Clear communication is key with Job Posting

How does the average person who is looking for a job build trust or communication with a prospective organization when the organization itself cannot deliver on the necessary aspects of communication, and presentation of the job description?

In other words, when you apply for an opportunity it is then in the responsibility hemisphere of the organization to do two things. One, have created a job description that is detailed and encompasses all the aspects which the job entails on a daily basis. Second, the organization should be able to have the ability to set up and structure a workable interview process that benefits both parties.

I have seen in multiple experiences that this is not always the case. One place I tried to interview with was a non-profit organization offering Human Resources opportunity; I had a lengthy email interaction with one of their representatives about an interview multiple times. However, the reason this interview never happened was that the representative never got back to me until the day of and wanted to reschedule at the last minute (the day of,).

Now, this is the right of any organization when dealing with job applicants, but I eventually was dissuaded from participating any further because I could not interact with this organization like I aforementioned. The reason was that I had other interviews to go to attend, other organizations that were organized in their hiring processes and were able to complete the initial interview process with other applicants and me. I based this on some individuals that were in the lobbies and offices of these organizations waiting to be interviewed as well.

Fast forward a few weeks into the future after I disengaged from this organization of disorganization I noticed that they reposted the position again on an online job search site. The first assumption is that this organization could not find anyone, was there others like myself who were deterred by the hiring process that they had to try again? Was it that they did hire someone and they left because the position’s duties were not communicated properly and the new hire became disillusioned and left immediately?

Whichever it was the position, the same position that I applied for was now more detailed, in fact, the length of detail in this new posting was amazing in comparison to the original posting. The new wrinkle in the position was that it was now UNPAID! Obviously, I did not reapply for this position even though it meant some professional development, was not worth it. From any Organizational Development standpoint, this organization is one of chaos, and even without a Cause Analysis, it is obvious that there are no protocols, standards or even processes in place to hire effective individuals to create change.

Knowing that there are still organizations out there without processes that we all think are necessary and vital to maintaining a success workforce. Understanding that there are opportunities for the Organizational Development professional out there, we must temper those academic urges to the hard realities that organizations must be able or want change. However, if the organizations as in this example are “tripping over their own feet” with its publicly presented policies then it is evident change may not be in the cards.

Lack of strong sponsors, inept processes, lack of experienced individuals who can work around procedures that hinder or start the innovation process are all major roadblocks to implementing the change that is needed in such organization. In other words, if you take the chance to apply and be hired by such an organization do not have ideas of becoming a “hero” and creating major changes. The likelihood of such a change happening assessing from academic, professional and realistic standpoint(s) are almost impossible and most likely will never happen.

 

 

Organizational Clarity: A wiki post called “State the purpose and goals of HPI”

So I wrote a couple of articles for a Human Performance Improvement class assignment that was a Wiki for the class and it was segmented into subject matter that dealt with organizational development and improving the human performance of the employees in the organization. I believe this will help students and professionals alike explain the concepts that deal with Human Performance improvement. This wiki posting is answering the question: State the purpose and goals of HPI this is what I wrote for the class:

One of the main goals of Human Performance Improvement (HPI) is to bring clarity and definition to the organizational expectations of each assigned role within the organization (Standard, D. O. E., 2009). This ensures that individuals in the organization have the skills that are matched to tasks to guarantee completion, and it outlines individual responsibilities for each in the organization.

By assessing all of the aspects of an organization through HPI, the organization itself can develop policies and procedures that will improve and extend its range of competencies and productivity. HPI also strives to add transparency to the organization, not only for role clarity but to build morale through acknowledgment of individual achievements and acquired skill sets. Reinforcement of this acknowledgment through HPI is done by either creating proper compensation or reinforcing the needed consequences.

HPI creates an atmosphere of professional development that reinforces expectations, lowers turnovers and gives an organization the ability to retain experienced individuals. Meanwhile, HPI helps an organization in identifying opportunities to implement the changes necessary to strengthen the organization overall, pushing it forward by highlighting the necessary direction(s) to the next level.

