisingly, lowest-priced Walmart emerged as the dominant retailer in many categories---reflecting a reality of the Great Recession. Costco, known for great service and the dominant 2008-index retailer, had the highest customer loyalty ratings in three out of five of the Mass Merchant regional categories.
Regionally in the Grocery Sector, Kroger in the Midwest, Publix in the Southeast, and H-E-B in the Southwest all bested Walmart. These chains offer low prices and higher levels of customer service. (From experience, we can tell you that H-E-B is simply the best-run supermarket chain with the highest levels of customer service we have encountered anywhere; their long employee tenure and high employee engagement are the reasons.)
For a complete analysis of COLLOQUY's latest study, download their white paper titled "RetailTALK: What Price Loyalty?" at www.colloquy.com/files/2010-COLLOQUY-RetailTalk-White-Paper.pdf
In other survey results released recently by Accountemps, 46 percent of CFOs surveyed said "bonuses were the most effective way to acknowledge a job well done; only 21 said time off was the best way. Other types of rewards deemed popular were departmental gatherings (15 percent) and tickets to events (4 percent).
"When resources are limited, rewarding staff with extra time off . . . or a department celebration. . ., can help boost spirits and motivate teams," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps.
(Better yet, we suggest when financial resources are not available, ask employees for their best no-cost ideas. We have seen some amazing results from this facilitation.)
We suspect these same attitudes are present around the world. When money is tight, cash is king. As economies slowly recover, we expect to see a shift back to the importance of customer service and time off for external and internal customers respectively. However, as you read in last week's Herman Trend Alert, we expect India, Brazil, and Costa Rica to lead the way.
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GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION
If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html
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EMPLOYEE RETENTION = EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT? NOT ALWAYS!
Just because employees are not leaving does not necessarily mean that they are engaged. In fact, studies tell us over 45% of today's workers are disengaged, costing their employers millions. Help your supervisors, managers, and executives to know what works and what doesn't to keep your good people. For a wealth of information and product offerings, visit our retention website at http://www.retentionconnection.com Or better yet, engage Joyce or one of the other Herman Group consultants to help you keep people engaged and productive. Consulting and training to meet your needs. For a no-obligation, phone conference, all Joyce at 336-210-3548.
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ARE YOU READY FOR THE RECOVERY?
Most employers are unprepared. The recovery next year will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336.210.3548 or email joyce@hermangroup.com.
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
Posted at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Email this Blog to a Friend
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March 31, 2010
Not even eight weeks after our Herman Trend Alert, forecasting growth in the global workforce, come two studies from the highly respected international staffing agency Manpower. The recently released Manpower studies on the United States and Global hiring expectations project more modest hiring in 2010. While US employers report modest hiring plans for the second quarter, around the world, some regions have high expectations and others are still working on recovery to previous levels (prior to the economic slowdown).
According to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Surveys, the US will have a year-over-year increase of about five percent with a record-tying 73 percent of employers keeping staff levels stable. Twelve of the 13 industry sectors surveyed report positive net employment outlooks, meaning employers in most industry sectors plan to add staff during the second quarter.
The only sector expecting negative growth is Government, however with the passage of the recent healthcare legislation, we believe that may not be an accurate forecast. Moreover, among the 201 local metropolitan statistical areas surveyed, "94 percent indicate a positive or neutral net employment outlook, indicating cautious optimism is becoming more widespread geographically".
Internationally, the reports are mixed. Year over year, the study found a 50 percent improvement in the number of countries and territories surveyed expecting positive hiring activity in the second quarter (27 versus 18 of 36). "Job prospects in the Asia-Pacific region remain strong, with the exception of Japan, and hiring outlooks continue to improve modestly in most of the Americas region. In Europe, hiring patterns remain mixed with employers in eight countries indicating modest improvements compared to three months ago and the same period last year.
Employer hiring intentions are strongest in India, Brazil, and Taiwan, Peru, Costa Rica, Australia, and Singapore. The weakest hiring plans reported are in Italy, Spain, and Ireland.
As all of the countries of the world recover, we will see increasing hiring plans that promote economic growth and development of people. Employers who believe that the next year will be "business as usual" are in for some unpleasant surprises as they will be blind-sided by increasing global demands for skilled workers.
