Be a Good Recession-Era Manager
by Agatha Gilmore

Amidst today’s seemingly endless stream of gloomy business news – layoffs, budget cuts and the like – managers may have reason to look up.

According to a new survey from Randstad, an international staffing agency, 66 percent of employees would choose to “re-elect” their current bosses, while 65 percent believe their bosses’ personalities are a right fit for their corresponding job roles and responsibilities.

“In spite of all the issues going on around employees, they believe they have leaders that can manage through these tough times,” said Genia Spencer, managing director of human resources and operations for Randstad. “I don’t think there’s a presidential election with that much of a margin.”

So what is it managers are doing right?

“In these times, bosses have learned to adjust their styles to their employees’ needs. It’s not the old-fashioned, hierarchical ‘do as I say’ role,” Spencer said. “Perhaps, as well, given the across-the-board difficult times, employees are cutting their bosses some slack and recognizing they’re dealing with and managing in difficult times, and perhaps they’re doing the best they can.”

When it comes to the ideal management style in this economy, survey results indicate leaders should work on being authentic.

“Employees respect genuineness and collaboration,

” Spencer said. “Be a genuine boss. Be who you are, be yourself, and then understand the needs of your team and your employees to adapt your style to work with them without changing who you are. That’s a flexibility of approach, not a complete change in personal style.”

In fact, managers should avoid trying to adapt their leadership styles to what they think is most desirable because the expectations of employees vary greatly depending on economic conditions and individual maturity, Spencer said.

“Trying to anticipate and become the most popular boss and fitting a most-expected style isn’t going to be a long-term solution,” she said.

Further, the best leaders during these difficult times make sure to include their entire teams in their decision processes, Spencer said.

“We suggest bosses be much more collaborative with their teams. [They should say], ‘This is what I’m thinking; this is what I’m facing. These are the problems we face as a team. How would you solve them?’” she said. “By including people in that, they understand the total picture of what the boss, as well as the team, is facing and then can understand the decisions that are made.”

[About the Author: Agatha Gilmore is a senior editor for Talent Management magazine.]

Stress Management

The American Institute of Stress estimates stress costs American businesses $300 billion annually. Maynard Brusman, Ph.D., said we can’t run from it: It’s the one statistic that consistently turns up in his research as a consulting psychologist, executive coach and founder of Working Resources, a strategic talent management consulting firm.

And he doesn’t buy it for a second.

“It’s been out there for a while. To be honest, I’d say given the economy and God knows what else, it’s probably higher,” he said.

Certainly the public relations world has stresses: Clients are demanding, it’s difficult to track value, and employees are on a never-ending parade to prove themselves. This often means having ideas shot down. But when Serge Gurin, president and COO of Pierce Mattie Public Relations, joins his employees during breaks, their talk centers around fears about the recession. “You can see that it’s adding to their stress,” he said.

The National Institutes of Health doesn’t need economic hard times to push its normal stress loads higher. The 30,000 employees in this federal agency charged with protecting the nation’s health are facing changing politics, stagnant internal job openings and a deskbound environment. Dr. Rachel Permuth-Levine said, in her experience as the deputy director in the NIH’s Office of Strategic and Innovative Programs, that’s a recipe for trouble.

Further, researchers such as Bruce S. McEwen, Ph.D., of Rockefeller University have spent years in the lab detailing how stress shows up in the body. “During episodes of acute stress, stress hormones provide a protective function by activating the body’s defenses,” he wrote in a New England Journal of Medicine paper on the topic. “[B]ut when these same protective hormones are produced repeatedly, or in excess, because of chronic stress they create a gradual and steady cascade of harmful physiological changes.”

These changes include everything from bone loss, muscular weakening, memory loss, atherosclerosis and increased insulin levels that cause higher levels of fat deposits in the body. At the office, the changes create more personal conflicts between employees, increase “acting out” episodes, dysfunctional teams are more easily overwhelmed by workloads, and there are lots of sick days, said Brusman. And stress often is solely an employees’ burden to hear.

“A greater proportion of our stress today comes from the workplace because that’s where we spend so much of our lives. We’re a culture that works to live,” Brusman said. “A business is in business to make money, and to be productive and do that, you have to take care of your people.”

