tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47459085333844707352024-02-20T23:16:31.253-08:00Perspectives of Industrial/Organizational PsychologyThe following blog includes information pertaining to human resources, organizational development and industrial-organizational psychology. Stay up to date on the latest research by reading the summaries of published studies, editorials, and periodicals.Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-10179250922188033882014-08-30T10:39:00.003-07:002014-08-30T10:43:21.306-07:00Does an unbiased interview exist? YES!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While most of my blogs are about academic articles and their application to Human Resources, this was a topic that I had to write about. In a conversation with some friends, some great points came up and I thought,"This would be a perfect topic for my blog!" I hope you enjoy.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On August 19th, 2014, the <span style="background-color: white;">Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) released an amendment to </span>Executive Order 11246. This amendment extends protection of discrimination based on sex to include gender identity and those who identify as transgender. While it only applies to Federal contractors, this is a huge accomplishment for those individuals who identify as transgender because it means they have the ability to live their lives as they see fit. I imagine its only a matter of time until this protection extends to all employers in the United States. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I was discussing this with some friends, we spoke about how some people are unable to look past their personal bias when it comes to physical image. In reality, one's personal looks shouldn't matter as long as they perform the job effectively (with the exception of personal hygiene). However, can you truly enforce interviewers to objectively evaluate interviews? In an ideal world, I would say yes but some people are unable to look past their biases. Some ways to overcome these subjective opinions are by using the following methods:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Structured interviews</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interview questions based on job requirements</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Score based interviews</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Behavioral anchors</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Multiple interviewers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Training for managers on effective interviews and the expectations of an interview.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These common practices can be effective in reducing the likelihood of adverse impact. However, it is not fool-proof. Want a fool proof interview practice? Well, your answer lies in the classical music industry.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/2795671906/d0eac315a4f5fc8770bfc54ee6e166de_400x400.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/2795671906/d0eac315a4f5fc8770bfc54ee6e166de_400x400.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allison Gessner, Oboist</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My good friend, Allison Gessner, is an amazing oboist. She tells me all about her auditions and what they entail. Whenever she goes to an audition, she has no face-to-face contact with the evaluators. Instead, she is placed behind a curtain so they focus on her musical skills (which are amazing, I might add). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When my friends and I were talking about objective interviews, I thought of Alli's audition stories. Why aren't companies using this when interviewing candidates? If we interview without seeing them, can we avoid any personal bias (which would be especially helpful when trying to accommodate gender identity)? We achieve this partially by conducting phone interviews, but do we lose that objectivity when people are brought on site for a face-to-face interview?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We often state that face-to-face interviews are crucial for determining if someone fits an organization's culture. However, does blind interviews inhibit determining organizational fit? I don't have the answer but its something to consider. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I realize that this article could be controversial but my objective is raise some questions to ensure that employers avoid adverse impact during an interview. All I can say is that I am a huge supporter of organizational diversity and I am excited to see this protection added for gender identity.</span></div>
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Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-42254690597386334552014-07-12T14:42:00.003-07:002014-07-12T14:42:55.839-07:00Print Still Matters in an e-Learning World...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://itviz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/eLearning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://itviz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/eLearning.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a><b>SUMMARY</b></h2>
With the introduction of online learning, the training & development world has seen drastic changes in the delivery of their services. As training professionals, we can worry less about tracking/storing paper training records, as it can all be stored within a learning management system (i.e. Moodle, Cornerstone, Peoplesoft, etc.). In addition, the need for printed materials has reduced thanks to the utilization of custom online courses and webinars. However, I feel paper is still a necessary tool in training, not just for instructor-led training, but also job aids and on-the-job training. Today's article will discuss if e-Learning vendors are still properly prepared to provide paper-based training tools.<br />
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Gretchen L. Kriesen (2008) suggests that all organizations should commit to the evaluation and improvement of their operations. One way to do so is using a Behavior Systems Analysis (BSA), which evaluates three levels of a organization's systems & processes:<br />
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<li>Organizational Level - Is change necessary? If so, what are we aiming to change?</li>
<li>Process Level - What needs to change in how we do things today?</li>
<li>Performer Level - Do our people have all the resources they need to meet requirements?</li>
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Kriesen uses this approach to evaluate a small private company (less than 30 employees) who provide training services to Fortune 500 companies with majority of their services focusing on e-Learning (22% involved paper). She works with 13 of the company's employees as well as 13 print vendors used by this company. Kriesen uses surveys and interviews to evaluate the company's approach to print materials.</div>
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The study showed that while e-Learning was still the primary source of business, many clients were requesting the integration of paper products to accompany their courses. Let's look at the findings using the BSA approach:</div>
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1. Organizational Level - The company only had one expert on paper materials, resulting in a lack of knowledge across the organization. To accommodate this, the company created a paper based project plan and and updated their process flows. </div>
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2. Process Level - Since there was only one paper expert, he/she was not able to attend all client meetings. Therefore, understanding and meeting a customer's requirements was starting to be a challenge. In addition, the company had no project plan template that included print elements. This caused confusion for customers on the company's offers and confusion by the printers as to what the consulting company wanted printed. To meet this need, the company updated their project plan templates to accommodate employees who were not experts in print solutions, printers, and sales consultants. </div>
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3. Performer Level - When a print expert was not available, employees were asked to meet these needs even when this was not their area of expertise. The company decide to create several tools to assist these individuals, A detailed document was created to provide these individuals with the knowledge required, including the organization's process for print materials. In addition, a job aid was designed to help the employees ask the correct questions when designing solutions for customers. Finally, a process map was created to ensure experts were included in the process at the appropriate times. </div>
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All of these tools helped the organization, its customers, and its printer meet their expectations and needs. However, this study cannot be applied to all organizations. First off, it does not include a sample that represents the population and it only looked at one customer. Second, the title doesn't accurately reflect the article. It nowhere evaluates how and why print still matters in e-learning.</div>
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<b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN RESOURCE/TRAINING</b></h2>
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What does this article tell us? First and foremost, it emphasizes the need for detailed project management. One of my former employers was an expert at this. Whenever we started a new project, we defined our scope using a structured form. This form ensured that we understood the clients needs and helped us to identify the resources necessary for the project. Once we had all of the information completed on our scoping form, we would develop a timeline and evaluate where we needed help from outside experts and how it could impact the project. It makes me wonder how the company did their scoping.</div>
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The article continues to emphasize the need to cross-train all of your employees. As my boss regularly says to me,"the last thing we want is single-point failures." If you rely on one or two people to be an expert, you will be in a bad place if those employees leave your company or are occupied with other responsibilities. Cross-training your employees can help you to avoid these situations. Unfortunately, this company decided to cross-train their employees after-the-fact, which had negative results on their business. Cross-training is especially important in learning and development because it is an ever-evolving industry, especially with technology. When an employees learns something new, have them train the rest of your team to ensure that helpful data is shared with everyone.</div>
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There is always areas for improvement in both of these areas. I, myself, am guilty of skipping these steps. For example, my internal customers have no interest in scoping and find it a waste of time. Eventually, I just gave up on doing, but after reading this article, I may push back and make it a requirement. Sometimes we look to do things quickly, which can result in a negative effect.</div>
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<b>SOURCE</b>: <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0980392); font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-indent: -56px;">Kriesen, Gretchen L. "Print Still Matters in an E-Learning World, and Training Companies Need to Properly Manage It." </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-indent: -56px;">Journal of Organizational Behavior Management</i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.0980392); font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-indent: -56px;"> 31.3 (2011): 179-95. Web.</span></div>
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Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-10483004548172527722014-07-12T13:56:00.002-07:002014-07-12T13:56:43.086-07:00Guess who's making his return?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I know you have all long awaited my return. There are still so many questions to ask. Therefore, please know that I am working on releasing my new articles, but there will be a few changes:<br />
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<li>The amount of postings per month may decrease due to the demands of my current job.</li>
<li>While I believe quality is important, I am going to focus on the content of my articles rather than proofing them for typos & errors. Please understand that this should have no impact on the quality of author.</li>
<li> I want your feedback! Please leave comments and let me know if you have any topics of interest. </li>
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Happy reading!!!</div>
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Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-43589541376138097802012-07-19T19:25:00.000-07:002012-07-19T19:25:12.186-07:00A sabbatical from blogging<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As many of you may have already noticed, I have not posted a new entry in some time. I have started a new position and have been focusing all of my efforts on my projects. Therefore, I am taking a temporary break from my blog to focus on my current position.
I plan to return in the near future.
Thank you for all of your support. </div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-70653493489020277292012-04-13T07:56:00.000-07:002012-04-13T07:56:07.584-07:00By Karin Soweid, SIOP Blogger<br />
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<blockquote>Recently, on a flight to Boston, I found myself immersed in thought about the psychological preferences that are categorized and defined by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. I suppose this is what one does with their ‘off time’ when they are immersed in a doctoral program in industrial-organizational psychology. In parallel with the hum of the engines, I quietly reflected, acknowledging how many times I have taken this assessment tool over the past eight years and my subsequently varying four-letter outcomes during vastly different life experiences in that timeframe. I couldn’t help but remark and marvel at how these considerable transitions in preference underscore a woman in her doctoral journey. </blockquote><br />
<p><small>via <a href="http://siopexchange.typepad.com/the_siop_exchange/2012/03/a-quiet-revolution.html">siopexchange.typepad.com</a></small></p>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-21815255622475779062012-02-29T06:41:00.000-08:002012-02-29T06:41:19.402-08:00A Comparison of Face-to-Face and Distance Coaching Practices: Coaches’ Perceptions of the Role of the Working Alliance in Problem Resolution<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">By Ian Mondrow, PHR</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://executivecoachuk.com/images/istock_000005747813medium.jpgreduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" src="http://executivecoachuk.com/images/istock_000005747813medium.jpgreduced.jpg" uda="true" width="320px" /></a>In psychoanalytical psychology, the term working alliance discusses the relationship that buds between a patient and a therapist but there are many professionals who claim that the working alliance is also prevalent in the relationship with a leadership coach and their client. A working alliance is defined by the commitment between a client and a therapist to agree on the planned therapy outcomes, the process to achieve the outcome, and the bond created between the two that a established a relationship with a capacity for warmth. Much of these factors are also crucial to the success of coaching within the corporate realm. In any coaching scenario, this relationship is essential for success.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">However, technology has introduced some modifications to the therapeutic process. A coach now have the option to use telephone, web-conferencing, or e-mail to provide services; with telephone being the most prominent means. Within psychotherapy, the practice of using these technologies has been found to be equally effective to face-to-face sessions when achieving the end result. This study intends to examine the impact of distance relationships on business/leadership coaching.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">All data for this study was collected exclusively from professional coaches using the internet as a primary recruitment method. 51 coaches provided all of the needed information. 20 coaches only provided details on a face-to-face client while 26 coached completed the details only about a distance client. Only 51 responses were utilized as these coaches utilized both methods. </div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Participants completed a survey online that included a form to collect data on their demographics and coaching experiences/practices. The coaches were asked to identify one coaching client who primarily receives face-face coaching within the past year and are still seeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were also asked to identify an individual who they have and continued to coach over the past year on a distance format.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Participants were asked to complete the Working Alliance Inventory-Short Form, which demonstrates a strong working alliance with higher scores and the Target Complains Scale that lists one to three conditions and the level of severity for which treatment was sought. Additionally, the researchers developed a short survey to understand the coaches’ background. </div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">When examining the results, it was found the clients working with their coach face-to-face or<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at a distance had similar levels of problem severity, <i>t</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> = </span><i>-.37, </i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><i>p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> > .05. A repeated-measures MANOVA was conducted to determine the difference between working alliance and the method used by the coach (face-to-face vs. distance). No significance was found and no follow-up analyses were completed. When examining the severity of a client’s condition and the working alliance, a regression showed that the face-to-face condition did not have an impact. However, when working in the distance condition, results were significant between working alliance and client severity, </span><i>R</i><span style="font-style: normal;"><sup>2</sup> =.11, </span><i>F</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> = 9.65, </span><i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>p </i><span style="font-style: normal;">< .01. A MANOVA was conducted to determine if the coaches’ experiencse differed whether they provided services via distance or face-to-face, but no significance was found. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Overall, the study demonstrates that face-to-face and distance coaching are similar in regards to effectiveness. Specifically, working relationships between a client and a coach are not impacted by the distance. However, the change in severity was higher in the distance relationship, which may be a result of a stronger working alliance. <br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">While the study produces some interesting findings, there are some important limitations to consider. One big constraint is the fact that there was a low ceiling in scores in the working alliance and problem resolution measurement, making data difficult to analyze. Furthermore, since the study used a convenience sample, there was an overall low response rate. It is also suggested that recruiting participants online may have been a factor because these participants may have already been technologically savvy.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.distinctiveleadership.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/business-coach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="http://www.distinctiveleadership.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/business-coach.jpg" uda="true" width="249px" /></a> <br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS </b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Although the limitations of the study demonstrate that further investigation is needed, the findings reveal revelations that could be utilized by learning and development professionals. Primarily, future organizational leaders do not have to be limited by locations. Organizations that don’t have mentors available on-site for these employees can utilize mentors at other site to provide distance coaching. The findings show that the coaching relationship continues to impact others even if done through the telephone or internet.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">If an organization decides to implement this approach, the structure of a program is the key to success. Organizations should not rely on mentors alone to create the coaching program for growing talent. Instead, human resources can create a structure developmental program by using scheduled telephone calls with the coach, weekly online journaling (to be reviewed by coach), and online group discussions for all employees. Effectiveness of a leadership program relies on providing individuals with a well-rounded a background and therefore introducing a variety of events can enhance the learning experience, whether it be local of through technology. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">This also introduces cost-saving methods for organizations. Many smaller organizations have not been<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>able to afford executive coaches due to the costs of travel expenses. However, today’s technology offers organizations the same coaching quality through a long-distance relationship. Human resources departments can rest assured that there will be resources available to them even if they are not located in a primary city without the need to pay for the travel of the cost.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
Much like many other aspects of human resources, technology introduces cost saving methods to assist the organization with its continuous growth. Thanks to technology, affordable and competitive programs can be implemented by organizations without fear of going bankrupt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Berry, R.M., Ashby, J.S., Gnilka, P.B., Matheny, K.B. (2011). A comparison of face-to-face and distance coaching practices: coaches' perceptions of the role of working alliance in problem resolution.. <em>Consulting Psychcology Journal: Practice and Research, 63 </em>(4), 243-253. </span></div></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-10520365804637872822012-02-03T14:53:00.000-08:002012-02-07T03:43:42.584-08:00Trainee reactions to learner control: an important link in the e-learning equation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Summary by Ian B. Mondrow, PHR<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.rses.org/assets/elearning/elearning_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.rses.org/assets/elearning/elearning_image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">The evolution of e-learning technology has revolutionized employee development for corporations due to its convenience, electronic record keeping and learning management. The benefits to e-learning include reduced delivery cycle time, more convenience for learners and consistency within training among locations. E-learning also opens the opportunity for learner control, or the degree to which a learner is given control over the course features including pace, content and structure of courses. This allows the learner to modify the learning experience to their liking. It may also assist in comprehension of learning content because a learner is able to review unclear information or provide additional details on areas of interest. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In this quasi-experimental study, 237 undergraduate students at a large public university in the Eastern United States were recruited as participants. Participants were put into one of two groups: training with interactive features (no learner control) or training with or without interactive offered at the learner’s choice (learner control). Participants in the group with learner control were asked if they would like to complete the course with interactive controls. 8 individuals in the learner control group opted out of using learner controls and therefore were not included in analysis. In the sample offered learner control, users could chose the number and order of videos to view, utilization of a video progress bar, interactive transcripts, access to an interactive outline and pop-up windows to highlight key learning points.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Reactions to control-based features offered were evaluated using 10 items developed by the researchers to measure affective-based reactions and utility-based reactions on a 5-point scale. Affective-based reactions were used to measure the emotional responses from participants (i.e. if they liked it, annoyed by it, etc.) while utility-based actions are based on their perceived ease of use (i.e. difficult, easy, etc.). In addition, four items were used to measure learner satisfaction on a five-point scale. Finally, learning was measured using a multiple choice knowledge assessment with 12 questions.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Participants completed the study during a regular class period of their management class and completed the course with 20-35 people in the room at the same time. Results showed that were was no correlation between control condition and satisfaction as the statistical analysis was not significant. However, a statistically significant correlation was found between learner control and trainee reactions (<i>r</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> = .13, </span><i>p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> < .05), suggesting that learner controls created an experience that had more positive reactions. An independent samples t-test confirmed the difference between the two learning conditions, </span><i>t</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> (225) = -2.00, </span><i>p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> <.05), with the no control condition (</span><i>m</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> = 3.58) and control condition (</span><i>m</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> = 3.74). It was also found learner satisfaction was positively related to course reactions (</span><i>r</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> = .42, </span><i>p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> < .01). Training satisfaction was then examined to determine if it positively affected</span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek';"> learning satisfaction. Findings were significant using a hierarchical regression on training program satisfaction and learner GPA (β = .14, ΔR</span><sup>2</sup>=.02, <i>p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> <.05). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The study introduces a variety of findings. First off, it shows that overall satisfaction is not enhanced by control but participants are more likely to prefer an e-learning program with learner control, even if makes the training more complex. As a result of the findings, learners are likely to be more satisfied with a learning course that provides control, thus increasing the overall perception of learning. However, several limitations are present in this study. First off, the sample used is composed of college students, who are generally accustom to web-based technology. In addition, they are not working professionals so their preferences for learning may be different. Furthermore, the study only included students from one university, and therefore cannot be applied to the population. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>IMPLICATONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">The study introduces some fascinating findings that are applicable to both training and instructional design professionals. It shows that learners like to feel as though they are control of the online training. To increase the overall reactions, it is suggested to provide learners with a variety of options within e-learning modules. This can include the option to obtain additional information, controlling the speed of the presentation, and providing different learning options (i.e. audio transcripts, outlines, etc.), and the order of information. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">These findings show how important it is for organizations to utilize instructional designers. Instead of just creating a basic slideshow, instructional designers can create innovative online courses that grant learners more control of the content. Instructional designers are knowledgeable about the tools offered in software, such as Adobe Captivate or Articulate, and can design intricate learning. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One easy way to achieve learner control is develop e-learning that is not sequential. Therefore, learners can cover different sections of the training as long as they complete it all. This allows learners to first learn about the content that appeals to them most. Online training should not feel like participants are watching a slideshow that only allows them to move forward. Give learners the option to replay, review and pause. This can be easily achieved by providing a table of contents on the side of the training. This allows for easier navigation for the learner. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If learners are offered online courses that provide them more control, it may be suggested that learners feel more empowered in their learning; thus, resulting in more positive reactions towards training offered and increasing their satisfaction of the overall learning experience. This is crucial for learning organizations that emphasize employee development and want their employees to continue to utilize learning resources. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Fisher, S.L., Wasserman, M.E., Orvis K.A. (2010). Trainee reactions to learner control: an important link in the e-learning equation. <i>International Journal of Training and Development, 14 </i></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(3), 198-208. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-16665216223223903082011-12-29T17:58:00.000-08:002012-01-02T20:00:51.400-08:00Understanding Participation in E-Learning in Organizations: a Large-Scale Empirical Study<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="Publishwithline"></div><div class="Publishwithline">Summary and Commentary by Ian B. Mondrow</div><div class="Publishwithline"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://elearningargentina.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/elearning-graphic2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://elearningargentina.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/elearning-graphic2.gif" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">In 2009, it was estimated that the training industry was worth $90 billion worldwide (ASTD, 2009 as cited in Garavan, Carbery, O’Malley and O’Donnell, 2010). $20 billon was focused primarily on e-learning (Patterson et al.,2 009 as cited by Garavan et al., 2010). In the UK alone, it is estimated that the e-learning business will increase 8-15% per annum. This increased interest is the reason that e-learning has become a popular topic in academic research. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">E-learning is education that is supplied and facilitated through modern technology with the intent of employee development. As e-learning has increased in popularity, several concerns have been identified, including: poor participation, increased drop-outs, and e-learning acting as a sole source of learning. Garavan, Carbery, O’Malley O’Donnell (2010) sought out to examine a several variables that may impact the participation of employees in e-learning training (the dependent variable). These are listed and defined below:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b>General-person characteristics</b> – The general demographics of a population. In this specific study, it focuses on age, gender, education level, years of experience, mobility experiences and organizational tenure.</li>
<li><b>Instructional Design Characteristics</b> - Characteristics of e-learning that include the quality of the content, quality of facilitation, allotted time and the option to provide feedback or receive additional support.</li>
<li><b>Motivation to learn </b>– An individual’s motivation to learn reflects the extent to which an individual is interested in participating in a training and utilizing the knowledge acquired.</li>
<li><b>Self-efficacy </b>– An employee’s perception of his/her ability to participate in e-learning.</li>
<li><b>Perceived barriers and enablers</b> – Events or conditions that can hinder or encourage the participation in e-learning activities.</li>
</ul><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="ListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Surveys were administered to 275 Irish organizations with a response rate of 557 individuals. 40% of these individuals worked for a multinational organization that were Irish owned. Participants had the option to complete the survey online or mail in a paper copy. The survey asked for responses on a 5 point scale (1 strong disagree/low importance; 5 strongly agree/high importance) with 16 items evaluating motivation to learn, 13 items to measure self-efficiency, 32 items to review perceived barriers and enablers, 12 items reflecting on the instructional design of e-learning. Participation in learning was measured by asking participants if they had participated <b>AND</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> completed any e-learning sessions in the past year. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek';">General-person characteristics (β = .12, </span><i>p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> < .05) shared a positive relationship with participation in e-learning. More specifically, positive small relationships existed between so</span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek';">cial class (β = .10, </span><i>p <</i><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek'; font-style: normal;"> .05) and participation. Job tenure (β -.12, </span><i>p < </i><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek'; font-style: normal;">.05) also had a minor relationship to e-learning participation. Several negative relationships were also present for the following variables: age (β = -.42, </span><i>p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> < .05) and company tenure</span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek';"> (β = -.14, </span><i>p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> < .05).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Instructional design characteristics<span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek';"> (β = .11 </span><i>p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> < .05) had significant relationships to participation. Motivation to learn also had a relati</span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek';">onship to participation. After further examination, it was found that content quality (β = .15</span>, <i>p</i><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek'; font-style: normal;"> < .05) and feedback/recognition (β = .11, </span><i>p<b> < </b></i><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">.05) shared a weak relationship with e-learning participation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek';">Furthermore, motivation (β = .49, </span><i>p <</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> .05) shared</span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek';"> a moderate relationship with e-learning participation. Social support and self efficacy (β =</span> .37 , <i>p</i><span style="font-family: 'Calibri Greek'; font-style: normal;"> < .05) were found to have a positive relationship with learning participation but situational constraints (β = -.32, </span><i>p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> < .05) shared a negative relationship with participation. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://wiki.mesacc.edu/groups/transformingelearningmcc/public/64c9c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://wiki.mesacc.edu/groups/transformingelearningmcc/public/64c9c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">The findings show that motivation to learn had the strongest relationship to course participation. Motivation can be influenced by creating a culture that encourages employees to be continuous learners and regularly provides them with learning opportunities. In addition, if leadership and management demonstrate this behavior, employees will be more likely to see the value of education and be more motivated to participate in e-learning. All of the other findings support the notion that training needs to be applicable to the job, easy to understand, and engaging. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall, the study had a large population of data to work with, which is a rare quality of academic articles. However, one limitation of the study is that the data was collected using self-reprots from participants. Therefore, there is a possibility of bias from study participants. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As a reader, there were several additional concerns that were noticed. What was most shocking was to find several typos in an article published in an academic journal. There were several instances where the wrong letter was missing or the numbers did not match up to the wording. This raises some questions regarding the validity of the journal and the article. If it was able to be published with these mistakes, what does it say about the researchers attention to detail when implementing the experiment, entering data and conducting analysis. One must question if their results are truly accurate.