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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March 24, 2010
The recently released annual Harris Poll that measures key health risks---smoking, weight, and obesity---offers mixed reviews for the health of the United States' population. The good news is the proportion of adults who smoke cigarettes declined in every five year period. However, at the same time the total number did not significantly decrease from 2005.
From other sources, we find smoking declining in most places around the globe. In part, these declines are due to bans that have made smoking less convenient and more expensive. Countries banning smoking include the US, Canada, many of the European countries, and even South Africa. Brazil and Argentina lead the way for South America. The big surprises are Japan and China, where rates are relatively high (over one-third).
Despite these bans, rates in some countries remain stubbornly high: According to The World Health Organization over 70 percent of Russian Federation men smoke. China is a close second at 59.5 percent, and Turkey is third with 51.6. "Male smoking rates have now peaked, and trends in low-and middle-resource countries indicate slow but sure declines." The problem is the trend is extremely slow and meanwhile, millions die every year from direct or indirect effects of smoke; in fact 13 percent of all worldwide deaths are smoking-related.
The really bad news is that US obesity rates continue to rise, having increased for every five year period since Harris started measuring the trend. The proportion of adults who are obese has not changed significantly since 2006.
Globally, there are more than 1 billion overweight adults, at least 300 million of them are obese. These numbers are increasing, due to the consumption of "more energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods with high levels of sugar and saturated fats". Combine these poor eating habits with reduced physical activity and you have a sure recipe for weight gain.
As human beings worldwide cling to their bad habits, expect these trends to continue. We have already seen intensified campaigns to address smoking (by employers) and childhood obesity (by world governments). As society discovers the real human and bottomline costs, we will see more attempts to guide people to healthier behaviors.
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WANT TO BE RECOGNIZED WITH THE EMPLOYER OF CHOICE® AWARD?
Our effective, onsite seminars, workshops, and consulting can help you get there. We offer 1-, 2-, 3-hour, and full-day programs to help you communicate what it takes to become an Employer of Choice® and inspire your folks to get it done. In the future, being an Employer of Choice® will not be optional. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 to arrange a no-obligation conference call. Now announcing opportunities in Africa (Ghana). Email info@EmployerOfChoice.com with your employee count for more information.
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GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION
If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html
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FRIENDS ENCOURAGE FRIENDS TO SIGN UP FOR HERMAN TREND ALERT
You have probably subscribed to The Herman Trend Alert for a while now and you know how valuable it is to you. Why not suggest that your friends sign up at http://www.hermantrendalert.com ? Join the thousands who subscribe in 87 countries around the globe.
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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March 10, 2010
In previous Herman Trend Alerts, we have discussed "digital dirt", negative information about an individual posted online. Now, we discover a related problem, "cyberbullying", or Internet bullying and unfortunately, in Sweden about 10 percent of all adolescents in grades 7 to 9 are victims. According to the United States website iSafe.org, in the 2003-04 school year, 42 percent of US children in grades four through eight had been bullied while online and one in four had it happen more than once.
Cyberbullying occurs when people, often adolescents, use electronic technologies, including computers and mobile phones to harass or bully another. The bullies often use SMS, e-mail, chat rooms, and the website Facebook to spread their negative messages.
Victims of cyberbullying have no refuge from their attackers. At times, they are harassed continuously via cell-phone text messages and websites. The information spreads very quickly and may be difficult to remove. Moreover, the perpetrator is often difficult to identify, due to their ability to post negative messages anonymously. The system also "makes it possible for a weaker person to bully a stronger, which is uncommon in conventional bullying".
A recent study by Ann Frisén, Professor of Psychology at the University of Gothenburg, draws attention to this global problem. 'This type of bullying can be more serious than conventional bullying, says Professor Friesen. "At least with conventional bullying the victim is left alone on evenings and weekends", she continues. There appears to be a clear connection to school life, since cyberbullying lessens in the summer.
According to Frisén, parents have an important role to play in helping their children handle the situation. She believes rather than forbidding children from visiting certain websites, they should instead teach them how to act when they are there. "It is also important not to blame victimized children, since it's really not their fault. Our job is instead to help them end the harassment."
Not only will cyberbullying intensify, but it will also proliferate into new media, as they emerge. Governments will attempt to crack down on this problem, however only a system of transparency will truly help.
