What 8 Things Do Employees Want?

Is money the key to retention and productivity? It helps, says the Christian

Science Monitor's Marilyn Gardner, but it's not enough. Beyond pay and

benefits lie eight key factors that influence "happiness" at work-factors that

motivate workers and keep them at your organization. Here's our distillation

of Gardner's eight factors.

1. Appreciation - Praise heads the list for many workers, and it doesn't cost

the employer anything to provide it. A sincere thank you or a short note can

mean a great deal.

2. Respect - Again there is no cost and a big payback. Respect plays out in

letting people know that their work is appreciated, in treating them like

adults, and in being fair in your dealings with them.

3. Trust - Trust is the action side of respect. People need guidance, but they

need to know that their boss trusts them to be able to get a job done on

their own.

4. Individual Growth - Today's workers - especially the Gen Y group - want

training, want to take on new challenges, and want to advance based on

their new abilities. Giving a raise without increasing responsibilities could

actually backfire. As one expert says, if you give more money to an unhappy

employee, you end up with a wealthier unhappy employee.

5. Good Boss - It's the old saw: People don't leave companies, they leave

bosses. In a recent Robert Half survey, Gardner notes that 1,000 Gen Y

workers ranked "working with a manager I can respect and learn from" as

the most important aspect of their work environment.

6. Compatible Co-workers - Working with people you enjoy is also very

important, says Gardner. Spending the day-every day-with people you don't

like does not make for a productive workplace.

7. Compatible Culture - Employees want a work environment that fits their

needs. That could mean hard-driving, high paying, or it could mean high

flexibility and significant attention to work / life balance.

8. A Sense of Purpose - People want to know that they are contributing to

something worthwhile. They need to know what the organization's core

purpose is and what it is trying to achieve. And then they need to know how

their particular job fits into the whole.

One of the interesting things that Gardner discovered about employee

"happiness" is that there is a disconnect between what managers think and

what employees think about happiness at work.

Managers tend to think that salary and benefits are the main motivators,

while workers consistently respond that factors such as those mentioned

above are what's important. Successful organizations will find a good balance

to retain their best people.

What 8 Things Do Employees Want?

 

Is money the key to retention and productivity? It helps, says the
Christian

Science Monitor's Marilyn Gardner, but it's not enough. Beyond pay
and

benefits lie eight key factors that influence "happiness" at work-factors
that

motivate workers and keep them at your organization. Here's our
distillation

of Gardner's eight factors.

 

1. Appreciation - Praise heads the list for many workers, and it doesn't
cost

the employer anything to provide it. A sincere thank you or a short note
can

mean a great deal.

 

2. Respect - Again there is no cost and a big payback. Respect plays out
in

letting people know that their work is appreciated, in treating them
like

adults, and in being fair in your dealings with them.

 

3. Trust - Trust is the action side of respect. People need guidance, but
they

need to know that their boss trusts them to be able to get a job done
on

their own.

 

4. Individual Growth - Today's workers - especially the Gen Y group -
want

training, want to take on new challenges, and want to advance based
on

their new abilities. Giving a raise without increasing responsibilities
could

actually backfire. As one expert says, if you give more money to an
unhappy

employee, you end up with a wealthier unhappy employee.

 

5. Good Boss - It's the old saw: People don't leave companies, they
leave

bosses. In a recent Robert Half survey, Gardner notes that 1,000 Gen
Y

workers ranked "working with a manager I can respect and learn from"
as

the most important aspect of their work environment.

 

6. Compatible Co-workers - Working with people you enjoy is also very

important, says Gardner. Spending the day-every day-with people you
don't

like does not make for a productive workplace.

 

7. Compatible Culture - Employees want a work environment that fits
their

needs. That could mean hard-driving, high paying, or it could mean
high

flexibility and significant attention to work / life balance.

 

8. A Sense of Purpose - People want to know that they are contributing
to

something worthwhile. They need to know what the organization's core

purpose is and what it is trying to achieve. And then they need to know
how

their particular job fits into the whole.

 

One of the interesting things that Gardner discovered about employee

"happiness" is that there is a disconnect between what managers think
and

what employees think about happiness at work.

 

Managers tend to think that salary and benefits are the main
motivators,

while workers consistently respond that factors such as those
mentioned

above are what's important. Successful organizations will find a good
balance

to retain their best people.

