The Employers' Association
 
 An E-newsletter for TEA Members
Business peopleEXECUTIVE UPDATE
TopMay 14, 2015
Volume 35, Issue 7
In This Issue
  
  
  

Upcoming Programs

  

June

  

  5 - The 7 Habits of Highly 

       Effective People� 

       Signature Edition 4.0

       (2 Fridays)

  9 - Building a Positive 

       Culture (2 Tuesdays)

12 - CPR Recertification & 

       First Aid

12 - Bloodborne Pathogens

26 - Legal Briefing

       (watch for more

       details) 


Click on dates for more information or refer to the 2014-2015 Training programs schedule here.

Looking ahead....

We are in the process of planning our 2015/2016 schedule, to be released end of June.  If you are interested in a program not currently scheduled, email Penny to be added to our future registration list.  She will contact you after the schedule has been finalized.

Save Your Seats

Workplace Bullying

  

Workplace Bullies: How to Handle this Unprofessional Behavior

 

This course defines bullying and presents strategies for dealing effectively with bullying behavior.
 

May 20, 2015

8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

 

More details & registration.

HRG May Meeting

passing the baton

Succession Planning - No One Stays Forever

 

Presenters: 

Jose Rosario, SpartanNash

Diane Timmer, Notions Marketing

 

May 21, 2015

Watermark Country Club
7:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.

 

More details & registration.

HRG / TEA Golf Outing
golf6.jpg


 
Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Thornapple Point Golf Club

 

Join us for networking, fundraising and golf! This is the primary event to support the HRG Chapter of SHRM and the SHRM Foundation, with participants that include HR professionals, coworkers, customers, clients and friends.  We look forward to see you there!


 More details and registration.

Survey Reports Now Available

The survey reports for the
Health Care & Medical Plan Cost and Policies & Benefit surveys are now available.
 
Order your copies today!  Free to participants.

 

Please contact Marla if you have any survey questions.

President Dave SmithFrom the President - Lead By Example
by David Smith, CEO & President

Leaders and Managers should remember one thing as they make decisions and work with the people they rely upon to accomplish organizational goals, that being that while words and promises can be compelling, the true measure of a person is not what they say but what they do.  Following a leader's actions is much easier than believing promises - especially if they change based on the audience.  We must measure ourselves NOT by what we say (or how we say it) but rather by what they do (or what our actions initiate).  A zebra does not lose its stripes nor does a leopard lose its spots.  Why are we so quick to believe that people will forget what we say if we change like the wind without staying the course once we have established and stated a position?


How can we expect our employees to adhere to an "eight to five" schedule if your own day frequently begins at eight fifteen or ends at four thirty?  (Forget about the fact that you might have been doing company business the previous night, or that lunch was more of a thought than an action or that breaks are not part of the daily routine...people SEE you coming in late, or leaving early, and expect that to apply to them, too.)  Parents tell their children to obey the rules (as they break the speed limit driving them somewhere), to respect their teachers (as they complain about the "boss that doesn't know anything"), and to take time to enjoy life (when they are "too busy doing their own thing" to play catch in the yard).  Many sales organizations make unrealistic promises to customers (in order to "close the sale") that must be kept by employees working long hours (evenings, weekends and Holidays) while the people making the promise spend time with their family.  While this "customer service" reality may be hard to avoid, repeated abuse of the time of others while no apparent "self-sacrifice" is perceived by those putting in the time will minimize the credibility of the "abuser" and create hard feelings within an organization.


We are not perfect, but some rules should apply to our interactions with others.  If we wish to be who we truly are rather than presenting ourselves as what we wish we could be, it would be wise to remember:

  1. Words are but whispers when compared to the shouts of our actions.  We more often believe what we see than what we hear.  Regardless how you work with people, those around you establish their perception of you by what you do - by how you act - not by the things you say about yourself.  We may try to reinvent ourselves with words, polish and packaging but we are truly only what we appear to be.  If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many volumes would a day's worth of our actions (be they good or bad, consistent or random) write upon the pages of our employee's lives?
  2. Look for the good in others, publicly praising their positive actions and interactions to raise their attitudes and abilities while privately addressing their shortcomings by helping them to learn from their mistakes.  People usually see what others do wrong - rarely recognizing or acknowledging what they do right.  Parents rarely say to their children, "You are really being a good shopper today!"  Rather it is, "don't touch," "wait until we get home," or "I'm never going to bring you shopping again!"  Though we need to address and constructively correct negative behavior, we should make an effort to acknowledge and verbalize appreciation for things done well.  Far too many Managers feel that good performance is an expectation that need not be acknowledged while poor work must be immediately addressed and corrected. 
  3. It is better to compromise than to criticize - to live in the house you have built through your actions than in the rubble of another's house you destroyed with your words.  Criticism is destructive.  Competent leaders do not tear others another down to make themselves look better, they build others up to make ALL improve.  One cannot lead by pushing up from the bottom - leadership leverages the abilities of all to move the group into a singular direction that benefits the whole - to raise the abilities of all so that the team can achieve an ever-increasing level of competence.
  4. Look inwardly when assigning blame.  People often defend their inappropriate actions by shifting blame to others.  Rarely does an individual come out and say, "It was my fault."  Far more often it is, "Sam over there did something much worse than I would ever do.  Address him before you talk to me."  We justify driving 78 miles per hour on the highway by saying that others are passing us rather than admitting that we are both wrong and correcting their mistake will not eliminate ours.  When we measure ourselves against the actions of others, we will never truly see value in what we may have done (nor the full cost of what we may have done wrong) - we see only the relative value of how our actions compare to another's.  Far too many politicians blame all failures on their predecessors while claiming all success as being their own.  Viewing life through the lens of relativity will never provide fulfillment - only "better than" whomever we are comparing ourselves to but possibly worse than someone else (until we tear them down, also). 
  5. Judge yourself using the same standards you apply to others.  The greatest leaders of our times would never ask others to do what they would not do themselves.  Truly great generals lead their troops into battle rather than following them from behind.  Parents must "walk the talk" for their children.  Managers cannot expect full productivity without giving it themselves. 

As Leaders, rather than distributing consequences we should seek truth.  We should focus more on what we are doing than on what others may not be doing.  We should lead by example rather than by edict - expecting others to do as we do rather than as we tell them to act.  Were we to live each day as if we lived in a glass house having no shades or blinds to mask our actions, would our words reinforce our reality or would our reality overcome our words?  Great leaders must walk the walk as they talk the talk. Give us a call to learn how you can make the transition from great "doer" to exceptional "leader" with just a little help from your friends here at TEA!

 

Visit our BLOG (Dave's Deliberations) to view recent posts.
Welcome New Members

The new members listed below represent employers within the West Michigan area who have joined the ranks of those committed to strong, positive employee/employer relations. It is a pleasure to welcome these new members into our family.

 

*Carlton Technologies

*Grand Valley State University

*Seaman's

Congratulations Member Winners!

W. Mi. 101 Best & Brightest

We would like to congratulate this year's member winners for being West Michigan's 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For:

 

Barnes & Thornburg LLP; Baudville, Inc.; Beene Garter LLP; Booking.com; Dan Vos Construction Co., Inc.; Dominion Systems; Express Employment Professionals; Flexco; Flexfab Division; Founders Brewing Company; GNS America; Grand Rapids Community Foundation; Grand Rapids Label Company; Holland Hospital; Paragon Die & Engineering; Paragon Recruiting LLC; Professional Benefits Services; Progressive AE; Seaman's; SecurAlarm Systems Inc.; SpartanNash; Springthrough; Stahlin Enclosures; Sun Title Agency; Trivalent Group; United Bank of Michigan; Warner Norcross & Judd LLP


Providing practical solutions to Human Resource-related issues BEFORE they escalate into legal problems.

Leadership Provides Value Through Positive Relationships - 

People + Purpose = Productivity

by Ron Scott, SPHR, Director of Training & Member Engagement 

 

Everyone aspires to be the leader, the one person who gets to make the choices and hands down the decisions, wanting the accolades that comes with achievement and getting things done. We often forget that leaders often makes decisions on their own - needing to singularly defend their decisions - making them feel awfully lonely at times. In fact, the saying, "It's lonely at the top" has been stated so frequently that some people in leadership positions actually believe that it should be lonely at the top - a position that isolates and builds walls rather than opening doors and creating community. 

