HRCleanUp

To Hyatt or Not to Hyatt

 
That is the question here in Boston.  So, let me tell you a story.  The Hyatt Hotel in its attempt to, I'm sure, save money recently outsourced all of its housekeeping staff.  But that isn't really the story here.  I am all for outsourcing when it makes sense but I'm more familiar with white collar outsourcing than I am with blue collar outsourcing.  This was downright mean outsourcing.

Click here if you want more details

In any event, the management of the hotels told the housekeepers that they were training new workers to fill in for vacations and to reduce overtime.  The staff, of course, was more than happy to train the relief workers and they understood that there would be less overtime.

Then, the hotel fired all of the housekeepers.  Some with over 22 years of tenure.  They had dutifully trained their replacements.  The Hyatt leadership team thought this was a great idea.  Well, it didn't please the Governor of Massachusetts, the Mayor of Boston, or the Cab Drivers.  Yep, all three threatened a boycott of the hotels. 

Yes!

They Hyatt responded.  They offered the housekeepers their jobs back with the new outsourcing company at their current wage and benefit level for one year.  Then, of course, their jobs would be eliminated and the new lower paid, crappy benefits team would rule the school.

And the Hyatt was surprised when many of the housekeepers didn't take the deal.  Why?  Hmmm, it is like a slow death--just waiting for the clock to count down the days until they are finished.  Many other hotels in town were more than happy to pick up the talent.  In fact, the Hyatt housekeepers, fully trained in working in a full service business class hotel were happy to put themselves to work at the Marriott, Hilton, Westin, and the new uber hip W.

I reflect on Ted Kennedy Jr.'s speech at his father's funeral mass.  When young Ted queried his father about why he left money for the maid when she already gets paid his father reflected back to him "Teddy, making beds all day long is back breaking work.  This woman has a family to feed and life isn't easy" (I'm sure I've butchered the quote but you get the idea).  If you want to hear the eulogy.

I think Ted Kennedy said all that needed to be said.

Experience Matters--Just Ask Circuit City

On Friday, the Wall Street Journal ran an article about the fact that Circuit City was going to begin the liquidation process for its remaining 550 stores--and, it will be putting 30,000 people out of work.  About a year ago, Circuit City actually fired its experienced associates with the goal of replacing them with less expensive less experienced workers--they figured  that the consumer just doesn't care who sells them a $2,500.00 television set.  I wrote about it back in December, 2007.

I hate to say "I told you so" but...

From Friday's WSJ On-Line..."At one point, the company sacked thousands of veteran salespeople and replaced them with lower-paid and less-experienced workers, believing that sales wouldn't suffer as a result. They did, and the damage to revenue – and Circuit City's reputation -- was never undone."

In these lean economic times, letting go of your most important asset...your skilled, seasoned employees, could be a deadly mistake.  The analysis of the benefits that seasoned workers bring to the organization must be a part of of your overall staffing strategy.  See, people chose Circuit City because of the knowledgeable workforce and because many of us don't want to buy from teenagers.  HR, this is where your partnership and knowledge of the line business is so critical--helping organizations understand the dire ramifications of their people decisions is our responsibility.

The cost--30,000 jobs and a great retailer. 

HR Students vs. The Automobile Industry CEOs

Last week in my HRIS course that I teach at Suffolk University, my students had to present a business case to the senior management of  a fictitious company.  The business case had to present the current state of affairs, the desired state of affairs, the cost of doing nothing, a procurement and a high level implementation plan. 

What does this have to do with the Automotive Industry?

As I was listening to these very sharp students discuss the ROI on HR technology solutions it occurredto me that they were better prepared for class than the CEOs of the Big 3 American Automakers were for their Congressional Hearing.  These executives just showed up.  No plan in hand.  No imagination.  No justification.  Did they just plan to "wing it"?  My students, on the other hand,  had done more preparation and funding justification for their in-class presentations than the heads of the Big 3 American Auto Makers did for a presentation to the Congress of the United States.  And most of my students took the Subway to class vs.  a private jet.

We constantly berate HR professionals for their lack of business acumen and avoidance of all things related to the bottom line of a business; however, if my students are any indication of what is to come in the field, I think that the CEOs of the Big 3 can learn a thing or two from them.

First, be professional.  Second, be prepared.  Third, have a plan of action.  Fourth,  when you are asking for a handout, don't take a private jet.  Perhaps the three of you could carpool.

Today is World AIDS Day

 

Today is December 1st.  It is also World AIDS day.  Would you like to learn more?

Check out http://www.hhs.gov/aidsawarenessdays/days/world/index.html and then click on "Facts".  You'll learn about the progress that has been made and all of the work that is yet to be done.

Veteran's Day

Unemployed Veterans

Unemployment rate for the 1.5 million veterans who have served in the armed forces since September 2001, by age, 2007.

Total, 18 years and over, 6.1%

• 18-24 years, 12.0%
• 25-24  6.0%
• 35-44, 2.8%
• 48-54, 2.1%
• 55-64, 6.2%

Source:  US Bureau of Labor Statistics

Happy Halloween

My good friend John used to work at the home office for a huge wholesale club.  One year, he came home with this story...

