Filed under: Human Resources, Landrum, Training | Tags: "human resources consulting", Communication, Human Resources, PEO, Sexual Harassment
May 3, 2011
EEOC Victorious in Court: Sexual Harassment Lawsuits
by: Yvonne C. Nellums, PHR
On March 28, 2011, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) won its third trial victory in 2011 by representing employees who complained of sexual harassment in the workplace. In the most recent case, EEOC vs. Boh Bros. Construction, a federal jury in New Orleans awarded a former employee $451,000. Earlier this year, a Memphis jury return a verdict of $1.5 million, and in Syracuse, N.Y., a jury awarded $1.25 million to 10 female employees.
One of the defining aspects of the Boh Bros. Construction case is that the employer had no policy regarding sexual harassment. The supervisor admitted he had received no training on the subject. The claimant charged that he was verbally abused and taunted by his supervisor. When he reported this to the company, it retaliated by moving him to another job which paid less and was then “laid off.”
Sexual harassment and retaliation violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“The jury’s verdict signals to employers the importance of having robust sexual harassment policies and training in place, including in predominantly male workplaces,” stated EEOC General Counsel David Lopez.
For all of our Landrum Professional clients, we ensure that each new employee receives these policies. Inside each new hire packet, employees receive an Open Door and Discrimination and Harassment Policy to review and sign. Also, this information is contained in the Employee Handbook. These policies explain of what constitutes harassment and the steps to report a complaint if the employee believes they have been subjected to harassment.
It is important to ensure that all of your supervisors and management staff understand the importance of the open-door policy and reporting complaints of discrimination immediately. Our HR managers assist clients with these matters to help resolve any conflicts in the workplace.
Does your organization have a Sexual Harassment Policy in place?
Landrum offers Sexual Harassment Training for Managers as one of the professional seminars presented at our corporate office. The next one is scheduled for November 15, 2011. For more information about our seminars or to register, click here.
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: Training | Tags: "customer service training", "human resources consulting", Communication, employees, Human Resources, Training
Training Costs: From Pricey to Priceless!
January 25, 2011
by Leslie Thomas Gordon
Conference registration fees can be very expensive. Traveling out of town is costly, and customer service can suffer from several people being out of the office at the same time. What is a small office to do?
At Landrum, knowledge is valued by our senior leaders. Development of staff is one of our corporate goals and lifetime learning is part of our culture. Almost one-third of our staff is certified and must obtain continuing education credits to keep licenses or certifications current, and training dollars must be spent there first.
But what about the rest of our motivated staff who want to learn new skills to improve their performance? To get the most out of every dollar spent on training it’s helpful to capitalize on in-house knowledge, which can have a two-fold benefit; employees have exposure to a wide variety of learning opportunities, and staff members have the opportunity to develop their presentation skills in a safe environment.
You may be thinking that sounds great, but how exactly do I do that? When someone at Landrum travels outside of the office to attend training, they are responsible for sharing what they learn with co-workers who could benefit from the same information. Depending on the course attended, there are several ways that this can be accomplished:
1. Give a three-minute summary of the training at an employee or department meeting. If there is interest, an informal brown bag lunch can be arranged so co-workers can learn more. If the information is of a technical nature, a regular training session might be scheduled.
2. Write up a one-page summary for Department Heads to share at their individual department meetings.
3. Post a one-page summary on the staff bulletin board.
4. Pick up extra handouts to share (if available).
5. Obtain an electronic version of the presentation to post on the company network for co-workers to access.
These ideas work and can be adopted by any size organization. However, holding attendees accountable to effectively share conference information with the rest of the organization is how you get your money’s worth. Here are a few suggestions:
1. When approval to attend the conference is given, go ahead and schedule the meeting when the employee will be presenting the learned information to other staff members.
2. Have a standard policy that states one cannot attend training unless knowledge sharing of previously attended training has occurred within a certain period of time. If that employee does not have time to share their knowledge, take outside training off of their agenda for a period of time and give someone else the opportunity.
3. Include knowledge sharing in the performance review process of employees who participate in outside training.
4. Include attendance at in-house presentations in the performance review process.
5. Conduct a brief survey that helps determine effectiveness of the presentation. This has several benefits:
• Did co-workers find value in the knowledge gained?
• Can this information improve job effectiveness or efficiency?
• How might the presenter improve their presentation?
