by Fronetics | Apr 21, 2015 | Blog, Leadership, Strategy
The inability to delegate effectively is a principal reason why executives fail. According to London Business School Professor John Hunt, only 30% of managers think that they are able to delegate well. Among these individuals only one-third are considered to be good delegators by their subordinates.
For many managers there is a fear of delegation – a fear of letting go and a fear of losing control. Others confuse delegation for giving away or passing off work, and therefore steer clear. On the other side are those individuals who delegate too easily; managers who delegate everything, but do so ineffectively setting everyone up for failure.
There are still others who have no idea when to delegate and/or how to approach the act of delegation.
Here are 10 steps to successful and effective delegation:
Know when to delegate. Use the 70% rule. Simply put, if the person is able to perform the task at least 70% as well as you are able to, you should delegate the task.
Also consider delegating tasks that you are not good at, tasks you don’t like, tasks that you would like others to learn, or tasks that others should learn.
Choose the right person. When delegating it is important that you choose the right person to whom to delegate. Don’t make the mistake of delegating to the person who has the most time available. Instead, delegate to the individual who has the skills and abilities to deliver.
Trust. Don’t second guess, don’t micro-manage, don’t become a backseat driver. Once you have delegated a task you need to trust that the individual will not only accomplish the task but also that they will do a good job.
Provide clear instructions. It is critical that you provide clear instructions on the task including your expectations, a timeline including the date due, and other details that are needed so that the individual has the information needed to succeed.
Provide the right tools. Make sure you provide the individual with the right tools to accomplish the task.
Delegate in responsibility and authority. Don’t just delegate the task, make sure that you delegate the responsibility and authority as well.
Answer questions. Do not delegate a task and then end all communication. Instead, make sure that you are available to answer questions or to clarify things as necessary.
Recognize that there is more than one way to accomplish a task. Don’t assume that how you would accomplish the task is the only way and/or is the right way. Once you delegate the task you need to support the individual and their approach to accomplishing the task.
Provide recognition. It is important to recognize the work accomplished. Provide public and written recognition.
Say thank you. Don’t forget to say thank you. Saying thank you is very powerful; however, it is often forgotten.
Delegating effectively is critical for business and for your sanity. Let it go.
by Fronetics | Apr 21, 2015 | Blog, Leadership, Strategy
The inability to delegate effectively is a principal reason why executives fail. According to London Business School Professor John Hunt, only 30% of managers think that they are able to delegate well. Among these individuals only one-third are considered to be good delegators by their subordinates.
For many managers there is a fear of delegation – a fear of letting go and a fear of losing control. Others confuse delegation for giving away or passing off work, and therefore steer clear. On the other side are those individuals who delegate too easily; managers who delegate everything, but do so ineffectively setting everyone up for failure.
There are still others who have no idea when to delegate and/or how to approach the act of delegation.
Here are 10 steps to successful and effective delegation:
Know when to delegate. Use the 70% rule. Simply put, if the person is able to perform the task at least 70% as well as you are able to, you should delegate the task.
Also consider delegating tasks that you are not good at, tasks you don’t like, tasks that you would like others to learn, or tasks that others should learn.
Choose the right person. When delegating it is important that you choose the right person to whom to delegate. Don’t make the mistake of delegating to the person who has the most time available. Instead, delegate to the individual who has the skills and abilities to deliver.
Trust. Don’t second guess, don’t micro-manage, don’t become a backseat driver. Once you have delegated a task you need to trust that the individual will not only accomplish the task but also that they will do a good job.
Provide clear instructions. It is critical that you provide clear instructions on the task including your expectations, a timeline including the date due, and other details that are needed so that the individual has the information needed to succeed.
Provide the right tools. Make sure you provide the individual with the right tools to accomplish the task.
Delegate in responsibility and authority. Don’t just delegate the task, make sure that you delegate the responsibility and authority as well.
Answer questions. Do not delegate a task and then end all communication. Instead, make sure that you are available to answer questions or to clarify things as necessary.
Recognize that there is more than one way to accomplish a task. Don’t assume that how you would accomplish the task is the only way and/or is the right way. Once you delegate the task you need to support the individual and their approach to accomplishing the task.
Provide recognition. It is important to recognize the work accomplished. Provide public and written recognition.
