As I communicate with other businesses, it has become clear that telecommuting or alternative work schedules are becoming more and more common.  Our firm now has 35% of our employees on an alternative work schedule, which included telecommuting.  The benefits of these arrangements have been vast, including:

• Increased productivity due to eliminated commute time
• Decreased involvement in office gossip
• Reduced stress
• Fewer disruptions in the work day

The telecommuters at our firm have worked hard to make this arrangement work and have developed systems to improve efficiency and communication, increasing both quality and productivity.  As an added benefit, employees who couldn’t get into work due to a snowy Minnesota day, could work from home and not miss a beat.  Not only did we not see a drop in productivity, the employee experienced reduced stress and risk of a potential accident.  We have concluded that our telecommuters are happier employees as outlined in the article, “The Real Reason Telecommuters Are Happier”.  Click here for the full article. 

According to the June 2011 report on the State of Telework in the U.S., businesses need to remember that they benefit from telecommuting as well.  Providing telecommuting as an option to employees, will:

• Improve their ability to recruit and retain the best people
• Increase productivity
• Decrease space requirements, absenteeism and energy costs
• Enable employee’s performance to be measured on what they accomplish rather than the number of hours they work

Whether we like it or not, telecommuting is the new normal.  In 2009, Forrester Research reported, “more than 34 million U.S. adults telecommuted at least occasionally”.  This is a significant number that cannot be ignored.  Not all businesses are ready to make this culture shift to managing a remote workforce.  It is not easy to overcome the issue of mistrust regarding whether employees are “really working”.  In addition, not all businesses have the tools, training and technology needed to support the remote employee.  Know this, we are currently seeing a new era of telecommuting that will impact how we work and become productive in the 21st century.

To receive assistance developing alternative work schedules, telecommuting policies, procedures or agreements, do not hesitate to contact me at lsimonson@fa-cpa.com.

For starters, identify your top performers and create a strategy to retain them.  Think outside the box and offer them what bigger size companies can’t always offer.  Share your company’s vision and how the employee fits in that bigger picture.  Communicate often, be transparent and honest.  Allow your employees to be creative and give them authority to get things done.  Provide them with challenging opportunities while creating an atmosphere for encouragement and appreciation.

As employee retention becomes a top issue in business again, stay keenly aware of this and look for opportunities to keep the top performers.  Here are a few other employee retention tips:

1. Revive your training and development programs.  Invest in your employees.
2. Get your managers and other leaders involved in coaching and mentoring employees.  Help strong performers move to the next level.
3. Revisit compensation and benefits.  Compare salary/benefits with other businesses and make necessary adjustments.
4. Review and adjust your culture.  Make sure that teamwork, flexibility and fun are all a part of your culture.  It’s often the little things that make the biggest difference for employees(contests, incentives, celebrations, etc.).
5. Show your employees that they are valued.  Recognize their achievements and comment on the many small contributions they make every day.

Much like when email first came into existence, it is natural to disregard social networking’s power and influence.  It is natural to see the negative attributes and not the benefits.  For many of us, social networking is foreign territory and it is difficult to see its impact on our business. 

I am of the opinion that social networking is not going away anytime soon.  If you look at the numbers, it is staggering.  Click here to view a short video on YouTube that demonstrates the impact and reach social media can have on business. 

Our firm has embraced social media, but we are only biting off small amounts of it.  We too can feel overwhelmed with it but by taking small steps in the social media world, we have been able to dip our toes before we jump head first into it.  Currently, we are using social media via LinkedIn and Facebook to market and recruit for our firm.

Froehling Anderson Careers was created for recruiting for our firm.  On the Froehling Anderson Careers page, we show pictures, videos and post status updates that reflect our firm’s culture.  The purpose of the career page is to attract candidates that would be a good for us and it allows them to see if we are a good fit for them. 