DEAL

Pics   Regards! NEERAJ BHARDWAJ GM TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT DOSHION VEOLIA WATER SOLUTIONS 9374025383  http://neerajnis.blogspot.com www.neeraj-bhardwaj.blogspot.com

Beating Procrastination

Manage Your Time. Get It All Done.

If you’ve found yourself putting off important tasks over and over again, you’re not alone. In fact, many people procrastinate to some degree - but some are so chronically affected by procrastination that it stops them achieving things they're capable of and disrupts their careers.

The key to controlling and ultimately combating this destructive habit is to recognize when you start procrastinating, understand why it happens (even to the best of us), and take active steps to better manage your time and outcomes.

Why do we Procrastinate?

In a nutshell, you procrastinate when you put off things that you should be focusing on right now, usually in favor of doing something that is more enjoyable or that you’re more comfortable doing.

Procrastinators work as many hours in the day as other people (and often work longer hours) but they invest their time in the wrong tasks. Sometimes this is simply because they don't understand the difference between urgent tasks and important tasks, and jump straight into getting on with urgent tasks that aren't actually important.

They may feel that they're doing the right thing by reacting fast. Or they may not even think about their approach and simply be driven by the person whose demands are loudest. Either way, by doing this, they have little or no time left for the important tasks, despite the unpleasant outcomes this may bring about.

Another common cause of procrastination is feeling overwhelmed by the task. You may not know where to begin. Or you may doubt that you have the skills or resources you think you need. So you seek comfort in doing tasks you know you're capable of completing. Unfortunately, the big task isn't going to go away – truly important tasks rarely do.

Other causes of procrastination include:

• Waiting for the “right” mood or the “right” time to tackle the important task at hand
• A fear of failure or success
• Underdeveloped decision making skills
• Poor organizational skills
• Perfectionism ("I don't have the right skills or resources to do this perfectly now, so I won't do it at all.")

How to Overcome Procrastination:

Whatever the reason behind procrastination, it must be recognized, dealt with and controlled before you miss opportunities or your career is derailed.

Step 1: Recognize that you're Procrastinating

If you're honest with yourself, you probably know when you're procrastinating.

But to be sure, you first need to make sure you know your priorities. Putting off an unimportant task isn't procrastination, it's probably good prioritization. Use the Action Priority Matrix to identify your priorities, and then work from a Prioritized To Do List on a daily basis.

Some useful indicators which will help you pull yourself up as soon as you start procrastinating include:

• Filling your day with low priority tasks from your To Do List;
• Reading an e-mail or request that you've noted in your notebook or on your To Do List more than once, without starting work on it or deciding when you're going to start work on it;
• Sitting down to start a high-priority task, and almost immediately going off to make a cup of coffee or check your e-mails;
• Leaving an item on your To Do list for a long time, even though you know it's important;
• Regularly saying "Yes" to unimportant tasks that others ask you to do, and filling your time with these instead of getting on with the important tasks already on your list.

Step 2: Work out WHY You're Procrastinating

Why you procrastinate can depend on both you and the task. But it's important to understand what the reasons for procrastination are for each situation, so that you can select the best approach for overcoming your reluctance to get going.

Common causes of procrastination were discussed in detail above, but they can often be reduced to two main reasons:

• You find the task unpleasant; or
• You find the task overwhelming

Step 3: Get over it!

If you are putting something off because you just don't want to do it, and you really can't delegate the work to someone else, you need to find ways of motivating yourself to get moving. The following approaches can be helpful here:

• Make up your own rewards. For example, promise yourself a piece of tasty flapjack at lunchtime if you've completed a certain task.

• Ask someone else to check up on you. Peer pressure works! This is the principle behind slimming and other self-help groups, and it is widely recognized as a highly effective approach.

• Identify the unpleasant consequences of NOT doing the task.

• Work out the cost of your time to your employer. As your employers are paying you to do the things that they think are important, you're not delivering value for money if you're not doing those things. Shame yourself into getting going!

If you're putting off starting a project because you find it overwhelming, you need to take a different approach. Here are some tips:

• Break the project into a set of smaller, more manageable tasks. You may find it helpful to create an action plan.