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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March 3, 2010
Ecotourism is "in". People want to believe their precious vacations are not creating a giant carbon footprint to harm the environment, but rather are at least carbon neutral. And the hoteliers are responding. Going green is not just a good idea for impressing guests and supporting the environment, but energy-saving practices also often benefit the bottom line. For now, some resorts will use it as their "unique selling propositions".
In Hawaii, an increasing number of hotels and resorts now use recycled water and computer-monitored â€fertigation’ (irrigation with doses of organic fertilizer). Another attractive feature they provide is beach-site, solar-power restrooms.
Nominated for the World's Leading Green Resort and located in Bahia, Salvador, Brazil's is the beautiful and luxurious Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte. Boasting five stars, this idyllic resort features simple architecture in harmony with the spectacular scenery and the impressive biodiversity of the area. Guests enjoy colorful gardens and natural pools as well as "a culinary journey through exotic flavors".
Founded after British environmentalist/businessman, Jan Telensky happened upon a pipe gushing hot water near Slovakia's High Tatras Mountains, AquaCity was named the World's Leading Green Resort in both 2008 and 2009. AquaCity uses available geothermal energy to heat and power its extensive facilities.
Guests minimize their carbon footprints, at the same time enjoying the highest standards of service at affordable prices. AquaCity has earned a global reputation for its pioneering approach to green tourism. Since it opened, it has welcomed over 2 million travelers and now daily saves more than 27 tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere.
In the February issue of its in-flight, Qantas announced its "Awards for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism". Among its state award winners are the Crowne Plaza Alice Springs, Australia. The hotel identified 30 actions it could take to become more eco-friendly. Among them are replacing light bulbs, reducing water and gas usage, and installation of a system that reduces in-room air-conditioning use by 25 to 40 per cent.
Expect the "green movement" to gain momentum, as every industry will look for ways to go green, while saving energy (and money) and attracting both talent and customers.
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GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION
If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html
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ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION RESOURCES AVAILABLE
Check out The Herman Group web site for free and low-cost resources to help
you attract and retain top talent. Visit
http://www.hermangroup.com/valuable_resources.html to see some interesting
articles; then to see our list of valuable, yet inexpensive, downloads at
http://www.hermangroup.com/store/pdf_articles.html
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
Posted at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Email this Blog to a Friend
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February 24, 2010
For years now, we have seen a growing trend towards "Innovation" being a leading focus for corporations worldwide. A new book from Rob Wolcott and Michael Lippitz, "Grow from Within: Mastering Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation" (McGraw-Hill 2010), provides a roadmap for effectively creating innovation in organizations.
Wolcott is one of the founders of the Kellogg Innovation Network (KIN), "a unique forum for select executives and innovation managers to meet and discuss internal and industry-wide challenges, business growth, risks, and successful strategies, with academics from [Northwestern University]".
Discussed in the book, "Innovation Radar" (IR) grew out of an understanding that "innovation is about more than just products and technology". Companies can innovate in any area. Using IR, executives look at 12 dimensions of innovation; the chart represents all of the activities with which companies can add value.
The valuable part of IR is that it provides a bridge between strategy and innovation and gives executives the opportunity to have all of their questions and answers (hopefully) before they begin the strategic process.
Wolcott suggests that entrepreneurs. . ."Be clear about their objectives. Be clear about their questions. Recognize that "we [often] only see the things for which we are looking".
The authors also talk about some corporate initiatives that promote innovation, like IBM's "Global Innovation Outlook" programs and "Innovation Jams". In these unique in-person and online events, IBM engages people from a wide variety of enterprises to solve global challenges facing humanity.
In "Saving America: The Generativity Solution" by Robert R. Carkhuff (HRD Press 2010). Moving past any obvious political overtones, Carkhuff believes that the lack of economic freedom hamstrings entrepreneurship. Defining Generativity as "the capacity to generate a new idea", the author also provides an organized approach to innovation. “The Generativity Solution” is the application of "generativity" to all areas and levels of human endeavor: individuals, organizations, and all components of the community, culture, and economy. And that is only the beginning.
Expect innovation to become increasingly important, as the nations of the world look for answers. Wolcott is right: "Corporate entrepreneurship is the strategic answer to the challenge of economic growth."