It seems that that every year, at Halloween, the home office employees would dress-up for Halloween--and I think my friend John had a lot to do with it.  In any event, John, who was always one for office hi jinx, pulled a little joke on the president's secretary.  He sent her a memo (yes, these were the days before email) informing her that she was required to dress up in costume and, as tradition had it, be ready in the company cafeteria at 7:30 a.m. to serve eggs to all of the employees at the Halloween Breakfast. 

Well, she didn't take kindly to this.  Not one bit.  In fact, she stormed around the office for an entire day  before John let her know it was a joke and she didn't really have to serve eggs to all of the employees.

If I had been her, I would have egged John's car--at the time, a 1990 Honda Civic named Wanda.

What is your office Halloween tradition? 

October 16th is National Boss’ Day!

Looking back over 50 years, of National Boss’ Day, workers everywhere may notice that one thing has remained constant: The big money is concentrated a the top, and the bigs are mostly men. As for the talent? Well, we have nothing controversial to say. After all, we’re up for promotion. Right, boss? --from Clay Dillow, Fast Company, October 2008

Here are some fun facts to go along with National Boss’ Day:

• More than 11 million people are employed in management occupations. 40% are women but of the Fortune 500, only 12 companies have female CEOs
• Women hold 15% of all board seats at Fortune 500 firms
• Of the 6,000 plue NYSE and Nasdag-listed U.S. companies, 98 were run by CEOs under the age of forty—however, just one, Julie Smolyansky, the CEO of Lifeway Foods, is a woman
• Companies with at least three women on their board averaged a 16.7% return—45% better than the typical company
• 11% of the CEOs at S&) 500s hold Ivy League undergrad degrees. The most common alma maters? Harvard, Princeton, and the University of Wisconsin—each of which produced 12 chief executives
• Hallmark increased its line of National Boss’ Day cards by 90% is 2007

What Can We Learn From the Bejing Olympic Athletes?

Job Fit.  You don't make it to the Olympics unless you fit the job.  I work with companies day in and day out helping them hire and retain employees who fit their jobs.  Why?  Well, just like in the Olympics, employees who fit their jobs will be able to:

Run faster

Jump higher

Play harder

and Execute the most perfect dive

So why?  Why do these athletes put their heart and soul into their sports?  Because they have passion.  And with that passion comes amazing results.  Even the contenders who don't win the medal's achieve amazing personal satisfaction for even getting to the games.

What can we learn about passion and job fit?  Well, for one, Passion isn't created by a manager or by a lofty mission statement.  Your passionate employees are passionate from within.  It is up to us to provide the right setting to let their passion work for them.

It is our responsibility to hire the right people for the right jobs.  We do this by paying attention to job fit.  When a person's thinking style, behavioral interests, and occupational traits are in alignment with the job--their passion will shine through.

Now, we just need to get out of the way and let them do their jobs!

Want to learn more about Job Fit?  Check out Profiles International.

Back from Vacation

I spent a week on Cape Cod, in Provincetown to be exact and it was a much needed break.  I spent as much time as possible sitting  on the beach.  The evening was filled with carousing through town and spending time with friends.  All in all, a perfect week.

I find it amazing how we have come to undervalue the need of a vacation.  We seem to think that we can work all of the time--just look at how the US compares to most developed countries in terms of required vacation time.  Let's look at some statistics:

According to Hewitt Associates, the country with the most vacation days is Denmark with 31, followed closely by Austria and Finland at 30 days. France and Norway are at 25 days, Germany at 24 days, Belgium, Ireland, the U.K., the Netherlands and Switzerland each at 20 days. Non-European countries measured include Brazil at 22 days, Australia at 20 days and Colombia and New Zealand each at 15 days. The U.S. is second from the bottom with 10 days, tied with both Canada and Japan. Only Mexico, with a piddly six days, offers employees less vacation time (source:  The Vault). 

Knowledge workers   need time away from work in order to have sustained productivity.  It becomes even more important when you are are considered a member of the creative class.  Why does the US lag so far behind other industrialized countries when it comes to vacation?  I think it because, as employees, we have allowed work and free time to merge together.  And why not?  Remote access tools have given us so much freedom when it comes to work--and it has also created new ties that bind (and gag) us to the office. 

I know it is tough, but unplug once in a while--even for a day or two.  No business will shut down if we miss a conference call...I promise.  Take the time that is given...every single day of it.  You only have a limited amount of time on the planet...make sure you take some of it for yourself, your friends, and your family.

You won't be sorry.

What's your vacation policy?  I'd love to hear from you. 

Happy 4th of July

In the United States, Independence Day (commonly known as the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 1776 declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, picnics, baseball games, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States, but is often also viewed as simply a summer festival, apart from its patriotic overtones. (Source:  Wikipeidia)

These photo's are from the Rockport, Massachusetts 4th of July Parade, 2007.