Filed under: Corporate Culture | Tags: Communication, company values, core values, corporate culture, employees, Human Resources
Values Matter!
Why it’s Important to Promote Company Values
by Jim Guttmann, SPHR
As business owners and managers, we often rely on work rules as the basis for how we guide employees. For instance, violations of work rules that may result in disciplinary action are usually spelled out in an Employee Handbook. This is a necessary and important guide in setting boundaries for employee behavior that is considered “acceptable” or “unacceptable”. The aim is to ensure compliance.
However, if you are looking to provide sufficient guidance and direction for your employees, it is not enough to merely provide rules concerning infractions to company policy. Don’t just tell them what they shouldn’t be doing. You must also be sure to tell them what behavior is expected of them as an employee of your company. This is best done when companies have stated values that explain the behaviors that are desired, and why they are important to your company.
It has been found that when values are based on sound principles of business necessity and frequently promoted, a vast majority of employees will readily buy into them. Values help define the company culture that you as a business owner or manager hope to create; while for the employee, they offer insight as to the qualities of a model employee.
What a way to encourage self-discipline and commitment from your employees to the company’s goals!
By promoting your core values, you have some safeguards against unethical behavior, misconduct, harassment, bullying etc. Rather than leaving it to employees to wonder what the company values, it is good to often remind them. This is done as a way to motivate, inspire and guide.
If you don’t already have established values to guide your company, consider developing and promoting them. After recording your company’s core values on paper, it is very important to reinforce those values with your employees. Your company should give considerable attention to promoting those beliefs so employees will begin to internalize them. First of all, take every opportunity to advertise your core values to your employees. For instance, staff members entering our company’s offices each work day view an electronic monitor that reminds them of our Foundations. If your company has an employee recognition program for outstanding customer service, note how that outstanding service links to one of your core values. If you conduct annual performance reviews, include in the performance review the details as to what core values that the employee has demonstrated throughout the year. Another good initiative is to conduct periodic employee surveys to measure to what extent that the company is living up to its core values. Believe me; your employees will let you know.
Each of these kinds of initiatives makes your core values meaningful. It’s much more than just good PR for your company. It becomes part of your company’s culture.
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Jim Guttmann, SPHR
As a Landrum Professional Human Resources Manager, Jim is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has over 20 years of HR generalist experience for a large government contractor and Fortune 500 Company. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Florida State University and is an active member of the Greater Pensacola Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (GPCSHRM), previously serving as their Vice President of Information Services and Chairman of the Workplace Diversity Committee. Jim is also certified as a County Mediator and in the administration of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
Filed under: Corporate Culture, Landrum Lagniappe | Tags: "corporate culture", core values, Human Resources, PEO, Working a Better Way
June 22, 2011
“From Vine to Mouth – Responsibilities and Privileges”
by Grace Whalen
Recently I began reviewing our company’s foundations and core values through a series of emails to the employees on our First Impression Team (FIT); our front desk staff and switchboard operators who greet and speak with our clients, employees, and applicants daily. Although a few of them are newer to Landrum than their fellow FIT team member, the friendly reminders can be educational and always refreshing and motivating for everyone. Right?
I first addressed “Responsible Behavior” by sharing a poem written by one of my heroes, Mattie Stepanek, an American child poet, peace advocate and bestselling author.
“Every privilege comes with a responsibility. Sounds tough.
Every responsibility comes with a privilege. Sounds durable.”
Mattie wrote that when he was 8 years old. When I was 8 years old, I was living the concept. As a child, I enjoyed picking deep red tomatoes from their vines and eating them right in the garden! Vine to mouth…what a wonderful privilege it was to be able to do that. But, in order to enjoy that privilege, I had to take on the responsibility of weeding in between the bountiful plants under the hot summer sun every day and watering them during long dry spells.
“Responsibility is the price of greatness” Winston Churchill
In the workplace and in life, in order to truly merit the privileges offered, you must be responsible in your behavior, your daily habits, your thoughts and actions. You must be answerable to your decisions and accountable for your actions. Being reliable and dependable are critical factors, as well. Our clients depend on our sense of responsibility to them and their employees. We understand that any actions we take that are not in our clients’ best interest can damage not only our reputation, but theirs, as well. Our applicants trust us to be responsible when getting them set up in our system and ultimately find them meaningful employment. They expect us to complete such forms as the I-9s and the W-4s according to mandated guidelines, and not place anyone, including our company, in a bad position by breaking the rules or making errors. Being responsible means doing things the right way, “even when no one is watching.” It involves self-control and self-respect.
Think about everything you do today so that doing it right today becomes a natural response/action tomorrow.
