The Flingeran Center

There’s more to making money than income alone - it’s important to be making money cost-effectively. An often overlooked tool in this is quality employee performance management software. Once you know what the specific abilities of each of your staff are, it’s possible to adjust your routines to optimize their effectiveness and thereby make the most of the business as a whole. The issue lies in identifying and metricizing this information. Looking at just one facet of this - employee appraisal- defining progress and being able to track it is a significant amount of work. First of all, you set up employee performance appraisal techniques to assess and track the work done by each worker. The assessment of this data is next. Before it’s ready to use defining goals and tracking future development you need to know what the data means in practice. Utilizing performance management software you know that this preliminary work is taken care of and you need only study the various metrics and factors to determine what the right set of targets for this staff member would be. It also renders following the staff member’s development much less effort. This takes away the need to spend time on analysis and is likely to be far more accurate. If you want to you can instead make your own assessment, simply using the software to create and update a full record to work from. And improving the efficiency of your workers is merely one thing you can do using performance appraisal software. You can also use it to scrutinize your clients and your suppliers. For example, when looking at suppliers you can demonstrate the weaknesses such as slow delivery times, high rates of loss, and so forth. When it comes to clients performance management software can help there telling you just who sells the most of your products, their loss percentage and similar troubles, and providing a reminder of any payment issues. Having this information means you can adjust your ordering and selling habits to increase income and cut costs. Who wouldn’t want to take advantage of that? To add to this, it’ll be less trouble to plan marketing campaigns due to your deeper insight into your market and the location of your best target audience.

Performance management software lets you watch your suppliers so you can save money and analyze your market to tailor your plans and boost your profits. Combined with a program of employee assessment such software will certainly accelerate staff performance management dramatically. In summary, it’s clear that the potential benefits of this system are endless and will depend exclusively on your own creativity and ability to use what you learn!

Let’s not forget that in addition to increased sales, profits can be ramped up by cutting costs and by encouraging more active use of employee time. Business performance management software, despite often being neglected, is a great benefit to companies who want to do this.

Everyone knows that making the most out of your business necessitates knowing in what areas each and every one of your staff do their best work, and knowing how to adapt your routines to match that. While this knowledge is important, it’s not exactly easy to obtain.

Just keeping track of staff performance and identifying development in their performance is a significant task. First of all, you use employee appraisal techniques to evaluate and keep track of work done by each employee. Should you be using traditional methods, the next step is to analyze all the raw data points you will have obtained just to track further development and set objectives. With performance management software, you just examine the various metrics and factors to deduce the ideal objectives and subsequently follow the member of staff’s development. This takes away the need to spend time on analysis and may even be far more precise. If you want to it’s possible instead to carry out your own analysis, merely using the software to create and update a full record to use as a basis. Performance appraisal software doesn’t just work for staff. Such software can also be used to keep an eye on your suppliers & clients. For example, when looking at suppliers you can pinpoint their weak points like poor delivery times, high rates of loss, etc. As for clients and affiliates, it’s possible to demonstrate who who is your best seller of any given product or service if there are payment issues, which one experiences the worst loss percentage, and more. This information is useful in minimizing expenses and boosting profits. With this data you can determine your best target audience. With this demographic in mind advertising and other marketing becomes more effective and simpler to plan. Performance management software can study your sources to save money and watch the market to tailor plans and boost your profits. It also makes employee performance management quicker and far more effective when encouraging staff through measurable achievements and goals dramatically. All in all, what can be achieved with this software is incredible…

Nowadays many businesses think that, by offering each staff member basic instruction in safety in the workplace, they have all the skills necessary to cope with a disaster. In reality however, staff must have more than a basic education in health and safety and risk assessment. Equipping your employees, selecting good supervision and supporting frequent practise are crucial to the safety at work.

