MaxImprovement Says: Workforce Dirty Terms

MaxImprovement Says: Workforce Dirty Terms: Some readers will understand the slant on this article. They live it each day. If not personally, they recognize family members or friends ...

Workforce Dirty Terms

Some readers will understand the slant on this article. They live it each day. If not  personally, they recognize family members or friends and can relate to the dirty terms. I would even bet in a barroom conversation, many would claim "having many friends" falling into this category. Others will deny or at least pass aside the article totally.

The term is marginal jobs. Employees in marginal jobs are those, for various reasons, employed and (use this term within the context) engaged in conditions less than favorable. Positions falling into this category include positions that are:

• Boring
• Low-paid
• Intermittent
• Little or no autonomy
• Dead-end

In many cases, employees holding these positions remain hard-working, loyal employees because of an inability to find better jobs. Marginal refers to the work, not the worker. In the economy today, we might find more than usual employed in these jobs.

Networking while employed in marginal work, surely takes a toll on both pride and esteem for the worker. In fact, I would venture “networking” is another dirty term. Those in marginal positions find themselves isolated for many reasons, none-the-less being somewhat embarrassed to network in communities with higher skills and income.

Often, management maintains a preferred group within the organization. This preferred group may stem from common ground or tenure within the company. Regardless, those in marginal positions are less likely to find invitations to lunch with the boss or owner. They are also less likely to find invitations to stimulating work or training.

As a reference, those who watch the television show “Undercover Boss” only find instances where the boss invades the workplace undercover. We rarely hear the real reason why someone participates in this show (other than advertising, marketing, and income) unless the intent is to try and find trouble. I doubt we would see a show with all those outtakes.

When will we see a reality show when the boss invites marginal job employees to lunch? Even the Geico pig cannot REALLY fly.

Those employed in marginal work include personnel with:

• Learning disabilities (these vary as much as any part of society)
• Family influences
• Experience
• Legal backgrounds
• Poor choices in early life

Many employees find themselves excluded, instead of included, from opportunities to improve. We could rant and rave over the “why’s” of this issue, but just to recognize those in marginal industries or employment areas are rarely marginal employees or with marginal potential.

Small Initiatives Move Mountains

I maintain a list of positive statements on my desk I copied from Tom Peters (In Search of Excellence) web site. Tom’s raw, in your face statements bring about thought of how to change things in my world every day.

Today, as I read through the list one quote struck me but differently than originally written. Tom’s statement, “No stone unturned: “Small” courtesies move mountains!” I have witnessed this with at least behaviors and attitudes when extending courtesies to people whom probably not feeling their best. A little courtesy moves mountains for them.

What might change if the neighborhood and community businesses extended courtesies in the way of training and education? Before selecting the little red “X” in the upper right corner, consider this program. Consider changes you could make in your community, neighborhood, city, state, or country.

I enlisted in the Navy in 1970 in a delayed entry program. I did not activate until February 1971. I continued to work throughout that period and on one day I visited my barber for a trim. Tom Polston had been my barber forever, and was a customer on my paper route as a young teen. Tom always had time to talk regardless if you were there for a trim or just visiting.

While sitting in the chair, Tom asked what I was doing for a living. I explained my situation including enlisting in the Navy. Tom asked why I enlisted and I explained working at GE paid bills but offered nothing continual. I wanted a skill I could use anywhere.

Up until that time, Tom and I never spoke about my plans and work. On that day, he told me he would have paid to send me to barber school had I asked. I still remember the shock that someone would make that offer. Had I not already signed a contract with the Navy I might possibly be doing things differently today. I made a career in the Navy so no harm, no foul.

Imagine, someone offering you schooling in a trade at his or her expense. Imagine the path someone could walk with skills and increased opportunities from schooling. Imagine that happens to a young person today considered by many as a risk. Imagine someone providing an opportunity to a woman suddenly finding herself unemployed with children and an absent father. Imagine the opportunities for someone spending 10 years in prison because that person thought they could earn quick money selling weed.

Many walk our communities each day trying to scrape any work they might find. Hoping someone notices his or her skills, or their possibilities. We can all make a difference either collectively or as a lone donor.

Putting things in perspective, in the neighborhood surrounding your business, how many crime reports have you noticed? How many businesses become targets of petty vandalism? How many times might we avoid this if those folks found employment instead of finding/creating troubles?

How much are you paying for insurance? What impact would you notice if your insurance cost/claims dwindled from less crime in your neighborhood? What would you gain if your traffic or production increased with a safer community? What if on every street in your city, businesses adopted youngsters, displaced workers, and ex-offenders for training?

