Creating Great Places to Work

1. Creating Great Places to Work Presented by: Allison M. Vaillancourt, Ph.D., SPHR Associate Vice President, Human Resources The University of Arizona

2. Building a Kick-Ass Organization Purge poor performers Engage excellent employees

3. I’d Pay to Work There… Think about a terrific employment experience What made it so great? Consider: People Environment Pay Possibilities Work Supervision

4. Take This Job and… Think about a terrible employment experience What made it so bad? Consider: People Environment Pay Possibilities Work Supervision

5. Why Do People Quit? ___ of managers who believe employees leave for more money ___ of employees who report leaving for more money

6. Why Do People Quit? 89% of managers who believe employees leave for more money 12% of employees who report leaving for more money

7. The job or workplace was not as expected. • 2. Mismatch between job and person • 3. Too little coaching and feedback • 4. Too few growth and advancement opportunities • 5. Feeling devalued and unrecognized • 6. Stress from overwork and work-life imbalance • 7. Loss of trust and confidence in senior leaders If It’s Not Money, What Is It? Source: The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave. Leigh Branham with cooperation of Saratoga Institute New York: AMACOM 2005

8. Meet: The Guilt Tripper Your best research scientist is in your office and he’s not happy. “My salary has remained the same for two years now,” Carlos complains. “I know the University is in trouble financially, but how long can I afford to work at these wages? I have a new baby on the way and my wife wants me to go on the market.”

9. What Do People Want? MEN Benefits Compensation/Pay Job Security Work/Life Balance Feeling Safe WOMEN Benefits Compensation/Pay Job Security Work/Life Balance Feeling Safe

10. What Do People Want? MEN Benefits Compensation/Pay Job Security Work/Life Balance Feeling Safe WOMEN Feeling Safe Benefits Compensation/Pay Job Security Work/Life Balance

11. Employee Value Proposition Affiliation Organizational mission Organizational identity Explicit organizational values A compelling vision Titles Salaries Pay process Salary incentives Financial • Work Content Work with purpose Interesting work The ability to get things done Supportive leadership Collaborative colleagues Feedback Autonomy Challenge Employee Value Proposition Flexible schedules Dual career assistance Eldercare resources Sick child program Health insurance Retirement programs Recognition programs Benefits Career Mentoring programs Professional development Research support Career ladders Collaboration opportunities Employment security Design Source: “Rewards of Work: How They Drive Performance, Retention and Satisfaction.” P. Mulvey, G. Ledford, and P. LeBlanc. WorldatWork Journal, Vol 9, No.3, 2000.

13. It’s 2:00 a.m. What are you doing?

14. This is you.

15. It’s 2:00 a.m. What are your poor performers doing?

16. They are sleeping. Soundly.

17. They look so peaceful…

18. Performance Levels Can do. Will do. Can do. Doesn’t do. Can’t do. Will do. Can do. Won’t do. Can’t do. Won’t do.

19. Performance Levels Recognize Encourage Train Purge eventually Purge immediately Can do. Will do. Can do. Doesn’t do. Can’t do. Will do. Can do. Won’t do. Can’t do. Won’t do. Value to your organization

20. Meet: The Jargon King Dear Friends: Never has Cyto-Technologies been able to leverage such synergistic relationships. Being solution-oriented, we recently convened a brain trust to propose win-win strategies that will seamlessly integrate our product paradigm via turnkey strategies. … This will enable our us to streamline efficiencies and collaborate to focus on mission-critical programs and services. Our future looks bright! Ever truly yours, Marcus

21. Meet: The Backstabber Three of your trusted research technicians have reported that Tess is, well, trashing you. She’s apparently using phrases like, “He’s comfortable using 1970’s approaches;” “He seems to lack energy;” and “Things will be better when he retires.” You are all of 47 and have no intention of retiring. What, if anything, should you say to Tess?

22. What Scares Us About Straight Talk?

23. What Scares Us About Straight Talk? • Fear of anger, harm or sabotage • Fear of damaging a relationship • Fear of rejection • Fear of sounding stupid • Fear of saying the wrong thing • Fear of failing • Fear of demands for evidence • Fear of our own emotions • Fear of getting what we want

24. Meet:The Religious Zealot “His email signature is: In Christ’s name, James Monroe+

25. Meet: The Entitlement Queen You have before you Andrea’s latest missive and surprise, surprise, she wants a raise. If she were a star performer, you might be less annoyed, but Andrea makes it a point to do as little work as possible. In her latest plea, she points out that she is making the same salary as her co-worker, Edward. She claims this is illegal because she has been employed for seven years and Edward came on board six months ago.

26. Meet: The Option Master Athena is smart. Really smart. But you swear she is trying to destroy you with data. Every time a decision needs to be made, you can count on her to present an artful matrix that outlines every possible option. When you ask her what SHE thinks your organization should do, she responds, “You’re the boss; I’ll do whatever you think is best.”

27. Meet: Mr. MIA Anytime you need your systems analyst, he’s missing in action. His online calendar is filled with meetings with others in the company, but more than once, one of those very people has called you during an alleged meeting. The last time this happened, you asked Eric to explain it. “I sense you don’t trust me,” he responded. “Do you have any idea how that feels?” Part of you wonders if you are imagining things, but projects are not being completed and that, in itself, is cause for concern.

