People 2.0 - The Network of Independent Staffing Companies

The Recovery is Underway – Time to Revisit Risk Management

January 24, 2011

by Mike McGowan

Times have been tough in the staffing industry for the last couple of years and most of us hunkered down to make it through the storm. With reduced revenue, staff reductions were inevitable and some internal initiatives may have been put on hold.

In this environment one of the first things many cut was Risk Management – an area not considered a direct revenue generator. At the same time, in an effort to shore up sinking sales, some pursued business that they would not have considered during better times – thereby increasing their risk profile.

As the economy rebounds, it is time to reevaluate Risk Management, refill vacant positions and restart loss control programs as soon as possible.

A comprehensive risk management program can reduce injury claim costs by 20-40%. In staffing, that can be the difference between a positive and a negative bottom line, especially as margins have eroded in many industry sectors. And claims costs are only the direct costs of injuries. The indirect costs of a claim, like service disruptions, the loss of management time, and recruiting and training a replacement worker can be up to three times the direct cost of an employee injury.

For the most immediate impact, start by focusing your risk management efforts on

· client risk screening,

· injury management, and

· post injury return to work processes.

Client Risk Screening allows controlled risk avoidance and/or mitigation. The idea is to perform a systematic identification of risk in every new account opportunity, then apply appropriate strategies to exclude or manage those risks to reduce the frequency/severity of claims. Generally client risk screening is done at the pre-sale stage, but under current circumstances, a review of all clients acquired since 2007 might be appropriate.

A comprehensive Injury Management Process should be implemented before an injury ever occurs. It should include defined protocols with your medical provider(s), and a plan for active involvement and advocacy by your staff after the injury. The goal is to ensure that any injured employee gets the care he/she deserves and feels fairly treated, and that any treatment provided is needed and legitimate. It focuses on the injured worker who has the unique ability to control the course of their own claim.

You should also have a well defined Return to Work Program that promotes the occupational rehabilitation of the injured employee and speedier claim resolution. Work with your medical provider(s) and claim adjuster to get a work release as soon as possible, and then provide appropriate work within its restrictions (if any). If modified duty is required, find some way to offer work, even if you have to subsidize the expense yourself. The overall cost of the claim will be mitigated once the employee is back in the workforce.

In the end, the success or failure of every risk management program depends on commitment from the top of the organization. Now is the time to re-invigorate your risk management policies and minimize any slippage that may have occurred over the recent past.

(Portions quoted from Assurance Staffing Connection, September, 2010 from the Assurance Agency: www.assuranceagency.com )

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Principle Centered Leadership in 2011

January 11, 2011

by Chuck Miller

Are you ready to make this your company’s best year ever? A friend of mine once told me: “To predict the future, you must create it.” If you haven’t already, one of the best ways to get started is to first visualize what it is you want to achieve.

The first step is to create the perfect year in your mind. Find a quiet time when you can let your thoughts flow uninterrupted, then picture exactly what you want to achieve over the next 12 months. This technique is called visualization. Once you have pictured the perfect year in your mind, put it on paper. By doing so, you’ll be drafting your goals for 2011.

With clear goals in mind, you and your organization can develop a plan to create the future you have predicted. Now, all you have to do is execute. Simple, right?

Most companies have plans, but without effective leadership, many fail to achieve their goals and realize their long term potential. Of course, there are different levels of effectiveness and multiple leadership styles. But the one constant that I believe produces the best results is leadership that is principle centered.

Renowned trainer and consultant Stephen Covey, the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, describes principle centered leadership this way:

Succeeding in a world of change, competition, and information overload is challenging. Fortunately, new technology and services emerge daily to assist individuals and organizations in meeting such challenges.

Always before technology, however, comes leadership. Leadership provides the insight to create products and services that meet changing circumstances and needs. Leadership provides the critical advantage between those who succeed and those who do not.

Principled Centered Leadership focuses on timeless principles, paradigms, and processes that have enabled effective people to achieve lasting and meaningful contributions.

Principles are fundamental, timeless and self-evident natural laws that govern human effectiveness, growth and happiness. Principles are related to the concept of true north. Throughout history, the compass has been used to help navigators stay the course. With the discovery of the compass came a sense of direction and security. Navigators could count on the constancy of true north. In the same manner, principles provide stability to a world of change.

Just as explorers and navigators first aligned themselves with true north prior to beginning their journey, principle-centered leaders align their paradigms with principles prior to embarking on their leadership trek. They then implement processes to effectively complete their journey.

The more leaders align their paradigms with principles, the more effective they will be. The Seven Habits are founded on such principles of effectiveness.

Your core principles along with your company’s vision, mission, and inter-related strategies, should be in writing and reviewed with every member of your team. They will form the parameters within which your organization will operate and succeed.

May 2011 be your best year yet!!!

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Principle Centered Leadership, Covey Leadership Center, Inc. 1986-1996.

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Lessons in Efficient Time Management

January 4, 2011

by Tim Bell

Recently, I was tasked with a large project that tested not only my organizational skills, but my time management skills. The completion date was set in stone and missing it could have had significant economic impact. Fortunately, I was able to complete the project on time and enjoy the satisfaction of achieving something I first didn’t think would be possible.

For me, the experience drove home the importance of balancing priorities and working efficiently. I know first-hand how easy it is for business leaders to become immersed in unimportant details at the expense of high-priority tasks; how you can reach the end of the day feeling that a lot of work got done, but little was really accomplished. I’ve found a handful of simple “rules” that go a long way in keeping me focused and organized, more productive and more efficient in my work:

1. Know where your time goes. Write down the tasks you perform and confirm that it reflects your true priorities. If it does not, identify the key obstacles and distractions. Do this periodically to ensure that your time and energy is in line with your priorities.

2. Create a daily to-do list. List the key things that must be done each day. Try to keep it to 3 - 5 priorities.

3. Avoid overload. Work overload results in poor performance and burnout in the long-term. Start by being more practical about accepting new tasks or projects to ensure that your every day workload doesn’t interfere with your primary commitments and deliverables.

4. Delegate more. Analyze what tasks can be delegated to employees and assign them accordingly. Not only does this save you time, it also provides an opportunity for others to grow and develop their skills.

5. Reduce drop-in interruptions. Managerial work lends itself to frequent interruptions by peers and staff members. If you don’t take action, it will only increase. Try decreasing your accessibility by closing your door when you need time. If you are busy, say so and let others know when you can talk.

6. Practice email management. Check and return emails early in the day, mid-day and near the end of the day. With hundreds of emails hitting your inbox hourly, it’s easy to lose sight of the things you swore you’d get done today.

7. Manage meetings effectively. Since so much of a leader’s time is spent in meetings, it is essential you make them as efficient and productive as possible. Prepare an agenda in advance and follow it. Start and end meetings on time, and follow-up by distributing notes that include any assignments, next steps or deadlines.

9. Overcome procrastination. Procrastinating only delays the inevitable—and gives you less time to complete a task. Try doing small, easy parts of a project first to build momentum into the more difficult tasks. Some prefer to do the least desirable task first in order to get it out of the way. Either way, you will build an empowering sense of accomplishment.

By more efficiently managing our time, we can all be far more efficient, bring greater focus to our primary objectives, and ultimately become more effective leaders in our organizations.