 

When we presume that leadership is or should be lonely we blind ourselves to the reality that the opposite is often true.  Great leaders take the time to develop and cultivate deep relationships with their team and others - building upon the strengths of those around him or her rather than relying upon their own abilities, initiatives and experiences.  You should not be lonely in leadership, but you should be sought after for ideas, feedback and decisions. Leadership and relationship involves digging into the mud of decisions and making hard choices "together" as a team. As we grow in our leadership abilities, five things a Leader should remember to cultivate good relationships would include:  

  1. Leaders communicate often.  Regular, daily conversations with the people you lead is essential to building and maintaining communication, progress and relations with your team. When a relationship is not present it becomes very hard for a leader to demonstrate caring and concern for and the value of those they lead.
  2. Leaders seek out the people they lead. Authentic leaders know that their success is completely dependent upon the accomplishments of the people they lead. Authentic leaders invest time with their people to ensure their success. Authentic leaders celebrate the success of their people as much, or more, than their own. 
  3. Leaders encourage new ideas. If you are a leader, you should know that your people want to have a sense of control and ownership of their work.  Relational leaders build trust within their team to the point of encouraging and trying new ideas every day - unafraid of failure as it provides but an opportunity to learn.
  4. As a leader, you need to know something about the people you lead. You cannot lead someone effectively until you know something about them. You cannot demonstrate you care about someone unless you can first demonstrate you actually know them - as a person rather than an object or a means to an end. One on one time is essential for leaders to get to know their employees - and employees to know their leader - if trust is to be developed.
  5. Leaders communicate a bigger purpose for the work that is being done.  A leader will inspire their team by describing the greater good that is being accomplished by working together towards an agreed upon goal.  

The emerging workforce from the next generation wants work that is purposeful, meaningful and provides the opportunity to control means, methods and outcomes.  If you do not have the time to build real relationships with your people it is going to be hard to lead, influence or add to their accomplishment.  A leader is defined as a person who people are willing to follow because of the positive relationship created within their team. The Association is committed to helping leaders develop the skills and abilities necessary to promote operational excellence and sustainability by leveraging individual strengths into a fully functional cohesive unit.  Please give Jason Reep a call (616.698.1167) or visit our website (www.teagr.org) to learn more about how TEA can help you achieve your full potential.

 

Youth Employment Questions on the Rise from Employers

from Rob Strate, SPHR, Director of HR Services 

A sure sign that summer cannot be far off - TEA has received a number of "Helpline" calls recently from employers who have questions about hiring seasonal employees, particularly teens.  As the end of the school year approaches, employers, parents, and young people seeking jobs have questions about hours and working conditions, work permits, hazardous occupations, etc.  What follows is a guide for TEA members to reference as they seek to comply with Michigan's Youth Employment Standards Act:

 

Work Permits

Minors under the age of 18 are required to have a work permit prior to starting work regardless if the minor does not attend school, has dropped out of school, home/online/virtual/cyber schooled or comes from another state (out-of-state) resident to work in Michigan. Work permits can be obtained from the issuing school officer (the chief administrator of a school district, intermediate school district, etc.) the minor attends or the school district where the minor will be employed.  A work permit is required even if the minor is home/cyber/virtual/online schooled, does not attend school, or out-of-state resident. 

 

Hours Minors Allowed to Work

Minors required by law to attend school may only work outside school hours.

Under 16 years of age:


Hours of Work covered by federal law:  Minors 14 and 15 years of age may work:

  1. No more than 3 hours a day, only after school (Monday - Friday), while school is in session.
  2. No more than 8 hours a day on non-school days.
  3. No more than 40 hours in a non-school week; No more than 18 hours in a school week.
  4. Not before 7:00 a.m., only after school, and no later than 7:00 p.m., while school is in session     (Labor   Day - June 1).
  5. Not before 7:00 a.m., and no later than 9:00 p.m., during school summer vacation (June 1 - Labor Day). 

Hours of Work covered by state law: Minors under 16 years of age may work:

  1. No more than 6 days in 1 workweek.
  2. No more than a weekly average of 8 hours per day.
  3. No more than 10 hours in one day.
  4. No more than 48 hours in 1 work week, school and work combined.
  5. Not more than 5 hours continuously without a documented and uninterrupted 30 minute meal or rest period.
  6. Not earlier than 7:00 a.m., and no later than 9:00 p.m., and not during school hours. 

16-17 years of age:

Hours of Work covered by Michigan law: Minors 16 years of age and older may work:

  1. No more than 6 days in 1 week.
  2. No more than a weekly average of 8 hours per day.
  3. No more than 10 hours in one day.
  4. No more than 24 hours in 1 week regardless of the number of hours or days attend school (October 18, 2011).
  5. Not more than 5 hours continuously without a documented and uninterrupted 30 minute meal or rest period.
  6. Not earlier than 6:00 a.m. and no later than 10:30 p.m. (Sunday through Thursday)
  7. Not earlier than 6:00 a.m., and no later than 11:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and not regularly attending school,( i.e., summer, spring and Christmas vacation). 