The first step is to realize employees are hypersensitive today. Most people fall into two camps: safety seekers or opportunity seekers. “And whenever there is fear in the system like there is with the economy now, people start moving into that safety-seeking camp like refugees,” said Bill Treasurer, founder of Giant Leap Consulting and author of Courage Goes to Work.

Second, this isn’t a matter of company policy, but of company culture, said Scott Halford, president of Complete Intelligence, a business solutions provider. Talent managers must give employees tacit permission to take care of themselves on a daily basis, or all the gourmet cafeterias, exercise rooms and day cares in the world won’t help.

Let’s Get Physical

Michele Risa said she has no doubt the $300 billion cost statistic is accurate. As the founder and CEO of Collaborative Solutions, she has used her psychology degrees to customize yoga and mediation strategies for clients such as the New York Stock Exchange, to combat digestive upsets, headaches, neck and back pain, and inability to concentrate – all symptoms that stem from stress.

She assists employees with chair yoga exercises – a short break that combines movement, diaphragmatic breathing and relaxation for more energy and better attitude control – and demonstrates better nutrition choices that help fuel the body properly. The necessary discipline takes practice, so she forms teams among employees for better accountability.

Program costs depend on the number of months offered, the number of face-to-face exercise sessions and support materials chosen. However, she said the ROI is off the charts since the program decreases the number of sick days, increases productivity, decreases error rates and enhances morale as people practice exercises together at their desks during the day.

Gurin also brought yoga into the office, using his licensed therapist training to lead sessions on Fridays before noon. The president then treats participants to lunch. Those who aren’t into yoga might be tempted by the acupuncture sessions he plans to implement in 2009, or choose to take advantage of 30-minute massage sessions when they’re offered in the company’s media oasis. There also are monthly group outings to the movies.

“It’s crucial to get people out of the office,” he said. “We want our employees to have a good quality of life, and that’s why we pretty much kick people out the door at 6 p.m. here, which is uncommon in this field. Most people in PR work until 11 at night.

“Even if we’re spending $500 a month on these perks, it’s worth it. We are one of the PR companies with the longest retention rates.”

Handling stress is a large part of the emotional intelligence classes Halford presents at companies such as Medtronic, where his audience consists of salespeople whose jobs require that they produce the right pacemaker or defilibrator model for the operating table. Sales staff must execute split-second decision making and problem solving, which is why Halford encourages employees to take 15-minute breaks in the morning, at noon and in the afternoon to reflect on the days’ events. It’s fine to listen to music, read a novel, walk or stretch, as long as cell phones, computers and BlackBerrys are turned off.

“Most people run throughout their day without ever taking a break, so they’re simply acting on old behaviors without learning anything. It becomes stressful because old behaviors aren’t always adequate to deal with new things,” he said.

A dedicated quiet room is high on Permuth-Levine’

s wish list, to go with the exercise classes, walking groups and wellness lecture series the NIH currently uses to promote stress reduction. But even something as simple as compiling a list of resources for health and wellness in the area, or promoting the use of a company’s existing employee assistance program, is a positive step, she said. She intends to establish an employee advocacy team of 100 staff volunteers in 2009 to help get this message out and brainstorm ways to make sure colleagues take care of themselves physically and mentally.

“We operate in a systematic atmosphere, so the goal is to create happier, relaxed individuals that produce a more relaxed environment,” Permuth-Levine said.

Have Fun, Fun, Fun

Sometimes, it takes a little extra push to make people happy at the office. “Every company in the world tells its salespeople the same thing: Deliver service with a smile. But most forget the question that precedes that: Are we giving them anything to smile about?” said Matt Weinstein, founder of Playfair, a management consulting firm.

Ways to lighten the mood are plentiful. When motivational speaker Tom Bay served as senior vice president of Great American Federal Savings and Loan early in his corporate career, employees called him Mighty Mouse behind his back, because of his big ears. Bay rolled with it and started leaving mementos of the cartoon character – stickers, erasers, figurines, key chains – tucked in hidden places after visiting a branch.

Some of his other ideas to keep things upbeat include passing around a vase of flowers every 30 minutes with a note attached explaining why that person deserves recognition, drawing a name to award the winner a ride to and from work in a limo or holding an early meeting at a nearby restaurant and asking attendees to wear pajamas.

