Stress in the Workplace - A Management Responsibility
Stress is considered to be the main cause of many medical conditions, including heart problems. At the same time, the nature of stress is multifaceted and difficult to define, and the reasons for its increase are poorly understood.
Stress in the workplace can have a disastrous effect on peoples’ health and lead to sickness and absence. It can also seriously disrupt the business and reduce profits. Yet many organisations consider stress to be a personal problem of individual workers, and something which an organisation can do little to address.
The amount of stress in the workplace is generally considered to be increasing. The concept of a job for life has been consigned to history and most workers will need to learn new skills during the course of their career. Male manual workers in traditional heavy industries such as mining, steel and manufacturing may need to adapt to the very different work situation of an office environment. Advances in Information Technology mean that staff will need to become computer literate and this can be a major challenge for anyone over 40 years of age.
The cost of labour is invariably the biggest cost of any organisation in a western economy and dwarfs the costs of machinery and business premises. Most large firms have an opportunity to relocate part of their operations in a low wage location such as India, and this increases the pressure on management to increase the productivity of staff in the mature economies of the west. All companies are searching for ways to reduce their staff and to make their existing staff work harder and to greater effect.
In one sense, stress can be productive. Giving people targets and deadlines invariably generates mild levels of stress and this state of agitation can help to focus attention on the tasks to hand.
However, many workers report symptoms of stress which are decidedly unhealthy and lead to sickness and prolonged periods of absence from work. It has always been the case that high flying, young male executives experience high levels of stress and this often leads to burn out at an early age. These high flyers were often difficult to work with and received little sympathy from colleagues whom they had mistreated over the years, in the event of a physical or mental collapse.
In recent times, stress has permeated the entire workplace and there are many people who genuinely feel that they are unable to cope with the demands of work. Responses vary. Some staff will seek to avoid responsibility and try to get others to make difficult decisions. Others will turn down opportunities for promotion. Some will simply start looking for a job elsewhere, and eventually leave the organisation. Worse still, some may embark on regular and prolonged periods of sickness, while still drawing their salaries and other benefits of employment.
Most articles on the subject of stress focus on ways an individual can try to reduce stress in work and learn how to cope. While these are undoubtedly useful, it should also be remembered that the management of the organisation is ultimately responsible for the welfare of staff. A stress ridden workplace, with high staff turnover and excessive sick leave is neither beneficial for employees nor the organisation itself.
A progressive company should always be looking for new ways of working more efficiently and effectively in order to reduce costs and increases revenues or profits. The management of human resources is probably the most crucial element in this quest.
There are several things an organisation can do -
1. The organisation of work in a company should be a top management function, and should be the subject of company wide, regular reviews. This does not mean that emphasis should be place on rewriting job functions every few months. In fact many argue that excessively detailed job specifications are the source of inertia and atrophy. What is required is an appreciation of the human implications of corporate strategy. In other words, as the activities of the organisation change or expand, then careful thought should be given as to how the workforce should adapt to these changes in order to make the strategy a success.
2. Recruitment of skilled and capable staff is essential to the achievement of corporate objectives. In all organisations, there will be leaders and followers, and poor selection of leaders will inevitably lead to corporate collapse. Therefore great care should be given to the selection process for the recruitment of key staff. In addition to personal qualities such as vision, intelligence, energy and dynamism, it is also important that key staff can inspire and motivate their junior colleagues.
3. Management styles have, or should have, moved away from the traditional hierarchical and authoritarian based military model. In other words, staff perform tasks, not because they are simply told to by management, but because they appreciate the value of their role in the organisation as a whole. On this approach, the remit of a manager is to assist staff to perform their roles and to inspire commitment based on his or her personal example.
4. There should be a culture in the workplace whereby staff who are experiencing difficulty in discharging their tasks have an informal forum in which to discuss these matters. It is simply incorrect to think that the reason why a person is not performing well must always be due to a personal failure on their behalf. Staff are often given targets which are impossible and deadlines which are unrealistic. In this case, the failure lies with the manager who allocated this task, rather than the unfortunate person who was given the job.