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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February 18, 2010
Fortunately, CEOs around the world do not share the waffling confidence among consumers in the United States. Of the 1,100 executives from 52 countries polled by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for their 13th annual "Global CEO Survey", almost 40 percent expect to add people in 2010. Only 25 percent expect further reductions in force.
In Brazil, a full 60 percent plan to increase their head counts, while in the Asia Pacific region and in Canada, about half of CEOs anticipate doing so. Only 39 percent of US CEOs expect to add staff; most (almost two-thirds) will increase modestly (5 percent or less).
The most encouraging statistic is that worldwide, 81 percent of CEOs are confident of their 2010 prospects (up from 64 percent) and only 18 percent remain pessimistic (down from 35 percent). Moreover, 31 percent of responding CEOs reported feeling “very confident” of their short-term prospects---an increase of 10 percentage points from 2009.
Executives in developing nations were more upbeat than their counterparts from developed nations. While 80 percent of North American and Western European respondents were optimistic about growth in 2010, 91 percent of CEOs in Latin America and China/Hong Kong and 97 percent in India said the same.
However, looking ahead to the next three years, the results were even more impressive: more than 90 percent of CEOs polled were confident of growth---a large number of executives thinking positively!
In spite of all of this optimism, many respondents are still fearful of a protracted global recession (65 percent) and over-regulation (60 percent). In fact, more than two-thirds of CEOs disagreed with the notion that governments have reduced the overall regulatory burden, while 65 percent agreed that regulatory co-operation will help mitigate systemic risks successfully.
ExecuNet's latest Recruiter Confidence Index data reinforces the PwC study: executive recruiter confidence is at an 18-month high and more companies are adding new executive jobs. Sixty-four percent are "confident" or "very confident" the executive employment market will improve during the next six months.
"Perception is everything!" Confidence is up and we will see more hiring worldwide. The United States will likely not lead this recovery.
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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February 10, 2010
Taking care of elderly relatives or friends affects many people's health as well as their employers' bottom lines. According to the MetLife Study of Working Caregivers and Employer Health Care Costs, employees in the United States who care for older relatives are more likely to report health problems. These health problems, including depression, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, cost employers an estimated average additional healthcare cost of 8 percent or $13.4 billion annually.
Produced by the MetLife Mature Market Institute® with the National Alliance for Caregiving, in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Aging, the report, also found that younger caregivers (ages 18 to 39) cost their employers 11 percent more for healthcare than non-caregivers, while male caregivers cost the most---an additional 18 percent.
The study also found that for some, eldercare is closely associated with high-risk behaviors like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Aggravating the potential impact to employers is the possibility that these medical conditions may lead to disability-related absences.
Employees with eldercare responsibilities had more missed days of work than non-caregivers. Caregivers have more unplanned absences. A lack of focus on their work due to distractions, like phone calls and care coordination, compromises job performance.
In addition to practices like flexible hours, paid time off (PTO) and telecommuting, the report contains suggestions to connect their caregiving employees with wellness programs to help reduce employees' stress, positively affect health, and provide the needed support.
Younger caregivers also demonstrated significantly higher rates of stress-related diseases---high cholesterol, hypertension, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), depression, kidney disease, and heart disease in comparison to non-caregivers of the same age.
Employed caregivers have more difficulty than non-caregivers taking care of their own health or participating in preventive health screenings. They need workable solutions to be healthier and perform better.
By anticipating and responding to the challenges of eldercare, employers can provide support to their employees, while reducing their healthcare costs.
Our forecast: Smart employers will look for more creative ways to support their caregiving employees, including flex time, flex place, and administrative support to handle the administrivia of caregiving.
To see the entire study, visit www.maturemarketinstitute.com
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EMPLOYER OF CHOICE® WORKSHOP NOW AVAILABLE ABROAD
Have you wanted to be recognized as an Employer of Choice®? The first step is to send your champion to The Employer of Choice® Workshop. In Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam (17 and 18 March), Singapore (23 and 24 March), and Accra, Ghana (30 and 31 March), we will hold these two-day learning experiences. For more information, contact Joyce at joyce@hermangroup.com or you can call 336-210-3548.
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GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION
If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html
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LOOKING FOR A DYNAMIC KEYNOTE SPEAKER?
