Corrections or additions?
These articles by Kathleen McGinn Spring were prepared for the
January 2, 2002 edition of U.S. 1 Newspaper. All rights reserved.
Productivity Potions
Dirty Job, Long Hours, No Pay. Apply Within.” With
this enticing sign, the Plainsboro fire department manages to draw
a fresh flock of volunteers every year. Exactly what are they selling
that gets people to race to the firehouse and excitedly polish engines
while their bosses at work cannot even get them to put away their
tools?
If you, as an employer, would like to bottle a little of that elixir,
you may want to listen to the words of Don Blohowiak, executive
director of LeadWell, a West Windsor management consulting firm, who
speaks Thursday, January 3, at noon at the Princeton Chamber at the
Doral Forrestal. Cost: $33. Call 609-520-1776.
Blohowiak says managers and supervisors make choices for worker
productivity
daily — by action and inaction. A graduate of the University of
Wisconsin (Class of 1985), he founded LeadWell six years ago. His
clients have included Honda auto workers, United States Marines,
United
Airlines, the state of Delaware, and a host of smaller New Jersey
businesses.
Productivity, says Blohowiak, is the right person energetically
pouring
his all, both brain and back, into the company’s goals. (Notice he
did not say “into the right task.”) In corporate reality,
productivity — real productivity — is an elusive quality.
It cannot be measured by the time/motion study boys, nor narrowly
defined by increased widget output.
“Every person truly wants to work hard and to gain satisfaction
from his work,” insists Blohowiak. “If a man is `lazy’ it
is because he’s in the wrong place.” To implement this very
individual
problem of inspiration, Blohowiak trashes many of the mass-format
methods most businesses use.
Selection is all. Fitting the right person into the rightposition is Blohowiak’s number one goal. “Forget about`chemistry,’about finding a good personnel match,” he warns. “Forget aboutwhether you like the guy personally. And do not make the oldmanagerialmistake of hiring an employee in your own image.”Instead, look at the qualities this person presents. Look at how thiscandidate would be spending his days in the position offered. If yourequire a heads-down, nitpicking-style clerk, hire Ebenezer Scrooge,not Cratchett. He may not be the hit of your office Christmas party,but he will labor long and hard for you.As a side note, Blohowiak suggests employers should pre-plan theirinterviews. Define a test and set of questions that will determinethe exact qualities you seek. Also, be flexible enough to recreatea position that will inspire a truly talented individual. It’s foolishto create frustration and bitterness among workers by insisting onrigidly boxed categories.Trash job descriptions. Most jobs go beyond a mere listof tasks. Employers who petrify a position as a written checklistare designing for failure. Invariably, the employee will plunge aheadinto the three most appealing requirements and will assume he is doinghis job. His supervisor, on the other hand, can always unearth thatone neglected item to prick the worker’s enthusiasm. If employeesare saying “`It’s not in my job description,’” your approachis wrong.Of course, employers must be exactingly clear about expectations,methods of suggestion, payroll, and the basics. Lack of precisedirectionde-motivates the most enthusiastic employee. Yet instructions like,”`What we are all trying to do here is…’ will produce a lotmore labor and innovative thought out of a person than “`Yourjob is to stand here and push that…’”Smash the boss-as-answerman icon. “The best boss,”says Blohowiak, “is not the man who has all the answers, but theperson who seeks the right decisions.” Ideally, every employeeshould be asked and encouraged to add his input. Blohowiak warnsagainstmaking such collaborative sessions a sham, in place only to giveemployeesthe illusion of empowerment.He recalls sitting in on one such meeting where a vice presidentbeggedfor solutions, and no one spoke up. Then, in the hallway, employeesdissected the problem vociferously amongst themselves. Blohowiaklearnedthat the previous vice president typically conducted such “inputmeetings” only after his decision was already made. The employeesall knew it was a show and reacted accordingly.Encourage information flow. Suggestions, problems, andnews must not merely be accepted. They must be actively solicited.The needs and opinions of each individual and each group should beshared, not only up and down the ladder, or within the department,but throughout the plant.”By the way,” says Blohowiak, “Directing is notcommunicating.”Foster doubt. The United States Marine Corps prides itselfon instilling leadership. Members of the Corps act swiftly and withoutreservation at every level. “The Marines build a legitimacy ofcommand through explanation and understanding,” says Blohowiak.”Any Marine has the right to question any order and receive ananswer. Within this incredibly hierarchical order, men are asked toobey not based on authority, rank, patriotism, or blind faith, buton a personal understanding of each goal.”Marines are not pumped up by uniforms and slogans. They are warriorsarmed powerfully with reason. Blohowiak reports that most Marine vetsfind their workplaces less open to questions than was the Corps.Reward more frequently. The yearly trip to Tahiti fortop salespeople and the annual bonus are too non-directive and toolate. People need to have their contribution recognized immediately,individually, and specifically. This not only enhances their personaldesire to produce, but keeps them on the right track. A quiet, genuinerecognition of achievement will benefit a manager far more than allthe credit he can steal for himself.In the end, creating a productive workplace involves thesatisfactionof all individuals within a firm. Creating just the right mix of prideand incentive is an ongoing quest for most managers. The Hightstownfire department provides some guidance on getting started. The signout front merely states: Heroes Wanted.