5. All workers should have a personal development plan. The plan should identify the skills they need to develop and discharge their responsibilities more effectively, and provide training or supervised learning experiences which will assist in skill building. If a member of staff is content with his or her current responsibilities and is not seeking a pay rise or promotion, then one should be able to articulate this preference without fear of ridicule or discrimination.
If these steps are implemented then the staff of an organisation will learn how to work imaginatively and proactively. This will invariably lead to a reduction in stress.
Leslie Hardy is the UK Chairman of Wellington Estates Ltd, a North Cyprus property development company. Read the full text of this article at http://www.wellestates.com
Is There A Place For Humor In The Workplace
Lighten up! Okay, that may be hard advice for anyone who hears that phrase on the job, but humor in the workplace is more than possible and without getting served a pink slip either. A good laugh now and then will do wonders for you, as smiling and laughing lowers your stress levels (a godsend in the sales industry), wins you a friendly reputation, and helps your usually tense coworkers and bosses unwind (and thus not take their frustrations out on you). Humor on the job does plenty for your career, but there are some things to know before becoming the office comedian.
Keep in mind that there are some jobs where humor isn’t a good idea. There’s always exceptions to every bit of advice you’ll hear, so have the good judgment to know when your workplace shouldn’t involve humor.
One of the biggest rules with fun in the workplace is to avoid controversy when you’re joking around on the job. It’s stifling, but no one can deny that the current atmosphere of most businesses just isn’t friendly towards controversial or racy humor. Stay away from joking about politics, race and religion, for starters.
Sex is another dangerous topic, though it may be easier to make jokes about sex without offending others, so long as you’re aware of the exact definition of sexual harassment in your workplace and stay well within the lines of decency.
Never poke fun at other people within your organization, as you’re trying to win friends among the people you work with, not alienate them. If you can’t help yourself, be extremely careful with exceptions to the rules and be cautiously creative if you must have some fun with the topics you should avoid.
Poking fun at the very job you do or the industry you work in is a great way to earn some smiles from your coworkers and supervisors. While these types of workplace jokes may not be so funny at home or amongst friends, as they really don’t understand the pressures or quirks of your employment, the people who are around you in your job will certainly appreciate humor about their frustrations and will be able to laugh over situations instead of grumbling.
One consideration for workplace comedy is choosing the right time and place to joke around. Naturally, the best time for some humor is when you’re not working, but still around the people you work with, such as a coffee break, lunch, or during the commute. You can also try to be funny on the job, but when you’re working, it’s a good idea to use humor much more sparingly than you normally do. A tactful wisecrack now and then won’t hurt your career, but if you don’t show some professionalism and good taste, you’re asking for trouble.
Start off adding humor to your workplace slowly, by trying out a few small jokes that you know are safe. All you really want to do is laugh a little and have the people around you smile as well. You’ll feel more relaxed and the tension in the air will drop. You may even give your career a jump start, as people will want to be around you more often.
John Edmond owns and writes regularly for http://careerbuilder-jobs.info where you can find more information and advice on all aspects of careers and job searching.
An Employment Background Check Makes Sense
It used to be people could put anything down on a resume and run very little risk of it being checked out. But, as more and more horror stories surface about employees not having the backgrounds they said they did, employers are making this a standard practice.
Thanks to the Internet, completing background checks is now quick, easy and a whole lot more cost effective than hiring the wrong person and having to let them go down the road.
If you’re an employer and you don’t run background checks, let’s look at some of the biggest reasons you should change that policy:
* Protects you from a bad hire. While it’s true a background check can’t tell the future, it can help you weed out employees who might not be truthful on their applications. If the person isn’t who he or she says he or she is, a background check will help ferret this out.