• Should this subject be considered for future in-house training?
If more than one person from the organization attends the same conference, prior workshop coordination can prevent duplicity and can ensure coverage of the most important sessions.
Many conferences offer free or reduced registrations for presenters. If your staff has the knowledge and the talent, encourage them to volunteer to facilitate a workshop or give a presentation. Allow them to practice and fine-tune their presentation in-house.
Allow your workforce to explore all aspects of your industry by exposing them to a wide variety of learning opportunities. If the subject has limited applicability but a lot of interest, offer it as a brown bag lunch that employees can attend on their own time. If the subject matter is related to the individual employee’s job duties, allow attendance on company time. You just may ignite a passion for a new career path – and that is priceless!
Knowledge is power. Share the knowledge!
Leslie Thomas Gordon serves as the Quality Assurance and Compliance Manager at Landrum Companies where keeping track of our clients in thirty-two states has evolved into an art-form. She was editor-in-chief of the application that resulted in Landrum’s Governor’s Sterling Award in April 2007, and has served on the Florida Sterling Council’s Board of Examiners since 2006.
Before shifting to the quality and compliance arena, Leslie served as Landrum’s Director of Finance and Accounting for 11 years. Prior to that, her work experience included 10 years in public accounting and private industry. Leslie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Virginia’s Old Dominion University with a B.S. in Accounting and has been a Florida licensed Certified Public Accountant since 1982. LGordon@LandrumHR.com
Filed under: Consulting, Human Resources, Training | Tags: "human resources consulting", Employee Development, Training
January 4, 2011
Cross Training: A Win–Win–Win Situation
by Melissa K. Miller, PHR
Investing in employee development through cross training is a wise choice. When training budgets are tight, finding creative ways to engage employees in learning opportunities can be challenging. There is a strong business case for cross training employees. Not only does cross training enrich employees, it can also increase organizational capacity. Capacity, that is, to provide essential services to clients in the absence of key personnel.
Done right, managing capacity can be as much about employee development as it is about business continuity. Landrum has developed a comprehensive Capacity Management System (CMS) that meets both objectives (and then some). The CMS provides a uniform format for managers to document all functions within their department and keep adequate numbers of staff members trained to perform each function.
Staff members are engaged in the process from the very beginning. Employees collaborate to compile a comprehensive list of duties for their department. On an individual basis each employee then rates their proficiency at each task. This information is the basis of a conversation between employees and their supervisor. Together a cross training plan is developed that will meet departmental needs and provide growth opportunities for the employee based on their goals. Employees who have mastered certain tasks assume leadership roles in training other employees.
Cross training is a win–win–win situation. Trained employees win because they feel valued, the trainers win because they have had an opportunity to share their expertise, and the organization wins because employee satisfaction has increased and continuity of service has been enhanced.
Melissa K. Miller, PHR
Filed under: Business Continuity Plan, Consulting, Human Resources, Landrum, Training | Tags: "human resources consulting", employees, Human Resources, PEO
Where the Rubber Meets the Road
By Melissa Miller
Being prepared to continue operations whenever adversity strikes requires vigilance. Not vigilance to predict disasters, but vigilance over critical functions. Critical functions are those things that absolutely, positively must happen in order to stay in business. Landrum provides a myriad of HR functions for our clients, but issuing timely and accurate paychecks (no matter what) is one of those critical functions where the rubber meets the road.
Identifying and hardening critical functions in order to meet customer expectations and remain compliant with applicable regulations requires continuous business continuity practice. Landrum has developed a comprehensive Capacity Management System (CMS) for this purpose. The CMS provides a uniform format for managers to identify and document all functions within their department. Rating functions according to criticality helps managers keep adequate numbers of staff members trained to perform each function. The CMS makes it easy to see at a glance which staff members are proficient at each task, which would be particularly valuable in the absence of key personnel or management.
Knowing who can perform each critical function will prove to be invaluable when faced with a potential threat. Preparing and talking with staff about how the work will proceed in the event of a business disruption event will put everyone’s mind at ease. After all, everyone likes the security of knowing their company is prepared to stay in business and that they will continue to get paid (no matter what).
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. Certified as an Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP) Melissa leads Landrum’s Business Continuity Team. 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.
To learn more about Landrum’s Capacity Management System feel free to contact us by using the short form in the sidebar.