— Bart JacksonTop Of PageBest Careers for 2002Haven’t decided on a good New Year’s resolution yet?Forget about losing weight or spending more time with your Aunt Sally.Why not make this year’s resolution something that really changesyour life for the better? Make a career change.Despite the gloomy prognostications of a weak job market for 2002,there are still plenty of career opportunities for those wishing toescape under-employment or job burn-out and land the job of theirdreams. “There are still good career opportunities for job-seekerswith all levels of education,” says Jack Guarneri, a careercounselor at Mercer County Community College. The key is to take asystematic approach. Assess yourself and your prospects. And thentake action.Guarneri and his wife, Susan Guarneri, both licensed careercounselors, host a series of five, free monthly seminars aimed atboosting the employment prospects of those seeking to improve theirworkaday lot. The first, “Best Careers for 2002 CareerChanges,”takes place on Monday, January 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Churchin Princeton. Call 609-771-1699. Other seminars include E-networking,roadblocks to career success, and the secrets to answering probleminterview questions.Guarneri, a Lawrenceville resident, has been a career counselor atMercer County Community College for 20 years. He obtained a master’sdegree in counseling and psychology from C.W. Post in the 1970’s.Of course, merely handing out a list of careers that are hot and thosethat are not would be of little use to anybody. “It is importantfor those contemplating a career change to try to make sense of theworld of work and where they may fit in,” says Guarneri. “Agood way to start is to break down the educational requirements ofthe various occupations one is interested in pursuing.”For example, according to a government survey recently published bythe Occupational Outlook Quarterly, the top four career opportunitiesthat require up to an associate or vocational school degree areregisterednurse, computer support specialist, licensed practical nurse, andautomotive mechanic. “It’s kind of an interesting mix there,”says Guarneri. “Health care, computer occupations, and theautomotiveindustry offer a lot of jobs and many of them pay well.”A good proportion of the top careers for those with bachelor’s degreescenter around educational and helping occupations, and the world offinance. In the coming decade, there will be significant opportunitiesfor secondary school teachers, special-ed teachers, pre-schoolteachers,social workers, residential counselors, financial managers, generalmanagers and executives, computer systems analysts, computerengineers,and computer programmers. “Careers oriented around computers haveremained consistently good over the last 20 years,” says Guarneri.While many of the jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree pay quite well,some do not. “Residential counselors and pre-school teachers arein the lower 50 percent of the pay scale,” says Guarneri.”Thisis despite the fact that they require substantial education.”For those with master’s degrees or higher, Guarneri lists collegeor university faculty as showing the biggest growth in new jobs.”Therewill be 23 percent more college and university faculty positions by2008,” says Guarneri. “That’s roughly 195,000 new jobs.”Not surprisingly, lawyers and physicians will also enjoy ample careeropportunities in the coming decade.Of course, changing careers is a big step for anyone, and findingthe best career for any particular person is always a highlyindividualmatter. Guarneri offers the following advice:Know thyself. It is important for anyone contemplatinga career change to first do a thorough self-assessment by analyzinginterests, abilities, skills, personality preferences, and values.”Ask yourself what you enjoy doing, what you’re able to do well,where you’ll feel comfortable doing it, and which jobs will give youwhat you want out of life,” says Guarneri. By being honest withoneself, it is possible to begin to formulate a plan of action.Search and identify. Although it may sound deceptivelysimple, the next step is to apply the information learned from theself-assessment and begin to research areas of employment that matchabilities and needs. By identifying occupational areas that have goodprospects and pay the kind of money that you wish to earn, it is nextpossible to begin a job search based on solid knowledge with a realchance to succeed.Use targeted resumes. The days of the generic resume areover. With the Internet now the prevalent method of applying for jobs,it is important to tailor a resume to each specific job application.”Most of the job recruiters I talk to are looking for quick-matchresumes that are written to target that particular job. Due to sheervolume, hiring managers all need a quick way to identify jobcandidatesand by submitting the whole can of worms at them you tend to getoverlooked.”Don’t forget to add some meat to that resume. Due to themany templates available to help job-seekers create attractive-lookingresumes, Guarneri believes that many people using the Internet tofind that next big job are operating under a false sense of security.”It’s still the content of your resume that’s going to get youthe interview,” he says. “Just making a pretty resume is likehaving a nice suit of clothing with nothing of substance inside ofit.”The average American spends well over a third of his lifeworking,and most people contemplating career changes do so with the hope offinding a job that is closer to their abilities and interests.Althoughthe recent downturn in the economy has certainly made the prospectof a career change a bit more stressful for most people, there arestill many opportunities out there. By taking a realistic approachand planning carefully, it is possible to make that hope a reality.