You need look no farther. Joyce Gioia (joy-yah) is a sought-after speaker in Asia as well as Europe, and of course the United States. Joyce shares her knowledge and expertise about talent engagement and retention with business executives around the globe. Her understandings and insights will inform and fascinate you. For more information, call Carol McKinney at 336-282-9370 or visit the web site at http://www.hermangroup.com/joyce.html for more information on Joyce's topics.
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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February 3, 2010
Capitalizing on the green movement, a growing number of financial institutions have sprouted up in the United States and elsewhere. Promoting earth-friendly policies, these green banks have appeared in numerous US cities and other countries, including France, Mexico, and elsewhere.
The concept originated in Europe with the need to finance "alternative projects", socially and environmentally desirable developments. Committed to ethical and responsible banking practices, France's Credit Agricole supports producing responsible products and services and reducing effects of climate change.
Green banks support environmentally friendly strategies by providing lower interest rates on loans to green builders and borrowers who buy fuel-efficient cars, as well as incentives to depositors who opt out of paper statements. Consumers feel positively towards these green improvements. A recent survey found that 56 percent of respondents believe paperless statements to be ecologically friendly---not just a cost-cutting ploy on the part of the banks.
As the economy emerges from its contraction, GreenChoice Bank, located in the Midwest, hopes to be one of the region’s first green lenders. GreenChoice’s chief operating officer, Steve Sherman, is accredited in green building practices by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). GreenChoice will reward green builders and penalize consumers who opt to continue to receive paper statements. They will soon provide envelope-free ATM deposits and "remote deposit capture", a way for business customers to deposit checks without visiting a bank.
Another example: First Green Bank, which opened last February, offered zero-interest loans to workers who bought cars that get more than 30 miles a gallon.
Another traditional lender, PrivateBank, financed part of a USD $1 million-plus loan for the Little Green Tree House that opened an environmentally friendly day-care center.
Jumping on the bandwagon, the major banks of the US have embraced green practices. HSBC donated $100 million USD to four environmental organizations and Wachovia, now a subsidiary of Wells Fargo, announced that it would build only "green branches" as it expanded into California and Texas.
Expect more financial institutions and other enterprises worldwide to join in this green movement; it makes organizations more attractive to both internal and external customers.
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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January 27, 2010
A few years ago, we heard Dean Kamen, brilliant inventor of the Segway transportation system, speak during his FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology) Championships. Kamen founded FIRST, an international robotics competition, to encourage young people to study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) subjects in school.
He lamented the fact that our youth seemed to revere the accomplishments of sports celebrities and rock stars, while our scientific geniuses went virtually unrecognized. More recently, United States President Barack Obama at his Whitehouse summit for youth echoed Kamen's words, himself promoting the study of the STEM topics as a matter of competitiveness.
Most recently, DARPA, the US Department of Defense's research agency, issued a report reinforcing what we have been saying for years---a "significant national decline" in the number of US college graduates with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees is "harming our national security". (For years, we have sounded this alarm: see HermanTrendAlert.com/archive.)
DARPA blames public perception and a heightened awareness of international outsourcing trends. . . leading people to believe that there are fewer jobs in these fields. Yet, according to the US Department of Labor in November 2007, "Computer Software Engineers, Applications" was the fourth fastest growing occupation. In the period between 2006 and 2007, we had 43 percent fewer graduates in than in 2003-2004, according to the Computer Research Association. Additionally, these degrees are especially declining for women and minorities.
According to the DARPA report, this issue is of "national importance" and "affects our capacity to maintain a technological lead in critical skills and disciplines" on the international stage---"a national security risk waiting to happen". The increasing complexity of systems means we will require more people with higher levels of talent to manage and maintain them. Employers find recruiting the right people with these specialized talents is becoming more difficult. As this trend evolves, the US Department of Defense will be directly affected.
To respond to this crisis, DARPA wants proposals for initiatives that would attract teens to STEM careers. We believe a massive public relations campaign is in order. The US is not alone.
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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January 20, 2010
Expectations are often self-fulfilling. That is why when a recently released Financial Times/Harris Poll compared next decade expectations for the five largest European countries and the United States, we decided to share the results. (Two weeks ago, we actually devoted an entire Herman Trend Alert to US expectations. http://www.hermangroup.com/alert/archive_1-06-2009.html )
Not surprisingly, the French and the British were the most pessimistic (44 and 36 percent respectively), while Americans (43 percent) and Spaniards (41 percent) were more optimistic about what the new decade will hold for them financially. Over 40 percent of Italians polled were on the fence (neither optimistic nor pessimistic; we wonder how their recent unrest among migrant farm workers might affect this poll, if taken today).