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>IMPLICATONS FOR HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS<o:p></o:p></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While there are some valid concerns about the articles creditability, it introduces some interesting findings. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">First and foremost, it identifies that e-learning may not be appropriate for all audiences. There is a possibility that older employees may benefit more from classroom training. Therefore, it is would be an organization’s best interest to determine their intended audience for all training before it is implemented in e-learning. A training is no help if the intended audience has no interest in its training approach.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It also identifies that learner motivation is crucial for participation in e-learning. Therefore, for an organization to ensure the e-learning courses are being utilized, it is vital to instill a culture that encourages employees to take the initiative in their own professional development. Management should work closely with employees to help them with developmental plans so they are aware of what training they need to grow. Company executives should also demonstrate the importance of learning by regularly discussing its value, participating in professional associations and participating in learning opportunities within the company. An organization that does not communicate this is likely to have employees with less motivation and interest in utilizing the available e-learning courses.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The study also demonstrates the importance of appropriate instructional design. Employees need to ensure that they are receiving the content they need to be successful in their role at the organization. However, there are two levels to content: (1) offering the right courses and (2) providing accurate and easy to understand information. The best way to achieve both of these is to conduct a needs assessment before designing any training. A needs assessment will help to determine if a training will assist employees in their job or if there is a solution outside of training that would be more efficient. During a needs assessment, a designer will also work with subject matter experts to understand the content. This is an opportunity for the designer to ensure that learners will get the information that is applicable to their job and the organization. In addition, learners should have the option to provide feedback on training to allow instructional designers to make needed updates. Employee feedback is crucial for employees to continue using e-learning because they want to ensure that their voice is being heard.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Source: Garavan, T.N., Carvery, R., O’Malley, G., & O’Donnell, D. (2010). Understanding participation in e-learning in organizations: a large-scale empirical study of employees. <i>International Journal of Training and Development, 14</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> (3), 155- 168). <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
</div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-10679703002856140592011-10-19T11:33:00.000-07:002011-10-19T11:34:20.511-07:00Examining the Job Search - Turnover Relationship: The Role of Embeddedness, Job Satisfaction & Available Alternatives<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>Summary & Commentary by Ian Mondrow, M.A.</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://socialmedia101.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Keyboard_Job_Search.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://socialmedia101.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Keyboard_Job_Search.jpg" width="320" /></a>A Job search is defined as "the actions of an individual to generate job opportunities in other organization" (Swider, Boswell & Zimmerman, 2011). The relationship between job searching and turnover is based on the notion that a job search reveals alternative employment opportunities. This search identifies favorable alternatives, thus resulting in turn over. Previous research by Griffeth, Hom & Gaertner (2000) demonstrated a positive relationship between job search behaviors and turnover, which accounted for 7% of the variance. Swider, Boswell, & Zimmerman (2011) sought out to examine the search efforts of currently employed individuals. Their study focuses only on voluntary turnover and examines embeddedness, job satisfaction and employment alternatives.<br />
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Job embeddedness includes stable forces that refrain employees from seeking alternatives and are broken into three subdimensions: Links (i.e. formal or informal connections), fit (i.e. alignment with organizational culture), and sacrifice (i.e. the cost of tangible or intangible benefits that would be forfeited by resignation). Job embeddedness is defined as the ease at which an employee can be without these subdimensions. In other words, the more difficult it is to be without these ties, the less likely an employee will separate from the organization.<br />
<br />
Job satisfaction is the affective and/or attitudinal reaction to the job and its responsibilities. Previous research promotes two models regarding job satisfaction: (1) dissatisfied workers will have a increased desire to seek opportunities with increased likelihood of accepting an alternative and (2) job seekers with low satisfaction are more likely to seek other opportunities with the intent to leave.<br />
<br />
Job alternatives is defined as the available opportunities to employees that they are both qualified for and willing to accept. Alternative opportunities may entice employees away from organization and may be a contributing factor in their turnover decision. These opportunities are heavily based on the job market and can fluctuate with the economy.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONgbVpb2x2Vi0N4hnjWGLZlYya1x57uiEGx-kgaD75lfp1SuqsooCOrWcMnPhdoFr8bs87n-7HBMJaUL4f6yVI_OjVhHGbZz08iX96NGwftCf69kdMTRXtWr6pFrpNMwhnN8q5fisW5lW/s1600/figure+1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONgbVpb2x2Vi0N4hnjWGLZlYya1x57uiEGx-kgaD75lfp1SuqsooCOrWcMnPhdoFr8bs87n-7HBMJaUL4f6yVI_OjVhHGbZz08iX96NGwftCf69kdMTRXtWr6pFrpNMwhnN8q5fisW5lW/s320/figure+1.gif" width="320" /></a>Griffeth, Hom & Gaertner collected a study sample of staff employees are a large university located in the southwest of the United States. 3,600 individuals were invited to participate in a survey via e-mail. The survey measured job embeddedness using the 31 items from Lee et. al.'s (2004) six job embeddedness dimensions. It measured job satisfaction using 24 items from Spector's (1985) job satisfaction survey. Available alternatives were collected utilizing a weighted average of the nation and local employment level from BLS.gov. Voluntary turnover was collected from the organization's record over an 18 month period.<br />
<br />
The study ended up with a total of 895 completed responses. 68% of the participants were female. The race/ethnicity distribution of participants can be seen in Figure 1. Since the dependent variable was dichotomous, a hierarchal moderated logistic regression was conducted. Results showed that all three two-way interactions produced a significant model improvement, <i>X</i>(3) = 13.54, <i>p</i> < .01. Search-job satisfaction and search-available alternatives were also statistically significant at <i>p</i> < .05.<br />
<br />
Based on the results, it was determined to examine each two-way interaction independently:<br />
<br />
<b>Job search - turnover & job embeddedness: </b>The test was conducted by entering the control variables at step 1, main effects and job embeddedness at step 2 and the interaction in step 3. Step 2 produced a significant chi-squared model improvement, <i>x</i>(2) = 76.62, <i>p</i> < .01, with a significant main effect for job search <i>(p</i> < .01). Adding the search embeddedness interaction produced a marginally significant model improvement, <i>x</i>(1) = 2.94, <i> p </i> = .08. Based on these results, the relationship between job search and turnover was stronger with those who experienced low job embeddedness.<br />
<br />
<b>Job search - turnover & job satisfaction: </b>Control variables were entered in step 1, the main effects of job search and job satisfaction in step 2. This produced a significant chi-square model improvement, <i>X(2)</i> = 77.09, <i>p</i> < .01. The interaction was added at step 3 and produced a significant model improvement, <i>X(1) </i>= 9.56, <i>p</i> < .01. These results suggest that turnover was significantly higher for individuals who conducted high levels of job search activity and had low job satisfaction when compared to individuals with similar job search activity and high job satisfaction.<br />
<br />
<b>Job search - turnover and available alternatives: </b>Control variables were entered into step 1, main effects for job search and available alternatives were entered into step 2, and the interaction in step 3. Step 2 produced a significant chi-square model improvement, <i>X</i>(2) = 76.60, <i>p <</i> .01. After adding the interaction, a significant chi-square model improvement was present, <i>X</i>(1) = 4.19, <i>p</i> < .05. The results reveal that when more jobs available, turnover is increased.<br />
<br />
Overall, the results revealed that job search activity was increased when employees were less embedded, had lower job satisfaction and more employment opportunities were present. Based on the findings of the research, one can conclude that retention strategies that are not targeted are ineffective. Instead, it is beneficial for organizations to regular assess and oversee employee work attitudes. Organizations need to examine market trends to determine where the greatest risk and implement organization initiatives to reduce the likelihood of turnover.<br />
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A variety of limitations exist in this study. First and foremost, the study was conducted on one organization and therefore can't be applied to the population. Furthermore, the sample was from a public organization and therefore results may differ in the private sector. The surveys were also self-reported which increase the risk of bias.<br />
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<b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The authors of this article suggest that if an employee is exhibiting high levels of search activity, it may be beneficial for a manager or HR profession to approach them & discuss their concerns. This can be a valuable approach if it is implemented properly. When approaching employees, one should always be supportive and emphasize how valuable they are the organization. Ask for their feedback and listen to them more instead of talking. It is also important to understand that turnover happens and you can't stop every employee from leaving. The best approach is collect information to prevent other employees from leaving and do what you can to improve the work situation for the employee who is considering resignation. </div><div><br />
</div><br />
The best approach for any organization is a proactive retention strategy. If employees have already started to actively explore new opportunities, it can be considered too late. One of the most affective strategies is to regularly survey employees on the organizational culture, job satisfaction, and how they perceive their position/organization compared to other companies. The data from these surveys can help HR professionals assess the organizational strengths and the areas that need improvement. However, just surveying employees is not sufficient. HR professionals need to share the results of the survey to employees and take action on the results. Failure to do result will produce counterproductive results of the survey and a decreased amount of participation in the next survey.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Exit interviews are also a valuable source of information when a company is experiencing turnover. Unlike other surveys, these results should not be communicated to the organization but when action is taken, employees should be able to notice the difference. </div><br />
<br />
When the job market is competitive, it is especially important for organizations to show value to their employees. However, failure to recognize employees in a job market with low alternatives can still result in turnover. Talented employees are generally unaffected by the economy and are likely to be the first ones to leave. Futhermore, when the economy improves, employees will be more likely to jump ship based on how they were treated in the past. Therefore, it is important for organizations to continually evaluate the perspectives of their employees and strive to provide the best workplace for all employees.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Swider, B.W., Boswell, W.R., Zimmerman, R.D. (2011). Examining the job search-turnover relationship: the role of embeddedness, job satisfaction and available alternatives. <i>Journal of Applied Psychology, 96 </i>(2), 432-441.</span></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-1539239545017395692011-09-19T21:56:00.000-07:002011-09-19T21:56:24.894-07:00Assessing the Influence of Psychosocial and Career Mentoring on Organizational Attractiveness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>Summary and Commentary by Ian Mondrow, M.A.</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://churchmusictoday.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/business-success-mentor-coaching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://churchmusictoday.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/business-success-mentor-coaching.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Today, organizations receive hundreds of resumes from both qualified and under-qualified individuals. Although there is an abundance of jobseekers, the war for top talent is still intense. Organizations want the best of the best and therefore they need to be innovative and strategic when sourcing talent. Over the past decade, companies such as Siemens and Daimler-Chrysler have developed mentoring programs to proactively recruit potential talent. However, mentoring is a time consuming process which can also be costly and many organizations attempt to simplify this process by providing all mentoring via internet. Overall, there is limited research on the effectiveness of student-mentoring programs and little knowledge of the impact of providing these programs remotely. Spitzmuller, Neumann, Spitzmuller, Rubino, Keeton, Sutton and Manzey (2008) set out to examine the differences between virtual and face-to-face mentoring and also how these programs impact organizational attractive, intentions to pursue and the acceptance of employment at the mentoring organization.<br />
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In an attempt to do, the researchers established a partnership with a German company that focuses on identifying students for partner organizations and the establishing of mentoring relationships between students and mentors. Students' participation was selected based on their majors, past experience and academic experiences. In addition to the mentorship, the organization provided career-related programs and events among participants.<br />
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18 organizations nominated mentors to participate in this program. All mentors created an electronic profile that could be accessed by fellow participants, who would submit applications to mentors of their interest. Mentors would then be provided the profiles of interested applicants and selected the students they wish to mentor. After selecting students, mentors participated in a formal mentoring program that was done via internet and/or in paper form. There was no set guidelines for mentors but the partner organization informed them that average mentoring time involved 2-3 hours a month. Mentors were not assigned more than 5 students.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi725yS-CcyFq_HqDL6dn9yECLtrDqbXc-CoEYjTCZGjUWhIaBKDEx1hnrf2KSom-1BO7cs0tsKQNvYFbGRbHtvhDlEGvoMDvkaph58OWbkjpB4EFSrO4xa0sW28xWMbNM6XxhAgtxqYXx1/s1600/majors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi725yS-CcyFq_HqDL6dn9yECLtrDqbXc-CoEYjTCZGjUWhIaBKDEx1hnrf2KSom-1BO7cs0tsKQNvYFbGRbHtvhDlEGvoMDvkaph58OWbkjpB4EFSrO4xa0sW28xWMbNM6XxhAgtxqYXx1/s400/majors.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The researchers worked with the partnering organization to develop a short web-based survey that was emailed to all students. Participants were rewarded by the opportunity to participate in a raffle. Overall, 194 students completed the survey, with a response rate of 32.3%. The survey measured several factors including: psychosocial & career mentoring, realistic job previews, method of mentoring (face-to-face vs. internet), organization attraction, intentions to pursue, and attainment of a job at the mentoring organization.<br />