* Protects other employees. People with serious criminal backgrounds sometimes try to slide into a system. By performing a background check, you might find the person you wanted working night stock, for example, has a conviction record that wouldn’t make him the right choice for the slot.
* Proves integrity. “Everyone lies on applications.” That’s the common misconception, but it’s simply not true. By performing a background check, you can’t weed out those employees who might be less than honest and hire only those who have proven at least a basic level of integrity by telling the truth on their applications and resumes.
It’s your right to check into a possible hire’s past, and doing so is just smart if you want to hire only those people who show a basic level of integrity. An interview, after all, can only tell you so much.
* Protects you from future issues that may arise. If there is a problem with an employee down the road, a properly performed background check can help insulate you and your company by proving you did your due diligence to ensure the person had the right credentials for the position. As an employer, it’s your job to provide a safe workplace for employees. If you don’t know the backgrounds of those people, however, you could have a loaded gun just waiting to go off.
There are a number of good reasons to perform background checks on employees before you hire them. The things you can look at can really help you make informed decisions about your manpower. Considering a good check will include everything from citizenship and criminal record to driving records and even college completion, it just makes good sense to do a check before you make a final decision.
For employees, too, a background check can actually provide a level of comfort. Knowing a company cares enough about its staffing to ensure only the best are hired speaks well to potential employees about the company’s philosophies and priorities. Getting the job done is great. But, getting the job done in a professional and safe environment is something most potential hires will appreciate as a priority.
Reviews of the Top 3 Investigation Services You Can Use - http://www.e-Investigate.com
Employment Agencies On The Rise
As more and more people are being laid off and replaced by technology, more and more people are finding themselves unemployed. It is sometimes difficult to find a new job in today’s competitive job market. Every year thousands of people are turning to employment agencies as a way to aid them in their job search. Employment agencies specialize in placing individuals with companies that would be a good fit. These agencies have access to thousands of companies that are looking for employees. By signing up with several different employment agencies you are sure to increase your chance of finding the best job available for you.
Employment in UK is becoming harder and more difficult to find every year as more people are graduating from universities and expanding the talent pool. Employment agencies are always looking to add new companies to recruit for, and new employees to place within these companies. While employment in UK continues to become more competitive, employment agencies such as Adecco, which is very popular in the United States, continue to garner more business every year.
A big plus of employment agencies is that they work for you. They do not get paid by their clients, unless they place you with them. This makes the agency more urgent to get you a job, because if they do not, they may be joining the unemployment ranks.
Like employment agencies in the United States, employment agencies in UK generally do not charge the employee for searching a job out for them. Generally speaking employment agencies find you work cost free! They collect all of their fees from their clients. But nothing is that easy, is it?
Employment agencies also do a good job of screening job seekers. They make their money by placing quality employees with their clients, and relying on repeat business. Therefore agencies must screen applicants to ensure that they will provide quality work. Screening may consist of checking into the applicant’s background, as well as testing at their office. Both language and math may be tested. For the majority of applicant these tests are no problem at all. Employment agencies realize this, but must administer these tests as to cover themselves if something does not work out with their client.
Employment in UK is growing every year, which is a positive sign for job seekers. The growth of the technology sector has opened up jobs for many new graduates, as well as experienced professionals.
Though more jobs are becoming available, competition is also heating up! Employment agencies realize this and are prospecting on a daily basis looking to add new clients, and new applicants to place into jobs. The jobs available do come in thick and fast so new clients will keep all those positions within those new jobs filled.
If you are having a hard time finding a job the traditional way, such as classified ads or networking, check out your local employment agency. They should be able to match you up with a job that fits your needs and skills. What do you have to lose?
Kevin Dark is an online marketer. See his upcoming project at http://www.linkspot.info
Why Does Work Not Get Done?
There are perhaps as many reasons why work does not get done as there are unfinished tasks laying around.
