Break Through Your Company’s Language Barriers

Legendary American businessman Lee Iacocca once said, “you can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” Communication is a key ingredient to great leadership and successful companies. From describing your strategic vision to assigning daily tasks, it’s important to be sure your messages are being received loud and clear. However for many businesses, that’s easier said than done.

From industry to company to department to team, there are a wide variety of language barriers present at every level of business that leaders must contend with in order to ensure a productive workforce.

Ethnic and Cultural Backgrounds

Many barriers are obvious, such as an employee’s native language, but others such as cultural differences may not be as readily identified. In either case, knowledge is power. The more you know about the various backgrounds of the individuals who make up your workforce, the better equipped you’ll be to recognize and react to different cultural cues when communicating with them.

Religion

Religion can be a very divisive topic and it’s important to tread lightly when addressing the subject in the workplace. Many comments or actions that are considered completely innocent to one group could easily offend another. From serving certain foods at company gatherings to a company’s stance on various social and political issues, religion may play a major role in many of the decisions your employees make every day.

Generational Differences

There are now four different generations working side by side in the modern workforce. And with each generation comes a different set of language barriers and communication best practices. There is a wide range of differing values, beliefs, and skills between the four groups. While it may seem daunting, knowledge is once again your best bet for effectively communicating with each of them.

Company Lingo

The daily lingo in many companies, especially corporate environments, is a veritable alphabet soup of acronyms and abbreviations, which can be especially frustrating for new employees. A comprehensive training program will help introduce a recent hire to the unique language of their new job. However, they probably won’t be fluent overnight. Taking time to explain certain phrases or expand on abbreviations during an employee’s first few weeks will ensure they don’t get lost and overwhelmed.

Language barriers exist in every business. From companies becoming more diverse, different generations moving in and out of the workforce, and advancements in technology, it’s just a natural part of the evolving workplace. And as a result, great leadership will become more and more defined by not only how you manage the business, but also how well you manage your people.

The Results are In: Your Thoughts on Experience vs. Education

In September, we asked you what is more important to your employee selection process, education, experience, or a combination of the two. And the results were conclusive, to say the least. More than 65% of respondents said qualified, on-the-job experience was the most important factor when hiring new employees. A combination of education and experience was selected second by 31% of respondents.

In a distant third, only 3% of respondents said strong college credentials are the most important factor to consider during the hiring process. For recent college graduates, this statistic could be particularly troubling since they typically do not have extensive on-the-job experience.

These statistics also help to emphasize the growing importance of employee retention. According to research by the American Psychological Association, only half of employees say they feel valued on the job and more than 30% indicated they plan on seeking new employment opportunities. And, in a time when the battle for talent is fierce, it’s in a company’s best interest to make every effort to retain their most skilled and experienced workers.

It’s hard to believe with unemployment still hovering around the 9% mark that many companies are struggling to hire new employees. But in a climate where hiring decisions carry even more weight than before, business leaders have to be picky to ensure the investment they make in a new hire won’t be lost due to turnover, poor cultural fit, inexperience, or a wide variety of other factors.

Are Your Hiring and Retention Efforts Balanced?

The workplace is always evolving. The recession, in particular, has hastened and highlighted many of these changes, including the growing age gap among the current workforce. According to a study from the Pew Research Center, over the past 20 years the number of older workers has steadily risen, while younger adults are waiting longer to enter the labor force. This means that the workplace is becoming even more diverse in the age groups it contains, and leaders are now dealing with the added strain of catering their retention and recruitment efforts to this varied palette of employees.

As you strive to maintain and grow your own workforce, keep these considerations in mind as you try to find the right candidates with the experience, culture fit, and attitude you’re looking for.