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56.7% of students claimed they spoke with their mentor every 6 weeks and 19.1% reported communicating biweekly or more often. All communication methods involved use of internet, therefore no relationship was primarily based on face-to-face interaction.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Two regressions were conducted. The first regression predicted organizational attractiveness from psychosocial functions and realistic job previews. It was found that perception of psychosocial mentoring was a significant predictor of organizational attractiveness (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">β = .27, <i>p</i> < .05) and the intent to pursue employment (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">β = .29, <i>p</i> < .01).The second regression sought to determine if career functions were a predictor of organizational attractiveness and the intention pursue. However, no significance was found. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Table 1: Perceptions of Mentors</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">A logistic regression analysis was conducted to predict whether the hiring of a student was based on the perceived quality of psychosocial and career mentoring function in addition to realistic job previews. No significance was found. Group differences were examined to determine if face-to-face interactions impact psychosocial functions, career functions, and organizational attractiveness. These results were not statistically significant. However, it was found that individuals who had face-to-face interactions rated their relationships with their mentors higher in career functions (<i>t</i> = -2.73, <i>p</i> <.01) and psychosocial functions <i>(t</i> = -2.43, <i>p </i>< .05). Individuals with face-to-face interactions rated their mentors higher in serving in career functions and psychosocial functions. Please refer to the table on the side for the means and standard deviations. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Results continued to reveal that psychosocial mentoring functions have he largest impact on organizational attractiveness and the intent to pursue employment. It is believed that high quality psychosocial mentoring functions establish positive attitudes towards the mentor's organization. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">However, realistic job previews were found to negatively affect one's intent to pursue employment. In the end, it was found that only 23 our of 188 students obtained an internship, research position or full time position as a result of the mentorship.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">If organizations interested in persuading students to seek employment at their organization may want to focus their efforts on providing high quality psychosocial mentoring functions. Therefore, training should be provided to mentors on how to achieve this. However, organizations need to balance the realistic job previews with psychosocial support, as the job preview may discourage students from pursuing the organization as an employer. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Several limitations exist in this study. The most prominent is that it only studied interactions within Germany and therefore cannot be applied to the population. Furthermore, the study utilized cross-</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">sectional survey data which resulted in low reliability measures on realistic job previews. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">In the war on talent, this sort of mentoring program may assist organizations in attracting talent before candidates begin their job search. However, this study shows that this sort of mentoring program produces little result in candidate placement, as only 23 students landed an opportunity as a result of the mentoring relationship. Organizations interested in participating in such program should do so due to philanthropy efforts or dedication to help students. They should not utilize such program as a method to actively recruit college talent. However, continuous participation in such programs may have a positive image on the organization as a whole and may bring in talent who commend the organization's actions.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">If an organization does indeed decide to implement a student mentoring program, it should require mentors to provide some sort of face-to-face interaction with their students. This is likely to increase the student's perception of a supportive mentor. Mentors should also be trained on how to properly provide both career and psycho-social support as both as vital to a successful mentoring relationship. Organizations can assist mentors with providing career support by providing them training on basic practices within career coaching and a background in counseling practices to assist with providing students with psychosocial support.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">The most captivating finding of this study is that realistic job previews discouraged students from pursuing opportunities at a mentors organization. I believe this is because students do not have an understanding of the real world and what it is like to hold a full-time job. This supports the notion that colleges and universities need to start providing students with insight on life after college. Students often struggle upon entering their first full-time job because schools only portray the positives of the corporate world and not the realistic aspects. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Source: Spitzmueller, C., Neumann, E., Spitzmuller, M., Rubino, C., Keeton, K.E., Sutton, M.T. & Manzey, D. (2008). Assessing the influence of psychosocial and career mentoring on organizational attractiveness. <i>International Jour of Selection & Assessment, 16</i>(4)<i>, </i>403-414.</span></span></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-42716039387025931052011-08-22T10:12:00.000-07:002011-09-18T20:54:18.019-07:00The Role of Mentor Trust and Protege Internal Locus of Control in Formal Mentoring Relationships<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_nc40vk="226"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong>Summary and commentary by Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.</strong></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<a href="http://my.hsj.org/Portals/2/Schools/1534/Article328190_mentor%20concordia.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://my.hsj.org/Portals/2/Schools/1534/Article328190_mentor%20concordia.gif" width="254" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" closure_uid_nc40vk="237" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mentoring is a relational process where an individual with a substantial amount of experience, and often higher seniority, assists in the professional development of a protege by providing psychosocial support, career-related support and role modeling. As a result of mentoring, proteges often experience positive work attitudes and an increased chance of career success. Research has shown that informal mentoring relationships have significantly better benefits than a formal mentoring program, which is likely the result of mutual identification and shared interests between the mentor and protege. Yet, corporations often implement a formal mentoring program to assist in assimilating new employees, identify potential management talent, and the development of new personnel. </span><br />
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</span></div><div closure_uid_nc40vk="239"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wang, Tomlinson and Noe (2010) sought out to examine mentoring relationships in more detail. One aspect they examined included trust. Trust is defined as "the extent to which a person is confident in, and willing to act on the basis of the words, actions and decisions of another," (McAllister, 1995 as cited in Wang et. al., 2010). Trust is further broken down into affect-based trust and cognition-based trust. Affect based trust refers to the connection between two individuals as a result of emotional bonds and similarities, which is often a result of social interactions. Cognition-based trust is based on one's perception of "competence, reliability and dependability" (Wang et. al., 2010), which is developed from observing one's character. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The researchers also set out to examine internal locus-of-control (LOC), or a personality trait that describes ones perceived ability to influence outcomes. Individuals with a higher LOC tend to pursue career goals with persistence and dedication, even when faced with obstacles. These individuals are more likely to seek out opportunities to help them to develop themselves. Therefore, it is assumed that these individuals are more likely to embrace their mentoring relationships and utilize them for advice and as a role model. It is this dedication that may encourage the mentor to provide his/her protege with more development opportunities.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" closure_uid_nc40vk="240" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The researchers collected data from a large utility organization with over 9,000 employees in China. The company was state-owned and controlled by a board of directors, instead of the Chinese government. Lifetime employment was not offered at this company. Participants were mentors and proteges that were participating in a two year formal mentoring program designed to assist new employees in learning the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in their career. While all new hires were required to participate in this program, mentors were volunteers with an acceptable level of technical skills (as identified in their performance evaluation). Proteges were matched to mentors based on their career goals, concerns and preferences. Each couple met at least 30 minutes each week. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Surveys were administered to both mentors and proteges via office mail. The survey taken by mentors assess the mentors affect-based trust and cognition-based trust. Proteges took a survey that assessed LOC, mentoring received and relationship information. A total of 140 mentor-protege dyads were included in the final sample. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The omnibus multivariate test for the full model was statistically significant, Wilks's </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">^ = .59, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">F</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(30,373) = 2.49, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">p</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> < .001. Therefore, further regressional analysis were conducted. Mentors' affect-based trust was positively related to the proteges' report of career-related support (<i>b</i> = .34, <i>p</i> < .01), psychosocial support (<i>b = </i>.25, <i>p</i> < .05), and role modeling (<i>b</i> = .26, <i>p</i> < .05). Cognition-based trust was not significantly related to any mentoring behaviors. Protege LOC was positively related to their perception of extent modeling (<i>b</i> = .29, <i>p</i> < .05) and career-related support (<i>b</i> = .21, <i>p</i> < .05), but not significantly related to psychosocial support.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An interaction was present between mentors' cognition-based trust and protege internal LOC was significantly related to the proteges' perceived career-related support (<i>b</i> = -.29, <i>p </i>< .01), psychosocial support (<i>b</i> = -.19, <i>p</i> < .05) and role modeling (<i>b = -.27,</i> <i>p</i> < .01). This showed that when internal LOC was lower, mentor cognition-based trust was positively related to career-related support, psychosocial support, and role modeling. While there was no relationship when internal LOC was high.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" closure_uid_nc40vk="241" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Results showed that affect-related trust is a significant contributor to a successful mentoring relationship. This suggests that when there is an comradely relationship between a mentor and protege, the protege receives a more fulfilling mentoring experience. Results also showed that when a protege had a high level of LOC, they felt they received more support and role modeling from their mentoring. The most interesting finding is that when a protege has low LOC but the mentor is confident in the protege's ability, the mentor is more likely to provide psychosocial support in addition to career coaching and role modeling. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This study has a variety of limitations. First off, the study was conducted on a Chinese audience and therefore cannot be applicable to all cultures, specifically westernized cultures. Furthermore, the population was predominately men and therefore it is difficult to determine how gender would influence mentoring relations. Finally, the study only examined one organization and therefore only examined one organizational culture. For the findings to be applicable, the sample would need to be more diverse.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First off, the studies findings should be taken with a grain of salt because it can't be generalized to the population. It does, however, provide some interesting input for human resources professionals.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" closure_uid_nc40vk="242" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First and foremost, it shows that for a mentoring program to be truly successful, mentors and protege's much have a relationship based on affect-based trust. This can be difficult to achieve as it can't be forced upon individuals and many factors can influence the trust. One possible (but controversial) solution would be to allow the mentors to pick their proteges. The organization can host a networking event in which mentors and proteges interact in a casual setting. This allows them to explore each others' interests and personalities. Mentors can later choose which proteges they would like to assist. The downside to this method is that there is a good chance not all proteges will be selected by a mentor or multiple mentors may want to work with the same protege. Therefore, it would result in some mentors being forced to take on additional mentors that do not have as high of appeal to them. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" closure_uid_nc40vk="243" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another option is to allow proteges to start their job without mentors. As they do their work, they will interact with senior employees who they enjoy working with and vice-versa. Proteges/mentors can then be surveyed a week or two later asking them to identify an individual they would like to be paired with. This will created a mentoring relationship that is based on affect-based trust because relationships have already started to form. It also puts less stress on the organization because less effort is spent on trying to match proteges with mentors. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div closure_uid_nc40vk="273"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For proteges that have demonstrate a low internal LOC (this can be observed through their behaviors), it would be helpful to place them with mentors that identify the potential with these individuals. As shown by the results, the mentors would be highly dedicated to assisting these individuals because they are confident in the proteges abilities. This can assist in raising the protege's internal LOC and assisting him/her with professional development. </span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" closure_uid_nc40vk="245" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While a structured mentoring program isn't bad, having too much structure in the early stages can negatively affect the relationships between the mentors and proteges. Organizations can still implement a formal program but should not force relationships upon individuals. Instead, encourage the individuals to identify their own relationships. Doing so will ensure a more successful program. </span></span><br />
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<span closure_uid_nc40vk="253"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Source:</strong> Wang S., Tomlinson E.C., Noe R.A. (2010). The role of mentor trust and protégé internal </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">locus of control in formal mentoring relationships. <em>Journal of Applied Psychology</em>, <em>95 </em>(2), 358-67.</span></span></div></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-42963524685749696012011-08-21T06:02:00.000-07:002011-08-21T06:02:19.035-07:00A Lesson for HR from Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://idolator.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Maroon+5+Maroon5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://idolator.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Maroon+5+Maroon5.png" width="400" /></a></div>Maroon 5's third album "Hands All Over" was released in September 2010 with disappointing sales. It was one of the band's worst selling albums. Compared to their two prior albums, "Songs About Jane" and "It Won't Be Soon Before Long", "Hands All Over" was just missing their previous spark. Their debut single "Mercy" had plenty of airplay but their following singles had minimal airplay.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://nbcthevoicefan.com/images/nbc-the-voice-logo-big.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://nbcthevoicefan.com/images/nbc-the-voice-logo-big.gif" width="186" /></a></div>America did not hear anything about Maroon 5 until <u>The Voice</u>, a televised singing competition, premiered on TV; which featured Adam Levine as one of the judges. Levine was joined by Blake Shelton, Cee-Lo Green and Christina Aguilera, who also released a failed album earlier that year. Towards the end of the first season, Maroon 5 took to the stage to perform one of their singles,"Moves like Jagger". Audiences were surprised when Aguilera joined the band on stage to add a new twist to the song. The song was later recorded with Aguilera and released with soaring sales. The song has been one of the best selling songs on iTunes and today it continues as the #2 selling song on iTunes.<br />
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What can HR professionals learn from this story? It teaches us that while we perceive ourselves as experts, new ideas are crucial to success of an organization. If organizations (and HR departments) fail to bring in new talent, their actions become routine and innovation begins to flat-line. However, when new talent or consultants are brought into an organization, they challenge the organization's current processes with new ideas or constructive feedback. In regards to Maroon 5, adding a "voice" to their group brought variety and revived the band's popularity. Bringing new talent to an organization can produce the same effect for internal credibility and innovation.<br />
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</div></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-17170862758527203652011-08-01T10:02:00.000-07:002011-08-01T10:02:52.233-07:00Harming High Performers: a Social Comparison Perspective on Interpersonal Harming in Work Teams<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>Summary and Commentary by Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lensaunders.com/aces/img/teamworksign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://lensaunders.com/aces/img/teamworksign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Interpersonal harming within the work environment is behavior that contradicts the interests of another person within the organization. These type of behaviors can include disturbing others while they are working, starting arguments, and gossiping about coworkers. Social comparisons (comparing one's performance to another individuals as either better or worse) may be cause of interpersonal harming. A upward comparison is when an individual views him/herself as better than others and is self-affirming. A downward comparison (viewing oneself as inferior to another) may be perceived as threatening and therefore the individual may compensate by doing emotional harm to others. When a downward comparison is negative, conducting interpersonal harm may negatively affect the target's job performance and therefore reduce any threats perceived by the harmer.<br />
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Two independent studies were conducted, one with student teams from a university and another with work teams within a corporation. Study 1 collected data from students at a university in Macau, China with a final data set of 141 students and 30 teams. Students were working in teams of three to seven to complete a group project. Data was collected at two different time periods. Time 1 occured 1.5 month after the team has been working together and Time 2 was conducted one month later.Study 2 collected data from sales associates in a state-owned telecommunications company in China. Teams consisted of four to five members. All members in the team were of the similar seniority. The final data set included 128 individuals from 31 teams.<br />