His most powerful pick-me-up tool is cheap and easy to get: Bay handed staff members a box of eight basic crayons with the message, “Each day is a new color – you choose it.” He recognized title promotions with a bigger box. Salespeople strove to earn the grand-daddy prize: a 104-count box of crayons with a pencil sharpener built in. Bay reinforced the theme by occasionally writing memos in crayon. The branch became the fastest-growing one in the organization’s history, hitting its six-year goal in less than 16 months.

“I’m always amazed when people proudly proclaim, ‘I never mix business with pleasure.’ I want to ask, ‘What’s wrong with you?’” Weinstein said. “Playfulness is a language everybody speaks in childhood but adults rarely access with each other. Yet, it’s just as powerful.”

Reality Check

Once talent managers commit to stress reduction, there are myriad vendors and consultants eager to help. To identify which ones actually reduce stress and produce an acceptable return on investment, Permuth-Levine asks for proof of measurable results at other organizations. “We want to maintain any program as an ongoing commitment,” she said.

Brusman said that’s wise because, while workshops fire up the troops, two days later they’re operating in the work environment as if nothing happened. “That’s why coaching has become so hot,” he said. “One-on-one helps because you can customize the message and activity for individuals.”

Talent managers will need proof the program is working. Anecdotal evidence likely will be prevalent, which is why Brusman relies on 360-degree feedback surveys focused on individuals’ job performance to gauge his clients’ ROI.

“If you just want to focus on the bottom line, given this economy, businesses would be really smart to have happy employees who can deal with stress and reach their goals,” Brusman said. “If they don’t, they’ll have to deal with all kinds of counterproductive behavior.”

[About the Author: Julie Sturgeon is an Indianapolis-based journalist with 20 years of professional business writing experience.]

Knowledge-Transfer Strategies

As large numbers of baby boomers approach retirement age, many employers are worried about the impact of losing so many experienced people at once. When individuals leave an organization, taking with them repositories of important technical or institutional knowledge, their departure can seriously hamper an organization’

s ability to function effectively.

In many organizations, sophisticated knowledge management systems have been installed to capture information. Unfortunately, some of the most important knowledge resists codification in databases. It is the tacit knowledge – expertise gained through experience – that is most at risk when employees leave.

Some organizations have anticipated the situation and developed a number of successful strategies, starting with identifying key knowledge holders who may be at risk of leaving and planning how their intellectual capital will be retained. Procter & Gamble, for example, has a formal process in each business unit for not only identifying key knowledge holders, but specifying what knowledge needs to be transferred and the steps necessary to do so.

Key knowledge holders are those at the center of information networks, those with contacts in many areas within the organization and outside it, who others in the organization go to for help, who are repositories of institutional memory, or those with unique jobs or skill sets. Talent managers will need to decide who should receive the knowledge. It might be a direct successor to the person leaving. Or it might be someone in a position to disseminate the knowledge more broadly.

Staffing strategies delay the inevitable by keeping the talent in the organization a little longer. Procter & Gamble’s Your Encore program is a well-known and particularly effective example. The program allows retirees from companies that belong to the Your Encore consortium to work on temporary assignment in any of the other member companies.

Other companies use staffing variations, including phased retirements, that allow employees to scale down their hours rather than retire completely. Scientist emeritus programs give retired scientists access to equipment and other support so they can continue their research on a paid or unpaid basis. Apprenticeship strategies capture knowledge before people leave and sometimes keep employees on a little longer.

Agricultural company Monsanto has developed one of the most comprehensive of this sort. Through its STEP program, individuals eligible for retirement who possess critical knowledge and hold key or unique jobs are selected to pair with identified successors. The pair goes through a defined process to develop a knowledge transfer plan, teach and learn, gradually handling over responsibility for delivering results in the role, and sharing the knowledge with others on the team.

Educational strategies also allow knowledge to be transmitted to a broader group. Some companies have gotten quite creative at making these sessions fun and interesting. They might set it up like a television interview or radio call-in show or combine them with action learning elements in which people work on a real or simulated problem, and the expert acts as a resource and critiques the outcomes. Sometimes it’s helpful to pair the expert with a skilled facilitator.

