Creating a Proper Creating a Proper Workplace Workplace

EnvironmentEnvironment

March 2006March 2006

HIRING PROCESSHIRING PROCESS

Maintaining Positive Workplace Maintaining Positive Workplace EnvironmentEnvironment

Getting it Back!Getting it Back!

Communication!Communication! Communication!Communication! Communication!Communication!

HIRING PROCESSHIRING PROCESS

JOB DESCRIPTIONSJOB DESCRIPTIONS

What is expected of employee?What is expected of employee?

QualificationsQualifications

ExperienceExperience

Essential FunctionsEssential Functions

Provide Job Description to ApplicantsProvide Job Description to Applicants

Have the Job Description Available While Have the Job Description Available While Interviewing CandidatesInterviewing Candidates

Last Question: Do you have any Last Question: Do you have any concerns about meeting the concerns about meeting the

responsibilities listed on the job responsibilities listed on the job description?description?

MAINTAINING POSITIVEMAINTAINING POSITIVEWORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTWORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTHold Administrators AccountableHold Administrators Accountable

Superintendent, Human Resources Superintendent, Human Resources Director, and Business Administrator Director, and Business Administrator

Cannot Do It AloneCannot Do It Alone

Certificated Administrators Need to Certificated Administrators Need to Improve People Management SkillsImprove People Management Skills

PP Provide a positive working environmentProvide a positive working environment

RR Recognize, reinforce and reward Recognize, reinforce and reward individual individual effortsefforts

II Involve and engage everyoneInvolve and engage everyone

DD Develop the potential of your workforceDevelop the potential of your workforce

EE Evaluate and hold managers Evaluate and hold managers accountableaccountable

Work z: Benefits of a Great work EnvironmentWork z: Benefits of a Great work Environment

CommunicationCommunication ConsistencyConsistency CourtesyCourtesy

CommunicationCommunicationDo your employees hear what you Do your employees hear what you

are are saying?saying?

Have you communicated goals Have you communicated goals objectives and procedures clearly?objectives and procedures clearly?

ExerciseExercise

Why Do New Hires Fail?Why Do New Hires Fail? 40% of new hires fail within 18 months40% of new hires fail within 18 months 26% fail because they cannot accept 26% fail because they cannot accept

feedbackfeedback 23% fail because they do not understand 23% fail because they do not understand

the responsibilitiesthe responsibilities 17% fail because they have the wrong 17% fail because they have the wrong

temperament for the jobtemperament for the job 11% fail because they lack technical skills11% fail because they lack technical skills

statistics provided by Leadership statistics provided by Leadership IQIQ

How Do We Interpret What We Hear? How Do We Interpret What We Hear?

ArticleArticle

We hear faster than We hear faster than someone can speaksomeone can speak

Our brain creates Our brain creates mental pictures of what mental pictures of what we hearwe hear

We take side trips – We take side trips – daydreamdaydream

Our brain searches for Our brain searches for correct meaningcorrect meaning

Focusing on internal Focusing on internal and external and external distractionsdistractions

We do not always We do not always interpret the word in interpret the word in the way it was meantthe way it was meant

The way something The way something sounds can be even sounds can be even more important than more important than what is being saidwhat is being said

Jumping to Jumping to conclusions or conclusions or prejudices prevents us prejudices prevents us from listeningfrom listening

Obstacles To Good Listening (Communication)

FocusFocus

Take NotesTake Notes

Ask QuestionsAsk Questions

CONSISTENCYCONSISTENCYTreat Employees FairlyTreat Employees Fairly

Give Praise When It Is DeservedGive Praise When It Is Deserved

If a position or person In the office or dept. If a position or person In the office or dept. has rank – state it from the beginninghas rank – state it from the beginning

Flexibility is necessary, but do not go Flexibility is necessary, but do not go beyond benefits covered in the collective beyond benefits covered in the collective bargaining agreement or company policybargaining agreement or company policy

EVALUATIONSEVALUATIONS

Managers must complete evaluations Managers must complete evaluations at least on an annual basisat least on an annual basis