I hope to share more about the foundations that Landrum has adopted to serve not only in our workplace but benefit all of us in everyday life. Share a story about your own company foundations in the comment section. I will look forward to the conversation. Grace
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As Drug Free Workplace Coordinator, Grace oversees the Drug Free Workplace compliance for all Landrum Human Resources clients. She has been with Landrum for 18 years and has performed thousands of employee and applicant drug tests. Grace is responsible for maintaining and documenting all drug tests results and works closely with the Landrum HR Managers to reconcile any Drug Free Workplace related issues.
Grace earned her Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing from Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She spent 15 years as a volunteer in several facets of the public educational system.
Grace is a gifted writer who artistically blends her creativity and wit into very entertaining articles and poems. She enjoys cooking and is an exceptionally talented baker.
Filed under: Corporate Culture, Customer Service, Human Resources | Tags: "customer service training", "Customer Service", Communication, employees, Human Resources, relationships
October 5, 2010
Celebrating Customer Service
In 1992 the U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event, celebrated annually during the first full week in October. Customer Service Week is devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service and to honoring the people who serve and support customers with the highest degree of care and professionalism.
At Landrum Human Resources, we pride ourselves in exceptional customer service. We hope you enjoy this month’s blog posts as we share some of our favorite customer service stories. We begin with a true story titled “Wrong Number? - No such thing in customer service”. We hope you find our series of short, customer service parables informative and entertaining. Enjoy.
Wrong Number?
No such thing in Customer Service
One of my favorite customer service stories comes from a “Wrong Number” phone call. I used to work for a bank that insisted every phone call should be answered by a live person. Our policy was to try to provide immediate help to the person who called, even if they called the wrong department. In short, there was no such thing as “that’s not my job” or “you need to call a different number and ask for so and so.” You can imagine our clients expected a lot from us, but they were very happy with the service they received!
To make things even more interesting, my direct line was only one digit different from the bank’s main phone line. Naturally, I got an excessive number of calls at the first of each month, when folks called to make sure their direct deposits had “hit the bank.” Since I was in commercial banking, these calls gave me a good reason to stay sharp at looking things up on the bank’s depository system. Usually the calls lasted only a few seconds and the customers were happy to have a quick answer.
Sometimes, however, I got an angry customer on the phone. One Friday afternoon, I got a customer who was stuck in a very long line in the drive through. She had a very deep, gravelly voice and she was quick to let me know how angry she was that the line was not moving at all. She pointed out that there were several open lanes, but we 
were not smart enough to see that they needed to be staffed with tellers! She told me I needed to look outside the window and see for myself. I asked her at which branch she was waiting. She told me she was at a very busy branch across town. I immediately apologized for her wait and I told her I was grateful she took the time to call and let me know. Since it would not have made her any happier, I didn’t waste time trying to explain that I was at the main office several miles away.
I told her that I personally knew the branch manager, and told her I’d ask them to open some more lanes. As soon as my caller realized that I was genuinely concerned about her complaint, and was going to take action, she calmed down a little bit. I wanted to make sure we got the problem resolved, so I asked for her phone number so I could call her back. She was delighted to give it to me.
I called the branch manager, who confirmed that it was “a mad house” and she was short-staffed. She did promise to open another lane in the drive thru. I waited a couple of minutes and called my new friend back. She confirmed that traffic was moving so much better now that they had opened the other lane. She was delighted that she was now next in line to make her deposit and she told me that this kind of concern for customers was why she kept banking with us. I thanked her again and we both got back to what we were doing before.
I thought that was the end of it, but my new friend called me back the very next Friday afternoon. I admit I cringed a little bit when I heard that distinctive voice, but she quickly let me know that she just wanted to call me and say things were going well and the drive thru lanes were functioning very smoothly! She also told me a little “secret.” She said she knew I was not the customer service hot-line operator. One of the tellers had told her I was a Vice President in Commercial Banking. She said she was so impressed that we cared so much for our customers that she had been re-telling the “wrong number” story to all her friends. It turns out that she owned a little shop and her friends were also business owners. As a result of a few minutes on the phone, the bank picked up several new accounts!
From that day on, I always looked forward to those “wrong number” calls! At the very least, I would make a new friend, and sometimes we even got new business from them!
Bill Cleary, Landrum Human Resources
Bill Cleary, Vice President of Business Development and Client Relations
Landrum Professional Employer Services
As the vice president in charge of client relations, Bill is responsible for assuring that the needs of all clients, new and existing, are communicated fully within Landrum to ensure the highest quality service.
Prior to joining Landrum, Bill had a successful career in banking. As Vice President in commercial banking, he served for several years as relationship manager to all Landrum entities before being promoted to Area Credit Officer for northern Florida.
Before his banking career, Bill served as a Marine helicopter pilot and flight instructor. He attended the University of West Florida where he earned his MBA degree.