Say thank you. Don’t forget to say thank you. Saying thank you is very powerful; however, it is often forgotten.
Delegating effectively is critical for business and for your sanity. Let it go.
by Fronetics | Apr 20, 2015 | Blog, Leadership, Strategy, Talent
It’s true. You need to work less and stop checking your emails.
Somewhere in California, in the middle of the Redwood Forest, lies Camp Grounded. The school bus on which campers arrive comes alive on weekends with the activity of its new passengers – sing-alongs, face painting, snacks. Undoubtedly that energy is driven by the excitement of what the imminent camp experience will hold. The small cabins, which serve as the home base for campers to rest with their bunkmates in between sessions of arts and crafts, archery, and campfires, are nostalgic throwbacks to the 1930s American camp experience. The camp owners, indeed aiming to recall a slower, simpler time, have built the 2,000 acre camp to offer all the typical activities and (lack of) amenities you’d expect from a secluded camp.
What you might not be able to immediately discern about this camp, though, is that it caters exclusively to adults. That’s right, campers range in age from 19 to 72. The other most striking feature of Camp Grounded is their policy on digital technology; it is strictly prohibited.
Why are these people giving up their laptops, cellphones, tablets? What would make a grown person want to digitally disconnect from the world? Turns out, quite a few things.
A 2014 Gallup poll reported that the average workweek now clocks in at 47 hours a week. And troublingly, nearly four in ten Americans are working at least 50 hours a week. It’s not a far jump to conclude that advancements in digital technology have made it difficult for workers to set firm time parameters for job-related responsibilities. It certainly fits with Pew Research Center’s finding that 61% and 54% believe email and the internet, respectively, to be “very important” in doing their work. The lack of conventional parameters and the pervasive ability for workers to access tools of productivity outside standard work hours has some startling implications for the state of the American workforce and might just explain why adult campers are flocking to Camp Grounded in droves.
Long hours are making employees sick and causing injures.
A University of Massachusetts study revealed workers who routinely work long hours are thought be at risk for numerous physical conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic infections, and even death. Research has also linked that those who spend four or more hours sitting per day to a 125% increase in heart disease risk, even when controlling for diet and exercise. Another study, in which the University College in London found that long work hours can double the risk of depression, shows the emotional health of workers who log long hours suffers too. Alarmingly, a high number of work hours are also correlated with increased risk of workplace accidents. A National Institutes of Health report states that working at least 60 hours per week increases a worker’s likelihood of injury by 23%.
Workers are stressed as a result of not setting firm work-life boundaries.
Many of the health concerns presented by employees working protracted hours are stress-based diseases and illnesses. Stress can be characterized by a cyclical progression; the cycle of poor performance and impaired decision making, brought on by illness, sluggishness and decreased productivity, can all exacerbate stress. Furthermore, working long hours away from home can cause familial stress since, often times, one spouse shoulders the burden of unequally spilt household tasks and child rearing responsibilities. For businesses, the bad news about stress is just as alarming. Between 5% to 8% of all annual healthcare-related costs are stress-related – passed on to employers to the tune of $180 billion each year.
The more hours employees work, the less productive they are.
Probably a universal experience for office employees is the dazed feeling that comes after spending an extended amount of time working in front of a computer screen. The eyes tend to gloss over, the back becomes stiff, and the mind goes a little fuzzy. The evolution of the modern workweek notwithstanding, it’s interesting to note that logging long hours doesn’t make employees more productive. In fact, it can have the opposite effect. The Economist wrote a piece in 2013 which concluded “with higher working hours, labor output per hour fell.” Meaning, the correlation between working more hours and being more productive simply doesn’t exist. Taxing the mind and body with work for extended periods of time leaves employees tired, sluggish, and unproductive.
Overworked employees are typically disengaged employees.
Despite all the aforementioned negative consequences employees are willing to endure in order to work long hours, there’s really little employees or employers are getting in return. That’s because, for all the extra hours workers are putting in, it actually drives disengagement. Left wholly left unchecked, the culmination of issues arising from an unbalanced work-home life can increase absenteeism and turnover. Simply put, employees logging long hours are significantly more prone to burnout.