Recently, we used both Facebook and LinkedIn to advertise for a difficult position to fill.  We invested in an ad on LinkedIn, which cost $195.00 (our last employment ad in the newspaper was $850.00).  Because the position was unique, we honestly would have been happy with a handful of applicants yet we received 40 qualified candidates.  Based on this experience, social networking is a great strategy for us to reach candidates for open positions.  The Froehling Anderson Career page also enables students to “Like Us”, creating a large network of potential candidates as positions become available.

With cell phones, email and texting, a handwritten note seems to be a lost art in business. While I love all our new technology, a handwritten note can be a powerful tool that can leave a lasting impression. To help make writing that note easier, I now keep a stack of note cards and stamps close at hand. This is a good reminder for me to write a note to a special customer, vendor, or employee for their excellent service, dedication, or for going above and beyond.

Here are a few tips that have helped me and some of my other colleagues throughout the years:

1. Analyze your time to see where it’s going and which people demand the most of your time.
2. Evaluate what it is you want from your time; set goals.
3. Outline your priorities and respect these priorities. Refocus your mind to give attention and time to what is important.
4. Know the difference between urgent and important; don’t confuse the two. Urgent tasks are not necessarily important. If the task is important, it will lead us to our goals and give us long-term progress and reward.
5. Take time to plan. We often forge ahead without planning and outlining the specific action items that we want to accomplish. Taking time to plan will help identify potential conflicts, improve efficiency and minimize tasks from becoming urgent. Spending time in planning will actually lower time spent on routine maintenance tasks, giving us more time for those important items.
6. Schedule time for tasks and responsibilities. Undone items can be a drain on our mental energy. By having activities and tasks scheduled, we convince our mind that everything will get completed in due time.

Get control of your time; don’t let time control you. With more time, you will be able to enjoy family and friends this holiday season.

1. Developing effective interview questions to help me determine if the candidate will be able to perform the job. 
2. Reviewing details of the job requirements, the skill competencies and the behavior qualities that are needed in the position. 
3. Structuring interview questions and putting them into an interview guide that is issued for each candidate seeking employment for the same position. The guide allows me to compare candidates in fair and nondiscriminatory fashion.
4. Brushing up on inappropriate or illegal interview questions. It’s easy to get caught up in small talk and ask something of a candidate that really shouldn’t be asked. I try to stay alert to where the conversation may lead, even if the candidate brings up a topic; I look for ways to steer the discussion in another direction. 

Employers should not ask questions about race, ethnic background, or national origin, religious affiliation, marital status and family, gender and sexual orientation, health, or arrest record.  For your benefit, I have included a few sample questions that are inappropriate or illegal, along with other ways to frame your question.

Citizenship

Inappropriate:

• Are you a citizen of the U.S.?
• Are you, your parents or your spouse naturalized or native-born U.S. citizens?

Appropriate:

• Are you authorized to work in the U.S.?

National Origin

Inappropriate:

• Where were you born?  What is your nationality?
• What is the origin of your last name?

Appropriate:

• Are you authorized to work in the U.S.?

Criminal Record

Inappropriate:

• Have you been arrested?

Appropriate:

• Have you ever been convicted of a crime?

Age

Inappropriate:

• How old are you?  Date of birth?
• When did you graduate from high school?
• How much longer do you plan to work before you retire?

Appropriate:

• Before hiring, you can only ask if the candidate if he/she are over the minimum age for the hours or working conditions.
• After hiring, completing an I9 form includes verifying identity with a birth certificate or other ID, and asking age on insurance forms.
• What are your long-term career goals?

Health/Disability

Inappropriate:

• Do you smoke or drink?  Do you have any disabilities?
• How tall are you?  How much do you weigh?

Appropriate:

• Are you able to perform the specific duties of the job?
• After hiring, ask about medical history on insurance forms.

Family/Parental

Inappropriate:

• Questions concerning spouse, or spouse’s employment, salary, arrangements, or dependents.
• Are you pregnant?  Do you have any children?  How old are your children?
• What kind of child care arrangements have you made?

Appropriate:

• Are you able to meet the attendance requirements of the job?
• Are you able to travel as required by the position?
• Are you able to work overtime as required?