Evaluation should be based upon Evaluation should be based upon employee’s ability to complete employee’s ability to complete

responsibilities associated with the responsibilities associated with the job descriptionjob description

Avoid Evaluation InflationAvoid Evaluation Inflation

COURTESYCOURTESYAsk for feedback - Communication should not be one wayAsk for feedback - Communication should not be one way

If employee needs discipline or corrected, do it in private (generally not a public issue)If employee needs discipline or corrected, do it in private (generally not a public issue)

Unsatisfactory EvaluationUnsatisfactory EvaluationProvide Corrective ActionProvide Corrective Action

If employee does not respond positively If employee does not respond positively Move to dismissMove to dismiss

EMPLOYEE FEEDBACKEMPLOYEE FEEDBACKClimate SurveyClimate Survey

-- Identifies issues important Employee Groups Identifies issues important Employee Groups -- Identifies employee group satisfactionIdentifies employee group satisfaction-- Results can be skewedResults can be skewed

(on-going collective bargaining)(on-going collective bargaining)Employee Evaluation of Administrators Employee Evaluation of Administrators

-- Another source to identify administrator Another source to identify administrator strengths & strengths & weaknessesweaknesses-- Do Employee evaluations agree with DistrictDo Employee evaluations agree with District-- Results can be skewedResults can be skewed

(collective bargaining, employee discipline, (collective bargaining, employee discipline, policy policy enforcement) enforcement)

MOTIVATORSMOTIVATORS(Business Model)(Business Model)

Conceptual – Deal with Facts/RealtyConceptual – Deal with Facts/RealtyAesthetic – Visual Awareness of Their Aesthetic – Visual Awareness of Their

EnvironmentEnvironmentEconomic – Common interest in economic Economic – Common interest in economic

gaingainPower & Authority – Enjoy influence and Power & Authority – Enjoy influence and

seek positions of powerseek positions of powerSocial – Concern for others; equal Social – Concern for others; equal

opportunity enhances an organizationopportunity enhances an organizationDoctrine – Support tradition and customs; Doctrine – Support tradition and customs;

LoyaltyLoyaltySuccess Performance Solutions (scales for each category 0 – Success Performance Solutions (scales for each category 0 –

100)100)

INCENTIVESINCENTIVES

-- BonusesBonuses

-- Safety AwardsSafety Awards

-- Gift CertificatesGift Certificates

-- Paid Time OffPaid Time Off

Incentives can be difficult in a union Incentives can be difficult in a union atmosphereatmosphere

GETTING BACK!!GETTING BACK!!

FIRST RULE:FIRST RULE:

Never Let It Go!Never Let It Go!

This Rule is not realisticThis Rule is not realistic

PromotionPromotion

TransferTransfer

You Change JobsYou Change Jobs

NEGATIVE WORKPLACE NEGATIVE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT

Generally the result of some type of Generally the result of some type of conflictconflict

Office PoliticsOffice Politics

Personality Conflicts Between EmployeesPersonality Conflicts Between Employees

Between Employee & SupervisorBetween Employee & Supervisor

Union SentimentUnion Sentiment

Employee Just Does Not Like Working for Employee Just Does Not Like Working for A LivingA Living

YouYou Take Control! Take Control!If you are new to the position as Supervisor – inform If you are new to the position as Supervisor – inform

your Department employees that you will review your Department employees that you will review the procedures and the entire operation of the the procedures and the entire operation of the DepartmentDepartment

Following that review you will advise the employees Following that review you will advise the employees of any recommended changesof any recommended changes

Mini Entry PlanMini Entry Plan

Do Not set an arbitrary deadline unless it is requiredDo Not set an arbitrary deadline unless it is required

CONFLICT RESOLUTIONCONFLICT RESOLUTION

Methods:Methods:

1.1. NegotiationNegotiation

2.2. MediationMediation

3.3. ArbitrationArbitration

4.4. LitigationLitigation

Negotiation…….Self ControlNegotiation…….Self Control

Mediation……….Third Party ControlMediation……….Third Party Control

Arbitration………No ControlArbitration………No Control

Litigation………..No ControlLitigation………..No Control

RESOLVE OFFICE RESOLVE OFFICE CONFLICTSCONFLICTS

DICTATOR:DICTATOR: Risk High TurnoverRisk High Turnover

NEGOTIATOR:NEGOTIATOR: Tell the parties to Tell the parties to resolve it resolve it

themselvesthemselves

Risk GridlockRisk Gridlock

MEDIATOR:MEDIATOR: You are the mediatorYou are the mediator

OBJECTIVE CRITERIAOBJECTIVE CRITERIA

What are the issues?What are the issues?

