(From CNN Money) "Talent Management in Healthcare," a recent study by Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS), reveals that although healthcare organizations are still struggling with the lack of qualified candidates in the talent market, the primary focus has been on developing and retaining talent. Performance management, engagement, and succession planning are the top strategic emphases for these organizations. Analysis showed that automation of talent management elements, specifically recruitment and learning management, leads the list of enablers that differentiate top performers from the rest of the sample. Utilizing assessments and defining competency profiles are earning organizations substantial gains in employee performance, retention and customer / patient satisfaction.

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Tags: talent management, business news, engagement, succession planning, healthcare

Categories: News

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) October 30, 2009 -- A personal commitment to an employer's core values is the top driver of employee engagement among 91 possible factors analyzed by Right Management in a new global study. The top three factors also include pride in the company's products and services, as well as a belief that an employee's opinions count. Right Management is the talent and career management expert within Manpower, the global leader in employment services.

Right Management surveyed over 28,000 employees across 15 countries to determine the relative correlations between high engagement and a wide range of what are considered key dynamics or influencers.

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Tags: engagement, workplace, values, organization development

Categories: News

MAYNARD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New research from Monster.com and Human Capital Institute reveals a dramatic difference in how employers and workers perceive the impact of the current recession, potentially leading to employers facing mass talent drains as the labor market begins to turn. The reason – employers are vastly overrating the morale of their employees as 84 percent of those surveyed indicated a belief that their workforce is content to simply to have a job while only 58 percent of workers feel that way. Monster.com^® is the leading global online career and recruitment resource and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW).

“Today’s employers feel that employees are loyal due to the economic times, but the reality is they are not,” said Katherine Jones, HCI Research Fellow. “Because of this, there is a strong likelihood that when the economy turns for the better, employers could find themselves with valued employees jumping ship. This places pressure on them to put retention measures in place now.”

“While this environment has created a prime opportunity to acquire top talent and increase selective hiring, it is also a time for employers to prepare their workforces strategically for moving forward in a redefined, healthier economy,” said Jesse Harriott, senior vice president and chief knowledge officer at Monster. “However, to do that, they need to better understand the mindset of their employees. As the economy rebounds, those workplaces that have not invested in their people could face a mass exodus of employees, potentially crippling the business.”

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Tags: economy, jobs, careers, engagement, morale

Categories: The Economy

(From HardvardBusiness.org) Volunteering has always been viewed as good for your soul. Now it turns out that it's also good for your health and your career.

Recent research conducted by Washington, D.C.-based Corporation for National & Community Service reveals that charitable work literally makes the heart grow stronger, as reported in my book Top Talent: Keeping Performance Up When Business Is Down. Individuals with coronary artery disease who participate in volunteer activities after suffering a heart attack report a reduction in despair and depression, driving down mortality and adding years to life. It's also true that those who volunteer have fewer incidents of heart disease in the first place.

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Tags: engagement, workplace

Categories: News

SIMSBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than half of U.S. workers plan to use all of their paid time-off but are cutting back on vacation spending, according to research by The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG). The Hartford’s Second Annual Time-off Survey also found that less than half of Americans are financially prepared to deal with a loss of income due to unplanned absences.

The national survey found that 56 percent of U.S. workers plan to use all of their time off from work, an increase of 8 percent over last year’s survey results. But, when asked what they were most likely to postpone given the state of the economy, two-thirds (67 percent) of survey participants said their vacation.

“Employees said they value the paid time-off that they receive from their employers, but they continue to be worried about their income and expenses. And as a result, they plan to cut back on vacation spending. This could be the year of the so-called staycation,” said Marjorie Savage, absence management director in The Hartford’s Group Benefits Division. “We encourage workers to take steps to protect their physical and financial health, such as taking time to relax, as well as protecting their income. Income protection can provide peace of mind that’s even more important during these stressful economic times.”

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Tags: economy, workplace, productivity, engagement

Categories: The Economy

RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Americans are happy at work, just not as happy as they used to be.

According to a just-released national survey – the third annual SnagAJob.com Labor Happiness Index – more than half of the U.S. workforce (58%) says they are happy on the job, but that figure is down 7 percentage points, a significant drop from 2008. The survey, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, polled more than 1,000 salaried and hourly employees across the country.

“Even as we continue to face layoffs and other corporate cutbacks, the majority of the American workforce remains upbeat about their jobs,” said Shawn Boyer, founder and CEO of SnagAJob.com. “But on the whole, we’re not as happy. Ongoing anxiety about the economy may well be chipping away at the happiness level.”

