The Orion Sword - October 2009

There are two kinds of employees, those that believe they can make things happen and those that believe that things happen to them. The first group believes that the outcome of their life and careers are more or less in their hands, while the other sit around and wait for good things to happen. This distinguishing feature is captured by something called a “core self-evaluation.”

Psychologist Tim Judge has discovered following over ten years of research that virtually all superstar employees from line workers on the floor all the way to those in the boardroom have one thing in common. They have a high core self-evaluation. 

Judge and his colleagues have shown that employees who feel like they have control over the events in their life and believe they can make things happen end up doing better on almost every important measure of performance. They sell more, give better customer service, adjust better to foreign assignments and bring in an average of 50%-150% more annual income than people who feel they have little control over their fate.

To identify these star employees, you can use Judge’s 12 question “Core Self-Evaluations Scale.” You can also keep an eye out for those positive performers by looking for the following:

“I think I can” Attitude. People who believe they can overcome challenges are more successful in virtually every aspect of the life.

In Control: Does the employee take control of his work, or always find outside excuses when projects go astray?

Confident, Not Narcissistic: Does the employee help out with team assignments or bad mouth co-workers viewed as threats? Are they receptive or defensive when you give them feedback?

Emotionally Stable: Employees who aren’t easily discouraged are less likely to succumb to stress and burnout.

Employees with a high self-core evaluation consistently outperform those that feel they have no control over their career or life.  If you know what to look for, it’s easy to spot these overachievers and add them to your team.

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Remote work options, staggered hours and reduced schedules are usually something seen as perks for when times are good. But as research from the upcoming book Top Talent: Keeping Performance up When Business is Down shows, companies that treat time as currency are keyed into one of the secrets to surviving in a recession.  Many leading-edge companies realize using flex or revamping existing policies in tough times is successful. These organizations are able to cut costs without large lay-offs.  Plus, taking the fear out of asking for time off boosts employee morale and engagement and helps retain talent.

In January 2009, accounting firm KPMG introduced its new flex program, Flexible Futures for its 11,000 UK-based employees.  The options offered to employees include: a four day workweek and a 20% reduction in base pay; a four to twelve week sabbatical; a combination of the two options; or choosing not to change anything.  So far, 85% of KMPG’s UK based employees have signed up for Flexible Futures, which makes the program a winner in the company’s eyes.

Booz & Company is another company joining in the flex time trend. 2009 marks the first year the consulting firm has used company-approved breaks for nearly all 4,000 employees.  Their new Partial Pay Sabbatical was created to not only cut expenses, but increase employee engagement.  Since the program’s launch, 20% of their 1,000 U.S. employees have signed up. The company encourages employees to use their time to spend quality family time, pursue areas of interest, advance their education or even take on a part-time job.

Flexibility is frequently an important benefit that workers from all generations look for when considering employers. Using time as currency will benefit companies by allowing them to attract and retain top talent as the economy picks up.

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Workplace disputes between employees can have a serious effect. Besides impact on productivity and morale, how an executive or manager handles resolution of a conflict can have serious repercussions for him or her as well. 

Leadership experts advise that managers and executives be careful when it comes to mediating disputes between employees.  They also say that leaders must be aware of the role they play when attempting to settle co-workers’ differences, or else the rift between employees could expand into an office wide hostile work environment, leaving no cubicle untouched.

The first step is to evaluate the situation and gain perspective.  Assess what’s going on while keeping your cool, and refrain from taking sides.  Employees involved in a dispute need to know the executive or manager is neutral. It is also important to gather as much information as possible before stepping into a tense work situation.

Emotions are running increasingly higher in today’s workplace, thanks to the economic climate.  However, resorting to shouting, even if it’s only to restore order, can have the opposite effect. Co-workers involved in the dispute become so emotionally invested in their argument that winning is now the main agenda instead of what actually started the disagreement.  The leader’s ability to remain cool sets the tone around the office and soothes high running emotions.

When it is necessary to mediate a workplace dispute it is important to remain calm, gather all the facts, and above all, set a professional tone.

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