A team supervisor has a bigger function to carry out than just general management. The supervisor you choose must show enthusiasm and consider training essential. In addition to insuring compliance with health and safety regulations, the function of a supervisor includes maintaining employee performance levels as well. This is no easy task. A capable supervisor is required to have a thorough understanding of both the industry and manufacturing procedures in addition to an in-depth familiarity with safety laws, the identification of problem areas, and CPR. Simply supplying basic training in health and safety actually is not sufficient for your workers. To positively discover a hazard they must have practise. Employees must understand the best way of dealing with hazards and how best to cope if the unexpected happens. Only when these processes become second nature are employees properly protected. Education is in fact useless without safety gear. When they don’t have apparatus that is essential, or even learn that they’re not working properly only after a crisis has happened, then all the training your employees have undergone will have been wasted.

It is essential to perform conscientious checks frequently to make sure that all the required apparatus is there and also that it’s all in a good state of repair. If something isn’t in good working order, have it repaired or call out a service professional as soon as you can. Your employees need to get good health and safety education, but they need the correct apparatus, scheduled practise excercises, and an experienced supervisor who gets employees excited about working safely. And then complying with health and safety legislation will soon become established in the culture of your business instead of something that staff have to attempt to remember all the time.

A crucial issue to keep in mind during the hiring process is confidentiality. Keeping this major issue in perspective can help a prospective employer find a better solution to the verification process of all new hires that would not only be completely confidential, but faster, easier, and more accurate as well. This would not only save time, but would increase productiveness as well. Thoroughly exploring a potential employee’s history is just as essential as keeping their information confidential. At one time, one would be expected to make a massive amount of phone calls on behalf of the employee to verify information. Now there is an easier way to help companies with the Employment Verification process. How could this revolutionary process work for you?

This time saving application is easy to utilize, demands only a few business and personal statistics, and is accessible for use online. Before you begin, you must first get permission from the prospective employee. Any situation that requires tracking employment history requires concent from the potential employee. Utilizing this online system is not only more effective, it is also better for security and privacy since the possibility on an online security breach is improbable. Paperwork and open file cabinets in the average human resources office are more susceptible to security issues.

Utilizing this new process can not only simplify the act of hiring new employees, it can also free up human resources time and allow them to conduct other valuable services by having a future employee fully verified and in place as soon as possible. This process will be available to utilize online.This eliminates personal contact thus streamlining the whole process. Pricing for employment verifications is calculated for according to how many times a corporation might conduct unique employment verifications within any particular month. Many employers are taking advantage of this outsourcing thus saving cost in not only salaries, but the costly benefits provided for any extra personnel previously needed to perform these duties.

A significant number of human resource managers feel that, by supplying employees with training in safety in the working environment, they are sufficiently prepared to manage a disaster. The reality is that, irrespective of the industry you’re in, employees require more than simply a basic education in safety regulations and risk assessment. Equipping your staff, hiring good supervision and facillitating regular safety exercises are all key factors. Each team needs an efficient supervisor to observe the work area, however this individual also needs to take an even larger purpose on the floor. The supervisor you pick out needs to show enthusiasm and additionally see health and safety training as great.

On top of enforcing all of the rules and laws, a supervisory role also includes overseeing employee efficiency. This is a tough role. Extensive industry knowledge is a must in a supervisory job not to mention a very high level of familiarity with the latest regulations regarding safety, risk appraisal and first aid.

Simply having basic training in health and safety really is not enough for your staff. They must practise risk assessment and the identification of hazardous areas. They also need a firm grasp of the required precautions that they are required to take not to mention knowing what to do if disaster strikes. Not until these processes become habitual are workers properly educated.

Safety equipment is every bit as critical to the well being of your employees as the education itself. Without the right apparatus or alternatively should staff find out that supplies are not working properly in a crisis, then all the training your staff have already taken is essentially of no benefit. Frequent maintanence of your apparatus is a necessity. When an item does not meet the relevant criteria, ensure it is mended or serviced as a matter of urgency.

Health and safety instruction is essential to the health of your workers, but they also need to have the right apparatus, the opportunity to practise, and a supervisor who can motivate your staff. When you implement these steps you will find that the safety regulations soon become a natural part of life in the workplace rather than something challenging everyone has to make an effort to think about constantly.