— Jack FlorekTop Of PageContractor, Or Employee?When Suzanne Rosenblum reported to MiddlesexCountyCommunity College to begin teaching a course on taxes for smallbusiness,she was told she would be considered an employee. Taxes would bewithheldfrom her check. This was a bit strange because she was teachingexactlythe same course at Mercer County Community College, where she wasclassified as an independent contractor.”It’s confusing,” the Lawrenceville CPA says.Determiningwhether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor can bedifficult, and the consequences for making an incorrect classificationcan be costly to a business.Rosenblum, principal in accounting firm S.P. Rosenblum, speaks on”Unravel the Mystery: Employee or Independent Contractor”on Tuesday, January 8, at 6 p.m. at a NAJAWBO seminar/dinnermeetingat the Urban Word Cafe. John Thurman of Princeton law firmFarrell& Thurman also speaks. Cost: $33. Call 609-924-7975.There is no question in Rosenblum’s mind that Mercer County CommunityCollege was correct in giving her independent contractor status.”Ihad no office space. I had no phone line,” she says. “I turnedin attendance sheets at the end of the class.”These are important points. An independent contractor maintains hisown workspace (most of the time), uses his own tools (most of thetime), and works on a project basis (again, most of the time).”Look,”says Rosenblum, a vivacious, animated woman, “some companies don’thave projects.” And some jobs require no tools. And sometimes,work needs to be done on the employer’s premises.There are official criteria for determining employment classification.But in a knowledge economy where not everyone drives a panel truckfull of wrenches or paint brushes, there are gray areas.For Rosenblum, there are two cardinal determinants — risk andcontrol. An independent contractor is never assured a paycheck. Ifhis work is sub-par, he may not be paid, or may not be paid in full.Under the law, an employee must be paid.An independent contractor controls his work, generally setting hishours, the days he will work, and the length of time he is available.An employee is under his boss’s control. He works when and where hisemployer tells him to work.In a murky arena, there are some clear-cut ways to decide who is anemployee. “If you’re sitting in an office answering a phone saying`Hello, ABC Company,’ you’re an employee,” says Rosenblum.”Independentcontractors do not answer the phones.” And if you are transportedto cleaning jobs by a person who provides mops, detergent, andfurniturepolish, you’re an employee.Likewise, if you arrive at a shop every day at 4 p.m. and sellsneakersfor the next six hours, you’re an employee. “I’ve seen peoplein retail stores — opening, closing — and they were classifiedas independent contractors,” says Rosenblum. Clearly, this isa no no.More difficult is the case of the corporate trainer. Some companiesmaintain in-house training departments, but many others bring inoutsidersto teach their workers how to communicate or sell or behave at abusinessdinner. These trainers are often classified as independentcontractors,but is that what they are? Their work generally is done largely onpremises — and often on a time schedule the employers sets up— and sometimes they bring no tools of any kind.In a situation like this, the employer might have to prove independentcontractor status for the trainers by showing they advertise for work,submit invoices on printed letterhead, have other clients, and payrent on a commercial facility. This, says Rosenblum is the sort ofthing state auditors look for. In her opinion, the state goes toofar, and is not always grounded in the real world, but nevertheless,it does have the power to levy hefty fines. “It’s outrageous,”she says. “In this day and age, so many people have a home office,and print invoices straight from their computers.”Outrageous it might be, but auditors from New Jersey’s LaborDepartmentlook for all of this, and more. “The state of New Jersey hasrequirementsabove and beyond the federal government,” says Rosenblum.The state is out to find mis-classified independent contractors, saysRosenblum, and auditors will keep digging to turn up evidence. Ifindependent contractors are found to be employees, their employerwill have to pay back taxes plus interest and penalties. Theassessmentsoften are levied “for several years,” says Rosenblum. It canadd up to a substantial bill. The wise employer, therefore, will takethe law seriously, and will keep schedules and invoices, and willeven cut his independent contractors’ advertisements out of the paper.With a specialty in tax preparation for small businesses, many ofthem start-ups, Rosenblum has seen any number of companies that didnot take the law seriously.”People tend to want to take the easiest route,” she says.”It’s easier with independent contractors. You just issue a flatcheck. There are no deductions, no payroll taxes.” There is noneed to offer benefits, or to match Social Security contributions,or to contribute to unemployment and temporary disability insurance.There is less paperwork.Employers often think independent contractors are less expensive,too. Rosenblum says that sometimes when she tells clients their”independentcontractors” really are employees, “they just get anotheraccountant.” She points out, however, that having employees isnot all bad, and often is less expensive. “Independent contractorscharge more,” she says. They have to cover their taxes and theiroverhead.While some employers seek to dodge the additional work of taking onemployees, many others are in danger of failing a Labor Departmentaudit because they sincerely — but wrongly — believe thepeoplewho do work for them are independent contractors. Says Rosenblum:”There’s a lot of confusion out there on who is what.”Previous StoryCorrections or additions?This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