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Filed under: "Hurricane Season Preparation", Consulting, Human Resources, Landrum Lagniappe, Risk Management, Training | Tags: "hurricane escape route", "hurricane season", Communication, employees, Florida, Gulf of Mexico, storm surge, Training, Trust
nhc.noaa.gov
Before you go to the safe room (that would be an interior closet or hallway), make sure the exterior doors are secure and braced, and the curtains and blinds are closed. Stay away from windows and glass doors. Don’t be fooled by the “eye of the storm” …or the tornadoes that can follow!
If you have a sturdy table that will fit in the closet or hallway, it’s better to be safe under the table than to have no protection at all. A mattress is better than nothing but you may be there for awhile, and wearing a mattress for hours on end may become uncomfortable! Extra blankets or sleeping bags will make the safety zone much more tolerable. The battery-powered radio will keep you tuned to the weather report, and the flashlights are necessary to make shadow puppets…anything to pass the time!
Why do hurricanes always hit at night?
Guy Storey, ARM
Guy has created a series of Hurricane Awareness Articles to help businesses and individuals prepare for Hurricane season. More great tips will be posted during National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 23-29.
Filed under: "Hurricane Season Preparation", Human Resources, Landrum Lagniappe, Risk Management, Training | Tags: "human resources consulting", "Hurricane Check List", "hurricane escape route", "hurricane season", Communication, employees, Florida, Human Resources, storm surge, Training
“Be Prepared” spelled another way is CHECKLIST. In other words, it is necessary to write important factors on paper when preparing for Hurricane Season. Remember, the “shortest pencil is better than the longest memory!”
Start with the “haves,” and finish with the “wants!” Protecting your home should be at the top of the list. Make certain you have adequate insurance coverage (and take the policy with you if you evacuate!), and purchase flood insurance if your home is at risk of rising water. Hurricane shutters are a worthwhile investment, but 5/8” plywood, securely fastened to the window frames, will protect the windows.
If you decide to “hunker down” and ride it out, you must have a Disaster Supply Kit. A first aid kit is first on that list, but cash and credit cards should be a close second. A 30-day supply of prescription medications is also very important. Non-perishable foods and bottled water are essential, and a manual can opener will help serve the canned tuna. Flashlights, extra batteries, a battery-powered radio, and a cell phone are necessities! A camera will be useful in the event that you suffer property damage, and a tarp, plastic garbage bags, a tool kit and duct tape may be needed to make immediate repairs and prevent further damage to your property. A generator is a wonderful addition, but don’t forget the extra gas to keep it running for several days. And don’t forget bug spray – it can make life a little more pleasant if your doors or windows are missing!
Guy Storey, ARM
Guy has created a series of Hurricane Awareness Articles to help businesses and individuals prepare for Hurricane season. More great tips will be posted during National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 23-29.
Filed under: "Hurricane Season Preparation", Human Resources, Risk Management, Training, Uncategorized | Tags: "hurricane escape route", "hurricane season", Communication, employees, Florida, Gulf of Mexico, Human Resources, hurricane shelter, storm surge, tidal surge
nhc.noaa.gov
Are you prepared to the pack the car, notify family and friends of your escape route, and secure your property? “Be Prepared” takes on a new meaning when the time comes to seek shelter from the storm.
If your family is at risk, don’t gamble their safety and well being! Be decisive, execute your plan, and give Mother Nature plenty of time and space to stay out of harm’s way.
You have completed your checklist, boarded the windows (the common rule is that if you can keep the windows, you can keep the roof!), secured lawn furniture, BBQ grills and trash cans, and removed debris to avoid airborne missiles. Now you’re ready start the journey. Oops…the gas gauge on your car tells you that you’re on empty! Mental Note: Refill often… Don’t leave your gas tank near empty with an approaching storm!
What’s on your checklist?
Guy Storey, ARM
Guy has created a series of Hurricane Awareness Articles to help businesses and individuals prepare for Hurricane season. More great tips will be posted during National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 23-29.
Filed under: "Hurricane Season Preparation", Human Resources, Landrum Lagniappe, Risk Management, Training | Tags: "hurricane escape route", "hurricane season", Communication, employees, Hurricane Ivan, storm surge, tornadoes, Training
No, it’s not Christmas in June! And there will be no celebrations during National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 23-29…only preparation for the start of the 2010 Hurricane Season, June 1 through November 30.