Some companies facing large-scale loss of senior managerial personnel have implemented accelerated development programs for future leaders. Sandia National Laboratory in California, for example, created GeNext to deliver powerful experiential learning to managers with less than five years’ experience, to help them build their informal networks across the organization and “get to the heart” of what leadership in the organization requires.

Ideally, knowledge transfer is not a discrete event when someone leaves; it happens among everyone, all the time. That takes a major culture shift in many organizations. But it is critical to sustain high-performing organizations.

[About the Author: Michal Fineman is a senior consultant in ORC Worldwide's human capital strategy and practice area. She also manages ORC's Human Resources in R&D Network, a community of practice for HR leaders serving the R&D function in large companies and government laboratories.]

Senarai kelulusan pembekal perisian Potongan Cukai Berjadual ( 7th April 2009 )

(PCB) 2009 untuk sistem pembayaran gaji berkomputer pada
07 April 2009 (kemaskini setiap 2 minggu).
List of approved software providers of the Schedular Tax Deductions (STD) 2009 for the
computerised payroll system as at 07 April 2009 (updated biweekly).

* Majikan yang menggunakan sistem pembayaran gaji berkomputer yang
dibekalkan oleh syarikat di bawah tidak perlu mendapat kelulusan daripada
LHDNM.
* Employers using the computerised payroll system provided by the following companies
need not apply for approval from IRBM.

Virtual Job Fairs Attract Recruiters and Talent Worldwide
by Brent Arslaner

The bright side to today’s turbulent economy is that layoffs, acquisitions and buyouts are driving seasoned talent into the labor market. But to capitalize on the availability of top talent, many companies will need to overhaul their recruiting processes and procedures.

Today more than ever, it is essential to explore new techniques to identify and engage with qualified workers, maximize recruitment budgets and bypass the ineffective recruitment tools of yesterday. The question for many talent managers remains: What is the magic ingredient? One answer lies in virtual environments and virtual job fairs.

Virtual environments use 3-D renderings to replicate a convention center that features a main hall, an exhibition floor, a resource center and a job center. During the virtual job fair, recruiters interact with job seekers in real-time and deliver presentations in the conference hall. Following the event, a hiring company can continue attracting candidates and building its brand through the virtual environment.

Virtual job fairs enable job seekers to see and hear company presentations, interact live with company representatives and submit their resumes. Not only is this scenario more cost-effective compared to hosting a physical event, it supports global participation and offers increased productivity to recruiters because they never have to leave their desks.

Companies are attracting higher-quality candidates with virtual job fairs because the job seekers can conveniently access the events online, from anywhere, and without fear of taking time off from a current job – or even worse – being “outed” by a co-worker or boss.

In fact, according to a survey conducted by Unisfair, 64 percent of HR managers believe the hiring cycle could be reduced through virtual job fairs, and as a result, 40 percent of hiring managers are exploring the technology. Respondents, which included more than 100 U.S. human resource managers, sited the most important reasons for hosting a virtual job fair as: ease of use (84 percent), ability to screen applicants (76 percent), reduced costs (75 percent) and access to candidates (72 percent).

Consider KPMG, for example. Last fall, the global network of professional services firms created a 48-hour recruiting fair to provide graduates and experienced professionals from around the world with information on hundreds of job opportunities. The event allowed the company to more effectively coordinate the efforts of 250 recruiters in 45 different countries, and produce an event that reinforces KPMG’s global brand and underscores the company’s innovation.

The KPMG World Jobs Fair reflects a remarkable transformation in how KPMG member firms are attracting talent in a global economy, and a transformation in the way professionals are seeking employment. The event, which was attended by more than 11,000 people from 150 countries, allowed job candidates to easily explore opportunities and potential careers with the company. With 12,000 resumes uploaded during the two-day event, it also gave KPMG an opportunity to tap into a global workforce of qualified professionals and recent graduates.

In today’s tough economic times, every company needs to ensure that when it is able to hire, the candidates selected are the very best choices for the organization. And while the recruiting landscape continues to present challenges, an emphasis on innovative technology, combined with a willingness to try new approaches, can create rewarding opportunities for employers and employees alike.

[About the Author: Brent Arslaner is a vice president at Unisfair, a virtual event provider.]

HRDF has a new memo regarding reduction in the rate of payment and exemption of the Human Resource Development Levy.

find out more from http://www.hronline.info or HRDF main website.

