By Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics When you get a call asking for a reference on a STAR employee who left you, you’ve just been put on notice that he or she is looking for a new job. So, before you share any information, tell the caller that you will have to call the former employee…
Experience or Talent?
By Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics Skim through online job ads and you’ll find about 95% of them have one word in common: “Starting wages based on experience…” “Looking for experienced, energetic servers and kitchen staff…” “We are currently seeking an experienced office assistant…” Why is it that experience is so often our number one criteria?…
If You Could Only Get One Thing Done Today, What Would it Be?
By Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics I don’t really care what your answer to this question is, and I am not going to suggest any answers. The power is in the question itself. Not just this question, but any question that challenges the way we work, the way we think, the way we act and the…
Workplace Conflict?
By Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics According to recent reports, managers spend over 35% of their time dealing with workplace conflict. So, once it’s begun, how do you stop the wars between workers? Here’s a suggested method: Bring the conflicting parties together. Never meet with them separately. Let each person tell his or her side of…
Leverage the Law of Reciprocity
By Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics Last week, I met Michelle at an upscale resort hotel where she is working part-time as a server. This is her second job. For the last two years, her primary employer has been a family-style steak restaurant (high volume, low price). Michelle told me she took the resort job just…
Are You Paying a Hidden “Employer Brand Penalty?”
By Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics If your organization doesn’t have a well-known, positive “employer brand” (if it is not known as a great place to work) you undoubtedly are paying a penalty. Employers with great reputations can both spend less on employee recruiting and pay less than top dollar to hire the best. If your…
Undercover Not-Yet-the-Boss
By Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics You may want to try this idea from one of the frontline managers I worked with recently… When she gets an applicant who is working elsewhere, she does a brief telephone screen first and, if she is still interested in the applicant, she goes to that person’s place of work…
You Cannot Motivate a Rock*
By Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics You can promise the rock a reward or you can threaten to punish it, but, no matter what you do, that rock just ain’t gonna move. The only way to make a rock move is to pick it up yourself and move it out of your way. (*In this analogy,…
What Are You Doing Wrong?
By Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics If you don’t know the answer to this question, how can you possibly expect to get any better? If you want to improve and/or excel, you need to ask your boss, your coworkers and your employees questions like: What could I be doing better or differently? How could I improve…
Before You Think Outside the Box, Look Inside It
By Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics Before you place a recruiting ad for a new employee, be sure to look at the people already on board. Perhaps someone on staff could easily do the job, or there may be someone this job would be a stretch for, but who deserves the opportunity to grow. Promoting from…