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Two items from Lockwood et. al. (2002) were used to measure interpersonal social comparisons. Respondents were also asked to compare their performance to their team members on a 9 point scale. Respondents were then asked "how likely is it that you will perform like this member?" This question was also measured on a 9 point scale. Three items from Tjosvold et. al. (2004) were used to assessed cooperative goals within the team based on a 5 point scale. Interpersonal harming was measured using peer ratings developed by Cohen-Charash & Muelle (2007), which distinguishes between six types of harmful behaviors. In study 2, supervisors were asked to evaluate each team's performance.<br />
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Researchers found a three-way interaction between social comparison, anticipated future performance, an cooperative team goals with statistical significance in Study 1 (<i>B</i> = .07, <i>p<</i>.01) and Study 2 (<i>B</i> = .06, <i>p<</i>.001). This suggests that teams with less cooperative goals and an individual exhibiting a upward comparison was positively related to the possibility harming a target when the expected future performance was considered low to the target. However, when expected future performance was high, there was no relationship to social comparison. Furthermore, when highly cooperative team goals were established, then there was no relationship with interpersonal harming and/or social comparison.<br />
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Results revealed that harmful behavior was positively correlated with upward comparison and negatively related to expected future performance. However, these results were only applicable to Study 1 and not Study 2. In both studies, it was found that interpersonal harming and cooperative team goals were negatively correlated. Results continued to show that team members were more likely to to harm others when there was an upward performance comparison accompanied with low expectations of future performance.<br />
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Results of this study suggest that establishing team goals is crucial to reduce the likelihood of toxic behaviors occurring. When goals are not established or agreed, individuals are more likely to compare themselves to others and possibly cause interpersonal harm. Therefore, to increase the chance of team success, teams should establish goals from the start and ensure that everyone agrees with them. This will reduce the possibility of team members comparing themselves to one another and instead create a sense of community, in which the perceived success of the individual depends on the success of the team.<br />
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The study has several apparent limitations. First, it was studied in China and therefore may not be applicable to all cultures. Future studies should examine multiple cultures to determine if it can be considered a variable. Second, the sample n Study 2 was only from one organization within a specific industry. This makes it difficult to generalize to the population. In future research, the researchers should be sure to include several companies of different industries to ensure it can be generalized to the public.<br />
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<b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b><br />
For organizations that require employees to work in teams (i.e. consulting, marketing, etc.), this study brings some valuable perspective. It suggests that by establishing cooperative team goals, it can create a positive dynamic between team members and encourage them to work as one.<br />
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Therefore, there are several things that can be done to encourage success among teams. When teams are about to start projects, the project lead should hold a "kick off session". Within this session, the lead explains the project and what the work will entail. Then the team can <u>work together</u> to establish goals that can be applied to the project. Most often, the project lead will establish the goals without consulting with the the team members. In this case, team members feel as if they have no voice and are more likely to create a competitive environment. When goals are established and agreed by everyone on the team, it creates a sense of unity that can be reinforced throughout the project.<br />
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How can human resources professionals encourage this practice? Its rather simple. HR professionals can hold a one hour training session for project leads on how to establish team goals and how to facilitate the brainstorming process. Project leaders should be educated on the benefits of this practice and provided tools that can help them facilitate a goal-setting session with their team. If these individuals are not provided with training, there is a greater chance that they will create the goals independently or not even bother to establish goals.<br />
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Overall, success within teams thrives on establishing the message that the teams success means success for all team members. An individual can not be successful independently unless the team succeeds as well.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Work Cited</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Lam, C.K., Van der Vegt, G.S., Walter, F., and Huang, X. (2010). Harming high performers: a social comparison perspective on interpersonal harming in work teams. <i>Journal of applied psychology, 96</i> (3), 588-601.</span><br />
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</span></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-49411728122306964562011-07-09T22:22:00.000-07:002011-07-09T22:22:20.650-07:00Managing the Inner Contractions of Job Descriptions: A Technique for RecruitmentSummary and commentary by: Ian Mondrow, M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://tytribble.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/jobdescription3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://tytribble.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/jobdescription3.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>A job description is a document composes of several sections, including: job title, supervisor title, job responsibilities, and qualifications for hiring. This single document is sole resource for many organizational operations such as recruitment, performance review, training/development, organizational structure, and more. However, Stybel (2010) claims that job descriptions are merely intended for audiences within the organization. However, issues occur because job descriptions are also used for external and internal job postings. Such that, job descriptions are written to be "public" friendly and do not always obtain the most accurate information needed for the internal operations.<br />
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Stybel and Peabody (2007, as cited by Stybel, 2010) introduced a new section into the job description called the "Leadership Mandate". This new section communicates how an individual advances within the company's strategic plans. They now use 2 documents when conducting a candidate search: (1) a job description for the general public to attract candidates in applying and (2) a leadership mandate which is given to final candidates. Stybel (2010) claims that creating these two documents protects the company against fraud charges.<br />
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The leadership mandate is merely another section of the job description that is limited to specific audiences. This new section defines what changes the company expects within the 90-120 days, what responsibilities are considered critical/time-sensitive, which responsibilities are to be placed on the back-burner (not address immediately) for the next 4 months, what is to be avoided at all costs in the upcoming 90-120 days.<br />
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<b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b><br />
This article does emphasize the importance of job descriptions for both internal and external purposes. It provides the foundation on what tasks a specific job is responsible and what is considered successful in finishing this work. Every job within an organization should have a description. Using the same job for multiple positions produces a variety of risks for a company including: employee turnover [since the job was not what they thought], adverse impact [success factors are not consistent], inadequate opportunities for growth [because there is no defined career path], and more. Therefore, this articles emphasis on the value of job descriptions is extremely beneficial.<br />
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To be blunt, this idea of creating two documents is crap. While the notion of the leadership mandate and its content are good, the fact is that the information is not static. In January, the leadership mandate could be entirely different from the leadership mandate in May. Change occurs every day in an organization and therefore, creating such a document can be time-consuming and counter productive. Finally, creating such a document <b>does not prevent fraud</b> as a job description should include all responsibilities expected in a position.<br />
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On the contrary, it is the responsibility of the recruiter and the hiring manager to clearly communicate this content to candidates (which is emphasized more in the article title than article text). Creating a leadership mandate would be more beneficial to remind managers of what candidates need to be informed about. A leadership mandate is more suitable as a tool to help managers and not as a formal HR document.<br />
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It is crucial to emphasize the value of communicating the leadership mandate information to all job finalists. It will give them an accurate portrayal of what to expect in the months to come. This will reduce turnover and increase job satisfaction as the hired employee(s) will not be caught off guard. As HR professionals, we strive to ensure that applicants are satisfied in their jobs. This is one way to prevent any unexpected disappointments or dissatisfaction.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>REFERENCES</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Stylbel, L.J. (2010). Managing the inner contradictions of job descriptions:a technique for use in recruitment. <i>The Psychologist-Manager Journal, </i>13, 105-110.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>** I am not a lawyer or legal professional and therefore it is important to be aware of all state and Federal laws before considering implementation of any content read in this posting. I hold no liability for your actions. </i></span>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-18319478392005455602011-05-09T21:13:00.000-07:002011-05-09T21:16:09.521-07:00The Uniqueness Effect in Selection Interviews<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>Summary and Commentary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.askmen.com/top_10/entertainment/top-10-job-interview-mistakes_flash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://images.askmen.com/top_10/entertainment/top-10-job-interview-mistakes_flash.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It is a known factor that gender, physical appearance and race can influence an interviewers evaluation, whether intentional or unintentional. Studies have also shown that interviewers tend to prefer applicants that are similar to themselves. The contrast effects also impacts interviews where candidates are evaluated based on preceding interviews. Roulin et.al. (2011) has decided to introduce a new bias called the "uniqueness effect".<br />
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The uniqueness effect was first introduced by Sndyer and Fromkin in 1977. Roulin et. al. (2011) has taken their definition and adapted it to personnel selection. Roulin et. al. define the uniqueness effect as "the effect of an applicant's distinctive characteristics or answers on recruiter's evaluations and decisions in the selection process (p.44)."<br />
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79 participants were recruited from a swiss university. 85% of the participants were masters students and 15% were senior bachelor students. Participants were asked to read one of two types of job descriptions, a creative position (marketing) and a less creative position (accounting). Following reviewing the descriptions, participants read four transcribed answers to interview questions. The transcriptions were obtained from four mock interviews from male job seekers. Questions included:<br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Tell me about yourself</li>
<li>What is your main weakness?</li>
</ol><div>Question one included responses of equal values. Three applicants gave non-unique answers to question two and one provided a unique answer. After reviewing the Q&A, participants evaluated the answers based on quality, job-related competence and the likelihood of termination for each applicant on a 6 point likert scale. Participants were also asked to select one applicant to hire.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijo9UIq10cnxk-TWv4ysevneGyIhvpGhqHRYW_nnQiTtitAr44sy8YJZOZQ0gQmlHaZsNYKSUWDkDovWXNXf3AYO9R2Ej20AgddZAA1SNR9u-TT7dgjti3XqnsG-l3ggB6mRQJb7-T_yv/s1600/graph-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijo9UIq10cnxk-TWv4ysevneGyIhvpGhqHRYW_nnQiTtitAr44sy8YJZOZQ0gQmlHaZsNYKSUWDkDovWXNXf3AYO9R2Ej20AgddZAA1SNR9u-TT7dgjti3XqnsG-l3ggB6mRQJb7-T_yv/s400/graph-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div>The researchers conducted a 2 X 2 X 2 factorial plan to analyze results using a within-subjects methodology. A main effect was present for uniqueness, <i>F</i>(1,75) = 8.94, <i>p</i> < .01, in which unique applicants were rated higher than (<i>M</i> = 4.25) than non-unique applicants (<i>M</i> = 3.81). Job type (creative vs. non-creative) also produced a main effect, <i>F</i>(1,75) = 10.0, <i>p</i> = .002, which creative jobs recieving lower evaluations (<i>M</i> = 3.81) than non-creative jobs (<i>M</i> = 4.14). Results compared unique candidates to non-unique candidates are demonstrated in Figure 1. Figure 2 demonstrates the hiring choice for unique applicants in job type.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Several limitations to the study are present. More specifically, all participants were students and therefore are more likely to place more emphasis on academic background than job qualifications. Furthermore, the study is limited to the swiss culture and therefore may not be applicable to all cultures. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b></div><div>The study demonstrates that providing unique responses to an interview may increase one's attractiveness as an applicant. However, HR professionals must question if this a positive or negative. Uniqueness does ensure that the candidate is not providing a "cookie-cutter" answer but it also risk being less applicable to the job. Unique answers can be effectively evaluated by incorporating anchors into the interview. This assists managers is effectively evaluating the answers. It also ensures that unique answers are tracked and recorded for further debate. Furthermore, using anchors will reduce the likelihood of similarity effects or contrasts effects. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Quality of an answer is far more predictive of performance instead of unique answers. Therefore, the downside of unique responses is that it may not be representative of the skills needed to be successful in the job. This once again reinforces the need for anchored responses. While a unique answer may be easily recalled, using anchors ensures that responses are scored based on the required knowledge, skills and abilities. </div><div><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: Roulin, N., Bangerter, A., Yerly, E. (2011). The uniqueness effect in selection interviewing. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Journal of Personnel Psychology, 10 </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(1), 43-47.</span></div></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-25148330872903921842011-04-18T20:46:00.000-07:002011-04-18T20:46:57.884-07:00Seeking Work-Life Balance: Employees' Requests, Supervisors' Responses and Organizational Barriers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Summary and Commentary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.<br />
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Work-life balance has become a sensitive topic for many employees. Daily needs, such as child care and elder care, require a significant amount of time and technology (such as blackberries and e-mail) have made it difficult to "leave work at work. Previous research on this topic has focused on the consequences of work-family conflict and the benefits of successfully managing the two. The balance is also important to employers as successful work-life balance is positively correlated with job satisfaction, life satisfaction, productivity, and attendance. Lauzun, Morganson, Major and Green (2010) set out to examine work-life balance in the context of company policies and organizational support.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xGo9oaZOL4ACo66ncc9VEIMQ0ARkYdkItsVXxIh_WiPipAJULQwhg3gJxssOYGHLAuqiaovhU_3XlfOXJXvc5BZRDdl2xR2HBlKZT_gp6t5pnM1Pg9WR8JL2DViKwWe3ppd9MRlNPNbP/s1600/Untitled1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xGo9oaZOL4ACo66ncc9VEIMQ0ARkYdkItsVXxIh_WiPipAJULQwhg3gJxssOYGHLAuqiaovhU_3XlfOXJXvc5BZRDdl2xR2HBlKZT_gp6t5pnM1Pg9WR8JL2DViKwWe3ppd9MRlNPNbP/s1600/Untitled1.jpg" /></a><br />
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425 supervisors [from a Fortune 500 company producing consumer goods] were asked to respond to 5 questions for each employee supervised. A total of 1,150 requests were reported. Figure 1 elaborates on the type of employees evaluated. Supervisors were ask the following questions when an employee made a request for work-life balance:<br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Please provide the specifics of each employee's request.</li>
<li>Did you accommodate the request?</li>
<li>If you answered YES, how did you accommodate the employee's request?</li>
<li>If you answered NO, why did you not accommodate the request? (Lauzun et. al., 2010)</li>
</ol><div>The results were analyzed using a deductive open-coding approach and a codebook was developed to identify reoccurring trends. Two coauthors examined the data with the codebook and a high level of interrater reliability was established. </div><div><br />
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</div><div>In total, 1,150 work-life requests were received from employees. 752 of these requests were accommodated and 326 provided reasons for not approving the requested. 72 responses did not include data from the supervisor or the researcher could not properly code the data. The most frequent type of request for schedule changes or time to be off-site (<i>n</i> = 523). There was a high demand for work schedule flexibility (<i>n </i>= 265). Some employees even asked for the possibility to telecommute (<i>n</i> = 46). </div><div><br />