In Chinese culture, the word for “crisis” represents both danger and opportunity. In times of economic crisis, there is no doubt that every organization across America will face difficult decisions in 2009. However, companies that search for opportunity during crisis and take a positive approach to their talent and business initiatives will have the best chance of surviving the recession and positioning their companies for future growth.

On Dec. 1, 2008, the National Bureau of Economic Research officially confirmed the United States was in a recession. According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate hit a record high of 7.2 percent in January, and more than 2.6 million people lost their jobs during in 2008. With no end in sight to this economic downturn, it is likely workers will continue to lose their jobs in 2009.

In addition to economic changes and a rising unemployment rate, America welcomed a new president in 2009. The change of political party in the White House, as well as several key initiatives and programs planned for the next four years, certainly will have a large impact on the job market. When referring to America’s economic conditions, President Barack Obama said, “There are no quick or easy fixes to this crisis, and it’s likely to get worse before it gets better.” At the same time, this provides us with an opportunity to transform our economy to improve the lives of ordinary people.”

Now more important than ever, talent managers need to keep up with the latest industry and job market trends to ensure their companies are well-positioned to handle any situation or opportunity that may arise as a result of the economy.

The Job Market

With so much economic uncertainty, it’s no surprise employers have cut back on hiring, impacting several key industries. According to Beyond.com, there has been a 6.35 percent decrease in the total number of jobs posted in November 2008 compared to the number posted in November 2007. The “Beyond.com Q3 2008 Career Trend Analysis Report” revealed the industries that experienced the largest percentage decrease in jobs during the past year included management and business (-4.99 percent); travel, hospitality and restaurant (-1.64 percent); and accounting and finance (-1.51 percent).

Although the information technology (IT) field remains strong with 12.9 percent of all jobs posted to the Beyond Network in the third quarter of 2008, it experienced a significant decline of 1.09 percent, causing the industry to fall from the top position after six consecutive quarters. It was replaced by health care and medical.

Despite the fact the IT industry suffered a decline, this industry is expected to remain strong in 2009. As a result of the economy, many companies will be forced to look more closely at their revenues and expenses, and likely will emphasize technology initiatives that will produce cost savings, efficiencies and promote strategic organizational growth.

Further, many companies are recognizing the importance of hiring well-trained IT workers to help support and carry out the increasingly sophisticated technologies needed to stay competitive in the marketplace. The constant need for technology upgrades will help promote job security for IT professionals and job growth in the IT industry during the coming year.

Not Every Industry Is Suffering

Although many industries have been affected by the economy, Beyond.com’s report indicated some industries still are experiencing growth despite the economic recession. In the third quarter of 2008, the industries that experienced the largest percentage increase in jobs during the past year were health care and medical (2.66 percent), clerical and administrative (1.68 percent), and legal services (1.34 percent).

Whether the economy is thriving or in a crisis, Americans will continue to age, get sick and need medical care. And health care and medical currently is the top industry, representing 12.92 percent of all jobs posted. According to HealthcareJobsite.

com, some of the health care positions that experienced the largest percentage increase in jobs included admissions clerk (9.03 percent), medical assistant (8.66 percent) and medical records assistant (8.14 percent).

Research has shown the recession may even be an underlying cause of job growth in the health care industry due to increased stress, depression and mental illness. The aging population, increased obesity rate and technology advancements also are causing significant growth in the health care industry.

In 2009, health care workers can expect their industry to continue to evolve and welcome new advances in medical technology. It is likely there will be an increase in demand for medical assistants and nursing aids to help reduce hiring costs and keep hospitals and medical organizations running efficiently, especially in light of the current nursing and physician shortage.

Also, new technology breakthroughs will help streamline medical care and reduce costs, giving medical professionals the ability to take on an increased number of patients and reduce the number of patient stays with the growth of outpatient services.

Talent Management in a Tough Economy

In tough economic times, it becomes more than just an opportunity, but a necessity for talent managers to provide strategic leadership to their businesses. Regardless of industry, size of company or type of business, talent managers will be challenged in the upcoming year to get the most productivity out of fewer employees, retain key talent and continue attracting valuable employees despite recessionary financial constraints.