Filed under: Corporate Culture, Human Resources, Landrum Lagniappe, Uncategorized | Tags: "human resources consulting", Communication, employees, Human Resources, Mayberry, Micro managing
July 26, 2010
Mayberry Monday – Rafe Hollister Sings
By Holly McLeod, PHR
Mayberry had two mayors depicted on The Andy Griffith Show. Mayor Pike was loveable, a little daft, and highly susceptible to the influence of others. In town council meetings, Mayor Pike’s opinion on any given subject was always identical to the person who had just spoken. Mayor Stoner, on the other hand, knew exactly what he wanted. Mayor Stoner was pretentious, condescending, and meddled in how Andy ran the sheriff’s office. Mayor Stoner was a micromanager. For the record, I never cared much for Mayor Stoner.
Mayor Stoner - from The Andy Griffith Show
The musicale was supposed to be an upscale event hosted in Mayberry. Barney Fife auditioned, of course, because he was under the delusion he could actually sing. While Barney was practicing for the audition,
Rafe Hollister - The Andy Griffith Show
Mayor Stoner and the head of Mayberry’s chapter of the Ladies League, Mrs. Jeffries, were aghast when they heard that Rafe Hollister was to represent Mayberry at the musicale. You see, Rafe was an uneducated farmer who looked and talked the part. Rafe wore dirty overalls and a floppy hat, he was unshaven, and I imagine he smelled like he needed a good bath. All Mayor Stoner could see was Rafe’s outward appearance, and wasn’t interested in considering there might be something beautiful on the inside.
To Mayor Stoner, micromanager, all that mattered was that he and Mayberry might be embarrassed. As a result he ordered Andy to tell Rafe he couldn’t perform at the musicale. Andy thought that if he spruced up Rafe’s appearance it might help change Mayor Stoner’s mind, so he devised a plan to get Rafe in a new suit (which was much too small for him). When the new and improved Rafe stepped in the room, his wife proudly told him he looked good enough to get buried – that’s high praise to folks like the Hollisters.
When Rafe went out of the room, Mayor Stoner told Andy he guessed Rafe “would do” and that he could sing at the musicale as long as he didn’t associate with anyone. Unbeknownst to Stoner, Rafe’s wife was right there and heard everything he had said. Andy then began making other plans.
When the big moment came and it was Rafe’s turn to sing, you can imagine Mayor Stoner’s astonishment when the “old” Rafe – the one in overalls – stepped on stage. Rafe then began singing a beautiful song and the audience was rapt with attention and appreciation. At the end of the song, the President of the entire Ladies League got up and graciously praised Rafe, his song and… his appearance. She praised Mayor Stoner and Mrs. Jeffries for having Rafe dress that way, since it was “so much more authentic.” Mayor Stoner had assumed Rafe would embarrass him, but Rafe ended up making the town of Mayberry proud.
Stoner hadn’t wanted Rafe to sing, and he didn’t want to listen to reason. He was a micromanager.
C. William Pollard, former CEO of ServiceMaster credited with the company being recognized by Fortune magazine as the #1 service company among the Fortune 500, said “It is a leader’s responsibility to set the tone, to learn to accept the differences of people, and to foster an environment where different people can contribute as part of the whole and achieve unity in diversity.” Such unity cannot be achieved when the direction of the group is being dictated by one person with tunnel vision.
Successful teams are led by someone who seeks and incorporates the ideas of others; they also include team members who are allowed to freely express their thoughts without fear of being reprimanded for questioning the status quo. Effective managers empower their employees to think for themselves. If you find that you have any of the following “symptoms” of being a micromanager, you might try to learn a lesson from Mayor Stoner:
• Discouraging others from making decisions without your input
• Hesitant or refusal to delegate
• Spending a lot of time overseeing your staff members’ projects
• Dwelling on small details instead of looking at the big picture
• Consistently finding something wrong with your staff’s work
• Your staff doesn’t take initiative, and need to check with you before doing anything
• You’ve been referred to by others as a micromanager, controlling, judgmental, critical or “power
hungry”
Mayor Stoner might have served in office longer had he recognized the importance of teamwork and empowerment. Thankfully, Andy was wise enough to circumvent such unreasonable directives without losing his job. Had Andy told Rafe he wouldn’t be able to sing, as ordered by the mayor, Mayberry wouldn’t have been represented by such fine talent. In all probability, the audience would have had to painfully endure Barney warbling “something from the light classics!”
Incidentally, Rafe Hollister is portrayed by the very talented Jack Prince. To hear his beautiful performance of “Lonesome Road” as sung at the Ladies League Musicale, click here. I also have to correct a misspelling in earlier postings. For many years I have envisioned that Aunt Beatrice Taylor’s name would be spelled Aunt Bea. Beatrice… Bea… it makes sense, right? Upon doing some research this week, I realized her name is actually spelled Aunt Bee. My sincere apologies to the Taylor family.