Marital Status

Inappropriate:

• Are you married, divorced, separated, engaged, widowed, etc.?
• Is this your maiden or married name?
• Do you prefer Ms. Miss or Mrs.?

Appropriate:

• After hiring, marital status on tax and insurance forms.

Military

Inappropriate:

• What type or condition is your military discharge?
• Are you in the National Guard?

Appropriate:

• Describe the relevant work experience as it relates to this position that you acquired from the U.S. Armed Forces.

Religion or Creed

Inappropriate:

• What is your religious affiliation?
• Which holidays do you observe?  Which religious holidays will you need to take off from work?

Appropriate: 

• What days are you available to work?
• Are you able to work the required schedule?

Residence

Inappropriate:

• Do you own or rent your home?  How long have you lived there?

Appropriate:

• Inquiries about the address to facilitate contact with the applicant.

Sex

Inappropriate:

• How do you feel about supervising men/women?  Do you get along with women/men?

Appropriate:

• Tell me about your experience in managing teams.

Miscellaneous

Inappropriate:

• What organizations or clubs do you belong to?  What volunteer activities do you do?
• What are you political views?
• Any question regarding current or past assets, liabilities or credit rating.
• What do you parents do for a living?

Appropriate:

• Are you a member of a professional or trade group that is relevant to our industry?
• Tell me how you became interested in this industry.

In addition, we have instituted a wellness initiative throughout our firm that has proven to be quite successful.  In June, we were presented with the Gold Wellness by Design Worksite award.  To my partners and my surprise, by having our wellness program in place, we were able to lower our health care premiums for 2011!

With the slow economy, it’s now more important than ever to promote healthier choices.  While productivity and overall revenue is important, if employees aren’t following safe practices and keeping themselves healthy, the result will eventually become a loss in earnings due to less productivity and compensation for sick days. 

Improving the health of employees, improves the health of your business by creating a productive workforce and lowering healthcare costs.  Businesses of all sizes can create a culture of health and wellness.  Here are a few ideas to help get you started:

• Create a wellness mission statement and communicate it often
• Check with your health care provider on free posters, workshops and wellness website
• Designate a Wellness Program leader
• Provide healthier snacks in the office (veggie tray, fruit, nuts, granola, yogurt, juice, etc.)
• Set up a weight loss challenge
• Encourage people to park farther away from the office building and take the stairs rather than the elevator
• Set up a lunchtime walking group
• Have hand sanitizer around the office
• Schedule onsite flu shots
• Share healthy recipes
• Bring doctors or other health professionals into the office to present to your staff
• Initiate morning stretching exercises
• Pay attention to ergonomics to ensure that staff is working safely
• Reimburse a portion of health club membership dues or see if your healthcare provider offers the reimbursement

Continuing to invest in a wellness program will not only improve the health of your workforce but they will feel that you value them.  Don’t delay; start developing your wellness program today.

Did you know that laughter actually creates a bond that brings others together?  Imagine a place where employees enjoy one another and share a laugh or two.  It may be hard to do but employees who enjoy their time at work will excel.  In fact, a fun workplace is not only more productive but it attracts people, profits and customers who like to work with happy people.

Here are 25 ideas to bring fun to your work place:

1. Form a fun committee, give them a budget and let them plan fun company activities
2. Celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, babies, advance education, etc. with cake
3. Have a puzzle or Lego’s in the break room for everyone to work on together
4. Theme days:   ugly sweater day, college sweatshirt day, red day, jersey day, etc.
5. Mini golf in the office or warehouse
6. Bingo at breaks or email numbers throughout the day until someone gets a bingo
7. Create a traveling trophy that rewards success at work (meeting a deadline, extra hours, exceptional customer service, etc.)
8. Photo guessing contest – have employees bring in baby pictures, teen pictures or pets
9. Potluck lunches and chili contests
10. Serve breakfast or a bbq lunch
11. Company scavenger hunt
12. Nerf dart board or basketball hoop in the break room
13. Stage marshmallow fights
14. Awards for the silly mistakes we all make
15. Gift cards for when you catch someone performing at a high level
16. In meetings, throw out pieces of candy to people who choose to participate
17. Create a company recipe book
18. Morning stretching sessions for staff
19. Bowls of apples for employees to encourage healthy snacking
20. Ice cream breaks; build your own sundae or root beer floats
21. Sponsor a company softball, volleyball or kickball team
22. Hire a massage therapist and provide afternoon chair massages
23. Pass out candy or homemade cookies
24. Celebrate the seasons:  coat drive, guess the number of chocolates in the jar, workspace decorating contests, etc.
25. Bagels with a boss once a month and share company news

