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Safari Solutions Newsletter
January 2006, Volume #23
Our last newsletter quiz asked, “What do employees consider the most important trait for company leaders to possess?” The answer: Honesty. In this issue we continue exploring the theme with a look at how honesty and good clear communication affect the workplace.
Ann Clifford
Dos and Don'ts
Can you ask an applicant if they have ever been arrested?
(Answer provided at the end of the newsletter.)
Honesty Works!
The core of most work-related problems can be traced back to the lack of simple, straightforward, honest communication according to Steven Gaffney, author of “Honesty Works!” A survey conducted on behalf of Microsoft revealed three quarters of workers feel they are forced to lie at work, often because managers fail to provide the right information to enable them to do their jobs properly.
Honesty is simply good clear communication. Why is it important in the workplace? A recent study by Watson Wyatt, revealed companies that communicate effectively with their employees financially outperform those that do not.
Consider sharing the following “big picture” items with your team:
Mission Statement – Why we do what we do?
Financial Information – How does their work affect the bottom line?
Operations – How does the organization work and how do departments interact?
Change – What will change, when, why, and how it affects your staff.
(By Ann Clifford, President, Safari Solutions)
4 Ways to Build Trusting Relationships
A relationship begins the first time an employee communicates with your company as an applicant. If the hiring process is performed well, a trusting relationship builds. Treat an applicant poorly; they will assume you treat employees the same way. Here are a few tips:
Be respectful and considerate – Respond promptly to candidate inquiries.
Be punctual – Don’t be late, forget, or reschedule interviews.
Be honest – Don’t oversell the position or the company.
Be clear about expectations – Communicate desired job performance objectives.
(By Ann Clifford, President, Safari Solutions)
Safari Interview Tip
Does your candidate have integrity? Ask the following behavioral based interview question: “Describe a time when you made a mistake and accepted full responsibility, even though it would have been easy not to do so.”
Safari Success Story
Last December, Safari Solutions was engaged to hire controllers for two technology start-up firms. The challenge was finding “bean counters” that think and behave entrepreneurially. By drafting ads targeting this type of behavior, we were successful in hiring competent controllers for both companies.
Did You Know
According to a recent survey, 41% of employee respondents mistakenly believe the bottom line of business operations relates to “gross profit.”
Safari Quiz
Which type of employee is most likely to be honest?
A. Women
B. Men
C. Older Workers
D. Workers with Seniority
Click Here for the Answer.
Answer to Today's Dos and Don'ts
“Can you ask an applicant if they have ever been arrested?”
Questions relating to an applicant’s “arrest” record are improper, while questions of an applicant’s “conviction” record may be asked if job-related. The EEOC and many states prohibit the use of arrest records for employment decisions because they are inherently biased against applicants in minority groups and other protected classes.
(Source: “Interview Questions: Legal or Illegal”, Deanna G. Kucler, labor relations attorney.)
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