It matters little whether they work in your particular business or even in your field. It matters they are more productive. It matters they find self-esteem, self-importance, and self-sufficiency. All because someone extended opportunities they might not otherwise find.

Just imagine!

Getting Engaged: Or At Least Going Steady

They met through an advertisement. The two thinking they were a match made in heaven. He; a portly feature, stable and still growing. She; looking for someone just like him, but eager to settle down and invest in a more family manner.

Yep, we are talking about corporations and employees. He, the organization (do not go sexist on me here, please) looks to grow and in hiring her proves his expectations to grow in the current production line. She, on the other hand expects a stable employment, income, and sense of belonging.

Place those two characters on hold for the moment while I reset the context of this paper. This IS about employee engagement. This IS about aligning expectations. This IS about you and your organization and “getting engaged” or at least another perspective of that “pre-marital” connection.

Reading an article in the February edition of Talent Magazine (http://talentmgt.com/) on this very subject, I felt as though only portions of this phenomenon made print. Engagement, as in marital engagement takes on many levels.

The first topic in the article mentioned the every-present 24/7 connection via phone or some telecommuting device. The idea seemingly hints the employee grows numb to daily engagement when constantly tagged after hours. What say the jury? I know some ditched landlines for favor of mobile devices. That change only invites callers to test the employee availability and interrupt any downtime they “engage” in after hours. My first thought, “Turn it off!” I refuse to allow the device to keep me engaged in work (being an independent keeps me engaged more than enough, thank you.”

I suppose the real answer is to semi-screen calls by putting the ringer on mute during specific hours. Fortunately, or in my case unfortunately, my business never blossomed to the point I need to worry about late calls. Getting any call, save heavy breathing and prank calls, would find a welcome voice.
The magazine article reported employees seemed more engaged during the recession (their word.) Without hesitation, I immediately recalled an experience in my younger days while employed with General Electric in Louisville, Kentucky. Engagement roots also form from fear, anxiety, loyalty, and with our “couple” at the start of this issue, trust.

General Electric maintained pretty much a union shop. There were a few that never embraced unions and while not completely sold, it seemed like a small toll to travel the road of peace while working (glad too, since I disliked the term “scab.”) I tried my best to work when I could for as long as I could. I enjoyed the work and more importantly, the paycheck.

Word spread of an impending strike over the contract between the union and GE. I worked my hardest and longest hours in those weeks prior to the strike. I knew the pending weeks afterward would get lean and with a wife and son, I needed all I could get.

Not much differences between that period and threats of job loss recently. While not a union issue, the threat of unemployment, bankruptcy, foreclosure, and family unrest make many feel like they MUST engage in work. Stress from this type of engagement spills over into family or down time. The cycle is perpetuating.

Neighborhoods shuttering, friends and family losing employment, rising costs, and issues external to work creep into the workplace and voila, employees engage, but engaged with fear.

For those lucky enough to maintain employment, they lose engagement from loss of loyalty and trust. They look for greener pastures. Just remember, the grass is always greener over…the septic tank. Remind yourself what feeds that grass.

Health risks and missed days affect and stem from employee engagement. I remain uncertain as to which has the bigger impact (chicken and the egg question) but the connection is not doubted. Even my own experiences vouch for this attachment. Possibly more than just a casual day off or off day, those employees with hidden, chronic problems refuse care. The idea of exposing or being exposed scare many employees into ignoring treatment or at least resolution. Melt workplace engagement issues into this and sure enough, we see a health avalanche.

I long thought developing employee skill inventories a necessity for many businesses, especially those growing and looking for increased customers. What is a skill inventory? I can help you develop this inventory, but suffice it to say it improves the engagement bliss.

The fallacious thought about advancement and training as a necessity is overblown and businesses should make this well known. First, businesses are not in the business of advancement for the sake of advancement. Sitting on your haunches begging for more bones is not a way toward favor. The proactive employee seeks business, hand-in-hand with the owner. The skill inventories play in part here, but if you work in a boutique business or an established management/leadership system, advancement comes from business growth. Training for the sake of training is costly and during downturn times not business conducive.

I watched “Saturday Night Fever” last night during a 35th year “anniversary” showing. I watched the movie many times before, but for some reason last night through different lenses. Tony Manero (John Travolta) worked in a paint store as a 20 year old in New York set in the 1970s. At one point, Tony engages in conversation with the owner that points to three other employees and their tenure with his business. Tony is obviously disheartened when realizing his place in the business is junior, but the owner tells him he has a future.

Engagement is perspective, but more importantly, communicating and aligning expectations. Have you had your Tony Manero discussion with your employees? How could you improve your employee engagement, or better yet, your business marriage?