In the upcoming year, talent managers should plan for changes, invest in strengths and take advantage of the weak economy to position their companies for future growth. Here are a few tips talent managers can use to help successfully steer their companies through both good times and bad:

1. Build and maintain a strong employer brand.
Employers who are serious about attracting and retaining the best talent should take time to build their employer brands to differentiate themselves from competitors. Educating job seekers and employees about the company during the economic downturn will help make it easier to attract high-quality talent when the economy picks up.

2. Keep up with industry trends.
Now more than ever, it is important for talent leaders to continue to closely monitor job and candidate activity across various industries to identify and predict marketplace fluctuations and opportunities occurring in the job market. By understanding the trends affecting their industries, talent managers will be able to make more informed business decisions and capitalize on the soft job market to attract new talent.

3. Cherry-pick top talent from competitors.
Although hiring in a recession may seem to go against common logic, it actually is the perfect time to look for great hires typically unavailable under normal circumstances. Many companies have been forced to or have made the decision to downsize their organizations. That means some of the most talented professionals likely will be looking for jobs in 2009. Think of this as an opportunity to enhance the organization and build a workforce with a proven ability to be successful.

4. Identify sources that produce high-quality hires.
As a result of the weak economy, recruitment budgets likely will be reduced, and fewer employers will be willing to pay large sums of money for a recruiter, especially when so many talented professionals are looking for jobs online. Talent managers are realizing the need for a targeted recruitment strategy and are turning to niche job boards to find quality and relevant candidates at a reduced cost.

Further, more companies will begin utilizing social networking sites in their recruitment programs to help promote the company and identify potential candidates for the business.

5. Communicate the plan of action to employees.
In a time of economic uncertainty, employees will look to management for leadership and guidance. Employers should be honest with their workers and clearly explain any plans the company has to build to survive the recession. It is better this information comes from management rather than from peers talking around the office watercooler. If employees understand the company’s goals, they can put rumors to rest and focus on strengthening their performance and individual contributions to help position the company for growth.

6. Reward talent with strategic employee recognition.
It is important for employers to ensure employee engagement and reward high performers, which will help increase workforce morale. Although budgets may be tight, talent managers should look for creative ways to reward staff in the upcoming year by offering programs such as summer flex hours, increased numbers of holiday days and stock options.

Team-building activities also are a great way to encourage innovative idea generation and brainstorm ways to be more efficient. Investing in talent will help ensure a company can retain the employees it can’t afford to lose, while also helping the business become more competitive when the economy bounces back.

Although a recession is not an ideal situation for any business, it presents new opportunities for talent managers that would not exist otherwise. As a result of the shrinking economy and job market, the number of qualified candidates available has increased dramatically, allowing employers to renew their focus on quality of hire.

Challenging times are also encouraging many talent managers to enhance their employer branding and get more creative with recruiting and talent management strategies. Businesses that learn how to turn the current economy crisis to their benefit will have the best chance of surviving the recession and may even come out ahead in 2009.

[About the Author: Rich Milgram is the founder and CEO of Beyond.com Inc., a network of niche career communities, powering thousands of geographic and industry-specific sites.]

I have just setup a internet forum at http://www.hronline.info

do register and support HRMY

Thanks

Inland Revenue Board has just released the New Format for EA Form Year 2008. Employers will need to print into this new format and all the previous Years EA Form has become invalid.

I have got myself a copy of the EA Form and attached it on this site. View it below this post.

Update 6/3/2009 : Sorry i do not have any softcopy with me. I’ll try to upload one if i can find one.

Hi JobStreet.com member,

Malaysia’s largest career and training fair is back again in January 2009 and it is going to be even bigger and better than before. In MCTF 2008 more than 116,000 jobseekers benefited from the three-day fair. There were more than 100 companies offering a wide range of jobs with countless interviews all conducted under the same roof.

From 16 ~ 18 January 2009, JobStreet.com MCTF 2009 will be held again at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre.

You will not want to miss out on this career and training fair as there will be even more companies participating and that’s not all: there will also be lots of free gifts and give-aways from JobStreet.com and our partners.

Be among the first to register for MCTF 2009!

Need Assistance ? http://my.jobstreet.com/announcement/2008/m/mctf09/mctf09_em_js_faq.htm