In a climate that has seen 6.7 million U.S. workers lose their jobs (source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), only one in four (24%) said their happiness was based on the fact they were employed. A significantly higher percentage (41%) said they were happy that their jobs give them personal satisfaction or suit their lifestyle.

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Tags: economy, jobs, careers, workplace, engagement

Categories: The Economy

CHELMSFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new survey commissioned by The Workforce Institute™ at Kronos^® Incorporated and conducted by Harris Interactive reveals that 40 percent of respondents whose workplaces experienced layoffs in the past year feel that the overall productivity of their organization has been negatively impacted. The “Productivity Drain” survey examines what this means for employees and what they think their employers should be doing to be positioned for success as the economy rebounds.

News Facts

• 38 percent of respondents employed full or part-time said there had been layoffs in the past year at their primary place of employment. 

• Of those respondents who said that productivity had been negatively impacted by layoffs: 66 percent said that morale has suffered and people are less motivated;64 percent said that there is too much work and not enough people to do it; 37 percent said the wrong people or departments were laid off, leaving inefficient systems and workflows; and 36 percent said they are concerned that as the economy picks up, they won’t have the right resources to meet demand.

Tags: economy, performance, productivity, workplace, engagement

Categories: The Economy

Southborough, Mass. and Dublin, Ireland (Vocus/PRWEB ) June 2, 2009 -- In a recent survey conducted by employee recognition strategist Globoforce, employees admitted that their morale and productivity are in a state of decline due to recessionary cutbacks. According to the survey, 70 percent of employees indicated that layoffs and the reduction or elimination of programs and benefits will have a negative short- or long-term impact on morale, and 55 percent said these cuts will impact their productivity levels now and in the future. HR managers concur, with a full 89 percent indicating that employee morale is being impacted and 80 percent saying that productivity will take a hit in the short or long-term.

However, in spite of company layoffs, bonus reductions and payroll freezes, employees are, on average, maintaining goodwill toward their employers, with nearly half (45 percent) of employees surveyed indicating that these cuts have had 'very little or no impact on their goodwill' and only three percent were 'holding out until I can find another job.' Employee goodwill is holding up far better than HR managers indicated, with nearly 80 percent saying that cutbacks will impact employee goodwill in the short- or long-term. 

(Read the entire release.)

Tags: ireland, productivity, engagement, morale, workplace

Categories: The Economy

Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) May 6, 2009 -- The Beacon Group launched a Strategic Readiness "Quick Poll" to help organizations gauge where they stand and how well positioned they are to deal with current stresses and, more importantly, the future opportunities. The poll gathered opinions in two areas, Organizational Focus and Organizational Energy.

54% of respondents feel their organizations have Some viable options for crafting their own future, whereas 28% feel they have Many options and 16% feel they have Few options. These results coincide with the 52% that describe the pace at work as Running and 41% who feel the horizon for decision making has become Shorter.

Doug Williamson, President & Chief Executive Officer of The Beacon Group, noted, “While the mood across all sectors is sombre, it is important to recognize that responses to the current economic crisis have hardly been uniform. I believe organizations have a unique opportunity to get back to basics, focus on core business and reconnect with customers.”

The Beacon Group’s Strategic Readiness poll also indicated that an overwhelming 89% C- level leaders, HR and senior executives report they are spending energy on Today and Tomorrow and no one is thinking about yesterday. Over-all, the consolidated results indicate a sense of high Energy, but with mediocre Focus. This is illustrated with overall results falling at the low end of the “Game Day Ready to Win” quadrant.

The poll further found that 72% of leaders are Focused & Engaged while 20% reported they were Overwhelmed. “At the end of the day it’s important to remember, while events may not have been to their choosing, the way in which leaders respond is - and they have choices! The fact that our poll suggests leaders are focused and engaged is a very positive signal,” added Williamson.

(Read more on PR Web.)

Tags: leadership, economy, engagement

Categories: The Economy

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“When the economy sours and corporate bottom lines suffer, organizations must rely on employees more than ever to go beyond the call of duty,” says NYU Stern Professor Steve Blader. In two recent studies examining close to 1,000 employees, he and his colleagues explored how organizations can motivate workers.

“A key influencer of employee performance is the employee’s sense of being included in the social fabric of the organization. And this holds true in bear markets,” says Prof. Blader.

The research identified several employee motivators:

• Treating employees with respect

• Making decisions that affect them in a fair way

• Providing them with good wages and benefits

The study also showed that an increase in wages and benefits has the most beneficial impact on employee performance when it makes employees feel valued. This implies that an increase in pay will not likely incentivize a worker in cases where he/she receives the increase after threatening to leave or when his/her contract stipulates when and how much raises will be.

(Read original release on BusinessWire.)

Tags: performance, motivation, engagement

Categories: News