The Experienced
Workers age 55 and older will account for 90% of the labor market increase from 2008 to 2018, according a recent article in The Christian Science Monitor. And, in a report from CNN, by 2018, almost one out of four employees 65-years-old and beyond will choose to remain in the labor force. Surprisingly, this uptick is not solely tied to financial hardships brought on by the economic collapse. These seasoned workers are choosing to remain in the working world for reasons ranging from living longer to desiring to stay active and engaged. And, as a positive sign to employers, the Pew Research Center study revealed the highest percentage of satisfied workers is among workers 65 and older, with 54% saying they work because they want to. In addition, the Deloitte Talent Edge 2020 study showed Baby Boomers are looking for specific motivations from their employers, including additional benefits, more financial incentives, increased compensation, and strong leadership. But, employers receive a lot in return from this generation of workers. According to research from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, older workers are valued for their institutional knowledge, skills, dependability, training abilities, and long-standing relationships with clients.

The Youth
On the flip side, the Pew Research Center revealed that the percentage of workers age 16 – 24 within the labor force is at an all-time low. This age group cites two reasons for this – education and lack of jobs. Of those not working, 49% say they don’t work because they’re focused on school and training while almost four out of 10 list inability to find a job as their reason for unemployment. Unlike their older counterparts, almost half said the top reason they work is because they need the money, and only 20% said they actually want to work. Additionally, just 29% of this age bracket lists themselves as “completely satisfied with their job.” However, the younger generations still have a lot to offer. According to the recent Bank of America Merrill Lynch report, employers want these younger employees due to their fresh ideas, innovation, and technological skills, as well as the fact that they’re needed for future growth and succession planning. Businesses should keep in mind, however, that the motivators for the younger generations are much different from their older counterparts, as shown in the Deloitte study. They are looking for a company culture that aligns with their personal values, flexible work arrangements, new training programs, and support and recognition from managers.

Despite the rather stark differences, the Bank of America Merrill Lynch research concluded that 94% of employers believe it is important to retain older workers and 98% said it’s also important for them to attract younger employees. And, with college graduates having a hard time finding work as a result of employers choosing to under-employ experienced, older workers in exchange for lower pay, it’s vital that employers not lose sight of the importance of building a diverse workplace. Filling your workplace with both experienced, knowledgeable employees and youthful, innovative professionals will not only balance out your employees’ strengths and weaknesses, it will also ensure your business is ready to achieve success both now and in the future.

Untrained Employees Lose Companies Time and Money

Company leaders are in a place of great influence and responsibility, so if they lack training and knowledge in how to manage their own workflow, problems can spread quickly throughout an organization. Dr. Cubie King, a business professor atNationalUniversityinSan Diego,Calif., believes most employees desire to be the best for their company. “Underneath that suit of clothes beats the heart of a real person who, more often than not, truly wants to do a great job for your company or organization,” King said. But, to be able to do their best for their company, employees need the right tools and training to help ensure success.

In a recent Hiring Trends survey conducted by Express Employment Professionals of companies, 55 percent of respondents said they do not train their leaders on how to handle an increased workload. This lack of training becomes apparent most often when deadlines need to be met and the pressure to reach goals is at its highest. So what can employees do to avoid letting the organization down when the demand is high?

Make sure employees are fully aware of job expectations so they can focus on growing the company. Fifty-four percent of business leaders who took the Express survey say they lose up to six hours a week because they are busy being reactive instead of proactive. Oftentimes, the employees in an organization begin working within the parameters of their position, and down the road take on tasks they should delegate to others. Training every person in the organization will help them know their responsibilities and what is expected of them.

If it becomes clear that employees are struggling to keep up with their workloads, consider offering company-sponsored training classes on how to utilize technology, deal with time management, and improve work-flow processes. You can also save money by utilizing people within your own company to teach the classes. Talk with your human resources and information technology teams to see if they would be willing to offer their perspective on the topic of time management. For example,MaryvilleCollegeinTennesseeutilizes its staff members by having them lead different employee workshops. This easy solution to a training problem is cost effective and offers employees more time in their own familiar office setting. The trainers may also have information to offer on time management or project management software that could bring an added benefit to the training.