Success in the modern business world depends on good people management skills. You can learn and develop these techniques. Having a intuitive skill for getting along with people is an advantage, but there are some things you can do to help the process. Forging relationships: Begin by remembering the names of the staff. Speak to staff; make eye contact during a conversation. Be respectful, and be sure to listen to the other person’s point of view, even if you don’t agree or have another viewpoint. Developing listening skills is among the greatest things you can do to improve your people management skills. Show interest in what everyone can offer the team. Live up to promises: Don’t give promises you won’t fulfill. When you don’t keep your promises, the delicate bond of trust is violated, and without trust employees certainly won’t perform at their best. Each time you make a commitment or make a promise about something, you are squandering your time if you don’t follow through. The truth is, when your people can’t count on your word, they can’t be relied on to be there if you truly need them. Encourage any comments: Feedback should be a two way process. Maintaining an open mind with regard to other people’s views is very important in effective people management. Being accessible and open proves that other’s thoughts count, and they should listen to your opinions. Frank discourse also promotes creative problem solving, new ways of accomplishing goals, and develops the team dynamic. By giving the team some input, the outcome becomes important to every member. Communication is fundamental: People management techniques boil down to one thing — communication. Keeping an open door policy, listen intently to your co-workers, retain an open mind, and allow all your team members to express their views. The team must be inspired to speak with one another as well as with you. The sharing of ideas is imperative in the creative process, and if the team communicate well, you can recognize problems early, and corrective measures may be put in place before things get out of hand. This can require time, but the rewards far outbalance the work. Through establishing the bonds of a good team and by taking heed of what your employees have to offer, a successful business can be accomplished.

If you are called for an interview, then it is likely that you will be asked to give a presentation as well.

You need to prepare for your presentation as well as your consultant NHS interview

Here are some hints to help you prepare for your interview presentations

	display subjects are disclosed to candidates with the interview invitation details. A powerpoint presentation is to be recommended.
	Do not be surprised if you are expected to present in a larger room to an audience much wider than the interview panel. You probably won’t know who will be at the display until you get there.
	The display may take somewhere between 3 minutes to a quarter of an hour.
	You have to adhere to the time limits, keep focussed to the topic and don’t get too detailed.
	You must practice your display - even if it is only to your spouse or partner. This is one part of the recruitment process that you can fully control and it is often what forms first impressions.
	If the display is in an hospital where you have previously been employed in or where you are renowned, you are likely to feel more nervous than in an department where most of the audience is unknown. Acknowledge this in advance and practice the talk.
	Do not make assumptions about what the audience knows ” present as if you and the audience have little knowledge about each other, and assume some of the audience (eg Lay Chair, Faculty representative) have no or little knowledge of the organisation/ area about which you are talking.

Efficient human resource management techniques are crucial in achieving the best in your business success. People management may be acquired and learned. Having a innate affinity for getting along with people and forging relationships can be a plus, but there are numerous skills you can do that will make this process simple. Relationship Development: Start by using staff’s names. Speak to staff; make eye contact when you are speaking. Develop a respectful attitude, and be attentive to the other person’s point of view, regardless of whether you are in agreement with them. Paying attention to everything others say is one of the most crucial talent management skills you can learn. Encourage any input from your co-workers.

Exhibit integrity: Keeping your promises is crucial. If your word is broken, it can ruin trust, and nobody will give you their best without trusting you. Everytime you make a statement or give your word on something, make sure that you can keep your promises or don’t bother giving your word at all. You’ll discover, when you can’t be depended upon, your staff won’t be available if you really need them. Be open to feedback: It’s a two way street. Maintaining an open mind regarding other people’s opinions is an important skill in managing individuals. Being accessible and receptive establishes that other’s thoughts count, your ideas will be valued in return. Open discourse in addition boosts creative problem solving, ways of achieving the goals of the business, and strengthens the team. By giving the team a voice, the project and the outcome becomes important to each employee.

Communication is the key: Your people management techniques boil down to the same thing - good communication. Be approachable, utilize listening techniques, keep an open mind, and permit each of your staff to express their views. Inspire staff not just to communicate to you, but also with each other. The growth of any business depends to a great extent on the open exchange of opinions, if the employees communicate openly, it is simple to discover problems at an early stage, and corrective measures can be put in place before matters get out of hand.