Reference

Standard, D. O. E. (2009). Human performance improvement handbook volume 1: concepts and principles. US Department of Energy AREA HFAC Washington, DC, 20585.

Organizational Clarity: RePackaging brands

As we all know organizations constantly repackage their products, the idea to rebuilt, retool, and reorganize is not only a foundational “brick” to building a successful organization. Most repackaging of products are successful, but there are some examples that most of us have lived through that have left us scratching our head. These organizations realized their mistakes and undid the repackaging process to get back to what their customers what they wanted.

For example, the new Coke is a very good example at not only repackaging but an entirely new product if you asked Coke customers, later the company would come out with Coke Classic and run that with the “new” Coke until there was only one left standing. Just recently Kylie Jenner repackaged her line of beauty products only with new packaging and a higher price, with the same old products inside. Being a “celebrity” and her product line not as globally used by a broad base of consumers can escape such scrutiny.

Although I have not used her products, it is still smart marketing as most people do not realize what they are paying for until it is too late. The smart part is that her company realized that their consumer base is paying for the “name” that goes with it, not the product as she rises in popularity so should her prices, or as reasoned by their actions. It is until it is too late will there be changes made to the new Coke formula will an organization retool their product from repackaged back to its original state, but only then.

Here is the article regarding Jenner’s repackaging error:

https://uk.style.yahoo.com/people-accusing-kylie-jenner-repackaging-103434739.html

Organizational Clarity: “Confidential Survey” article

After reading this article about not completing the “confidential employee” survey, I realized although I have never been in a situation of having two dual entities warring to have me complete a survey to prove their points. I realized that whenever I was given a “confidential employee” survey, I did not complete it because I was always hounded (like the person in the article) to complete the survey. My question then was how confidential was it, if everyone and their mother knew I did not complete it?

I always wondered why organizations would use a “confidential” survey to create an illusion that this process is secret when is not. When a one-on-one with supervisors and their employees would, in fact, increase morale, improve human performance, and communication wherever the concentration existed. Creating this falsehood only disillusions the stakeholders of the organization and creates a breakdown of communication and trust. This is reaffirmed in the Forbes article listed below.

Add to that my studies within an Organizational Development program you start to understand when surveys such as this should be used and how unfortunately, it is not how most organizations use this tool. Instead of employee development and integrating employees into the organizational culture surveys are used to root out the “troublemakers” and to dissuade dissenting opinions or voices for needed change.

Rooting out these “troubled voices” in the eyes of the organization is cheaper and far easier than creating actual organizational change, than retraining managers and maintaining an atmosphere of cooperation. The hierarchy structure of most organizations is highly prized no matter how the organization states it is closer to the Clan structure characteristics with a “family” type atmosphere; no organization wants the inmates running the asylum. So there is no reason that any of us will see an end to these “confidential employee” surveys anytime soon.

This is the Forbes article which discusses how this gentleman will NOT participate in “confidential employee” surveys:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2017/02/21/no-i-wont-complete-the-confidential-employee-survey/#38020e856187

Organizational Clarity: Job hunter rejection via text article

After reading this article, I do feel for the teenager in this case when job hunting it is obviously important to showcase a hint of professionalism on both sides. When representatives from an organization decide to use text messaging to contact candidates regarding job opportunities, being old school, I feel is a little bit unprofessional and insensate regarding this issue of filling the position. If an organization is serious about contacting a candidate regarding a position in which they believe the candidate has the experience and skill, they will use email, phone calls, and voicemail, or even “snail” mail.

However, in this case, this organization did not choose any of these options. They texted the teen as you can see in the article they were unimpressed with her “energy” and decided to cancel the interview which an actual phone call or email would have probably reflected this applicant’s energy and desire for the position. Now with all the extended and negative press for the organization for which they apologized for the exchange. Of course, it is too late as many customers, and potential customers have decided to boycott the restaurant. Most likely a lot of potential applicants have done the same thing, and you can only imagine what the morale in this organization is like now!