Restricted Occupations by Minors

Under Michigan and federal child labor laws, many occupational job duties are restricted to a certain age or prohibited under age 18. Employers subject to coverage by both state and federal laws must comply with the more stringent provisions of the two laws. Minors under the age of 18 years are prohibited from working in a hazardous or injurious occupation. Hazardous work includes, but is not limited to:

  • Motor Vehicle Driving (on public roads and waterways)
  • Power-Driven Woodworking Machines
  • Exposure to Hazardous Substances, Chemicals, Explosives or Radioactive Substances
  • Power-Driven Hoisting Apparatus, Including Lift Truck, Forklift, Bobcat, etc.
  • Power-Driven Metal-Forming, Punching, and Shearing Machines
  • Power-Driven Bakery Machines
  • Power-Driven Paper-Products Machines
  • Power-Driven Circular Saws, Band Saws, and Guillotine Shears
  • Roofing Operations
  • Excavation Operations
  • Construction Work, Including Painting
  • Logging and Sawmill Operations
  • Mining Operations
  • Slaughtering, Meat Packing, Rendering, and Tanning Operations 

Wages

  • Michigan's Minimum Hourly Wage Rate is $8.15 per hour effective 9/01/2014.
  • Michigan's Minimum Hourly Wage Rate allows minors 16 to 17 years of age to be paid 85% of the Michigan minimum hourly wage rate unless Federal hourly rate of $7.25 is higher (which it is) so $7.25 is the minimum rate allowed.
  • Michigan's Minimum Hourly Wage Rate allows minors 16 to 19 years of age to be paid a training wage of $4.25 per hour for their first 90 days of employment.

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Are the Vacation Requests Coming In?

by Maggie McPhee, SHRM-CP, PHR, Director of Information Services 

 

TEA recently released their annual Policy & Benefits survey.  This year the survey had 146 participating companies.  Because this survey is so comprehensive we would like to take a look at specific segments and analyze the data.  Since summer is right around the corner we will take a look at the vacation section.


The question regarding whether or not companies have Paid Time Off banks (PTO) versus separated vacation / personal / sick time benefits reveals that more companies are going away from the practice of lumping everything together (42% this year, down from 46% last year).


In looking back, PTO as a benefit has never really taken off.  Even though it appeared to be an easier way to manage time off for employees, it was never really embraced by employers.  After working on several handbooks with member companies it became apparent why.  If a company has PTO, but yet administers time off requests differently (vacation versus sick/personal) then it is easier to administer the benefits under separate policies.


Looking separately at just vacation time and how it's earned, there were some slight changes within the earning schedules this year.  Areas with the most year to year change include:

 

VACATION SCHEDULE

MOST POPULAR ANSWER 2015

PERCENT OF CHANGE THIS YEAR/LAST YEAR

MOST POPULAR ANSWER 2014

To earn 1 week of vacation

After 1 Year

41% / 35%

After 1 year

To earn 2 weeks of vacation

After 2 Years

29% / 20%

After 1 years

To earn 3 weeks of vacation

After 5 Years

34% / 26%

After 5 years

To earn 4 weeks of vacation

After 10 years

21% / 14%

After 15 years


Vacation eligibility is still based on anniversary date versus calendar year (63% in 2015/ 59% in 2014), and more companies are giving the lump sum at the beginning of the year instead of accruing it throughout the year (57% in 2015/ 50% in 2014).


More employers are paying employees upon resignation for their full unused vacation balance IF they quit with proper notice (74% in 2015/69% in 2014) which makes sense since more are giving a "lump sum" at the beginning of the year rather than accruing it throughout the year.  There are still 51% of employers who will also pay employees in full for their vacation balance if they are terminated by the company (50% in 2015) but employers should remember that in Michigan, vacation is a benefit and if it was not earned during the previous year it need not be paid out upon termination IF an employer clearly states that within its policies.  When reviewing your handbook check to see if you have a statement in the vacation policy that says if (and under what circumstances) any unused vacation time may be distributed upon resignation/termination.  It would be a good idea to cross reference this information in any resignation/termination policies you might have as well.


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Organizational Value of Inclusion and Diversity - Part One

by Jason Reep, SPHR, Director of Learning & Inclusion 

 

It is often said that organizations can no longer afford not to pay attention to diversity as there are so many great benefits to having diversity in the workforce.  Is that true?  Does it really make a difference to an organization?  Is it more important in some businesses than others?  Over the next four issues of the Executive Update we will explore the organizational value of inclusion and diversity.  The series will follow a model that answers the questions, "What? So what? Now what?" about inclusion and diversity within the workplace.  Each issue will provide insight and suggestions regarding one of these questions.


What?