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</div><div>The second most common type of request focused on an employee's daily workload (<i>n</i> = 33). Many individuals felt that a collection of their meetings were not a valuable use of time. Previous research has found that meeting frequency is linked to daily fatigue and subjective workload (Luong & Rogelerg, 2005 as cited in Lauzun et. al., 2010). There were also requests to improve operating procedures.</div><div><br />
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</div><div>The third most reoccurring requests were for resources to better assist the work-life balance (<i>n</i> = 230). This could include technology or additional staffing needs. </div><div><br />
</div><div>A collection of employees requested social support and emotional support that did not fit into the other themes (<i>n = </i>64), such as emotional support, compensation or on-site amenities. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Figure two demonstrates the frequencies for the amount of requests and their themes. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbkgukPgvavhZmsNfTIaRWsEKRhRU1gcT1br3TfkbE4ZaEfEZuphewlLHPyvP1sD8iANhTXhQxmL3hKtNlfLT28gZgpErkEvrOY-W3HBAE9wZ0cK93KAOxD9ob_Z5Y_O4JV1-SHBHYj6s/s1600/Untitled5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbkgukPgvavhZmsNfTIaRWsEKRhRU1gcT1br3TfkbE4ZaEfEZuphewlLHPyvP1sD8iANhTXhQxmL3hKtNlfLT28gZgpErkEvrOY-W3HBAE9wZ0cK93KAOxD9ob_Z5Y_O4JV1-SHBHYj6s/s640/Untitled5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div><div>When responding to the requests, 58% of supervisors accommodated employees that expressed interest in schedule changes (<i>n</i> = 523) or accommodations (<i>n </i>= 301). 81% of requests for work resources were also approved, with 230 requests for resources and 186 accommodations. Solutions included coaching, training, increased/reallocation of staff and additional tools/equipment. 333 requests were made to change one's daily work but only 46% (<i>n </i>= 146) were approved. For an overview of results, please refer to Figure 3.<br />
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When examining requests for emotional and instrumental support, 119 accommodations were made when there were only 64 requests. Several reasons were identified for this difference: (1) supervisor communicated with employees when work/life balance requests were made and (2) supervisors provided support when they were unable to satisfy requests in an instrumental matter. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJK9ne8c6KzIq-B3jhdnps1zTKQu5isxftz1MpYkiNrqKpWXYQAh0P0ComWciyfcvcGLY20xx3KZw8uZ-cZoh_YQFNhZXir1Pli_5fco-jvdjFYhzIxlU-4mF80Tb07USvlTapCBZWRAy/s1600/Untitled6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJK9ne8c6KzIq-B3jhdnps1zTKQu5isxftz1MpYkiNrqKpWXYQAh0P0ComWciyfcvcGLY20xx3KZw8uZ-cZoh_YQFNhZXir1Pli_5fco-jvdjFYhzIxlU-4mF80Tb07USvlTapCBZWRAy/s640/Untitled6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
Further analysis of the data revealed several barriers that overpowered a supervisors ability to grant requests. A total of 326 were identified and sorted into 6 categories: authority, seeking resolution, policy/culture, insufficient resources, job requirements, and multiple involvement. 109 requests were denied because the supervisor lacked the authority to authorize the request. It was also found that 40 requests were not approved because the appropriate staffing or funding was not available (Resources). Several requests were denied because of organizational policy or norms (<i>n</i> = 18) and and others were denied because the job requirements (<i>n</i> = 18) forbid such a requests. Supervisors were unable to approve all the requests and some needed the involvement of other parties (<i>n</i> = 18). Although many requests were denied, there were 91 instances where a supervisor continued to pursue the request for his/her employee. Pleasure refer to Figure 4 for a visual layout of the results.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXBfbZVwjIfCVV9kUT3WkbWFXjVfilALWwwYdFePUyA64FTw2aHGfB0Dbe3sUR8TPwyIY-1_gfGQ9E85nkdHyPeDPk6u3TI9yZ_SkamdCnDw4hhZnfW5FWBAMNcWT7yTYR6JpZgzmBxSr/s1600/Untitled7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXBfbZVwjIfCVV9kUT3WkbWFXjVfilALWwwYdFePUyA64FTw2aHGfB0Dbe3sUR8TPwyIY-1_gfGQ9E85nkdHyPeDPk6u3TI9yZ_SkamdCnDw4hhZnfW5FWBAMNcWT7yTYR6JpZgzmBxSr/s320/Untitled7.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
This study produced several findings. Flexibility in work time and location seems to be the greatest in demand for work-life balance. Telecommuting can also benefit employers as it can reduce building and maintenance costs. It was also found that adjusting work responsibilities and providing additional resources could assist in work-life balance.<br />
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A variety of limitations exist in this study. First and foremost, the study was based upon self-report data and therefore the data is vulnerable to recall bias. Additionally, subordinates may be hesitant to make requests to their supervisor in fear of negative consequences. Another vital limitation is that the study focused on one organization and therefore cannot be applied to the population.<br />
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<b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN RESOURCES</b><br />
As one of the few qualitative studies to examine work-life balance, this study produces some interesting findings. However, it also suggests valuable information for human resources. One key point is that human resources professionals should empower managers to control the schedules of their employees. There should be no need for managers to obtain input from others or to seek alternative resolutions. This can discourage employees from making future requests and create anxiety as they wait to hear if their request is approved. Supervisors should have a general understanding of the needs of their departments and thus have no need to check with others. If this were my company, I would likely investigate why input is needed from others. It is possible that this manager needs assistance in managing resources.<br />
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Flex-time was identified as one of the most common requests among employees. Given today's technology and globalization, it is sometimes in a company's best interest to allow employees to telecommute. As mentioned by the researchers, it can reduce costs of upkeep and properties. It also makes it easier to find the most suitable candidates for open positions, as a company does not need to limit their search to local candidates. There are incidents when telecommuting is not possible or it does not align with the company culture. A company must weigh the benefits and draw-backs to determine if telecommuting is compatible with the organization's needs.<br />
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It is reassuring to see that managers are likely to provide emotional support when requests are not approved. However, managers should always be emotionally supportive of their team. Support fosters trust, and an employee that trusts his/her manager is more likely to be committed to the job. Managers do not need to be best friends with their employees but they should be able to talk to employees when they notice unusual behavior. For instance, after taking a call, my co-worker becomes immediately withdrawn. After noticing this, my managers takes her to the parking lot to talk. She later hands her the keys and says,"if you need to go home, I will understand". That is support and it strengthened the relationship between my coworker and my manager. Heck! It made me view my manager in a whole different light!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Lauzun, H.M., Morganson, V.J., Major, D.A., & Green, A.P. (2010). Seeking work-life balance: Employees' requests, supervisors' responses, and organizational barriers. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 13</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> (3), 184-205.</span></div></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-72151490623860026332011-04-06T19:35:00.000-07:002011-04-06T19:35:11.273-07:00Can personal control over the physical environment ease distractions in office workplaces?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Summary and commentary by Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.<br />
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Personal control is defined as the perceived control an individual has over various characteristics of his/her environment, which includes: (1) the organization of one's workspace; (2) personalizing one's workspace; (3) control over social contact; and (4) control over temperature, lighting and the work process (Lee & Brand, 2009). Distraction is the extent to which an individual feels diverted, disturbed or annoyed by an unwanted stimulus in the work environment.<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.archdaily.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/2083401930_08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://cdn.archdaily.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/2083401930_08.jpg" width="320" /></a>Little consensus has been achieved on on control in the workplace, therefore much of the information was obtained from previous studies to create the control construct for this study. 9 items were developed to measure control using a 7-point likeart scale. Statements were collected from a previous study conducted by Weisman (1986) which measured concentration and noise level. 8 statements were extracted and utilized a 7-point likeart scale. Finally, one's judgement on his/her performance was collected based on Oldham's (1988) aspects of quality, quantity and creativity. These items were scored on a 5-point scale.<br />
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A sample population was collected utilizing three manufacturing companies based in Michigan. A total of 384 surveys were analyzed. Information about the physical aspect of each building was also collected, including, year constructed, facility size, renovation history, distribution method of HVAC systems and workspace specifications.<br />
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Demographics include the following:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>62% male; 38% female</li>
<li>28% worked in engineering; 12.8% worked in marketing; 58% were employed in engineer/technical/ professional positions; 24% were managers; 13% were clerical/support and 4.2% considered themselves as other</li>
<li>74% worked in an open office with high dividers</li>
<li>Office type varied based on job category (i.e. clerical personnel were more likely to work in a cubicle and a professional is more likely to have an office</li>
</ul><div>The analysis methodology was unclear and questionable. It is possible that I may not have a background in this methodology but there was no p-value to designate the significance of the results. However, the authors state that perceived control over the physical environment environment mediated the negative effects of distraction on one's performance. Therefore, the negative effects of distracting noise can be decreased by providing employee's control of their personal work place. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Results need to be interpreted delicately as they were collected based on self-report. Clearly self-report surveys are vulnerable to biases. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b></div><div>While the topic requires further research, it does reveal some helpful information. First and foremost, private offices are the ideal workspace for any employee, as it dramatically reduces the possibility of distractions. However, private offices for every individual employee is not always feasible and therefore, companies often resort to a public work environment.</div><div><br />
</div><div>When a public work environment is needed, employers should try to eliminate distractions as much as possible. One popular method is to use cubicle walls to provide employees with privacy. Some companies choose to avoid cubicles due to the stigma it can create. Even with cubicles, distractions, such as noise, are impossible to avoid. This article suggest increasing an employee's sense of personal control can assist them in blocking external distractions. Simple yet effective methods can be used, such as: </div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://binaofficefurniture.com/projects/Bigfoot_Interactive/manager-cubicles-sliding-doors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://binaofficefurniture.com/projects/Bigfoot_Interactive/manager-cubicles-sliding-doors.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Believe it or not, it is possible to get cubicles with doors</td></tr>
</tbody></table><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Instead of using overhead fluorescent lights, give employees lamps with a dimming feature</li>
<li>Allow employees to layout furniture</li>
<li>Encourage employee's to decorate their desk with pictures of their liking</li>
<li>Allow employees to which desk they want to sit at (if possible)</li>
<li>Enclose a cubicle and give employees the right to have a door</li>
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</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: Lee, S.Y., & Brand, J.L. (2010). Can personal control over the physical environment ease distractions in office workplaces? Ergonomics, 53 (3), 324-335.</span></div></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-54140525237309346002011-03-21T17:52:00.000-07:002011-03-21T18:48:50.819-07:00Resume or curriculum vitae?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Summary and commentary by Ian Mondrow</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Throughout my career, I have met people of different backgrounds. Some people have doctorates, others have been working for fifth-teen years and some people are just entering the job market. It was not until I applied for my friend's former position, that I realized some people use </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">curriculum vitae (CV) instead of a resume. I decided to investigate this methodology further by asking my HR and recruiter friends. </span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A survey was developed using Google docs and participants were obtained via LinkedIn and LinkedIn. In total, 12 participants completed the survey. Of these participants, 4 of them were human resources professionals, 4 worked in the recruitment industry, 3 were company owners and 1 person identified themselves as other. All participants were asked to rank a collection of statements based on a 5-point likert scale of agreement (1 = disagree and 5 = agree). Below are the following statements that were assessed:</span></em></span><br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A resume should only be one page.</span></span></em></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A curriculum vitae works just as well as a resume.</span></span></em></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A curriculum vitae is best suitable for a PhD or PhD ABD.</span></span></em></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An individual with a graduate degree can have a resume that is more than one page.</span></span></em></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A resume can be more than one page if a candidate has enough job experience.</span></span></em></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A curriculum vitae is only applicable for jobs in academics.</span></span></em></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A curriculum vitae is only applicable for jobs in research.</span></span></em></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bachelor graduates should not use a curriculum vitae.</span></span></em></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A resume is far more effective than a curriculum vitae.</span></span></em></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recent graduates should apply for jobs with a curriculum vitae.</span></span></em></span></li>
</ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">RESULTS</span></u></b></span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com/chart?cht=bhs&chs=345x180&chbh=24%2C6&chco=ffb442%7Cffce85%7Cffc163%7Cff9900%7Cffa621&chxt=x%2Cy&chxl=0%3A%7C0%7C2%7C4%7C6%7C8%7C1%3A%7C5.%20Agree%7C4.%20Somewhat%20agree%7C3.%20Neither%20agree%20...%7C2.%20Somewhat%20disagree%7C1.%20Disagree&chxs=0%2C000000%2C12%2C0%2Clt%7C1%2C000000%2C12%2C1%2Clt&chds=0%2C8&chd=t%3A8%2C2%2C2%2C0%2C0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://www.google.com/chart?cht=bhs&chs=345x180&chbh=24%2C6&chco=ffb442%7Cffce85%7Cffc163%7Cff9900%7Cffa621&chxt=x%2Cy&chxl=0%3A%7C0%7C2%7C4%7C6%7C8%7C1%3A%7C5.%20Agree%7C4.%20Somewhat%20agree%7C3.%20Neither%20agree%20...%7C2.%20Somewhat%20disagree%7C1.%20Disagree&chxs=0%2C000000%2C12%2C0%2Clt%7C1%2C000000%2C12%2C1%2Clt&chds=0%2C8&chd=t%3A8%2C2%2C2%2C0%2C0" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Figure 1: A resume should only be one page</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Questions 1, 4, and 5 questioned respondents on the lengths of resumes and their preferences. Contrary to the teachings of many career centers, 10 out of 12 respondents disagreed that resumes should only be one page. Furthermore, no respondents agreed with that statement. Figure one demonstrates these results in a bar graph. Questions 4 and 5 continue by asking if there are exceptions to the 1 page standard. 9 out of 12 respondents agreed that it is more acceptable for individuals with advanced degrees (i.e. Masters, PhD, etc.). Moreover, all participants agreed that it is acceptable to have more than one page if an individual has enough job experience. Figure 2 demonstrates their agreement in a bar graph. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Items 2,3 and 6-10 focused on the usage of a CV instead of a resume. As expected, most participants agreed that a CV is best for candidates with a PhD, at least according to 10 participants. It was expected that CVs would be preferred for academic or research jobs but there was no consistent pattern between participants. Please refer to figure 2 and 3 for a representation of these results. Surprisingly, no one completely agreed with statements 6 and 7. The usage of the word "only" in these statements may have impacted the results.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com/chart?cht=bhs&chs=345x180&chbh=24%2C6&chco=2121e4%7C0000e0%7C4242e8%7C6363ec%7C8585f0&chxt=x%2Cy&chxl=0%3A%7C0%7C1%7C2%7C3%7C4%7C1%3A%7C5.%20Agree%7C4.%20Somewhat%20agree%7C3.%20Neither%20agree%20...%7C2.%20Somewhat%20disagree%7C1.%20Disagree&chxs=0%2C000000%2C12%2C0%2Clt%7C1%2C000000%2C12%2C1%2Clt&chds=0%2C4&chd=t%3A4%2C3%2C1%2C4%2C0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://www.google.com/chart?cht=bhs&chs=345x180&chbh=24%2C6&chco=2121e4%7C0000e0%7C4242e8%7C6363ec%7C8585f0&chxt=x%2Cy&chxl=0%3A%7C0%7C1%7C2%7C3%7C4%7C1%3A%7C5.%20Agree%7C4.%20Somewhat%20agree%7C3.%20Neither%20agree%20...%7C2.%20Somewhat%20disagree%7C1.%20Disagree&chxs=0%2C000000%2C12%2C0%2Clt%7C1%2C000000%2C12%2C1%2Clt&chds=0%2C4&chd=t%3A4%2C3%2C1%2C4%2C0" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Figure 2: A CV is only applicable for jobs in academics</i> <br />
