Bresnahan's Shorts* - July 2005

*Short topics

And the Theme Goes On

Many of you may be familiar with the study done by Gallup a couple of years ago. They found that only 29% of the U.S. workforce is engaged in their work (loyal and consistently productive); 55% were not engaged (putting in their time) and the remaining 16% were actively disengaged (unhappy and spreading it throughout). Since I have been working with companies to achieve a responsibility-based organization, there has been a seemingly endless stream of articles and books that support the concepts. Below you will find a sampling.

• In an era where most companies have adopted automated recruiting, tracking and performance management, the next frontier is to foster greater communication and trust. Only about 50% of employees surveyed by Watson Wyatt say they feel connected to their organizations. Many are disillusioned by layoffs, poor communication from the top and general lack of trust. Many companies do not provide the right rewards and opportunities for today's employee. They still end up with people leaving the company. (Source: Workforce Week Management)
• The Conference Board reports "half of all Americans are satisfied with their jobs, down from nearly 60% in 1995." Only 14% say they are "very satisfied." The largest decline was among employees ages 35 - 44.
• Employees don’t have confidence in their supervisors’ leadership abilities, with only 38% expressing high confidence, according to a DDI study. DDI says that “groups with strong leaders are about 37% more likely to outperform and are significantly more productive than other work groups. For an organization with 10,000 employees, this can equate to at least $28 million in productivity dollars.” (Workforce Week Management)
• In Feb, 2005 the attitudes of UK workers towards management were significantly worse than in the U.S., according to Watson Wyatt's Work Series (one of the largest statistically representative surveys of the attitudes of employees worldwide). In a sample of over 15,000 private sector workers in both the U.S. and the UK, it was found that 51% of U.S. employees had trust and confidence in the company leaders, as compared to 31% in the UK.
• The ratings of senior managers in the U.S. had risen from a low of 44% in 2002, following Enron and other high profile scandals. This lack of confidence in senior management not only makes the work environment difficult, but research shows that it takes a large toll on the bottom line.
• Effective communication is a key factor in building trust with employees. There is "a link between factors such as employee alignment and commitment and enhanced business and financial performance," states Andrew Cocke, a senior consultant for Watson Wyatt.
  Source: Watson Wyatt Press Release Mar 2005
• In a study conducted by Sirota Consulting between 2001 and 2004 of 1.2 million employees, job satisfaction declines the longer a person works for a company. Job satisfaction averages as follows (on a 100-point scale):
  o With six months with an employer - 80
  o With 1 - 5 years with an employer - 69
  o With 6 - 10 with an employer - 68
• An article in the Indianapolis Star talked about a Job Satisfaction and Retention Survey done last August that found 53% of employees are leaving or thinking about leaving their jobs vs. 31% in 2001. The leading reasons include a bad relationship with a supervisor, salary, boring work, a lack of flexibility or opportunity for advancement and problems with work/life balance.
• Lee Hecht Harrison found in a survey of 946 professionals, 47% would consider a 5 -10% cut in pay and benefits for a better corporate culture, greater work/life balance and more leadership development opportunities.

And there are many more! There is a pretty compelling message here. But what can you do to adjust your environment/culture? First step: give the Bresnahan Group a call at 505-922-1973. We can talk about your situation and discuss a plan of action.

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Thoughts to Ponder

"Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion." - George Hegel

“Not much happens without a dream. And for something great to happen, there must be a great dream. Behind every great achievement is a dreamer of great dreams.” - Robert Greenleaf

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Back to Basics

"Have respect for your belongings. Many kids don't have any toys. And, look, you have a whole basement full." Thanks Katie Engman.

What could this saying mean to us in the grown-up business world? In a company, we are there every day and forget the thrill of having a job, enjoying our work and the people we interface with. We know (as is human nature) that we often appreciate people and things when they are taken away from us. Business owners work hard to make their business profitable so they can secure their future and employees can be paid. However, how many times do owners, and managers and workers get so involved in the task at hand that they don't respect or appreciate the people they work with? Seems to me that if we should respect the toys we have, we should do the same for the people we work with — and the people we encounter in our personal lives.

Respect — a big word that is something we all want from people we interface with. A little goes a long way.

Regard
Esteem
Show courtesy
Propriety
Empathic
Consider
Tolerant

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Client's Corner

A company had two key managers in continual conflict. Their behaviors impacted their respective departments and how the two departments worked together. A large part had to do with a difference of behavior styles and lack of appreciation for the strengths and weaknesses of both. Consequently, there was a lack of respect and trust. The Bresnahan Group helped facilitate their on-going conflict. The results: The better they worked together and communicated with each other, the better their departments worked together.

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Responsibility-based Organizations

Learn more about how to achieve your organizational vision and accountability by going to our affiliate website, www.integroleadership.com.

Quote from a board member of Pollmann International regarding the Integro Leadership process: "I didn't think this was necessary (since we are successful and growing). Now I see this is absolutely necessary."

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Speakers and Web Site

Stay tuned for our revamped website. Check in on our progress in August, www.bresnahangroup.com.

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More Information

For more information about any of these topics contact us at 505-922-1973 or email BresGroup @ 4u.net.

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