More Pete Blank

As an aside, I had the pleasure of being a contestant on Wheel of Fortune recently! My episode will air on Tuesday October 14. Locally, it will air in the Birmingham area at 6:30pm on ABC 33/40. Though you will have to watch to see what happens, I will let you know that someone on the show won the One Million Dollar Prize! Hmmmmmm.....

Customer Service: A Magical Formula?

Imagine working in an organization with 55,000 employees in a single site. Imagine trying to get them all on the same page, every day, in regards to customer service. If you think this is hard, you are correct. If you think it is impossible, you are wrong.

The Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, FL, does this every day. There is no “magical” formula or special pill that is given to the cast members to assist them, yet this company is known around the world for its attention to customer service.

I had the pleasure of working in the Disney trenches for 13 years, and I can assure you that it truly is a ‘magical’ place to work. However, it takes hard work, dedicated employees and the right leaders in the right jobs. I hope to see you on Friday morning, where I will share some key strategies that Disney uses regarding leadership, motivation, and customer service. Hopefully, you can take some of these ideas back to your work environment and perhaps make it a magical place for your employees!

Posted by Pete Blank

Combating FMLA Abuse: Profiles of Employer Victories

I hope to see you at the upcoming HRM Conference next month. In my session, we will discuss FMLA cases where employers have “pushed back” on perceived FMLA abuses, challenging employee failure to provide sufficient notices, medical documentation, or communication during leaves. Armed with this insight, attendees will be better positioned to refine current FMLA practices.

Posted by Tammy Baker

Why Motivation Doesn’t Work! And How to Lead People to Peak Performance

American business spends untold billions annually seeking the motivational “quick fix.” Yet it’s fruitless. Because the truth is…you really can’t motivate anyone! But there are research proven ways to boost maximum performance in virtually any organization.

In this fast-paced, fun and practical session, we’ll explore the business implications of creating the best work environment, treating people right, setting clear goals, giving & receiving constructive feedback, recognizing good performance and coaching for optimal results.

As an HR professional, you can learn how to help your managers get people to put their hearts into their work, why it sparks them to reach for their full potential and how to re-spond effectively to literally any performance problem they may encounter.

Posted by Bill Schabel

Continuous Learning

Continuous learning to me is much more than just fulfilling the requirements for CEU's for various certifications. While those are necessary if we are to remain certified after all the hard work we put into passing an intimidating exam, continuous learning just for the sake of learning is a virtue in and of itself. It keeps us motivated for appropriate and relevant change and helps us stay on top of our game. Recent research concludes that learning new things is one of the preventatives against dementia and Alzheimer's. That alone is reason enough to learn something new continuously! When looking for opportunities to learn, one of my favorite venues each year is the HRM Conference in Tuscaloosa. It is not only educational and interesting, but it also is fun. Networking, shopping with vendors and socializing add to the enjoyment. The line up this year looks great. I hope to renew acquaintances with a great number of HR colleagues this year in Tuscaloosa.

Posted by Lana Guess Thompson

Managing Organizational Change

Changing organizations is as messy as it is exciting, as frustrating as it is satisfying, and as creative a process as it is a pragmatic one. This HRM session, conscious of the tensions for those involved in managing organizational change, will explore strategic and practical tools for leadership to effectively communicate and implement organizational change. Specific models will be reviewed to illustrate workforce reduction approaches without provoking litigation and how to handle the changed labor movement, even if the Employee Free Choice Act does not pass.

Posted by Richard Lehr, Esq.

Retention and Recruitment

Retention and recruitment of employees is Job One for many HR professionals. But the reality is, an “Employee of the Month,” program is not going to cut it. We have to be better than that. A large percentage of employees and potential employees want a chance to make a difference in their community. Unfortunately, some organizations have deserted their former corporate/community ties and focused entirely on the bottom line. In losing that dual focus, they have lost some of the best and brightest, who are also needed to make that bottom line look good.

Make no mistake; just as our profession checks potential employees’ pages on Facebook, we are in turn being vetted by potential employees to see if we “walk our talk.” The days of employees automatically sticking with one employer from cradle to gold watch can only be found on reruns on “Nick at Night.”

So what can we do? The answer is “a lot.” Spending one Saturday out of the year working on a company sponsored housing project (although I do like those projects) is not enough. We as HR Professionals should lead the charge in getting our organizations involved in intensive “give back” projects that will help change lives in our community and make us good corporate citizens to boot. Our employees want a chance to make a difference and we need to make it happen. Now.

Posted by Sharon Lovoy