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com/chart?cht=bhs&chs=345x180&chbh=24%2C6&chco=ffc163%7Cffb442%7Cff9900%7Cffa621%7Cffce85&chxt=x%2Cy&chxl=0%3A%7C0%7C1%7C2%7C3%7C4%7C1%3A%7C5.%20Agree%7C4.%20Somewhat%20agree%7C3.%20Neither%20agree%20...%7C2.%20Somewhat%20disagree%7C1.%20Disagree&chxs=0%2C000000%2C12%2C0%2Clt%7C1%2C000000%2C12%2C1%2Clt&chds=0%2C4&chd=t%3A4%2C4%2C1%2C3%2C0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://www.google.com/chart?cht=bhs&chs=345x180&chbh=24%2C6&chco=ffc163%7Cffb442%7Cff9900%7Cffa621%7Cffce85&chxt=x%2Cy&chxl=0%3A%7C0%7C1%7C2%7C3%7C4%7C1%3A%7C5.%20Agree%7C4.%20Somewhat%20agree%7C3.%20Neither%20agree%20...%7C2.%20Somewhat%20disagree%7C1.%20Disagree&chxs=0%2C000000%2C12%2C0%2Clt%7C1%2C000000%2C12%2C1%2Clt&chds=0%2C4&chd=t%3A4%2C4%2C1%2C3%2C0" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Figure 3: A CV is only applicable for jobs in research</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Results continued to shock as no participants showed any agreement to item 10, which states that graduates should use a CV. In general, there was no preference between a CV or a resume.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 12px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: small;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONCLUSIONS</span></u></span></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"></span>In general, one's job experience seems to be the determining factor of resume length. If an individual has enough experience to fill more than one page, it is more acceptable to include 2 pages if the content consumes at least half of the second page. One respondent mentioned that recruiters won't read 2 pages but all participants agreed that having a 2 page resume can be beneficial if it contains significant accomplishments and relevant information. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only exception to that rule is if an individual utilizes a CV. CVs are generally longer in length. Using a CV instead of a resume appears to be personal preference and hiring managers have their preference as well. When participants were asked if they prefer a CV or a resume, most of them responded that it varied on the market and the job. Therefore, job applicants should conduct research to determine if a resume or CV would be more suitable. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com/chart?cht=bhs&chs=345x180&chbh=24%2C6&chco=2121e4%7C6363ec%7C4242e8%7C8585f0%7C0000e0&chxt=x%2Cy&chxl=0%3A%7C0%7C1%7C2%7C3%7C4%7C1%3A%7C5.%20Agree%7C4.%20Somewhat%20agree%7C3.%20Neither%20agree%20...%7C2.%20Somewhat%20disagree%7C1.%20Disagree&chxs=0%2C000000%2C12%2C0%2Clt%7C1%2C000000%2C12%2C1%2Clt&chds=0%2C4&chd=t%3A4%2C3%2C1%2C4%2C0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://www.google.com/chart?cht=bhs&chs=345x180&chbh=24%2C6&chco=2121e4%7C6363ec%7C4242e8%7C8585f0%7C0000e0&chxt=x%2Cy&chxl=0%3A%7C0%7C1%7C2%7C3%7C4%7C1%3A%7C5.%20Agree%7C4.%20Somewhat%20agree%7C3.%20Neither%20agree%20...%7C2.%20Somewhat%20disagree%7C1.%20Disagree&chxs=0%2C000000%2C12%2C0%2Clt%7C1%2C000000%2C12%2C1%2Clt&chds=0%2C4&chd=t%3A4%2C3%2C1%2C4%2C0" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Figure 4: A CV is only applicable for jobs in academics</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are several limitations to this study. First and foremost, the participants are not a true representation of the population. This representation is difficult to achieve with only 12 people. Second, the size of the participant pool can drastically alter the results of a study. The fewer participants that participate, the more weight their market has. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you for all those who have participated!</span></div></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-12777839429780085212011-03-14T05:24:00.000-07:002011-03-14T05:24:27.644-07:00Can Counterproductive Work Behaviors Be Productive?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/img/2010/05/12/450x334-alg_female_employee_upset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://www.nydailynews.com/img/2010/05/12/450x334-alg_female_employee_upset.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Summary and Commentary by: Ian B. Mondrow , M.A.</b><br />
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Counterproductive work behaviors (CWB) are acts consciously conducted by employees that have the ability to negatively impact an organization and/or its members. Spector et al. (2006) has suggested that there are five categories of CWBs including: abuse towards others, sabotage, theft, production deviance (i.e. working slowly), and withdrawal (i.e. taking longer breaks). CWBs may be a result of emotional exhaustion, or the feeling of being worn down as a result; often the result of burnout. Emotional exhaustion has been found to be related with turnover, cardiovascular and sleep problems, decreased motivation, decreased task performance, and citizenship behaviors.<br />
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It has been suggested that CWBs are a coping mechanism to reduce stress from a negative situation. Coping is a cognitive or behavior action that one takes in response to stress. CWBs provide individuals with a sense of control over stressful situations. This article focuses on withdrawal and production deviance. Withdrawal and production deviance reduce employee exhaustion by giving individuals the opportunity to return to their normal emotional state. Withdrawal behaviors include actions such as taking longer breaks or leaving early for the day. While outside of the work environment, an employee's frustration decreases and allows an him/her to return to a calm state of mind. Production deviance is when an individual intentionally works slowly, does work incorrectly [intentionally], or ignores procedures. These actions allow the individuals to "even the score" when confronted with injustice and may reduce emotional exhaustion.<br />
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Organizational justice is the how an individual perceives the fairness between individuals and the organization. It is composed of distributive justice and procedural justice. Distributive justice is the perceived fairness of reward and recognition, while procedural justice refers to the fairness of the process by which decisions are made. Organizational justice may have the ability to influence the occurrence of CWBs within an organization.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px;">Krischer, Penney and Hunter (2010) utilized StudyResponse Project to recruit 522 participants; of which, 295 were examined. Although it was requested that participants be employed full-time, 20.8% of the respondents were employed part-time. After careful analysis, it was determined the two groups were not significantly different. Participants completed a self-evaluation of the following:</div><div style="margin: 0px;"></div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Price & Mueller's (1986) six-item scale to measure distributive justice (1 = very unfairly; 5 = very fairly)</li>
<li>Moorman's 12-item scale to measure procedural justice (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree)</li>
<li>3 items from the Counterproductive Work Behavior Checklist (Spector et. al, 2006) to measure production deviance (1 = never; 5 = everyday)</li>
<li>4 items from the Counterproductive Work Behavior Checklist to measure withdrawal (1 = never; 5 = everyday)</li>
<li>6 items from the Job-Related Affective Well-Being (JAWS) Scale to measure emotional exhaustion (1 = never; 5 = always)</li>
</ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>JAWS is not typically used to measure emotional exhaustion but 2 subject-matter experts identified items that closely relate to the definition of emotional exhaustion.</i></span></div><div><br />
</div><div>Results were collected by conducting intercorrelations and descriptive statistics. It was found that both distributive justice (<i>rs</i> = -.38, <i>p</i> < .01) and procedural justice (<i>rs</i> = -.41, <i>p</i> < .01) had a moderately negative correlation with emotional exhaustion. This suggests that if an individual perceives an organization to have low distributive justice or low procedural justice, he/she is more likely to be emotionally exhausted.</div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="http://www.decision-wise.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Stressed-Out4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://www.decision-wise.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Stressed-Out4.jpg" width="400" /></a>A hierarchical linear regression was also utilized to analyze the two types of justice, withdrawal, and production deviance. A strong interaction was found between distributive justice and withdrawal behaviors, <i>R2</i> = .60, p<i> < </i>.01. It may be assumed that if an individual feels rewards are not fairly distributed, then he/she is more likely to withdraw. Distributive justice and production deviance also produced moderately significant results,<i>R2</i> = .50, <i>p</i><.05, suggesting that if distributive justice is perceived as high, one is less likely to conduct production deviance acts. Finally, procedural justice also had a moderate relationship with withdrawal, <i>R2</i> = .42, <i>p</i> < .05, suggesting that withdrawal is less likely to occur when an individual feel procedural justice is served. No interaction was present between procedural justice and production deviance.</div><div><br />
</div><div>No significant findings were present when an individual admitted to high levels of production deviance. However, those who had low levels of production deviance had a negative relationship with between distributive justice and emotional exhaustion, <i>r</i> = -1.17, <i>p</i> < .01. Results continued to show that Individuals with low levels of withdrawal were more likely to be emotionally exhausted when they perceived procedural justice as low, <i>r = </i>-1.37 & -1.06, <i>p</i> <.01).</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>SUMMARY WITHOUT ALL THE STATS</b></div><div>Results show that if employee perceive their workplace to have higher levels of justice, it will increase their well-being and reduce the need for coping behaviors. However, when justice is seen as low, employees are more likely to exhibit CWBs as a coping mechanism . The researchers suggest that CWBs may be used to shape an employees emotional experiences at work, rather than a reaction to experiences.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Contrary to the researchers' hypothesis, the results showed that production deviance is not a coping mechanism for perceived procedural justice. Instead, it may be suggested that production deviance requires active engagement and therefore requires low levels of withdrawal to uphold, whereas withdrawal behaviors are far more passive.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b></div><div>The following study demonstrates the importance of organizational justice. Employees that perceive unfair organizational justice are more likely to withdrawal and be less interested or committed to their work. HR professionals can use their symptoms to their advantage. If employees are observed exhibiting withdrawal behaviors (i.e. leaving early regularly, taking longer breaks, taking extra breaks, etc.), HR can begin to question both procedural and distributive justice within the organization. If this is an area of concern, surveys can be used to effectively measure personnel's perception of organizational justice. It is suggested to utilize a consultant with a background in industrial/organizational psychology or psychometrics to ensure that the survey is accurately measuring perceptions. </div><div><br />
</div><div>HR can also use these findings to their advantage. CWBs can be prevented by ensuring employees are empowered. This can be succeeded through a fair grievance system or implementing a skip-level reporting system. Furthermore, emotional exhaustion can be prevented by providing employees with outlets for their stressors such as exercise programs or facilities. Organizations should also encourage employees to take break to ensure they can take time to restore their energy. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The study also reveals scary findings. Employees that are likely to conduct production deviance are less likely to appear emotionally exhausted or withdrawn. This makes it far more difficult to identify employees that may be conducting counterproductive behaviors. In reality, it means that an engaged and supportive group of employees could contain an individual that exhibits negative behaviors. It is up to management to properly observe their employees and to measure performance on a regular basis. It is best to be proactive than reactive. Therefore, encourage employees to speak up when they observe deviant behaviors. </div><div><br />
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</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source: </i>Krischer, M.M., Penney, L.M., & Hunt, E.M. (2010). Can counterproductive workbehaviors be productive? CWB as emotion-focused coping. <i>Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 15</i>(2), 154-166.</span></div></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-82781918524765653542011-02-21T17:36:00.000-08:002011-02-22T05:46:34.965-08:00Can heterosexism harm organizations? Predicting the perceived organizational citizenship behaviors of gay and lesbian employees<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Summary and commentary by: Ian Mondrow<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mun.ca/the/daisyjoke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://www.mun.ca/the/daisyjoke.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Employees who are open about their sexual identity have an increased chance of confronting workplace discrimination. Some instances can include: glass ceiling effect, loss of credibility and less positive regard from their peers. An organizational culture with a strong emphasis on heterosexism (the lack of concern for members of the GLBT community) has previously been found to predict the self-disclosure of sexual minority employees. Previous research has found that the stereotype of being gay instills a higher sense of self-focus, or monitoring one's actions. Stigmatization salience is defined as an individual's self-focus to the membership of a culturally stigmatized group (such as sexual orientation).<br />
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OCBs are positive work behaviors that increase the performance of an organization. Helping behaviors and organizational compliance are two OCBs that will be utilized in this study. Help behavior is the voluntary effort to help others. Organizational compliance is the following of organization policy.<br />
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Data was collected from an online national study of gay and lesbian individuals. Individuals that identified themselves as bisexual were excluded from the sample as their experiences may differ from gays and lesbians. A total of 606 employed individuals were included in the sample. The sample was split into two groups: 311 participants were in the testing group and 295 participants were placed in the validation sample. Four vignettes from the Organizational Tolerance for Heterosexism (Waldo, 1999) was used to assess organizational climate for each participant. Workplace outness was measured using three items from Mohr and Fassinger's (2000) outness indicator. Stigmatization silence was measured by six items created by the authors of this article. Finally, seven items were utilized from the sub-scales of Smith et al. (1983).<br />
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A goodness of fit model (correlation) was utilized for the analysis. It was found that heterosexism within an organization's climate did impact one's ability to be out. Stigmatization salience was negatively related to both organizational climate and outness. Finally, workplace behaviors were positively predicted of being out. Findings were verified with similar results from the validation sample. <br />
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<em>**Correlation statistics to be posted later today**</em><br />
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<b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b><br />
To put it shortly, the ability to be out and open has a positive impact on performance. A workplace culture that heterosexist focused is more likely to increase stigmatization salience and hinder one's ability to be out.<br />