This may require some work, all the same the payoff is worthwhile. Through inspiring a good team dynamic and developing effective listening skills, a flourishing business can be achieved.

When I was little I had a piggy bank complete with a requisite combination lock (needed to keep my younger brother from pilfering). Each week, on Friday night when I got my 50 cent allowance, I would lock myself in my bedroom, twist and turn the combination until I got it right and then I counted my prized stash of cash. I always knew exactly how much it would amount to, but I counted it nonetheless. My brother, on the other hand, never used his piggy bank; he put his quarters in his pockets and generally lost them within a few days.

Over time, I began to earn more money through babysitting and odd jobs, but the ritual never changed - lock the door, open the safe and re-count my money. As I reflect, I think about the time I wasted re-counting my money but I also remember the delight I experienced each time as I dreamed and planned how to spend my dough! It would have been great to push a button and have a “piggy bank statement” printed at any time confirming that my money was where it should be and how much I had available. It would have been better still to earn “piggy interest” on my quarters! That would be real optimization!

These memories came flooding back to me when I was pondering the topic of IT Asset Management and how ineffectively some businesses track and manage PCs and other IT equipment. Demands for increased staff productivity and greater return on IT investments have pushed the need for better asset management and vital solutions.

Recently, I sat in the office of a large organization discussing this very subject with an IT manager. When I asked him if he had ever analyzed the use of software in his organization his reply was “We don’t really care if the software deployed on our standard image is used or not, it’s just easier to support if we give everyone all of the applications.”

I shook my head; I’ve heard this rational before, in fact, I’ve used it myself in the past. What I’ve learned since then has changed my way of thinking regarding costs and efficiencies.

Some IT managers believe that software licensing concerns are simplest to address by using a standard corporate image (a PC configured with standard software applications deployed to all users within the corporation). While it may seem simpler, one must ask “what happens to standardization once that PC has been delivered to the end user?” I’ll tell you, in many organizations the end user immediately begins to alter the standard image to the point there is no longer any homogeny within the business assets.

My second question is this, “why pay for software that isn’t needed or used?” Besides, why on earth would you continue to pay expensive maintenance on software that isn’t beneficial to the company? Experts estimate that optimizing maintenance contracts can save a business from 5% to 15%. When was the last time you got a budget or salary increase in the 5-15% range?

According to The Gartner Group, “enterprises that fail to integrate usage and inventory data to manage its software assets will overbuy licenses for 60% of their portfolio and still be non-compliant on 30%.” With proper usage information, managers can make informed and more effective decisions about the needs of end users as well as the use of resources.

For example, one company recently monitored employee use of a particularly expensive software package. They discovered that, although the product was licensed and deployed to all users, only about 2/3 of the staff ever used it. In addition, it was discovered that an inexpensive emulator was a suitable replacement for all but the core power users. The results were savings of nearly a million dollars! I would say, certainly in this case, that end-user usage information can be very valuable to an IT manager. What’s more, these are the types of savings that would make any CEO dance the rumba!

Additionally, Gartner experts estimate that up to 30% of an IT budget could be saved by effective IT asset management. Further, that 70% of organizations have a 30% discrepancy between planned and actual IT inventory. Ouch that hurts! Why not use that 30% to increase budgets for training, salaries, upgrades and new projects?

Besides software licensing and maintenance agreement savings, there are a host of additional benefits stemming from successful IT asset management. Every IT manager would benefit from saving time and effort expended planning for technology upgrades of any size. For years, most of us have tracked our assets in a spreadsheet, desperately hoping that it contained fairly accurate information.

When it came time to prepare for an upgrade, usually the low man on the totem pole (or an outside temp) was tasked with verifying the accuracy of the spreadsheet data. This method generally entailed walking from machine to machine checking against a list of criteria. The entire endeavor was painfully slow, dreadfully inaccurate and miserably inefficient, but hey - great exercise for the temp!

Once the data was gathered, a manual method was used to determine which machines needed what hardware and software. Once that task was completed one could price out the upgrades, prepare a budget for management approval and hope there wasn’t noticeable margin of error. Yea, sure - better add 10% just in case!