It’s also important to ensure leaders know the value of showing appreciation for their team’s accomplishments. If a complicated, quick turn-around order gets shipped out on time, employees love hearing a “congratulations” or “nice work” from their supervisor. Big parties and free food are great, but they don’t need to be a weekly occurrence. So often, it’s the small thank-you cards or emails and handshakes that can keep an employee motivated to continue working hard.

Finally, make sure the next person you hire understands the demands of the job. For instance, ask them how they handle high pressure situations, working under deadlines that can quickly change, and how they work with teammates to reach goals. A mentoring system is also important, so that new employees can have someone in place to help them during the first few critical months. Heather Brighton of The Brighton Group, a strategic management and consulting firm, believes this is an overlooked, but very successful tactic. “By introducing recruits to the office culture immediately, mentors make them feel important and necessary to the company’s success,”Brighton said.

Untrained leaders and employees do not need to be the status quo of your business. Simple changes will help make sure your organization has the best trained and prepared leaders who can improve productivity and employee engagement.

Staying Encouraged During the Job Hunt

While recent unemployment rates have slowly declined, the average job hunt is still lasting six to eight months, discouraging many job seekers. Despite positive reports, such as CNNMoney’s recent survey where economists predict an average of 2.5 million jobs to be added to the U.S. in 2011, the growth is slow.

As Christine Owens, from the National Employment Law Project, reported on the radio program Marketplace, while the rate decreases are encouraging, the number of discouraged job seekers is growing. Some people on the job hunt have given up altogether, which means they are no longer even being counted as “unemployed.”

As the search for a job drags on, it can be hard to remain upbeat and positive. But, today’s job hunt is a marathon, not a sprint, so it’s imperative that job seekers not give up and stay motivated. Searching for a job is a job in and of itself, which means the same tips that apply to discouraged and unmotivated employees apply to today’s job seekers. So, if you’re feeling the strain of searching for a job or know someone who is, take a look at these tips to stay motivated.

Get Organized

After a few months, or even just a few weeks, of calling employers, searching job boards, and emailing résumés, all your efforts can run together. You are required to track at least some of your job search activities to receive unemployment, but if you’re doing anything additional you need your own tracking system. Whether you prefer a notebook or a spreadsheet on your computer, keep a list of the companies you’ve contacted, who you talked to, when you talked with them, if you spoke over the phone, in-person, or through e-mail, what they said, and what the results were. Not only will this ensure you don’t contact the same employer too often, but it will also give you a sense of accomplishment that you have been trying and doing everything in your power to find a job.

Change Your Surroundings

Sitting around your house at your dining room table or on your couch day after day sifting through the want ads or scanning for jobs online can get old fast. Try going to a local bookstore or coffee shop for a change of scenery. Your public library is also a good place to go, especially if you need a computer for searching job sites or emailing applications. Local meeting places such as these often have bulletin boards where employers post job openings, which are another great resource for your hunt.

Take a Break

Everyone needs a break from their day-to-day activities, and that includes job hunting. If you’ve been job searching for a while, take a day or two off. Work around the house. Go to the park with your family. Volunteer with a local non-profit. See a dollar movie. You’ll come back to the job hunt feeling refreshed, less stressed, and with a new outlook. You’ll be ready to start again with new energy, and you never know what networking opportunities you might find on your break.

Ask for Help

With the number of individuals searching for jobs, it never hurts to have as many people as possible helping you market your skills and experience. Make sure all your family members, friends, and acquaintances know you’re looking for work. Contact your local staffing companies and give them your information. As a job seeker, you should not be charged, and you’ll gain access to companies and job openings that you didn’t have access to before.

Whether you’ve been searching for a few days or for six months, the job hunt can be discouraging. Experts are predicting good things in 2011. Make it your goal to get one of those 2.5 millions jobs in 2011, stay motivated, and keep trying.