Are they work related?Are they work related?

If non-work related, issue stops at the If non-work related, issue stops at the workplace doorworkplace door

Put yourself in their places!!Put yourself in their places!!

SEPARATE THE PEOPLE FROM SEPARATE THE PEOPLE FROM THE PROBLEMTHE PROBLEM

What is fact?What is fact?

What is perception?What is perception?

Advise parties to deal with factsAdvise parties to deal with facts

CONSIDER SUBSTANTIVE CONSIDER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUESISSUES

WAGESWAGES

BENEFITSBENEFITS

HOURSHOURS

WORK RESPONSIBILITIESWORK RESPONSIBILITIES

Getting To Yes, Without Giving InGetting To Yes, Without Giving In

CONSIDER RELATIONSHIP CONSIDER RELATIONSHIP ISSUESISSUES

1.1. Balance of emotion and reasonBalance of emotion and reason

2.2. Ease of communicationEase of communication

3.3. Degree of trust and reliabilityDegree of trust and reliability

4.4. Degree of mutual understandingDegree of mutual understanding

Getting to Yes Without Giving Getting to Yes Without Giving InIn

IDENTIFY OPTIONS TO IDENTIFY OPTIONS TO RESOLVE ISSUESRESOLVE ISSUES

1.1. Distribute responsibilitiesDistribute responsibilities

2.2. Provide opportunities for improvementProvide opportunities for improvement

3.3. Enforce policies everydayEnforce policies everyday

Organization comes first!Organization comes first!

If the solution solves the employees’ If the solution solves the employees’ problem, but hurts the organization, problem, but hurts the organization, then it is not a solution.then it is not a solution.

GOALSGOALS1. Define the problem.1. Define the problem.2.2. Identify a mutually acceptable Identify a mutually acceptable

solution that is good for the solution that is good for the employees and the organization.employees and the organization.

3.3. Develop or re-develop a working Develop or re-develop a working relationship.relationship.

Employees do not have to like each Employees do not have to like each other, but they must work together other, but they must work together to achieve Department/ to achieve Department/ Organization goals.Organization goals.

Do Not Ignore Employee Issues!Do Not Ignore Employee Issues!

If they cannot resolve it themselves – If they cannot resolve it themselves – you must decide based upon the you must decide based upon the facts and what is good for the facts and what is good for the organization.organization.

HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLEHIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE

1.1. Be ProactiveBe Proactive2.2. Begin With The End In MindBegin With The End In Mind3.3. Put First Things FirstPut First Things First4.4. Think Win-WinThink Win-Win5.5. Seek First To Understand Then To Be Seek First To Understand Then To Be

UnderstandUnderstand6.6. SynergizeSynergize7.7. Sharpen The SawSharpen The Saw

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Franklin The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Franklin CoveyCovey

PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIPPRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP

1.1. PathfindingPathfindingNo involvement, No commitmentNo involvement, No commitment

2.2. AligningAligningThe parts affect the whole, and the whole The parts affect the whole, and the whole affects the partsaffects the parts

3.3. EmpoweringEmpoweringDifferent needs, different approachesDifferent needs, different approaches

4.4. ModellingModellingTrust is built from the inside outTrust is built from the inside out

The 4 Roles of Leadership, Franklin CoveyThe 4 Roles of Leadership, Franklin Covey

COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

Consistency in a changing workplaceConsistency in a changing workplace

CourtesyCourtesy

Control – Balanced ControlControl – Balanced Control