• Start with some quick, small tasks if you can, even if these aren't the logical first actions. You'll feel that you're achieving things, and so perhaps the whole project won't be so overwhelming after all.

Key points:

To have a good chance of conquering procrastination, you need to spot straight away that you're doing it. Then, you need to identify why you're procrastinating and taken appropriate steps to overcome the block.

Part of the solution is to develop good time management, organizational and personal effectiveness habits, such as those described in Make Time for Success! This helps you establish the right priorities, and manage your time in such a way that you make the most of the opportunities open to you.

Meeting Etiquette

Meeting Etiquette

Meetings are a place not only to get information, but also where people make judgments about each other. Learn how to make the meetings you attend work for you.

Ugh, Meetings

Mention an upcoming meeting to most employees and it may appear as if you asked them to clean the office toilets. How often have you heard variations of the following?

· "Aw, another waste of time."

· "Great. Another interruption. Now I'll have to stay late for sure."

· "They never say anything worthwhile."

· "I'll just take my work with me into the meeting."

· "Meetings are like soap operas; you can miss six months of them and still get the idea of what's going on."

· "Time to listen to the boss drone on again."

How We Spend Our Time in Meetings

According to a network MCI Conferencing White Paper, professionals who attend meetings on a regular basis admit to doing the following during meetings:

· Daydreaming (91%)

· Missing meetings (96%)

· Missing parts of meetings (95%)

· Bringing other work to meetings (73%)

· Dozing during meetings (39%)

Meetings Do Matter!

Meetings are a place not only to get information, but also where people make judgments about each other. Meetings are your stage to present yourself in a positive light. Don't miss out on that opportunity. It could make or break your career!

In the rest of this lesson you'll get tips for getting more from meetings, as well as making a good impression while you're there.

Meeting Behavior Basics

In order to really shine in business meetings, there are some behavior basics for meetings that will serve you well.

Making Your Entrance

· Enter decisively.

· Don't stand in the doorway.

· While standing, shake hands, and call people by their first names.

· Introduce yourself to those you don't know.

· If you are seated and introduced to someone new, stand up, smile, and shake hands.

Where to Sit

· Avoid sitting at either end of the table.

· Don't sit next to the chairperson or senior officer. That chair may be reserved for his or her aide or secretary.

· If you're not familiar with the seating arrangements, ask if it's okay to sit anywhere.

What Not to Do

· Don't fiddle -- leave paperclips unbent and don't bounce them.

· Don't doodle on a notepad. (People will start trying to see what you're doing. And this draws attention to the fact that you're not paying attention.)

· Don't chew gum or pop mints or candy into your mouth.

· PLEASE don't chew ice cubes!!!

· Don't ask for coffee or other refreshments unless they are being offered.

· If food and drinks are offered, clear your plate as soon as possible.

· Avoid letting your mind wander, no matter how boring the meeting may seem.

Pay Attention to Your Body Language

· Sit straight, both feet on the floor.

· Even though you're sitting straight, appear relaxed, and attentive.

· If you do cross your legs, cross them at the ankles.

· Don't cross your arms in front of you; it communicates resistance -- or even hostility.

· For men -- keep your jacket and tie on unless otherwise specified.

Speak Up!

There is nothing more aggravating in a meeting than not being able to hear the person who is speaking. Speaking too softly conveys that you believe what you're saying really has no merit. If you don't think it's important, why should the rest of the group?

Some other tips for speaking at meetings:

· Don't stand up, unless people routinely stand while speaking at such meetings or unless you're asked to stand up.

· Take a second to frame your thoughts. You don't have to start blurting out something the second you're called upon to speak.

· BLT -- Put the ‘bottom line on top’. Say the most important thing first.

· Be brief.

· Don't ramble.

· Don't repeat yourself.

· Use positive language.

· Never begin with an apology, e.g., "This might not work, but. . . ."

· Avoid confrontational language such as, "That idea won't work," or "That's completely irrelevant to the issue."

· Use "we." Whenever referring to your department, company, team, or a project group, always use the pronoun "we." If things are going well, it shows you're a real team player by sharing the glory. If things are going poorly, it takes the focus off you and spreads the responsibility around.

· Whatever you say, say it with authority. Use a confident tone.

