Employee Engagement Happens In The Heart, Not The Mind

Sounds of observations made in "Why Work Isn't Working Anymore," published 2004.

While it used to be that people derived their greatest sense of happiness from time spent with family and hobbies, how satisfied workers feel in their jobs now determines their overall happiness with life. This monumental shift means that job fulfillment has become essential to people everywhere.

The decision to be engaged is made in worker’s hearts—not minds. We now know that feelings and emotions drive human behavior—what people care most about and commit themselves to in their lives. Consequently, how leaders and organizations make people feel in their jobs has the greatest impact on their performance by far.

For centuries, most people went to work to get a paycheck, in order to put a roof over their heads and food on their table. But as a driver of engagement, pay now ranks no higher than fifth in importance to people—in every industrialized country. What truly inspires worker engagement in the 21st century can best be described as "emotional currency." Here’s what that means:

Having a supervisor that cares about us, our well-being, and personal growth

Without exception, bosses predominantly concerned about their own needs create the lowest levels of employee engagement. Going forward, having an authentic advocacy for the development and success of others should be prerequisite for selection into all leadership roles.

Doing work that we enjoy and have the talents to perform

Selecting people who display passion for the work they’ll be doing is perhaps the most important step toward building a highly engaged team. People can’t ever be fully engaged if their hearts aren’t in the work.

Routinely feeling valued, appreciated, and having a deep belief that the work we do matters

It’s highly destructive to people to have them strive and achieve, and to then have those contributions go unrecognized. Any company focused exclusively on driving profits—without a compelling mission—will inherently neuter engagement.

Having strong bonds with other people on the team, especially with our supervisors.

Feeling connected with and genuinely supported by others at work is a surprisingly significant driver of engagement and loyalty.

http://www.fastcompany.com/3041948/why-engagement-happens-in-employeess-hearts-not-their-minds

GOP moves to block union election rule

Senate Republicans sought Monday to employ the little-used Congressional Review Act in a bid to block the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from speeding up union elections.

The statute empowers Congress to overturn executive branch regulations it doesn't like, provided enough lawmakers sign on to the effort.

A trio of top GOP lawmakers introduced a motion of disapproval against what they refer to as the NLRB’s “ambush” election rule, issued last year. 

Unfortunately, the GOP does not have the votes in either house to override a certain Presidential veto.

Bottom line:  Prepare for the worst.  Be ready to run a short, but highly effective against unionization.  Training is available.  Email me if you would like to discuss.

http://thehill.com/regulation/labor/232213-gop-moves-to-block-union-election-rule

What Makes Us Feel Good About Work?

What motivates us to work? Contrary to conventional wisdom, it isn't just money. But it's not exactly joy either. It seems that most of us thrive by making constant progress and feeling a sense of purpose. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely presents two eye-opening experiments that reveal our unexpected and nuanced attitudes toward meaning in our work. (Filmed at TEDxRiodelaPlata.)

Many points made are similar or the same to those Fritz Aldrine and I made in 2003 in our book, "Why Work Isn't Working Anymore."  

I commend the Ted presentation to you at this link:  

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_what_makes_us_feel_good_about_our_work

Today’s Employment Report Is The Biggest Lie They’ve Told To Date

Again our noses are rubbed in it with the new employment numbers.  They no longer have to change the methodology of calculation to come up with the unemployment numbers they want.  They simply make it up and feed it to the prestitute press which now acts not as a filter but as the PR agency of government.

Take a look at the short video embedded in the link below.  It is worth your time.

http://investmentresearchdynamics.com/todays-employment-report-is-the-biggest-lie-theyve-told-to-date/

"I guess in order to make lemonade out of this cyanide-infused lemon the Government served up today, the best part about any Government economic report is watching grown men debate and agonize over the numbers, when the numbers are a complete fairy-tale. It’s like watching supposedly well-educated adults debating the merits of “Spongebob Squarepants” vs. “Sesame Street.”"

5.6% Unemployment: The Big Lie

by:  Jim Clifton, Chairman and CEO of Gallup

Here's something that many Americans -- including some of the smartest and most educated among us -- don't know: The official unemployment rate, as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, is extremely misleading.

Right now, we're hearing much celebrating from the media, the White House and Wall Street about how unemployment is "down" to 5.6%. The cheerleading for this number is deafening. The media loves a comeback story, the White House wants to score political points and Wall Street would like you to stay in the market.

None of them will tell you this: If you, a family member or anyone is unemployed and has subsequently given up on finding a job -- if you are so hopelessly out of work that you've stopped looking over the past four weeks -- the Department of Labor doesn't count you as unemployed. That's right. While you are as unemployed as one can possibly be, and tragically may never find work again, you are not counted in the figure we see relentlessly in the news -- currently 5.6%. Right now, as many as 30 million Americans are either out of work or severely underemployed. Trust me, the vast majority of them aren't throwing parties to toast "falling" unemployment.

There's another reason why the official rate is misleading. Say you're an out-of-work engineer or healthcare worker or construction worker or retail manager: If you perform a minimum of one hour of work in a week and are paid at least $20 -- maybe someone pays you to mow their lawn -- you're not officially counted as unemployed in the much-reported 5.6%. Few Americans know this.

Yet another figure of importance that doesn't get much press: those working part time but wanting full-time work. If you have a degree in chemistry or math and are working 10 hours part time because it is all you can find -- in other words, you are severely underemployed -- the government doesn't count you in the 5.6%. Few Americans know this.

There's no other way to say this. The official unemployment rate, which cruelly overlooks the suffering of the long-term and often permanently unemployed as well as the depressingly underemployed, amounts to a Big Lie.

Article here:  http://www.gallup.com/opinion/chairman/181469/big-lie-unemployment.aspx