But lets talk about two major reasons and I guarantee you if and when you fix them, life starts getting easier because work is getting done. By the way, one always assumes “work getting done” means that the particular work done actually bring about a product, which is really needed and can be valued by someone else as useful. And only then will another be willing to pay for it or willing to give something in exchange.
For instance, doing all kinds of work to be organized might well be lots of man-hours wasted for nothing. I am not saying that one should not be organized, one must in fact be organized, but being organized for the purpose of being organized means little or nothing. It very often means only “being busy”!!
So, every task done must have a clear product, which clearly contributes to the end product the company wants to produce. There is much more about this to be said but I hope that the few words will give you enough of an idea so that you maybe take a few moments and look over all action you and your staff do and see what actions simply might be eliminated because they simply do not contribute enough to the end result.
Actions, which do not bring enough return, can and usually do cost you, the practitioner, more money than all the bad investments you ever made.
Work not getting done, even in a small business, over a lifetime means millions of dollars lost. Millions of dollars, which could be used for better servicing patients, even more expansion of your practice and that expansion of course could buy many nice things for you and your family, including having time off!!
The two reasons why work is not getting done are:
1) Not enough people to do the job.
2) Wrongly given orders by executives. (Here we mean that even the smartest person in the world could not execute the orders.)
Number One - Not enough people:
Not enough people to do the job have everything to do with the under-estimation of what it takes to do a certain task. Most bosses as well as workers grossly underestimate the time it takes to perform an action. This underestimation does not even put into calculation the fact that there are always other unexpected tasks that turn up. Unexpected and uncalculated jobs like more work during tax season, some computer break down, an employee becoming sick or otherwise just not having a great day, and I am sure you could have nightmares if you think of all the unexpected and uncalculated tasks which just happened to appear.
Don’t ever think that “Now all the unexpected tasks are done!!” They never will be done and will ALWAYS continue to pop up!!
You see, some management people try to tell you that IF YOU PLAN WELL this will not happen. First of all that is BULL and second of all, if it would be possible, you still would have to have someone doing the task and it still would be true that you would have to have more people do the job!!
Be honest with yourself and look at it - it is not only your employees who do not get the job done in the time you think they should, YOU, the boss, is just as guilty of it. Go ahead, be honest with yourself - the above will make much more sense and will open the gates to getting the jobs on hand done and thus make money hands over fist. At this moment you probably think that it is impossible to have more people because you already cannot make payroll. I understand but at this juncture you have not much choice than trusting me. Most of the tasks not getting done are usually tasks that have to do with the creating of new patients and selling them, treating their needs.
Number Two - Wrongly given orders by executives:
This is equally as devastating as not having enough staff. Probably even more so, since I, after all, know lots of doctors and business people who have plenty of personnel and still get nothing done! Sure, it is easy to blame the workers, and no doubt, I know from personally having been in charge of up to 1000 workers that some employees definitely must go. Some employees are simply beyond repair and are down right lazy, or more correctly, are unwilling. But more often than that, it is the UN-DOABLE ORDERS from executives, which snarl the whole production progress up.
You see, I am a bit lazy too which is why I have learned how to give correct orders which can be executed so I don’t have to do it all myself!
I have written a long article with some real life examples for Doctors called “How to Get the Job Done” which you can later read but for now lets just get to the basics.
Most orders that an executive gives are actually not executable because the order talks about something, which means something different to different people. Like it or not, “clean the room” means something very different to a 12 year old than to a meticulous housekeeper!
“Organize the office” - means what? To me personally, it would maybe mean to get everyone on the phones and call clients and prospects and get them in the office so we can enlighten them about our service. To you it might mean clean the office, put the boxes away, etc. To your office manager it might mean to get into the computer to clean up the misspellings in the patients’ records and tell the rest of the workers to be friendlier to patients as well as work harder. (”Being friendly and work harder” of course would be another set of undoable orders)
Can you see that?
What is friendly to one is not necessarily friendly to someone else. Even “file the patients charts” obviously needs more explanation. This above example may jog your memory so you can look over all the times you or your executives gave one of those more or less undoable orders.