The Cost of Unproductive Meetings

According to a network MCI Conferencing White Paper, most professionals attend a total of 61.8 meetings per month. Research from Nelson and Economy (Better Business Meetings) indicates that over 50 percent of this meeting time is wasted. Assuming each of these meetings is one hour long, professionals lose 31 hours per month in unproductive meetings, or approximately four work days.

Basic Rules and Etiquette for Business Meetings

These so-called "rules" are pretty basic. But someone ignores them at nearly every meeting. So here's a quick review of meeting basics:

· Be ready. Prepare ahead of time. Arrive with all the materials you think you may need: a report, pen, paper, notebook, or laptop computer.

· Keep the materials you need handy so people won't have to wait while you fish around for things.

· Always put your briefcase or purse on the floor next to you. NEVER put these on the conference table.

· Show up on time or a little early.

· If you do have to be late, let the meeting organizer know well before in time so a seat can be reserved for you in an area that won't cause too much disturbance when you do arrive.

· If you are late, apologize and give a reason. If you don't give a good reason, you'll generate resentment from the people who did arrive on time. Plus, if you fail to give a good reason, you're basically saying the meeting isn't important enough for you to show up on time.

· Decide ahead of time what you have to say about the issue at hand and prepare your remarks. Practice mentally a few times before you arrive at the meeting.

· Get a copy of Roberts Rules of Order and become familiar with it. You can find a summary version at http://www.robertsrules.org or find a copy at any library. Only the most formal meetings abide by these rules, but you may someday find yourself in such a meeting.

Handling Conflict and Objections During a Meeting

Whether it's resistance to your proposal or a heckler in the back of the room, conflict will inevitably arise if you attend enough meetings.

Some Common Meeting Disrupters -- And How to Handle Each Type

Every meeting seems to contain at least one of the following:

1. Side Talkers

These are the people who just can't seem to stop having side conversations with the other people at the table. To handle a side-talker:

· complete your thought, look at the person, and pause until they stop talking.

2. Ramblers

Good grief! We've all been in meetings where the speaker just can't seem to get to the point. To move them along:

· Acknowledge the question, then use a CLOSED-ENDED (can only be answered with a yes or no) question to refocus the participant to the topic at hand.

EXAMPLE: "I liked your question, Mr. Saqib, about how this new marketing plan will impact the workload of the telesales center. Are you concerned about increased call volume or the added paperwork that the center will have to process with the anticipated increase in orders?"

3. Hecklers

Simply put, these are the rude people at the meeting. There's no other way to say it. You have several choices when managing a heckler:

· Ignore them.

· Redirect them by asking a question appropriate to the topic.

· Defer the problem to the group ("What does everyone else think about this?").

· Invite the person to a hallway discussion.

4. Challengers

There's one in every crowd. You know who they are. They're usually sitting in the back of the room, arms folded, hanging on your every word. Then, when the moment is right, they fire their verbal salvos at you. They'll raise their hand, and in their most authoritative voice say something like, "Isn't it true that . . . "

Challengers could have several purposes: (1) to reduce your credibility or (2) to increase their prestige in the eyes of the group. Either way, a challenger usually has a pretty fragile ego, so handle with care.

One option to handle a challenger is to say one of the following:

· "Help me understand what you mean, or where, specifically, you think this program will fail."

· "That's certainly one option. It's not the one we're recommending now, and I would be interested in hearing the benefits to your option. Could you write that up for me and put it on my desk? Then, I'll put that on the agenda for the next meeting."

5. Non-Participants

These are the people who sit there and say nothing. You don't know if they're on your side, if they think everything you're saying is bogus, or if they're just sleep-deprived.

To get a non-participant to participate, the best strategy is to ask them a question to get them involved. A simple "What do you think?" may be enough to initiate an interaction.

Nearly Half of the Work Week in Meetings!

A poll from GM Consultants surveying people in supervisory positions found that 30 percent spent an estimated 16 hours a week in meetings. The survey also uncovered some interesting facts about respondents, who reported they always did the following:

· Allow all attendees to participate (88%)

· Define a meeting's purposes (66%)

· Address each item on the agenda (62%)

· Assign follow-up action (59%)

· Record discussion (47%)

· Invite only essential personnel (46%)

· Write an agenda, with time frames (36%)

· Specify questions for each issue (12%)

71 percent of respondents were working in companies with annual sales of less than $10 million.