After being presented with the destructive effects clocking long hours can have on our bodies, relationships, and careers, revisiting the issue of a voluntary digital detox seems like a virtuous approach to our constant connectedness. But you don’t have to shell out hundreds of dollars in order to reap the benefits (device-free! no j-o-b talk!) Camp Grounded offers. Start by setting firm boundaries for work and home life. Ask a spouse or partner to hold you accountable. Block access to email on your devices during nights and weekends. If that seems too extreme, consider delaying your email responses until the next work morning. Implementing these small changes in the way you interact with your job responsibilities outside typical business hours can improve your physical and mental health and advance your career. If you find that you need a little more motivation to unplug and disengage from work, you’ll likely find it in the sing-alongs and talent shows performed by weary workers, turned cheery campers at Camp Grounded.
by Fronetics | Apr 20, 2015 | Blog, Leadership, Strategy, Talent
It’s true. You need to work less and stop checking your emails.
Somewhere in California, in the middle of the Redwood Forest, lies Camp Grounded. The school bus on which campers arrive comes alive on weekends with the activity of its new passengers – sing-alongs, face painting, snacks. Undoubtedly that energy is driven by the excitement of what the imminent camp experience will hold. The small cabins, which serve as the home base for campers to rest with their bunkmates in between sessions of arts and crafts, archery, and campfires, are nostalgic throwbacks to the 1930s American camp experience. The camp owners, indeed aiming to recall a slower, simpler time, have built the 2,000 acre camp to offer all the typical activities and (lack of) amenities you’d expect from a secluded camp.
What you might not be able to immediately discern about this camp, though, is that it caters exclusively to adults. That’s right, campers range in age from 19 to 72. The other most striking feature of Camp Grounded is their policy on digital technology; it is strictly prohibited.
Why are these people giving up their laptops, cellphones, tablets? What would make a grown person want to digitally disconnect from the world? Turns out, quite a few things.
A 2014 Gallup poll reported that the average workweek now clocks in at 47 hours a week. And troublingly, nearly four in ten Americans are working at least 50 hours a week. It’s not a far jump to conclude that advancements in digital technology have made it difficult for workers to set firm time parameters for job-related responsibilities. It certainly fits with Pew Research Center’s finding that 61% and 54% believe email and the internet, respectively, to be “very important” in doing their work. The lack of conventional parameters and the pervasive ability for workers to access tools of productivity outside standard work hours has some startling implications for the state of the American workforce and might just explain why adult campers are flocking to Camp Grounded in droves.
Long hours are making employees sick and causing injures.
A University of Massachusetts study revealed workers who routinely work long hours are thought be at risk for numerous physical conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic infections, and even death. Research has also linked that those who spend four or more hours sitting per day to a 125% increase in heart disease risk, even when controlling for diet and exercise. Another study, in which the University College in London found that long work hours can double the risk of depression, shows the emotional health of workers who log long hours suffers too. Alarmingly, a high number of work hours are also correlated with increased risk of workplace accidents. A National Institutes of Health report states that working at least 60 hours per week increases a worker’s likelihood of injury by 23%.
Workers are stressed as a result of not setting firm work-life boundaries.
Many of the health concerns presented by employees working protracted hours are stress-based diseases and illnesses. Stress can be characterized by a cyclical progression; the cycle of poor performance and impaired decision making, brought on by illness, sluggishness and decreased productivity, can all exacerbate stress. Furthermore, working long hours away from home can cause familial stress since, often times, one spouse shoulders the burden of unequally spilt household tasks and child rearing responsibilities. For businesses, the bad news about stress is just as alarming. Between 5% to 8% of all annual healthcare-related costs are stress-related – passed on to employers to the tune of $180 billion each year.
The more hours employees work, the less productive they are.
Probably a universal experience for office employees is the dazed feeling that comes after spending an extended amount of time working in front of a computer screen. The eyes tend to gloss over, the back becomes stiff, and the mind goes a little fuzzy. The evolution of the modern workweek notwithstanding, it’s interesting to note that logging long hours doesn’t make employees more productive. In fact, it can have the opposite effect. The Economist wrote a piece in 2013 which concluded “with higher working hours, labor output per hour fell.” Meaning, the correlation between working more hours and being more productive simply doesn’t exist. Taxing the mind and body with work for extended periods of time leaves employees tired, sluggish, and unproductive.
Overworked employees are typically disengaged employees.