See you in Mayberry again next Monday. Stay tuned…
Holly McLeod is a Human Resources Manager for Landrum Professional Employer Services and Landrum Consulting. She is a certified professional in human resources (PHR) and has more than 15 years of human resources consulting in the corporate world, healthcare and manufacturing environments
By Yvonne Nellums, PHR
Yesterday in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a former employee entered a fiber optics manufacturer and killed three employees and wounded eight others before turning the gun on himself. It appears this incident is a result of a domestic dispute. Albuquerque Chief Ray Schultz stated, “In a situation like this, there are other people in the building and they became, unfortunately, casualties as well.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2007 there were 610 homicides in the workplace. Workplace violence and domestic violence in the workplace have devastating effects on management and employees. There is a personal loss, which also can lead to an incalculable economic toll.
Employers should take definitive measures to minimize the risk within their respective workplaces. Training employees to be aware of potential dangers and instituting measures to mitigate risks are crucial to preventing problems before they occur. A great resource for more information is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which provides guidance on warning signs, prevention, and how to protect your property and employees.
If you don’t already have a violence protection program in place, now is the time to take a proactive approach to institute one. Once you have developed a program:
• Communicate the emergency action plan to all employees
• Practice the emergency action plan
• Form a committee of individuals to call upon should a situation arise
• Have employees trained in CPR and first aid
Having practices in place to secure your workplace is vital to the protection of your employees. Taking these important steps now may prevent your business from making unwanted headlines in the future.
Yvonne Nellums, PHR
Yvonne C. Nellums is Director of Human Resources for Landrum Professional Employer Services. She is a certified professional in human resources (PHR) and has more than 30 years of human resources experience in the corporate world, manufacturing environments, and the offshore industry.
Filed under: Corporate Culture | Tags: "corporate culture", "culture continuum", "employee focus group", "employee survey", "human resources consulting", employees, focus group, Human Resources, strategic vision
post written by: Melissa K. Miller, PHR, Strategic Management Specialist
Landrum Human Resources, Inc.
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Wow, were truer words ever spoken? This powerful quote is often attributed to management expert Peter Drucker. The concept is a no-brainer really, but seeing it in such plain language gives it the punch it deserves. The most elegant strategic vision is no match for a lousy corporate culture.
Do you know where your organization stands on the culture continuum? Many times managers assume they understand the issues that are important to their employees. Not knowing what they don’t know, managers often set about to solve “the problem.” They may even administer a generic employee satisfaction survey to measure the suspected problem. If the manager’s assumption is wrong or if the survey doesn’t ask the right questions, then the real problem may go completely undiagnosed.
Ask employees open-ended questions to find out what is really on their minds before acting. Conducting employee focus groups is a great way to get people talking. Here are a few ground rules to help employees open up:
• Create a “safe” environment for employees. The meeting space should provide privacy and the focus group should be led by a trustworthy facilitator. The best way to ensure candid discussion is to bring in a trained facilitator from a respected organizational development consulting firm.
• Use random selection to identify focus group participants (unless all employees are participating). Ensure that the participants understand the random selection so they don’t feel targeted.
• Keep groups as homogeneous as possible when it comes to position. In other words, don’t group line employees with supervisors, or supervisors with upper level management, etc.
• Give everyone a chance to speak up by keeping each group small with no more than fifteen participants.
• Encourage an attitude of respect and tolerance for the opinions of others within the group.
• Ensure that employees understand that management will hear the voice of the group, not the individual. What happens in focus group stays in focus group, as the saying goes, and no one should discuss the focus group conversation with anyone afterwards.
Acting precedes asking in the dictionary, but in the case of employee satisfaction, asking should come first. Acting on inaccurate assumptions can be costly and detrimental to employee trust levels. For example, a company owner came to us saying, “We’re looking at across the board pay increases to improve employee morale.” Focus group data revealed that dissatisfaction with pay rates was not at the top of the list; actually, it wasn’t much of an issue at all. The real issue was a culture that tolerated supervisors who treated employees with disrespect.
The focus groups provided actionable data which allowed the client to fix the issues that were most important to employees and save tens of thousands of dollars in arbitrary pay raises. By asking and acting on employee feedback, the client successfully affected a cultural shift that supported their strategic vision.
Melissa K. Miller, PHR
As Strategic Management Specialist for Landrum Human Resource Companies, Melissa is responsible for facilitating inter-departmental process improvement, strategic planning and capacity management. For the clients of Landrum Consulting Services, she leads Strategic Planning Retreats and Focus Groups. Melissa is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) by the Human Resources Certification Institute.