Now, remember to look and search for some more concrete examples but please to not forget, or underestimate the effort it will take to start giving DOABLE ORDERS!
Look doctor, you worked hard on getting yourself so well educated and it took quite some effort. What would you think if your son or daughter would tell you that going to school and putting in some sweat and enduring some inconveniences is not worth it and he or she rather start washing dishes in some restaurant or doing filing work in some office because it makes immediate money and is not so demanding on their social life!
What would you think or do?
You doctors, being well-educated and having paid some dues and having all the pressures in life, are sometimes very much inclined to NOT LEARN NEW THINGS because they involve too much time, sweat and inconvenience. But you will, pay the price (as your children would) in the form of unnecessary hardship for many years to come. You know that success would be almost impossible!
Now that you have read this issue I can honestly say that any “financial hardship” or having to work hard without the appropriate rewards which you may encounter in the future, WILL BE SELF-IMPOSED!
You don’t have to do all the work yourself - in fact you can’t. But you also must learn what all the great leaders somehow know or have learned: give do-able orders. It’s easer done than said! Yes you heard me right - it is easier done than said.
Try it - or better, just DO it and love it!!
Read the issue “How to Get the Job Done” in our Mass Marketing Program.
Contained in this issue are examples only, and only some very few examples - you must work daily on breaking your orders in series of doable steps ensuring the results you envision. It is sort like an illness. You don’t say get the fever down. So why would you say “get collection up”? No, you say “do test 1, do test 2, do test 3″. Then you say: “Give that medicine and do that and that”.
OK, have fun giving orders, which can be executed, but most importantly start making money because work is getting done.
Helmut Flasch is a marketing consultant who uses Un-advertising rather than the traditional advertising methods. Find out more information about his marketing strategy at http://www.unadvertising.info
Advantages of a Hybrid eMentoring System & eLearning Platform
To make a blended eMentoring & eLearning initiative a reality, a healthcare organization would need a web-based, total communication solution which would allow individuals to collaborate anywhere and anytime for improved productivity. Specific collaboration tools would include: Email, Instant Messaging, Video Conferencing, Desktop Sharing, Co-browsing, File Sharing, Internet Phone with Voicemail, Group Collaboration, Discussion Groups, Web Collaboration, and Virtual Classrooms.
In particular, one of the challenges of any new mentoring relationship is the availability of time. Traditional mentoring requires that both parties be available at the same time to meet in person. While time is always a factor in any mentoring partnership, it is not necessary for both participants to be available at the same time in a virtual mentoring relationship. Advantages include open correspondence, access to more geographically isolated regions, and efficiency of communication.
Many healthcare professionals feel that there isn
The Keys To Effective Employee Training
Businesses have begun to realize the importance and the benefits of employee training and development. When employees are trained properly and assessed periodically, a business definitely improves. Training gets the employees up to date on the latest techniques used and helps the business achieve customer satisfaction and retention. They are better equipped to deal with problems and reduce outsourcing or calling specialists to deal with certain problems. Proper training is necessary for the growth of the employees as well as the business. An analysis of the company’s needs is helpful in determining what kind of training best suits your employees and getting the most out of the training process.
Some companies give a lot of importance to training and determining what the result of the training should be, such as an increase in profits, better performance of employees, reduced costs, and fewer chances of mistakes due to employee errors. They even provide new employee orientations for a period to ensure the employees become familiar with the business, its policies, its products and their duties.
Get The Most Out Of Employee Training
The key to getting the most out of employee training is to do a careful analysis of what sectors of the business need extra guidance, what kind of training to give, and what the expected end results are, such as, improved job performance. They must determine the costs involved in training employees, monitoring the personnel periodically to see if they have implemented any changes due to the training and if there is an improvement in the business.