On Being Productive

By Jim Stovall

All of us want to get more out of our personal and professional lives. Accomplishing this goal will require us to be more productive in every area. Productivity is simply the process of achieving more results in areas where we wish to excel. Productivity is not simply a matter of working faster or working harder. It is, instead, the process of working more effectively.

Several years ago, I wrote a book based on my research with Steve Forbes and legendary coach John Wooden entitled Ultimate Productivity. The popularity of that book has given me the opportunity to work with a number of organizations that want to, collectively, be more, do more, and have more.

On the Ultimate Productivity website, you can take a free Ultimate Productivity Profile and receive your own personalized productivity assessment. Your access code is 586404.

Productivity can be broken down into three elements, which are motivation, communication, and implementation. It all begins with motivation.

Motivation is the first thing we get when we come into this world and the last thing we lose as we leave it. Victory does not always go to the strongest or fastest. It most often goes to the individual or group that is the most motivated. If you are giving your maximum effort, and your competition is only giving moderate effort, you are more likely to succeed.

Motivation comes in different forms and styles. It is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. In our Ultimate Productivity training, we have found people motivated by money, titles, inclusion, recognition, and many other motivating factors.

The second element of productivity is communication. None of us can ever succeed on our own. We must be a part of a motivated team. In order to become a part of a motivated team, we must communicate our vision. Communication comes in many forms. Some people need to communicate in written form and others are verbal. Some people need to see it on paper while others need to hear it or see graphs and models. There is no right or wrong way to communicate. There is only the best way to communicate with each individual.

Finally, the third element of productivity is implementation. We live in a world where when it’s all said and done, there’s a lot more said than done. I would recommend you review a book entitled Get ’Er Done: The Green Beret Guide to Productivity by Michael Martel.

You will never be rewarded for thinking of the right thing to do, believing in the right thing to do, intending to do the right thing, or planning to do the right thing. You will be rewarded for doing it.

As you go through your day today, commit to getting more out of every area of your life by being personally and professionally productive.

Today’s the day!

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by e-mail at Jim@JimStovall.com; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor.

Express Employment Professionals: The Company Behind the Name

The next several Express blog entries will be about our company, our values and services to give our followers a better understanding of who we are and what we stand for. To start, here’s our company mission and vision.

Our Mission

To professionally market and provide quality human resource solutions through an international franchising network that profit our associates, customers, franchisees, corporate staff, stockholders and communities in which we conduct business.

Our Vision

To help as many people as possible find good jobs by helping as many clients as possible find good people.

For more information about finding a position of filling one in the Greater Palm Beaches, call Express Employment Professionals’ West Palm Beach office today at 561.471.8685 or visit http://wpalmbeachfl.expresspros.com/.

About Express Employment Professionals

For over 25 years, the mission of Express Employment Professionals has been to help people find jobs and help businesses find the people and human resource services they need. We accomplish this mission through a network of more than 550 employment agencies in the United States, Canada, South Africa and Australia. Each Express employment agency is locally owned and operated and backed by the expertise and support of an international headquarters. Simply put, Express is large enough to meet your employment needs, yet small enough to care.

If you’re a job seeker, Express will assess your skills, offer interview and résumé writing tips, and work with you to find a job that fits your needs and abilities. Applicants never pay a fee at Express, and you’ll have the opportunity to earn benefits such as medical insurance, holiday pay, vacation pay, referral bonuses and much more.

As a full-service staffing agency, Express provides employment services and human resource solutions to help meet employers’ needs and production goals. For your HR needs, our services include:

• HR Hotline
• Human Resource audits
• Employee handbook creation
• Job Training and development
• Affirmative action plan creation
• eFeedback™
• Organizational Effectiveness Survey

Our staffing solutions include evaluation and direct hire, temporary and contract staffing, professional search and contract, flexible staffing, and onsite services.