You may remember that all of these European countries have struggled with lowered birthrates and increasing in-migration of workers to fill the open jobs local employers could not fill with nationals.
Looking ahead, ten years into what people think their standard of living will be it is not just the French who are pessimistic. Over half of French adults (56 percent) say their standard of living will be worse as do many Germans (42 percent), Italians (41 percent), and Brits (38 percent). Spaniards are split as 35 percent each say their standard of living will be better and worse.
When it comes to spending money most report they are spending more money than
they did ten years ago; Spain (61 percent), Italy (58 percent), France (57
percent), Great Britain (51 percent) and Germany (51 percent).
Global increases in terrorism may explain why very few people feel safer. Most
people also believe that the US and its allies are unlikely to win the war on
terror.
Most Europeans agree (between 54 percent and 75 percent) that over the next ten years the government will do less for them and their families financially than it has in the past decade. Also, the current economic uncertainty is hitting home with citizens of these six countries, especially the French, and many people are taking a wait and see approach to what this new decade will bring. This attitude will negatively affect the recovery.
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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January 13, 2010
Recently, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics issued its monthly unemployment rate for November. Not surprisingly, the stated number was 10 percent---not including the discouraged-unemployed or the under-employed---both of which are substantial.
The Conference Board research group recently reported job satisfaction has fallen to a record low of 45 percent, the lowest level ever recorded in 22 years of surveys! Extrapolating from that number, more than half (55 percent) of US workers state that they are "dissatisfied" with their jobs. It is also logical that the most dissatisfied group is workers under the age of 25---64 percent of whom said they are unhappy in their jobs. Given that many employees are juggling the work of departed workers, these statistics do not shock us.
Corporate America has sacrificed the health and well-being of its employee populations on the altar of profitability. Some would say they are "lucky to have jobs at all", while workers have a different view. According to well-respected reward and recognition guru Bob Nelson (nelsonmotivation.com), over 80 percent of today's workers report feeling over-worked and under-appreciated.
When the economy improves, we will again shift back to a sellers' market for labor. The result is later this year or early next year, we will see an unprecedented level of churning in the labor marketplace, as employees who are "corporate cocooning" escape the discomfort of the jobs they have been waiting to leave---in some cases---for years.
What is stopping job growth? We know that the bulk of job growth (estimated at 80 to 85 percent) takes place in small and medium-size firms; the entrepreneurs and business owners are also acting out of fear.
According to Ted Daywalt, President of VetJobs, the US' largest veterans' job board, they have several concerns. Among those fears are lack of access to capital―the banks simply aren't loaning, an increasingly onerous regulatory environment (especially regarding discrimination in hiring), and the health insurance mandate for small businesses.
Until these and their other concerns are addressed, we will see a continuing reticence to hire. This reticence is bound to slow the recovery.
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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January 6, 2010
As we have reported in the past, consumer confidence plays an important role in forecasting the future. Consumers' optimistic expectations have a positive effect on many aspects of the economy.
According to recently released surveys from both The Conference Board and the Pew Research Center, most people in the United States looking up. According to the Pew survey, while only 27 percent of Americans had a positive feeling about the 2000s, most (59 percent) think the coming decade will be better than the last for the country as a whole, a view held across most political and demographic.
At the same time, a significant minority---32 percent---believes that things will be worse in the 2010s than in the 2000s. Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats (42 percent versus 20 percent) to offer a pessimistic assessment of the next decade. Only a third (34 percent) of independents holds a gloomy expectation.
Generationally, the most optimistic group is young people, ages 18 to 29, 65 percent of whom feel positively about the next decade. On the negative side, people between the ages of 50 and 64 are the most pessimistic about the 2010s---42 percent think things will be worse. This statistic compares with 30 percent of people under 50 and just 26 percent of those ages 65 and older.
In both November and December, The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®, rose. The Index now stands at 52.9, up from 50.6 in November. The Expectations Index increased to 75.6 from 70.3 last month. Expectations for the short-term future increased to the highest level in two years (Index 75.8, Dec. 2007). A more optimistic outlook for business and labor market conditions was the driving force behind the increase in the Expectations Index.