Guy Storey, ARM
I still have fond memories of my Boy Scout days when “Be Prepared” was the key to a successful overnight camping trip, or an eventful canoe cruise down the Chattahoochee River. But, living near the Gulf Coast gives that old Scout motto new meaning – and great importance to survival from one of Mother Nature’s most powerful forces!
As we learned from Hurricane Ivan and many other catastrophic storms, the devastation can be felt many
Hurricane Ivan
We have been lulled into a false sense of security the last several years as the prognosticators have missed the mark on projections of storms making landfall. This could be the year that they are “right on,” and we can’t afford to ignore the risks of that Category 5 that could target our Panhandle Paradise.
Plan your escape route, pack your emergency kit, collect those important papers and documents, and communicate your plans to friends and family, both locally and away. It could save a lot of heartache during and after a storm… and it just might save your life.
Guy has created a series of Hurricane Awareness Articles to help businesses and individuals prepare for Hurricane season. More great tips will be posted during National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 23-29.
Filed under: Consulting, Customer Service, Human Resources, Landrum Lagniappe, Notes from Elizabeth, Training | Tags: "Business Etiquette", "customer service training", "Customer Service", "human resources consulting", "workplace etiquette", Communication, employees, Human Resources, Job Performance, PEO, relationships, Training, Trust
post written by: Elizabeth Oakes,SPHR
Human Resources Manager, Landrum Professional Employer Services
I recently went shopping and needed a little assistance finding an item on my list. The first thing that ran through my mind was to just keep looking for the item so I didn’t have to take the chance on interacting with another unfriendly employee. How many times have you avoided assistance offered to you by a store employee because of a bad experience you previously had? Maybe a more accurate question there would be: Can you remember getting good service?
When I perform customer service training, I always ask the same few questions. I ask attendees to remember a time when they received bad customer service and write down a few notes about it. Almost immediately the attendees start scribbling furiously. You can almost feel the temperature in the room rise with the anticipation of sharing a negative customer service story. Before I ask people to share their stories I ask them to see the other side of that coin and remember a time when they received great customer service. It takes almost 5 full minutes of thought before even one person starts writing. Some attendees aren’t even able to remember receiving an adequate level of customer service. It’s an interesting dynamic that happens every time.
What I find even more interesting is the discussion after sharing the stories. It’s funny how many people
always see bad customer service as always happening to them, and yet those same people indicate never giving bad service. What I hope you’re thinking right now is: “If everyone is getting bad service but no one is giving bad service, then just where does everyone think it’s coming from?” Once starting that conversation I start to see the light bulbs come on as everyone realizes they aren’t entirely blameless. Everyone has their bad days. Everyone has had sick children, family problems, money stresses, a tough boss, and maybe even a flat tire on top of that. Some individuals may have all that and more at any one time. It’s hard to tell someone to “check it at the door” and think they can realistically do just that.
Fear not, supervisors! There are things you can do in tough times to help your 
employees improve their customer service skills. A great option, that costs nothing, is to schedule a 5-10 minute meeting midway through the morning with your customer service employees. This is a great time to bring up any successes the group has had, and to update staff on changes or new items of interest. You can use this time to notify each other of opportunities to make the team look like a success. Sometimes this short “pow-wow” is effective for nothing more than a chance to touch base and talk to each other without the normal hectic ebb and flow of customer service. Another way to help your employees is to give them a short break to regroup whenever they’ve worked with a particularly difficult customer. Sometimes discussing the situation will help your employee see what they did well, as well as what areas they could improve upon.
The best thing you can do to create a customer service-oriented workplace is to lead by example. Be present as much as possible, showing your staff what type of service you expect of them by doing it yourself. Ensure that all supervisors in the organization are embodying the spirit of service that we all find 
so elusive. Showing your staff what actions and phrases are acceptable is going to be much more effective than doing any number of customer service programs throughout the year.
And during that shopping experience I recently had… I eventually succumbed and asked for assistance. I found an employee on an extremely high ladder restocking shelves. When I asked her where I could find the hidden item, I also told her she didn’t have to come all the way down to help me and that she could just tell me where to find the item. She declined my offer, came all the way down the ladder and walked me to exactly where the item was located. All that with a smile, and never once made me feel put out. She even offered to help me find the rest of the items on my list. You know, I left there smiling and wrote a blog about it for everyone to read. Make sure you remind your staff that they never know who they are helping out today; it just might be someone with access to a public venue!