If you’re looking to own your own business, Express offers a successful franchise system that provides exceptional training, service and support.
Express offers professional search and contract staffing services through its Specialized Recruiting Group. Through this service line, candidates with experience in accounting, engineering, information technology and many other fields are placed in short- or long-term contract work or full-time positions.

For more information about Express Employment Professionals, go to our corporate website at http://www.expresspros.com.

Express Employment Professionals: A Good Corporate Citizen

Express Employment Professionals supports many organizations on both an international and local level. Our philanthropic committee designates funds to a variety of causes each year through our corporate giving program. Our corporate citizenship program supports the efforts of our franchisees to give to their preferred organizations in their local communities.

Children’s Miracle Network
Express is a national fundraising partner with Children’s Miracle Network. We have raised over $3.5 million for the organization since establishing our partnership in 1991. From annual corporate fundraising events at our international leadership conference to local Children’s Miracle Network balloon sales in our U.S. and Canadian offices, Express proudly supports Children’s Miracle Network throughout North America.

Express Clydesdales
The Express Clydesdales travel throughout North America to our local Express offices and are featured in Children’s Miracle Network fundraising events, local Express events and parades of all sizes. They also travel to shows and compete at Rodeos and other horse events.

EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS TO HELP FILL 100 NEW POSITIONS IN FLORIDA FOR A CANADIAN SECURITY FIRM’S U.S. OFFICE RELOCATION

West Palm Beach, Florida (July 7, 2011) – - -Express Employment Professionals has been selected to staff the accounting department of a Canadian security and cash logistics company moving its U.S. headquarters from Pasadena, Calif., to Boca Raton. The West Palm Beach office of Express Employment Professionals is heading up the search for qualified accounting professionals from mid-level managers to first-line specialists.

“The office relocation is great news for the South Florida job market,” says Lee Fossett, president of Express Employment’s West Palm Beach location. “We’re looking for sharp, energetic accounting professionals with at least two years accounting-department experience in a corporate environment.”

According to Fossett, open positions for the department—which is slated to be up and running August 1—include:

• Billing and contracts administration manager. Salary up to $60,000. Four-year degree required and five or more years of managing an accounts receivable department or related position.
• First-line accounts payable manager. Salary up to $60,000. Four-year degree required and five or more years of managing an accounts payable department.
• First-line accounts receivable manager. Salary up to $60,000. Four-year degree required and five or more years of managing an accounts receivable department.
• Collections manager. Salary up to $60,000. Four-year degree required and five or more years of managing an accounts receivable or collections department.
• Executive assistant. Salary up to $45,000. Tri-lingual (English, Spanish and French) preferred. Bilingual marginally acceptable. Utmost professionalism a must.
• Collections agents/collections. $14 to $20 per hour. Four openings. Two or more years commercial collections experience required.
• Accounts payable specialists. $14 to $18 per hour. Three to five openings. Two or more years commercial accounts payable experience required.
• Cash application specialists. $14 to $18 per hour. Two openings. Two or more years cash application experience required.
• General ledger specialists. Up to $20 per hour. Four openings. Two or more years general ledger experience required.
• Property tax specialists. Pay scale to be determined. Two openings. Two or more years commercial property tax experience required.
• Risk management claims processor. Up to $20 per hour. Three openings.
• Billing and invoicing specialists. Up to $18 per hour. Four openings.
• Payroll clerks. Two openings. Two or more years multi-location payroll experience required.
• Multiple positions for data entry clerks, billing clerks, receptionists, etc. also open.

Only accounting professionals who live within a reasonable driving distance to Boca Raton and with the above outlined qualifications will be considered. Interested candidates should email their resume directly to Lee Fossett at Lee.Fossett@expresspros.com

Express Employment Professionals is a staffing agency providing businesses throughout Greater Palm Beach with temporary employees for periods of peak production, upgrades to key positions, payroll outsourcing and HR-related services. For information about Express Employment Professionals, call 561-471-8285 or visit http://www.wpalmbeachfl.expresspros.com.