They must have a need for the training as well as opt for training that will be best suited to meet their needs. The cost of the training should be reasonable and not too heavy on the pocket book. Training employees is essential, as it will equip them to do their duties efficiently and improve business significantly. Businesses have realized that employee training is vital for the efficient functioning of the business and that it presents a good return on investments.
Planning carefully and getting the most out of employee training will greatly increase job satisfaction, morale, motivation and efficiency, resulting in financial gain and reducing employee turn over. Training equips new employees with the capacity to adapt to new technologies and methods and to help implement new strategies and products confidently and successfully.
Getting the most out of employee training is done by understanding which areas need training, what kind of training suits your needs, how much you are willing to spend, how you monitor employees, how you assess their performance and how the employees use their training to improve business significantly.
Additional Help
There are firms that offer products and services to help new entrepreneurs run a business smoothly. This includes software geared toward educating employees in business strategies and the overall management of companies.
David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc. His company publishes a free weekly e-newsletter on Small Business Consulting at their web site http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com
How To Select Appropriate Business Gifts
Business gifts are a good way to build goodwill toward the company. An appropriate gift creates a professional image for the company and leaves a positive and long-lasting impression of the company. They are an ideal way to show appreciation for the association of the clients and strengthen the relationship between the company and its associates. THey help the company to motivate and retain the employees.
An appropriate one is memorable. Appropriateness of the gift depends upon the purpose, the cost, and the benefits supplied by the recipient. While selecting it, focus should be more on the quality rather than quantity.
It is important to consider the etiquette and policies of the company during the selection. Some companies have limitations and guidelines concerning them. Learn these limitations and guidelines from the companies’ personnel departments and follow them. For example, it should not exceed the restricted monetary value. In some situations, companies do not exchange or accept gifts.
Ideas
There are many choices. However, selecting an appropriate one can be a challenging job. Always look for unique items. It should be distinctive in nature.
Personal accessories, mementos, mugs, fridge magnets, journals, pens, calendars, wall clocks and business card holders with the company’s logo are good options for business gifts. A company logo on such items promotes the firm. The personal accessories should not be too intimate. For example, do not give jewelry to any client or employee. Don’t choose the personal gifts until the clients’ taste is known.
A basket is also a good option. There are a wide variety of baskets. Savory food baskets, fruit baskets, cigar baskets, wine baskets, and flowers are some of the examples. Vacation packages are a welcome release from the rigors of the work environment and can be an incentive to be a top performer.
Occasions
Business gifts are generally distributed on special occasions. For example, always present a gift to a person, who is retiring from service. Silverware is a good option as a gift item in this case. In order to encourage a colleague or immediate boss’s promotion present a gift as a wish for good luck. At a time of extra perk benefits or pay hikes, employees can use gifts to honor the employers.
Sometimes companies distribute them during events and meetings to thank their associates. Employees receive them for their good performance and contribution towards the company. Companies can give leather wallets, bags, briefcases, caps or conference pads to motivate their executives, shareholders or investors.
An innappropriate gift will do more harm than good. Be sure to follow protocol whenever engaging in this activity. Do not give away gifts without a proper reason behind it.
David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc. His company publishes a free weekly e-newsletter on Small Business Consulting at their web site http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com
A Four Step Process to Easily Reduce Employee Turnover
Would you like to reduce employee turnover? Who wouldn’t? Do an internet search of “reduce employee turnover” and you will get lots of technical and complicated advice. Actually reducing turnover is a lot simpler than what many of the articles prescribe. The solution is simple, place the right people in the right job, recognize their performance, reward them occasionally, and treat them with respect. Yes money and benefits are important but study after study proves that they aren’t the most important factors in employee retention.
So why do companies not focus on this issue? There are lots of reasons I hear but frankly they all amount to weak excuses. Take a look at the companies in any industry and you will find a number with high turnover and some with low turnover. The difference is caused by just subtle, but very effective, differences in their hiring and retention strategies. Of course the first step is to have a strategy! Here is a simple four step process to get your employee turnover lower.