The outlook for the labor market was also more upbeat. The percentage of consumers expecting more jobs to become available in the months ahead increased to 16.2 percent from 15.8 percent, while those expecting fewer jobs decreased to 20.7 percent from 23.1 percent.
These positive expectations will support higher levels of consumer spending and therefore, drive retail sales as well as the labor market.
Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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December 30, 2009
Each year at this time, The Herman Group issues its annual forecast. Once more, this year, we offer you our full forecast (longer than our usual alert) for the coming year:
1. Cutbacks and Re-Engineering will continue into 2010
Expect ongoing reductions in force as some employers continue to optimize their workforces and eliminate "redundancy". We caution these employers to be very careful, because we know that 54 percent of today's employees are ready to jump, as soon as the economy improves. They are currently "Corporate Cocooning".
2. Shortages of Certain Skill Sets will become More Acute
As the economy begins to recover, certain skill sets will be more critical and difficult to find. These high-demand workers will be more demanding about their work schedules, environment, etc. The wisest employers will embrace not only flex-time, but flex-place as well.
3. Employers will embrace Innovative Ideas to Reward their Valued Workers
This innovation will include non-financial ways and even non-reward (recognition only) ways to add value for their top talent; these innovative ideas will come from the employees themselves. Employers that do not mine the collective intelligence of their workers will find themselves unable to optimize profits.
4. Fear and Apprehension continue to reduce Productivity
A significant percentage of employees continue to worry about the future. These negative feelings will persist, unless addressed. Transparency, besides being one of those elements employees seek, will be imperative.
5. More Employers will invest in a Variety of Healthcare Cost-Cutting Strategies
Besides wellness programs to address expensive unproductive behaviors (like smoking and over-eating), more large employers will embrace ideas like onsite clinics and health coaches. For some candidates, the cost of not complying with the prospective companies' wellness programs will change their employee value propositions so drastically that they will choose to work elsewhere.
6. Focus on Engagement will replace the Focus on Retention
Recognizing that with engagement comes not only retention, but greater productivity and profitability, too, employers will change their focus. We will see Directors of Retention morph into Directors of Employee Engagement. The next step (coming much later than 2010) will be to recognize the importance of the total "Internal and External Customer Experience".
7. Increasing Attention to Succession Planning
Around the globe, we see an increasing attention to succession planning and management. However, the issue of succession preparation continues to take a backseat to succession planning. This big mistake will begin to be felt in 2010, when Baby Boomer retirements combine with the lack of trained people becomes a critical problem. Succession management continues to be critical to long-term success.
8. Employers that did not build Bench Strength will pay More to hire Experience
Organizations that did not take the opportunity presented by this business slowdown to send their people for more training, will have to pay more to hire trained, experienced people.
9. Some Employers will eliminate Reward Programs
Misunderstanding Dan Pink's new book, "Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us", some employers will abolish their reward programs altogether. This ill-advised shift will cause significant, negative, unintended consequences.
10. Burned out Employees will begin Leaving Employers
Over 80 percent of today's employees feel overworked and under-appreciated. Too many organizations have survived and maintained some level of profitability by over-loading their long-term employees. Once we begin to see positive job growth in the second half of 2010, some employees will feel confident enough to leave their companies.
11. Employers will accommodate Older Workers like Never Before
The exodus of their long-term employees will challenge some employers to get the work done, without resorting to hiring expensive contract help or paying high fees to recruiters. Enlightened employers will mine the rolls of their retired workers and hire them back on a part-time, temporary, or seasonal basis. These seasoned professionals will be welcomed back, in spite of the fact that they will dictate their own terms.
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LOOKING FOR A DYNAMIC KEYNOTE SPEAKER TO INSPIRE YOUR PEOPLE?
Joyce Gioia (joy-yah) is an inspirational futurist who freely shares her knowledge and expertise about talent engagement and retention with business executives around the globe. Her understandings and insights will inform and fascinate you. For more information, call Carol at 336-210-3547 or visit the web site at http://www.hermangroup.com/joyce.html for more information on Joyce's topics.
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GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION
If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html
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Looking Forward. . .
Joyce Gioia-Herman
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