Landrum Human Resources offers Customer Service training classes and many other professional seminars; click here to learn more.
Elizabeth Oakes, SPHR
Elizabeth is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the Human Resource Certification Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management.
Filed under: Consulting, Human Resources, Landrum Lagniappe, Notes from Elizabeth, Training, Uncategorized | Tags: "Business Etiquette", "workplace etiquette", employees, Human Resources, Job Performance, PEO, resolution, SHRM, Training
post written by: Elizabeth Oakes,SPHR
Human Resources Manager, Landrum Professional Employer Services
When you think of etiquette, you may start thinking of Miss Manners and remember things like when to place your napkin in your lap or what fork is used for which course of the meal. Business etiquette is so much more encompassing than just table manners, and can make or break professional relationships. Saying or doing the wrong thing can be more than just a nuisance; it can result in an insult that does irreparable damage to your company’s reputation.
While I will concede that some of the etiquette blunders we see can be attributed to laziness, many mistakes are made due to fear of embarrassment. Fear of doing or saying the wrong thing is one of the most common sources of stress in a business or professional setting. Some of the different areas of etiquette that can affect your business are appropriate introductions and small talk, professional appearance, dining, and (more recently) telephone and emails.
Have we met?
Many employers view skills used for introductions and small talk as only needed by the company’s top executives. I propose that everyone should be capable, but most certainly your front line employees need these skills most. Greeting customers and finding their needs is a form of small talk. If you look closely at your employees who excel at customer service, they typically are excellent at small talk and use the information gleaned to endear your customers to your brand. Being able to introduce other employees to a customer is a wonderful practice that shows your customer that you respect them and their business. One of the best ways to help give your employees the ability to utilize small talk is to role play and practice the skill.
Iron, meet clothes
I hear the most etiquette complaints about employees not coming to work looking professional and appropriate for their job. The complaints run the gamut of wrinkled uniforms to the absence of deodorant. Your best defense as an employer is to develop a detailed dress code policy and ensure it is consistently applied to everyone in the organization. When developing your policy, be sure the guidelines are appropriate for the business you are in and for your location. Do not hesitate to tackle sensitive issues like makeup, body art, perfume/cologne, or body hair.
I think you have something in your teeth
My own impression, originally, was that business dining etiquette was nothing to be concerned about. Truthfully, I felt the mentality of going out to dinner to impress the boss was an antiquated practice. After a little thought and some Googling I found this to be a real concern for employers and employees alike. I have been to a number of events with the leadership members of Landrum and owners of client businesses that included a meal of some kind. I am eternally grateful my mother focused on table manners so stridently as I was growing up. The benefit of those years of blood, sweat, and tears is that none of my actions during those meals drew attention away from my professionalism or the message I was delivering. I regularly recommend to employees that they learn basic table manners, even if they do not feel they will use it in their current role. After all, you never know when your supervisor will invite you to lunch. Speaking with your mouth full or using bad manners may cast a shadow of doubt over your capabilities and judgment, and that can make all the difference in a promotion or pay raise.
Can you hear me now?
With the good comes the bad. The ever-expanding world of technology helps us do what we do faster and better. With the benefits, though, come the pitfalls. I can’t think of how many times I have been called in to mediate a situation where someone interpreted someone’s tone in an email to be aggressive, when the original intention was humor. Training your staff on what is acceptable in emails is a great way to keep up with the technological times. It allows you to inform your staff what forms of digital slang are allowable and what types of technology is “off limits” during working hours. Regular training and role playing over the phone are other ways you can reinforce appropriate behaviors with your staff. One item worth mentioning is that it is okay to turn off your cell phone. It won’t self destruct, I promise! If you are working with a co-worker or client, they deserve 100% of your attention. Anything less and you’ll create less than that good first or second impression. In all likelihood it could very well be your last impression.
The best advice I can give you is that your employees learn most effectively by seeing the example you and other supervisors set. Showing employees the types of actions that are appropriate allows them to work within your expectations, and will definitely result in greater etiquette with your customers.
Landrum’s Professional Seminar series offers a training class “Business Etiquette-Ms. Manners in the Workplace”. For more information about this and other professional seminars offered by Landrum click here.
Elizabeth Oakes, SPHR
Elizabeth is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the Human Resource Certification Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management.