First, use a validated and legal pre employment test to screen out people with a poor work ethic and bad attitude that make it through normal hiring processes. They typically take about 20 minutes and they reveal more about that candidate then you will ever get in an interview, job app or background check. Average cost $20. Let someone else hire the riff raff.
Second, use a job fit assessment to match the right people to the right job. A person may interview well, have the right education and background, but doesn’t mean they fit the job. Find out if they have the same profile as your top performers. To do this is very simple with the employee assessment tools available. They are easy to use and understand, and will help you determine if the candidate fits the job. Average time is about 30 minutes with a cost under $100.
Third, do employee evaluations regularly. People need feedback, good or bad. How can we expect change if we don’t communicate? Use a simple online system, so administration is a snap and there are no excuses for not getting them done. Remember, people leave supervisors, not companies. They take about an hour to prepare and about the same to present, with a cost of about $25.
Finally, implement an employee recognition program. Reward employees with gifts on service anniversaries or to recognize significant achievements. People need this recognition and, once again, there are all sorts of online employee recognition programs that are easy to implement. You control the budget but a nice $25 gift says a lot and only takes a few minutes to do. Most importantly, say thank you. It’s free and it goes a long way to making people feel happy and appreciated.
So for a modest investment and very little time, you can reduce employee turnover significantly. That will give you a substantial return, given the high cost of turnover. If you are a company suffering from high turnover, take a look at these four easy steps and get on the road to improvement.
For more information on this critical business issue and the solutions to handle it, contact Robert A. Cameron. Mr. Cameron helps employers improve the effectiveness of employee selection, hiring and development. They can be reached at 954-385-8701 or visit their website at http://www.racameron.com
The Need For Employee Leasing For Small Businesses
While running a small business, the entrepreneur is often confronted with the issue of managing limited resources to generate the desired outcome, in terms of both quantity and quality. The dire need to expand and at the same time cope with expenses eventually becomes a difficult task for even the most talented individual. Increasing initial expenses and diverse market requisitions impose a sustainability issue on the small-scale businesses. The small business owner must look for ways to cut costs and plan the expense structure, to keep the fixed cost at a minimal level. The market requirements are unpredictable and in such situations, it makes no sense to deploy dedicated resources for the output.
All About Employee Leasing
To cater to the immediate demand and at the same time save on the long-term obligations, employers are looking to employee leasing as a solution. Employee leasing refers to hiring out employees for a specific purpose. The leasing contract outlays the exact job description and the duration of employment along with payment terms. Employee leasing serves as a valuable option, especially if specialized resources are required for a small duration.
Employee leasing has been getting a lot of positive reviews recently. It renders the regular employer benefits and saves time in employee training. It lacks associated administrative hassles and has the ease to expand with limited resources in a short run.
However, the other side to this interesting proposition is the corresponding risk factor. Many employers feel that these temporary employees could affect the overall culture and might impose risk by being a potential threat to the important insider information. The solution then is, to pre-specify the access permitted to the contractual employees while working with the firm. This segregates the important information and maintains the focus on the key task allotted. Moreover, various professional firms providing such a temporary work force are willing to enter into legally enforceable contracts regarding the organization’s information confidentiality, thus curbing the scope of information mismanagement.
Leasing And Outsourcing
A common misperception among various recruiters and employers is the perceived similarity between leasing and outsourcing. Many tend to think that they are implicitly the same concepts. However, it must be noted that there is a thin line of difference between the two notions. Outsourcing implies getting the job done from a third party at their workstation or on your premises, while leasing refers to hiring employees or professionals for a pre-defined time duration. For this defined duration, these workers act as company employees and fulfill the outlined job requirements as directed. The appointed contractual employees have direct employee rights and share the company’s success and failures, as do other regular employees.
David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc. His company publishes a free weekly e-newsletter on Small Business Consulting at their web site http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com