I really like living in the new millennium, the whole exercise of gathering data on IT assets has been revolutionized. Now, in a matter of a few mouse clicks, a good asset management application can provide up to the minute information needed to plan for an upgrade. Not only can these tools provide information on hardware, but also software versions, patches, etc. Having accurate data available in a dynamic system proves to be a huge forecasting timesaver and can also be used, among other things, to reduce virus incidents by identifying systems that are at risk. Besides planning for upgrades, simply keeping track of assets that seem to forever grow legs and walk away on their own can be a daunting task.

Another bright spot for IT managers who use asset management tools effectively is improved efficiency at the help desk. IDC reported that downtime can be reduced by 10% and person hours on recovery can be reduced by 22% for businesses that practice good asset management. I read another figure that touted a 25% reduction in average help desk call time. This enables the closing of more trouble tickets per day and gets end users back to work faster.

I certainly remember the days when a help desk call started out with questions such as “What type of PC do you have? What version of Windows are you running? Did you install anything new recently?” And if you’re laughing now, it’s because you know the answer is always “NO! I haven’t installed anything!” End users never admit to installing or doing something that could have possibly caused their system to misbehave!

With today’s tools, support staff can easily view hardware and software configurations without any end user interaction thus saving time on each and every support call. Having this IT “x-ray vision” debunks the myth that standard images are easier to support because a standard image generally fails to remain standard after deployment. Being able to see what has happened to morph that PC really does make support easier and faster!

Secondly, most good tools will provide a “history” or a “change” flag that can clearly identify what software changes have been made that might have triggered the problem. This feature can also be enlisted to enforce policies prohibiting users from installing unauthorized software onto their assigned systems. In the event of serious troubles, these records can provide valuable forensic evidence.

Moreover, good asset management tools and techniques can actually prevent the need for a support call in the first place by allowing for proactive PC management. If a flaw or vulnerability is identified in a particular software version, those affected PCs can easily be identified, isolated and a fix or patch pushed out before the problem erupts.

This proactive approach certainly beats the tar out of the “old fashioned” method of grab a disk and run when a caller reports a system failure. And it truly beats hearing the words “it’s going to be a long night, better order in dinner, we’ve got to touch every machine before we can go home.” How many pizza dinners in a row can your digestive system actually tolerate?

In general, businesses will see significant benefit from using an efficient asset management tool (in addition to an effective underlying process) in the areas of software licensing, maintenance costs, lease and contract management, support and help desk efficiencies, reduction in vulnerabilities and even with asset disposal concerns. (See my earlier article regarding IT asset disposal for a list of those worries!)

To get the most out of an asset management tool, carefully research the array of products available. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish by merely selecting the least expensive or most widely recognized products. Every IT environment is unique and requires tools that can adapt to, or blend with, those specific needs.

To get started on the selection process, create a company-wide team to evaluate asset management tools. Enlist the input from each department that has any role in relation to IT assets. The team should include members from finance, purchasing, accounting, IT, security, training, risk management, etc.

A good tool can and should help manage assets throughout the entire lifecycle - cradle to grave. Consider what tool features would make it easier, faster and more accurate to budget, purchase, receive, deliver, upgrade, support, use and retire an IT asset. Once your team is in place, create a list of the top 25 features and benefits desired in a tool. Create a list of tool vendors offering products that meet your criteria and arrange for an on-site demo of the product for the whole team (not just IT).

At this point, hopefully, between face to face meetings with the vendor, the demo, addressing compatibility issues and pricing options, a short list of tools will emerge. Arrange for an on-site evaluation of at least two, perhaps three of the preferred tools. Assign specific roles to each team member in the evaluation process to ensure that all functions are fully experienced.

Once a tool has been selected, don’t dare cheap out on training! At least one, preferably two, staff members should receive thorough training on the use and support of the product. Consider hiring an experienced professional to install, configure and document the program. Lost time due to inexperienced staff struggling to learn a product can quickly sabotage any project. Further, an experienced professional will be able to optimize the tool configuration and reporting functions.

An asset management tool can be a costly investment for any organization, but one which if installed properly and used efficiently, will provide for reduced cost of ownership for IT assets and such tools generally provide a positive return on investment within 12-24 months as well. When you add the benefits of increased staff efficiency and reduction of risk into the mix, the justifications for the expense will be well founded.