Despite all the aforementioned negative consequences employees are willing to endure in order to work long hours, there’s really little employees or employers are getting in return. That’s because, for all the extra hours workers are putting in, it actually drives disengagement. Left wholly left unchecked, the culmination of issues arising from an unbalanced work-home life can increase absenteeism and turnover. Simply put, employees logging long hours are significantly more prone to burnout.
After being presented with the destructive effects clocking long hours can have on our bodies, relationships, and careers, revisiting the issue of a voluntary digital detox seems like a virtuous approach to our constant connectedness. But you don’t have to shell out hundreds of dollars in order to reap the benefits (device-free! no j-o-b talk!) Camp Grounded offers. Start by setting firm boundaries for work and home life. Ask a spouse or partner to hold you accountable. Block access to email on your devices during nights and weekends. If that seems too extreme, consider delaying your email responses until the next work morning. Implementing these small changes in the way you interact with your job responsibilities outside typical business hours can improve your physical and mental health and advance your career. If you find that you need a little more motivation to unplug and disengage from work, you’ll likely find it in the sing-alongs and talent shows performed by weary workers, turned cheery campers at Camp Grounded.
by Fronetics | Apr 16, 2015 | Blog, Strategy
Employers are increasingly finding flexible scheduling for employees attractive for a number of reasons – not the least of which is to produce cost savings.
At 9:15 AM Sam drops his kids off at school and heads over to the coffee shop near his house. He grabs a coffee, cracks open his laptop, responds to a couple of emails, and finalizes his notes for a presentation he’ll be giving tomorrow. Sam’s manager, Barbara, sends Sam a text letting him know the time for next week’s video conference has been changed. For the rest of the morning Sam works among the coffee shop’s other patrons.
Sam’s remote office and flexible work schedule have become increasingly ubiquitous among today’s workforce. Undoubtedly a driving factor in the shift for companies to facilitate more flexible work arrangements for their employees is employer cost savings. Offering this type of autonomous, flexible scheduling for employees can impact a company’s bottom line, sometimes dramatically. If your company hasn’t contemplated offering remote work options or flexible scheduling, take a look at some of the financial advantages it could be missing out on:
Cost reduction of real estate and utilities
That real estate is most often a company’s second largest expenditure is good reason to explore the cost savings benefits that remote work environments provide. When employees aren’t required to be location-specific, companies are very likely to realize a reduction in facility expenditures. After Sun Microsystems implemented a program to arrange for employees to work remotely, the company reported a cost savings of over $387M in annual building-related costs. In a similar move, Canadian-based ATB Financial, reduced their office space by 88,000 square feet and saved $2.6 million annually. In addition to office space, the reduction in building utility costs represents a significant financial incentive for employers considering that office equipment energy consumption rate is twice that of home office equipment energy consumption. Allowing employees to work from home shifts that utility cost off employers.
Lowered absenteeism
Employee absenteeism accounts for $300 billion in lost income for U.S. companies annually. Some employers are finding the uncertainty and decreased productivity – and ultimately lost profits – created by absenteeism are being hedged as a direct result of flexible and remote work policies. Six out of every ten U.S. households with children are homes where all parents work, and approximately 40 million Americans provide unpaid care to an elderly relative or friend. Without workplace flexibility, these workers are often faced with taking time off work to attend to the needs of those who rely on them. Maintaining flexibility in their work schedule allows workers to attend to personal and family issues without disrupting the production of work. Companies can help employees balance these obligations while decreasing workplace absenteeism by structuring work schedules to be adaptable.
Attraction of top talent
The cost associated with recruiting top talent is significant; companies have an incentive to find unique ways to recruit valuable employees. Arranging remote or flexible work options can be an effective strategy in achieving that objective. A 2014 study by The Council of Economic Advisors found that 49% of working parents have passed on a job opportunity because they felt it would conflict with family obligations. In an effort to appeal to top candidates, employers should not only include flexible work options as part of the overall compensation package for job candidates, but encourage workplace flexibility for current employees. A truly supportive workplace culture will signal to candidates that your company values its employees.
Reduction in turnover
To combat the high costs of recruiting and training new employees, many companies often seek cost-effective ways to retain current employees. Similar to the way remote working and flexible scheduling lowers absenteeism, they also help to reduce turnover. In the same 2014 report, researchers with The Council of Economic Advisors described a steady increase in childcare costs over the last 25 years that has led to workers finding it more difficult to find affordable childcare. Coupled with the additional demands of an unexpected illness of a child or other family member, it underscores the growing need for the expansion of remote and flexible workplace policies.