This is precisely why solid orientation programs are so critical.  Imagine being invited to a dinner party and upon arrival, they did not have any refreshments, the food wasn’t prepared and there was no place for you at the dinner table.  Being unprepared for new hires makes them feel just like a dinner guest without a seat at the dinner table. 

Businesses need to remember that the initial days surrounding the orientation and training of a new employee are some of the most important days of their career.  New employees are excited, nervous and a bit apprehensive.  It is imperative that they feel comfortable, welcomed and a part of the team.  Getting a new employee off to a good start requires preparation.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare an orientation program for your new employee:

• Create an agenda for the entire first day.
• Educate them on the company’s history, mission and benefits.
• Ensure their paperwork is ready to go and have someone who can walk them through it.
• Have their business cards printed and ready for them on their first day.
• Make certain their workspace is clean and ready for them, including their name plate.
• Provide them with a key or security card for the building.
• Introduce them to all employees and show them around the company.
• Update them on policies, procedures and the culture of the company.
• Dedicate someone to be their “go to person” over the first few weeks of their employment.
• Supply them with an outline of the training process/program.
• Take them to lunch on their first day.
• Assign them a project/assignment on their first day so they can immediately feel like they are making a contribution.
• Give them a company shirt, hat, mug or some small token that will help them feel part of the company.

A well thought out orientation process solidifies the relationship between the new employee and the organization.  It fuels enthusiasm, a positive attitude and a quicker adjustment to the work environment.  The first impression sets the tone, so attention to those first days, weeks and even months.  Make it a welcoming, warm and educational start to their career at your organization.

Here are a few tips I have learned along the way to help meetings become more effective:

1. Do you need a meeting? Perhaps an email, phone call or written document would better communicate your message or meet your goal.
2. Outline the purpose of the meeting.  Outline the goal of the meeting by asking yourself, why you’re holding this meeting, what do you hope to accomplish and/or what do you want people to do when they leave?
3. Prepare an agenda. List out the topics to be covered, who is assigned to cover these topics and time estimates for discussion on each topic.  If the meeting is a follow-up meeting, make sure that your action items from the previous meeting are included on the agenda.
4. Be selective about who’s invited.  Invite individuals who are affected by the topic or who may contribute information.
5. Start and end the meeting on time. Avoid the urge to reiterate what has been discussed for latecomers and be respectful to others schedules by ending on time.
6. Table unplanned topics. Follow the agenda and when the conversation begins to stray, use the agenda to bring the group back on task.
7. Gather ideas in advance for brainstorming meetings. Come prepared to brainstorming meetings with an outline of ideas that were gathered in advance.  If you are unable to do this in advance, provide index cards at the door and have attendees start writing out their ideas.  Collect all cards and make sure all ideas are shared.  Make brainstorming meetings a safe place to share ideas and make sure all ideas are shared.  Make brainstorming meetings a safe place to share ideas by listing them all onto a flipchart.
8. Summarize the meetings. Keep a record of the meeting that includes action items, deadlines, assignments and all decisions that were made.  As the facilitator, you can assign this task to someone at the meeting (it can be effective to give this task to a daydreamer so they pay better attention).

Give these tips a try and see how your next meeting goes.  Time is valuable and proper preparation for meetings can be the key to using this time effectively.