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The Business IDEA
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Toxic employees drag everyone down with them. Bad attitudes and inappropriate conduct make other employees feel uncomfortable. Managers find themselves constantly distracted dealing with disasters these troubling hires cause. Firing them may put an end to current miseries, but the effects of toxic employees can linger long after they are shown the door. The best way to deal with toxic employees is not to hire them in the first place. Here are three ways to avoid making a regrettable hiring decision.
Look at Employment History Horrible employees likely have a long and dubious track record of poor performance. Look closely at an applicant's prior employment history for any red flags. Was the person locked into low-level work for years without any promotions? Did he/she jump from job to job frequently? According to Palmer Group, this can show that an employee could have a behavior issue. Probe these areas of concern, and see what the full story is. Taking the employee's word for everything might not be enough, though. Contact references and past employers to confirm any explanations. Remember, the past may be a good indicator of the employee's future. Put Them Through an Attitude Test Not every human resource department relies on an attitude test when screening would-be employees, but their inclusion could be helpful. According to The Hire Talent, attitude tests look for signs of toxic traits like blame, dishonesty, unsupportiveness, criticism, and negativity. Once these traits reveal themselves, a personnel manager can make a more informed decision. Hire someone to train HR in effectively administering an attitude test if no current managers possess the skill. In an office environment, teamwork can be crucial for success. If an attitude test reveals someone is argumentative or hostile, then he/she may not be the right match for the team. Look over the results of the test carefully when weighing different hiring choices. Anyone with toxic traits is not likely a good fit. Screen Social Media Feeds According to Law Depot, approximately 70 percent of employers screen a candidate’s social media when making hiring decisions. People reveal a lot about themselves on social media. Sadly, many show shockingly negative personality traits. Inappropriate or adversarial behavior on social media may spread to the workplace. Don't ignore how someone acts online; he or she probably acts that way everywhere. An employee becomes the face of a company to others. When that person acts outrageously on social media, he or she may drag the company into an embarrassing position. A business might even need to hire a PR firm to dig it out of an employee's social-media-created hole. Toxic employees create havoc wherever they go. Make sure you are confident you aren't hiring one the next time a position opens. By following these tips, you can be less likely to hire an employee that will cause you problems. Enjoy this article? Check out this other article on ways to increase your employees’ attention to detail!
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What is the EX, or the employee experience, exactly? EX is not just about what it's like to work day-to-day in the office, and it's not about benefits, half-day Fridays, sleeping pods, beer fridges in the break room and other fun perks, though those things do enter into it. But EX is deeper and more meaningful than that. It's about truly engaging employees.
(BPT) - One of the latest business buzzwords this year is EX, or the employee experience. Organizations are beginning to realize that they need to create a positive employee experience in the same way they have focused on the customer experience. In this ever-tightening job market, it's mission critical to keep employees happy, fulfilled and challenged. Only then can they keep their customers happy. Focusing on EX means evaluating an employee's entire life cycle with the company, from before they even apply for a job to beyond their last day. It's so critical that Forbes even dubbed 2018 the Year of the Employee Experience.
What is the EX, exactly? EX is not just about what it's like to work day-to-day in the office, and it's not about benefits, half-day Fridays, sleeping pods, beer fridges in the break room and other fun perks, though those things do enter into it. But EX is deeper and more meaningful than that. It's about truly engaging employees. Employee engagement (EE) and EX are intertwined so closely they can be called one and the same. The problem with EE: There's a disconnect In a recent study, Dale Carnegie found that 70 percent of top executives believe that employee engagement has a strong impact on financial performance. In a similar study, Deloitte found that 85 percent of company leaders say EE is an important strategic priority, but Dale Carnegie found that just 31 percent of front-line employees and managers strongly agreed that their company is actually making engagement a top priority. Clearly, there's a disconnect between what execs are saying and what employees are feeling. That's because there's a piece left out of this puzzle: the employees' managers. The key to aligning executive priorities with what employees are experiencing lies in the management chain. Managers need to be enabled and empowered to engage their teams on a daily basis. It means getting managers the training they need to engage their teams, by making it a strategic priority and creating a culture of engagement. Dale Carnegie programs teach the skills managers need and can help organizations do the right things to increase overall employee engagement. Ways to increase employee engagement Focus on getting managers and supervisors the skills they need. Immediate supervisors and managers are on the front lines of employee engagement. Leaders at all levels need to understand that the way they interact with their employees and direct reports matters to the company's bottom line. Open a dialogue with managers about EE, and listen to what they're saying about what works and what doesn't, and if they're frustrated, give them the tools and training necessary for change. 
Get CEO buy-in. If your CEO does not have employee engagement on his or her priority list, the effort is doomed to fail. Make sure the CEO has the facts on employee engagement, and the knowledge that it needs to start at the top. EE needs to be treated like any other strategic priority. Align policies with EE. You need employee-supportive policies and procedures, such as a standard performance evaluation policy. But it also means changing policies that are barriers to engagement. Are there processes and procedures working at cross-purpose with engagement efforts? If so, change them. How are your rewards and recognition programs designed? What do you reward and recognize? Are they making your employees feel valued? It requires going through your policies with a critical eye, and the willingness to change what's not working. Employee engagement needs to be on the top of the priority list for top executives, managers and supervisors, and that's no easy task. But in this ever-tightening job market, with greener grass just a click away on a job seeker's app, keeping all of your employees happy, engaged and fulfilled is the key to your company's competitive advantage.
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Equality in the workplace benefits everyone, and employers should take the time to learn more ways that they can create a more just workplace.
Creating a just workplace should be a top priority of all business owners. Fair workplaces are one of the cornerstones of strong businesses, and civil rights movements have affected workplaces in many ways, providing better opportunities and better workplaces for everyone. Several civil rights movements have made substantial changes possible, and here's a brief rundown of three of the biggest ones.
Mental Health Awareness and Support The Americans With Disabilities Act requires that employers provide equality for people with disabilities in the workplace. This includes people with psychiatric conditions. Under this law, employers can't deny hiring, demote, or deny training opportunities to someone based on their psychiatric condition. Employers have also come up with programs to ensure employees with mental health conditions have access to the care that they need, including doctor's visits through insurance providers and accommodations for people with psychiatric conditions. Work Equality Equality in the workplace covers many groups. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers aren't allowed to discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. With this law, employers must give equal opportunity for employment, and they can't discriminate against someone based on these criteria for pay and advancement. This civil rights attorney explains that many states have several additional civil rights statutes which can be utilized in cases involving discrimination, harassment or violence and which allow for penalties, attorneys’ fees, compensation, and change. Age Discrimination The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 requires employers to not discriminate against people based on age. This means that people cannot be discriminated during hiring, promotion, discharge, compensation, or terms. Creating a workforce of diverse ages also provides more stability for companies. This career and job specialist explains that people of different ages have varying perspectives that they can use to inform each other. For instance, a 65-year-old woman might understand the utility of a particular product, but a 25-year-old worker might understand a younger consumer better. Businesses that have a wider range of ages also don't need to worry as much that all of their employees will retire within a few years of each other or all younger employees will be vying for a limited number of promotions. Equality in the workplace benefits everyone, and employers should take the time to learn more ways that they can create a more just workplace. Businesses that merely work to be in compliance with the law rather than truly promoting an equitable work environment are losing out on opportunities to create a stronger business. Here are a couple articles we think you’ll like:
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