Modern workplaces are beginning to move away from the antiquated Henry Ford notion of workers as cogs and recognize employees as individuals who require flexibility in order to equally respond to all demands of life. Employers are increasingly finding flexible scheduling for employees attractive for a number of reasons – not the least of which is to produce cost savings.
Has your company realized financial benefits from offering your employees the option of working from home or flexing their work hours?
by Fronetics | Apr 16, 2015 | Blog, Strategy
Employers are increasingly finding flexible scheduling for employees attractive for a number of reasons – not the least of which is to produce cost savings.
At 9:15 AM Sam drops his kids off at school and heads over to the coffee shop near his house. He grabs a coffee, cracks open his laptop, responds to a couple of emails, and finalizes his notes for a presentation he’ll be giving tomorrow. Sam’s manager, Barbara, sends Sam a text letting him know the time for next week’s video conference has been changed. For the rest of the morning Sam works among the coffee shop’s other patrons.
Sam’s remote office and flexible work schedule have become increasingly ubiquitous among today’s workforce. Undoubtedly a driving factor in the shift for companies to facilitate more flexible work arrangements for their employees is employer cost savings. Offering this type of autonomous, flexible scheduling for employees can impact a company’s bottom line, sometimes dramatically. If your company hasn’t contemplated offering remote work options or flexible scheduling, take a look at some of the financial advantages it could be missing out on:
Cost reduction of real estate and utilities
That real estate is most often a company’s second largest expenditure is good reason to explore the cost savings benefits that remote work environments provide. When employees aren’t required to be location-specific, companies are very likely to realize a reduction in facility expenditures. After Sun Microsystems implemented a program to arrange for employees to work remotely, the company reported a cost savings of over $387M in annual building-related costs. In a similar move, Canadian-based ATB Financial, reduced their office space by 88,000 square feet and saved $2.6 million annually. In addition to office space, the reduction in building utility costs represents a significant financial incentive for employers considering that office equipment energy consumption rate is twice that of home office equipment energy consumption. Allowing employees to work from home shifts that utility cost off employers.
Lowered absenteeism
Employee absenteeism accounts for $300 billion in lost income for U.S. companies annually. Some employers are finding the uncertainty and decreased productivity – and ultimately lost profits – created by absenteeism are being hedged as a direct result of flexible and remote work policies. Six out of every ten U.S. households with children are homes where all parents work, and approximately 40 million Americans provide unpaid care to an elderly relative or friend. Without workplace flexibility, these workers are often faced with taking time off work to attend to the needs of those who rely on them. Maintaining flexibility in their work schedule allows workers to attend to personal and family issues without disrupting the production of work. Companies can help employees balance these obligations while decreasing workplace absenteeism by structuring work schedules to be adaptable.
Attraction of top talent
The cost associated with recruiting top talent is significant; companies have an incentive to find unique ways to recruit valuable employees. Arranging remote or flexible work options can be an effective strategy in achieving that objective. A 2014 study by The Council of Economic Advisors found that 49% of working parents have passed on a job opportunity because they felt it would conflict with family obligations. In an effort to appeal to top candidates, employers should not only include flexible work options as part of the overall compensation package for job candidates, but encourage workplace flexibility for current employees. A truly supportive workplace culture will signal to candidates that your company values its employees.
Reduction in turnover
To combat the high costs of recruiting and training new employees, many companies often seek cost-effective ways to retain current employees. Similar to the way remote working and flexible scheduling lowers absenteeism, they also help to reduce turnover. In the same 2014 report, researchers with The Council of Economic Advisors described a steady increase in childcare costs over the last 25 years that has led to workers finding it more difficult to find affordable childcare. Coupled with the additional demands of an unexpected illness of a child or other family member, it underscores the growing need for the expansion of remote and flexible workplace policies.
Modern workplaces are beginning to move away from the antiquated Henry Ford notion of workers as cogs and recognize employees as individuals who require flexibility in order to equally respond to all demands of life. Employers are increasingly finding flexible scheduling for employees attractive for a number of reasons – not the least of which is to produce cost savings.
Has your company realized financial benefits from offering your employees the option of working from home or flexing their work hours?