What is being done to manage IT assets in your organization? Are you continually tossing your IT budget dollars into metaphorical pockets or are you keeping accurate tabs on those valuables? Moreover, what has been done to not only track and manage the IT assets, but to optimize the return on those investments?

Donna Johnson Edwards is the Director of Consulting for Tenax, Inc. Established in the U.S. in 2002, Tenax provides IT compliance certifications, training and targeted consulting services. For further information on IT Asset Management please visit the Tenax Corporation website.

Recent studies have shown that industrial supervisors are working at less than 60 % of their potential. Basic management skills training is guaranteed to change all this and at such little cost

Introduction

One of the world’s most memorable quotes is from Shakespeare’s Hamlet - to be or not to be is all about a decision. It is a dramatic example of someone dealing with a critical decision.
Freely making and executing a decision is at the very essence of human life.

Only human beings have the developed capacity of assessing situations and making considered decisions, which includes evaluating the consequences of decisions before going ahead and executing them. It has been could be said that decision making is central to good management and is one of the key functions of all managers at all levels.

The 3 basic approaches

There are three basic approaches for decision making, which are:

1 Delay

This is the approach of inaction. It is amazing that many people will work so hard to avoid a decision. For example, you can keep keeping the decision under constant review, passing it back and fore to your boss or simply leave it until it becomes forgotten or results in a crisis.
Managers that use this approach often survive but they are never respected. This type of manager is a costly liability to the organization.

2 Instant decisions

This is the intuition or John Wayne / Sylvester Stallone style and it can be impressive and certainly gets results. Of course, there are times in emergencies that you need to make very fast decisions but they should never be instant. Instant decisions will:

• Use best hunches instead of rational thought powers

• Ignore potentially damaging side effects and consequences

• Give the impression that all decisions have the same importance

3 The professional approach

The professional This approach is based on sound decision making processes using logical steps and an effective thinking process.
You may need you to revaluate your current methods and to change your habits but it is the only way to consistently succeed in making valid decisions and performing as an effective manager.
Of course, this approach will not guarantee that you make the right decision every time but your success rate will go up dramatically.
So I hope that you agree that we should reject approaches 1 and 2 and commit ourselves to the professional approach, which is also known as the rational analysis decision method making.

Attitude

Take a positive approach to decision making
Don’t scowl or look disinterested when you are asked for a decision as that will hardly inspire confidence.

Don’t avoid decisions

If you demonstrate a negative approach to your team they may stop asking you for decisions and the results will be chaos. Always respond positively even if you are unable to give a final decision there and then.

Make decisions!

Your team has the right to expect you to make decisions or they may stop asking you for them and this will result in chaos.
Sometimes you have to make the decision not to make a decision. At least you have made a decision and people will respect you if you have valid reasons. So use this as an effective opportunity for involving people and getting their understanding. You need to explain ” why ” because the decision may affect him much more than it does you.

Types of decisions

There are three types of decisions that you will need to manage, which. These are:
• Autocratic - you make the decision alone and accept full responsibility

• Consultative - you request help usually from your boss

• Group - you allow your group to fully participate in the decision

The majority of your decisions will be autocratic but on occasions you will have need to consult someone else.

However, it is important to think about how to use the three types of decision. For example, if you consult too much your superiors will begin to wonder why they need you. On the other hand it would be foolish to make important decisions that are outside your level of expertise or have consequences that affect others outside your own group without some consultation.
Group decisions have more limited use but it can be useful to have the input of everyone sometimes. However, the final decision must be yours so be careful that you don’t overuse this type of decision as you must not delegate your authority to the group.

Decision before the decision

The first step is to understand what is involved in the decision and why it needs to be taken. This is often called the decision before the decision. For example, you may find that someone has over reacted and that a decision is not really necessary. So you decide not to make a decision. Sounds obvious but so many managers miss this first step and get themselves into all sorts of unnecessary messes.

Chris Thomas is the author of the Managers Toolbox training material located at http://www.managers-toolbox.com and runs the very successful Basic Management Course for new leaders and supervisors.