Moving Forward

Now that you've learned a little about how to handle yourself in a meeting conducted by someone else, it's time to look at how to manage your own meeting. We'll cover that in the next lesson.

Overcoming Procrastination

Overcoming Procrastination

Often called the "thief of time", procrastination is the habit of intentionally delaying work on important tasks that need to be done. While everyone procrastinates to some degree, procrastination becomes a real problem when it starts interfering with your goals and work. Left unchecked, procrastination can significantly decrease your effectiveness and lead to serious negative consequences in your career and personal life.

Major Causes of Procrastination

Below are the main causes of procrastination. In all likelihood, you may be facing several of these causes at the same time, which means that you may need to use multiple strategies to overcome your procrastination habit.

1. Avoiding an unpleasant task

2. Lack of energy/motivation

3. Escaping from an overwhelming project

4. Don't know where or how to get started

5. Don't know what to do next

6. Overwhelm created by too much work

7. Unclear goals and priorities

8. Urgency addiction

You can see how moving from procrastination patterns to productive patterns could make a significant difference in your approach and results.

Five Tips to Overcome Procrastination

Here are five simple tips to help you overcome procrastination:

4 This is a task that I CHOOSE to do, not a task I HAVE to do

Shift your thinking away from a "have to" mentality into a "want to" mentality. Make a conscious choice and commitment to either do the task now, or do what is necessary to get out of it. Don't let it linger around in the back of your mind.

4 I don't have to FINISH this task now, I just have to BEGIN the task now

Don't get overwhelmed by the idea of having to complete the task. Instead, focus your thoughts and energy on getting it started and let your momentum carry you through.

4 I don't have to be PERFECT, I'll do the best I can

Don't let perfectionism ruin your productivity. Accept that you are human and that there is no such thing as PERFECT. Focus your efforts on tasks where excellence will make a difference. All the other tasks just need to get done.

4 I don't have to do this task all at once, I can break it up into smaller steps

Break large on complex projects into smaller steps and focus on taking each individual step. Treat each step as a mini-goal. Don't worry about taking future steps, just focus on getting started on the current task and take time to celebrate after completing it.

4 I don't have to work all day on this task, I can set time limits and take breaks when I need to

Scheduling breaks and other recreational activities in your schedule will help you see that your life is not all work. If you want, you can set time limits to help you get started on a particular task.

Commit to work for 30 minutes on the task and then give yourself permission to take a break. If you feel inspired to continue with the task, go for it and allow your momentum to carry you through. Otherwise, just take a guilt-free break. You deserve it for getting started.

One of the keys to overcome procrastination is to realize that its causes can vary from one situation to the next. Similarly, there is no one single solution to the problem of procrastination because each strategy only works for some of the causes.

You first need to diagnose the reasons why you are procrastinating on a particular task, and then apply the right strategies for those reasons.

(Article courtesy: www.timethoughts.com ...)

ATTITUDE AND SELF AWARENESS

When someone is doing something or about to do something, in a way I dont want it to be done - and i m not able to accept it - i become angry.
When someone is doing something or about to do something, in a way I dont want it to be done - and i m able to accept it - i remain tolerant.

When someone is having something or someone is able to produce the results which i m not able to produce - and I m not able to accept it - I become jealous.
When someone is having something or someone is able to produce the results which i m not able to produce - and i m able to accept it - i get inspired.

When i m encountering uncertainty or is about to encounter uncertainty, which i m not sure how i m going to handle - and i m not able to accept it - it causes fear in me.
When i m encountering uncertainty or is about to encounter uncertainty, which i m not sure how i m going to handle - and i m able to accept it - i feel adventurous about it.

When someone has done something that has emotionally hurt me - and i m not able to accept it - it develops hatred in me.
When someone has done something that has emotionally hurt me - and i m able to accept it - it helps me forgive them.

When someone is present in my thoughts, but is not physically present - and i m not able to accept it - i say i m missing u.
When someone is present in my thoughts, but is not physically present - and i m able to accept it - i say i m thinkin of u.

Thus, Emotional Equation becomes:

Something + acceptance = positive emotion
Something + non-acceptance = negative emotion

So, it is not something or someone who is making me feel positive or negative, but its my acceptance or non-acceptance of something or someone, which impacts things.