There are a number of ways that organizations talk about inclusion and diversity.  It is important to establish a shared understanding of these concepts.  If race and sex come to mind when you think about diversity, you are correct in your thinking but also rather limited.  There are many additional characteristics that contribute to workplace diversity such as age, ability, gender identity, socio-economic status, geographic location, personality, and many more.  There are characteristics that have "protected" status regarding non-discrimination but there are many additional traits that people bring with them to your organization.  This diversity may come to you through your employees, customers/clients, vendors, community members, board members, etc., and it is a rare organization that has not had to address changing diversity in at least one of these areas.


Inclusion is related but a slightly different topic.  Inclusion focuses on the degree to which a person feels welcomed and valued by your organization.  Employees may ask themselves, "Do I feel like I belong here?" or, "Can I bring my full self to work?"  Customers and clients are being drawn to organizations who understand their needs.  Organizations have set up Supplier Diversity initiatives that increase economic development in our local communities as well as being more inclusive of "diverse" vendors.


The journey that has taken place over the last two decades has advanced the work of both inclusion and diversity from a compliance-oriented perspective (we do not discriminate - anyone can work here) to a more strategic approach (we want to tap into the diversity of our workforce and community to improve our organization).


So What?


Whether a business buys into inclusion and diversity because it is the right thing to do or because it is a business advantage, it is important to identify the business outcomes.  Historically, work with inclusion and diversity sat alone and was not connected to the business.  It was not held to the same standards as other operational practices and was not measured.  While inclusiveness might sound good, it is difficult to measure so hard to prove (short-term) if it really matters.


Organizations are now interested in inclusion and diversity outcomes, making them a part of their operational metrics.  If we make an investment in something we want to know that it makes a difference.  Many businesses have created a Business Case for Diversity for their organization.  They have benchmarked themselves against leading organizations and have determined that positive outcomes are a direct result of paying attention.  They have found that they are better able to understand their customers, enhance their organizational effectiveness, increase their creativity, decrease turnover of top talent and attract a new and innovative workforce.  For many organizations, once they identify the outcomes of well-designed inclusion and diversity initiatives, they want to know how to get the benefits - to reap the results of the seeds they have sown.


Now What?


For an organization to really capitalize on diversity, there needs to be a business plan with support from senior leadership.  Building a successful inclusion and diversity initiative takes effort and time - it rarely happens by default.  This work needs to be integrated into the business and not stand alone as a "cost center" or stand-alone project.  Successful initiatives hold people accountable for results and revisit the topic often within the organization and with customers, suppliers, and the community.  Middle management needs to be supported because if the initiative fails it is most likely from the middle of the organization.  The leaders of the organization get it - that is why they funded it.  The majority of the employees see the value of it because everyone benefits from increased employee participation and innovation.  Middle management often does not have the time or energy for another initiative and feels like something extra must be done - additional responsibilities and activities piled onto their already full plates.  They fail to see the positives that a diverse workforce will bring to an organization because they often feel the best way to do something is as it has been done in the past.


To be successful an organization has to do the right pre-work, design the right structure, and provide ongoing support in a way that works well with both the existing and the desired culture - leveraging the experience of current workers along with the aspirations of those not yet employed.  Rather than "another thing to do" we should look at inclusion and diversity as another way to communicate expectations, establish outcomes and measure results.


This article, the first of a series, was written by Jason Reep, TEA's new Director of Learning and Inclusion (see bio. here).  Jason joins The Association with a rich background in Training and Diversity within both the public and the private sector.  Please give Jason a call at 616.698.1167 or drop him a note at [email protected] to learn more or talk about any of your organization's training needs.

 

Partnership Update:  Dominion Systems Offers Inexpensive Applicant Tracking Software

by Rob Strate, SPHR, Director of HR Services 

 

While many larger organizations have been utilizing Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) for years in order to more efficiently manage the hiring process, smaller organizations have found much of the software currently on the market to be overly complex for their needs and extremely expensive.  TEA partner Dominion Systems has developed an ATS solution that greatly eases the workload of HR and hiring managers, reduces administrative costs, and improves the overall quality of hires, at very reasonable costs compared with other systems.  To learn more about how TEA members can start using Dominion's ATS at a 10% discount, click here or contact Anna Lodes at 616.248.3835 or email [email protected]

 

This newsletter is published at 5570 Executive Parkway SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan as a general information service to all members and offers data from many sources. It is not designed to render legal advice or opinion. Such advice may only be given when related to actual situations. Our staff can assist you in interpreting and applying this information to your needs.  For questions or replies to this newsletter, email [email protected].  
 
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