28. Curious vs. Furious

29. Words that Work • It appears to me… • I want to support your success, so… • I feel… • Because I know you want to advance here… • From my perspective… • It has been reported to me… • I’m worried about … • I’m hoping you can help me understand… • Could you explain..

30. Straight talk is for everyone. For a while… Hotdogs MVPs Ability Second Stringers Attitude

31. Cutting Your Losses Hotdogs MVPs Ability Second Stringers Cut from the Team Attitude

32. Meet: Mixed Metaphor Michael Michael is desperate to move from a clerical to a lab coordinator role. And you wish you could offer that because he is clever and enthusiastic. He’d be perfect if he could only use the English language properly. Just yesterday you received a memo from him stating that a certain department member “can’t pass the mustard” and advising you that budget projections should be taken with a “grain assault and we should cross that bridge when it collapses.” Michael thinks he’s being denied a promotion because he doesn’t have a college degree. Should you give him a clue? How?

33. Strategies for Dealing with Conflict Honor the other person Problem solve with the other person Compromise Bully the other person Be passive-aggressive Avoid it Sophistication of strategy Likelihood of getting what you want Adapted from Ursiny,T. The Coward’s Guide to Conflict. Naperville: SourceBooks, Inc., .2003.

34. The Goal: Actionable Feedback • Behaviorally anchored – the situation/action, not the person • Specificity – on point • Illustrative – examples, observations • Defined range of application – almost all the time in all situations or only under certain conditions • Clear impact and implications for action – what is happening and why it is important and what should be done to fix it Adapted from Cannon, M. & Witherspoon, R. 2005. “Actionable Feedback: Unlocking the Power of Learning and Performance Improvement.” The Academy of Management Executive, Volume 19: 123-124.

35. When It’s Time for Straight Talk • Don’t “over share.” No one but the intended receiver needs to know that a tough conversation is planned. • Consider neutral ground. • State the purpose of the meeting. • Explain your concerns and aspirations. • Gather data from the other person. • Give them space to share their thoughts, feelings and perspective. • Be open to the possibility that YOU have contributed to the situation. • Invite them to problem solve. Adapted from Perlow, L. When You Say Yes But Mean No. New York, Crown Business, 2003.

36. Meet: Eeyore Photo not available “That won’t work.” “We tried that once.” “We can’t risk that.” On and on and on and on. You are exasperated. Every time you propose a new initiative with dollars attached, this guy behaves as those you are trying to raid his personal bank account.

37. Start Early; Act Quickly Clear expectations Small conversations Role models High expectations Comfort with conflict A culture of openness and accountability Better work “Evidence” for later More “digestible” Less resistance from employee Gives employee more options Less anxiety for you

38. What Makes Them Crazy? Sometimes we just don’t “click” with the people to whom we report. On occasion we may observe our supervisors getting frustrated with someone else. What seems to get on your boss’s nerves?

39. What’s Important to Your Boss? • People/Feelings • Bottom Line • Ideas/Innovation • Rules/Order/Precedence

40. Analyzing Your Boss Makes decisions: After lots of analysis Quickly After consulting with many Alone Hoping they will be popular Without regard to others In terms of information, wants: Lots of details Summary of facts Wants to read it Wants to hear it Likes to write it Likes to say it

41. What Makes Them Connect? Sometimes we observe others who are very effective in getting what they want from the people to whom we report. How would you describe these people? What makes them so successful?

42. Help Others Hear You • Is the message designed with your boss’s needs in mind? • What is your boss supposed to do? • Will she/he understand what you want done? • What are the pros and cons of the choice as your boss sees it? • What are the obstacles to communicating the message?

43. You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. Indira Gandhi

44. Core Concerns Appreciation Make others feel understood Affiliation Establish connections Autonomy Provide options Status Acknowledge their expertise Role Acknowledge their contributions From: Beyond Reason, Roger Fisher and Daniel Shapiro, 1995.

45. How Do You Increase Credibility? Quit asking. Get to the point. Lead with a solution. Less is more.

46. Meet: The Problem Relationship Guy “He showed up to work with cigarette burns on his neck and hands.”

47. Meet: James the Jinxed James is a nice guy and is usually productive, but his life is exhausting. His wife of 20 years is battling colon cancer. His father, who lives with them, is showing early signs of dementia. His teenage son recently announced that his girlfriend is pregnant. which so upset his daughter that her psychiatrist recommended she be sent to a long-term residential treatment center. James is in your office almost daily with another tale of woe. Yesterday he reported that he’s having serious headaches and that his neurologist said his left eye looks “cloudy.” An MRI is scheduled for next week. James has managed to meet most of his deadlines, but who knows how long he can keep this up? And how much longer can you tolerate these depressing stories?

48. Meet: The Salary.com Viewer “But the technicians at Ventana and in Phoenix make $12,000 more a year.”

49. Meet:The Benefits Parity Problem “She says she’s going to Johns Hopkins if we don’t pay for her partner’s health insurance.”

50. Meet:The “Strategic” Investor They’re telling me I can’t pay my research scientist $17,000. She’s from Russia for god’s sake; she’ll take anything!