I have received once in awhile a text about job opportunities, possibly due to my resume on Careerbuilder or Indeed.com, unfortunately with the news of various scams out there, one must wonder about this method of reaching out. In other words, I do not follow up with these types of offers at all because I am not sure who is on the other end. After seeing what this teenager went through I am glad I do not, it is bad enough to have the stress of looking for an opportunity in today’s job market. But then to be harshly judged, through a text? Very unprofessional, organizations should take heed of this situation mentioned in this article and eliminate this type of communication for reaching possible job candidates.

This is an article discussing this unprofessional situation in “Teen receives extremely blunt job rejection, fights back on Twitter” just click on this link:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/teen-receives-extremely-blunt-job-121207790.html

Organizational Clarity: “Don’t Clap Throw Money Misadventures in Employee Engagement” article

As you see by my comment from February 10, 2017, had a definite opinion regarding Vince Cyboran’s article “Don’t Clap Throw Money Misadventures in Employee Engagement” on the Roosevelt University RU Training blog site.

“I have, at a past organization endure one of these “pep talks” experience mentioned in this blog and unfortunately, it only caused the morale of myself and my coworkers to go further south. The introduction of just the basic aspects from Frederick Herzberg’s Two-Factor–Model of Workplace Motivation could have changed, in my eyes, the entire organizational culture.

This post states that hygiene factors do not motivate employees but most of the organizations I have worked, believed that to motivate employees they had to offer free lunches or breakfast donuts, instead of offering raises or bonuses. The introductions of these initiatives were successful at first as most of the employees at the time thought that this was good as a reward they were going to get.

However, with a high turnover rate, there was a constant influx of new employees, plus there was a new hiring requirement in which employees needed a Bachelor’s degree to be hired. These new employees did not favor the idea of the hygiene factors being used as a substitution to monetary or professional motivation factors. Therefore, with these new employees these initiatives quickly failed, but every once in a while, management does fall back upon free lunches or breakfast donuts, as motivators.”

Unfortunately, this still occurs many times over in a lot of different organizations, what happens is that people lowered their expectations of what they desire and organizations go to the level to meet them. Usually because giving their employees with these lowered expectations is better for the organizational bottom line than anything else. Keeping an idea of your professional self-worth, keeping a positive point of view you may get more than what you deserve, and if you do not why should you accept what the organization deems is logical or worthy of you? Maybe that is not a place that you, at the end of the day, deserve to be.

Reference

Vince Cyboran (2015) “Don’t Clap Throw Money Misadventures in Employee Engagement” Roosevelt University February 16, 2015 Retrieved from:

“Don’t Clap, Throw Money”: Misadventures in Employee Engagement

Organizational Clarity: “Less Time? Less Money? Think E-Learning Authoring Tools” article

From the CommlabIndia community is an article from easy, cheap solutions to meet organizational needs. In an email I received was a link to: “Less Time? Less Money? Think Elearning Authoring Tools” by Aruna Vayuvegula.

In regards to Rapid authoring tools, this article gives you a workable reason why E-learning should be used at your organization along with how easy creating E-Learning for your employees can be. This article also discusses the point where how training employees when there is a high turnover rate in your organization can be a waste of money. Training is an investment, employees are an investment for the organization, and usually a very costly one, so when employees leave in a few months of arriving in the organization it becomes a problem when projecting budgets for not just the training department but the entire organization.

Rapid authoring tools help solve the problem of training new employees by allowing the organization to have training sessions available anywhere and anytime. Establishing E-learning in an organization can take the material covered in existing classroom course content into an online program that the employees can easily access. This cuts down on costs for the training department when it comes to setting up rooms for training sessions, trainers for hours to present the material, etc., this becomes positive when dealing with high turnover rates in an organization.

As this article explains budgets, external factors and other various issues can become a reason for organizations to move towards E-Learning processes, and it gives a compelling argument why your organization should move towards this avenue.

If you want to know more just click the link here:

http://blog.commlabindia.com/elearning-development/authoring-tools-for-quick-elearning-development