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The study clearly demonstrates the toxicity of a heterosexist environment. Gay and lesbian individuals are continually monitoring their behavior and weary of any indicators that they may demonstrate. The truth is that organizations should embrace the differences between every individual. Since diversity increases innovation, what benefit does a heterosexist culture provide? Basically it is merely encouraging gender norms for both men and women, regardless of one's sexuality. Therefore, one could be heterosexual but still be cautious of their behaviors as they do not want their coworkers to think they are gay. Therefore, a heterosexist environment is not only harmful to gay and lesbian employees but any individual that is a member of the organization.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Brenner, B.R., Lyons, H.Z. Fassinger, R.E. (2010). Can heterosexism harm organizations? Predicting the perceived organizational citizenship behaviors of gay and lesbian employees. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The Career Development Quarterly. 58, </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">321 - 335.</span></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-50160812561399873652011-02-06T16:49:00.000-08:002011-02-06T18:20:54.180-08:00Making Transfer Climate Visible: Utilizing Social Network Analysis to Facilitate the Transfer of Training<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Summary & Commentary by Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The transfer of training is when current knowledge, skills and abilities have an impact on the learning of new skills or knowledge. There are three main players involved the in the transfer process, including: the learner, the manager and the trainer. The climate of transfer is influenced by the perceived support of managers/peers, the ability to utilize the new knowledge learned, and the perceived outcomes of applying the new training content. Climate plays a key role in whether or not the transfer of training is successful, and the communication network determines the climate.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The social network theory is the study of how interpersonal relationships within a department or whole organization affect the beliefs and opinions of other individuals. Wasserman and Faust (1994) concluded several assumptions in regards to social networks: (1) actors and their actions within networks are influenced by the actions of others; (2) connections between individuals is can be a formal or informal route for information sharing; (3) network models can identify any barriers in the successful transmission of information. Social networks can be utilized to identify key contributors with an extensive outreach who may have drastic impact on a training transfer's success. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Social networks can be analyzed with either the ego network analysis or complete network analysis. An ego network analysis examines the communications exhibited by one individual. This type of analysis is useful in examining individuals participating in a training in isolation from the rest of the organization. The complete network analysis examines a group of individuals (whether is a team, department or entire organization) and the communication streams within the group. Collecting information for either analysis can be achieved through observations, interviews, surveys or archival documents. Data can be measured in two ways: (1) Using the numbers 0 and 1 to show the existence of a relationship and (2) using a likert scale to show the degree in which two individuals interact with one another. Once this data is collected, data can be analyzed using UCINET 6 and the network maps can be developed using NetDraw. An example of a social network map is shown below.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://kwork.org/stars/anklam/HRKMchronicles.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://kwork.org/stars/anklam/HRKMchronicles.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">The social network data can be extremely useful in the implementation of training. Key actors in the networks can be used to determine what/why training is needed, obtain feedback on training content, determine the best methodology to deliver training, how to increase the transfer of training and encouraging others to use the information learned in training. Additionally, the network results can be used to determine what groups are for or against the new training. Once identified, researchers can examine these groups to determine why the outliers are not supportive. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Social Network Analysis is a new statistical analysis that has recently been introduced into the business sector. Therefore, its credibility may be questionable to high level executives, especially if only data is presented. Utilizing the visualization of the maps assists in overcoming resistance as it shows all connections and the magnitudes of each individual within a network. Explaining the network is only half the battle. One must be able to explain how these results will be used within the organization.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The results can prove to be especially useful in large organizational changes. The network can identify key individuals that communicate across the organization and have high credibility. Much like a change agent network, these individuals can be used to ensure that the correct messages are being communicated throughout the organization (i.e. killing inaccurate rumors before they begin). The support of these individuals can also assist in proving the value of the change to the rest of the organization. As mentioned earlier, these individuals are also valuable in providing feedback about training and how to improve the facilitation methods. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This method can be costly and time lengthy therefore it would not be effective for small initiatives but rather large scale changes. In addition, HR professionals should not attempt to conduct the analysis themselves. Instead, it is suggested they hire someone with a background in industrial/organizational psychology or psychometrics. Although costly, the benefits of this analysis can be extremely beneficial in large scale changes. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Hatala, J.P. & Fleming, P.R. (2007). Making transfer climate visible: utilizing social network analysis to facilitate the transfer of training. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Human Resource Development Review, 6 </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(1), 1-31.</span></div></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-10309119851147307842011-01-31T03:40:00.000-08:002011-01-31T04:07:00.025-08:00How to (and how not to) assess the integrity of leaders<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Summary & Commentary by Ian Mondrow, M.A. in Industrial / Organizational Psychology</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ideachampions.com/weblogs/ceo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.ideachampions.com/weblogs/ceo.jpg" width="320" /></a>Ethics and integrity are often used interchangeably but they are clearly differentiated. Ethics are the desirable behaviors established by society that establish “right” and “wrong” for its members (Pojman, 1995 as cited in Kaiser & Hogan, 2010). In contrast, integrity is the moral attribution we apply to one’s observed behavior (Kaiser & Hogan, 2010). Current assessments are unable to measure integrity directly and therefore it is indirectly measured through other constructs, such as the Five-Factor Model of personality. Unfortunately, Personality does not predict future behaviors. It is suggested that measuring one’s personality results in skewed results and managers tend to be rated higher than they actually are. One’s previous experiences and reputation provide a more reliable source for measuring one’s integrity.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Kaiser & Hogan (2010) decide to research the use of integrity testing in more detail. Data was collected from 672 directors and vice-presidents from Fortune 500 companies and included ratings from approximately 5 subordinates for each individual. Using a 23 item questionnaire with a 5 point likert scale (0 = ineffective and 4 = extremely effective), leaders were assessed on 5 competencies: vision, execution, managerial courage, building talent and integrity. A t-test demonstrated that integrity scores were generally higher than any other construct. The smallest difference (which was statistically significant) occurred between integrity (<i>M</i> = 2.68, <i>SD =</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.40) and execution ( </span><i>M</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> = 2.31, </span><i>SD</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> = .42) with a difference of .92 in standard deviation, </span><i>t</i><span style="font-style: normal;">(671) = 22.88, </span><i> p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> < .001. Not one leader received a score of 1, which is considered minimally acceptable. A tukey’s post examination revealed no statistical significance for integrity. This demonstrates that this method does not effectively differentiate those with low integrity from those with high integrity.</span> It continues to reveal that managers are always provided favorable scores when being assessed on integrity. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Following the initial study, Kaiser & Hogan decided to try a new approach of assessing integrity. The approach does not ask evaluators to refer to observed behavior but asks the likelihood that a manager will engage in questionable behavior. 80 students from a southeastern university were recruited to participate in the following study. Participants were asked to rate their current managers using the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBD) – Form XII (Stogdill, 1963) and the shortened version of the Perceived Leader Integrity Scale (PLIS) [focusing on perceived integrity]. Unlike the LBD, higher scores on the PLIS are less desirable as a higher score demonstrates a greater probability of unethical behavior. Additional items were used to measure the perceived effectiveness of a supervisor and job satisfaction. The smallest difference occurred between initiating structure (<i>M</i> = 2.37, <i>SD</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> = .83) and perceived integrity (</span><i>M</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> = 2.66, </span><i>SD</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> = .97), </span><i>t</i><span style="font-style: normal;">(79) = 3.48, </span><i>p</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> < .001. Participants were more comfortable rating managers below the median (2), which did not even occur in the previous method, Therefore, the PLIS is three times less elevated than the previous methodology, which had a standard deviation of .90. The analysis also exposed that the PLIS correlated with job satisfaction and perceived effectiveness of a manager. It can be assumed that if managers are perceived as ethical, employees will generally have higher levels of job satisfaction.</span> <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There are several limitations to consider in this study. First off, the samples in both studies are entirely different. Students may rate managers differently as there is less of a chance that they work full-time. They may have also worked for different companies and therefore was a variance in organizational culture. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">IMPLICATONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is important to mention that if ethical testing is used in any selection process, it must demonstrate validity. Therefore, a company must be able to demonstrate that the test predicts successful performance in case the test experiences adverse impact. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Organizations can now more effectively measure the integrity of their employees by utilizing a system similar to the PLIS. Instead of measuring personality, the assessment can focus on the likelihood that one will perform unethical behavior. There is no need to argue why as the study above provides statistical proof. To increase its creditability, upcoming studies should look at a variety of samples to ensure it is applicable to the real world. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The study does provide significant findings that are applicable to performance appraisals. Since the perceived integrity is found to increase job satisfaction, which can reduce turnover and increase performance. It is better to be proactive than reactive when battling integrity. By instilling a culture that values ethical behavior, managers are less likely to participate in questionable behavior. Encouraging executives to communicate and model the ethical behaviors can reinforce the culture. Supervisors that are already demonstrating unethical behavior or low levels of integrity can be difficult to develop, especially since their creditability may already be shot. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 11pt;">Source: Kaiser, R.B., Hogan, R. (2010). How to (and how not to) assess the integrity of managers.<i> Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 62</i></span><span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 11pt;">(4), Dec 2010, 216-234.</span><o:p></o:p></div></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-70199775494260778702011-01-23T19:08:00.000-08:002011-01-23T19:11:23.014-08:00The Relationship between Pay and Job Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis of the Literature<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://str4nd3d.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/salary-increase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://str4nd3d.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/salary-increase.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
Summary & Commentary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.<br />
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The common phrase "money can't buy you happiness" has been proven to be valid. However, does one's pay influence his/her perception of work? Judge, Piccolo, Podsakoff, Shaw and Rich (2010) set out on a mission to determine if salary has an impact on one's job satisfaction.<br />
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The researchers used a series of terms on the PsycINFO database to collect 1156 abstracts. Out of this collection of abstracts, it was determined that 86 studies were to be utilized in the analysis. A meta-analysis was conducted to provide estimated correlations between satisfaction and pay level.<br />
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Results revealed that pay-level was positively correlated with both job satisfaction ( <i>r </i>= .15, <i>p</i> < .05) and pay satisfaction (<i>r </i>= .24, <i>p</i> < .05). Since zero was not included in the confidence intervals, it can be assumed the mean correlations of job satisfaction and pay satisfaction were not zero. A population correlation showed a stronger relationship between pay level and satisfaction than the correlations with pay level and job satisfaction (<i>Z</i> = -4.01, <i>p</i> < .05). This suggests that pay level has a stronger relationship pay-satisfaction than job-satisfaction. Therefore, it is possible for an individual to be satisfied with his/her pay but not satisfied with his her job.<br />
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When analyzing moderators, the country being examined had no effect. The United States showed no difference in pay level and job satisfaction than Great Britain, India Australia and Thailand. In addition, Pay satisfaction did not differ based on the country.<br />
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<b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b><br />
While pay may help to determine if an applicant accepts a job offer, salary has little effect on one's job satisfaction. An individual can be satisfied with the amount of pay he/she is receiving but intrinsic rewards and culture-fit have been found to be better predictors of job satisfaction. Pay will not motivate employees and HR Managers need to ensure that managers comprehend this.<br />
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When considering job satisfaction, focus on the company culture and reward system. Take Google as an example. Previously, Google has offered employees lower wages but provided a vast amount of benefits. In addition, the culture within google was positively perceived and therefore individuals were more likely to accept the pay cut due to their high levels of job satisfaction (fostered by the culture). Employees should feel as though they are making an impact and their work is appreciated. An intrinsic reward provides one with greater satisfaction because it instills a sense of pride. An extrinsic rewards can be meaningless because it quickly loses its value once the novelty has wore off.<br />
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This does not mean that an organization can offer lower wages compared to their competitors. Wages have an impact on the war for talent and therefore, to be competitive, an organization must be able to match wages. It does ensure that an organization does not have to be a pay leader in order for their employees to be happy. <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">source: Judge, T.A., Piccolo, R.F., Podsakoff, J.C., Rich, B.L. (2010). The relationship between pay satisfaction and job satisfaction. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Journal of Vocational Behavior, 77,</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> 157-167.</span></div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-72797431724921061532011-01-18T16:57:00.001-08:002011-01-18T18:17:32.107-08:00Organizational Predictors of Women on Corporate BoardsSummary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pcpcc.net/files/Board%20table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.pcpcc.net/files/Board%20table.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Diversity is crucial for organizational survival. Previous research has demonstrated that diverse teams often generate more alternative solutions to problems as a result of their increased information search and different perspectives. More specifically, gender diversity has been found to increase creativity within the groups. While the positives outweigh the negatives, diversity does have its downfalls. There is the risk of decreased communication, slow decision making, high levels of conflict and narrow-mindedness. Diversity's success thrives on the leaders of the organization and their ability to demonstrate an open mind.<br />
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Men have always have an advantage in the business sector and it is easier for men to grow to executive positions. It is not uncommon for men to ride the glass escalator while women encounter the glass ceiling, or the inability to grow past a certain position. In 2005, 37% of the managerial workforce was composed of women but only 14.7% held board seats in Fortune 500 companies (Catalyst, 2005 as cited by Hillman & Cannella, 2007). Due to this small distribution, Hillman & Cannella (2007) decide to examine the effects of having a female presence on corporate boards.<br />
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The researchers utilized public filings from 950 firms and 9,722 firm-wide observations from 1990 to 2003. The dependent variable for the study was the presense of women on a firm's board. If one or more women were on a company's board of directors, then it was coded as "1". Otherwise it was coded as "0".<br />
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<a href="http://www.techbridge.org/images/pageImages/img_about_board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.techbridge.org/images/pageImages/img_about_board.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a>Odds ratios were used to test a series of hypothesizes. This represents the degree of change that the likelihood of the dependent variable as a result of a one-unit change in the independent variable. Odds ratios greater than 1.00 indicate a positive correlation between the variables. Anything below a 1.00 signifies there is no relationship.<br />
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44.21% of the firms did not have female representation on their board. In additional, the odds ratio analysis revealed significant results. An increase in annual sales is found to increase the likelihood of female representation on a directors board by 19.2%, odds ratio = 1.19, <i>p</i> < .001 (Hillman et. al., 2007). Industries with higher amounts of female employees had a relationship with the presence on boards as well, odds ratio = 1.01, <i>p < </i>.05. Diversity within an organization was found to not have an impact on female representation. Organizations that have females on their board of directors were likely to encourage related companies to include women on their boards as well, odds ratio = 1.09, <i>p</i> < .001. Organization age and number of directors were also found to be successful predictors but were not as statistically significant.<br />
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While the study findings are not 100% proven, it does demonstrate the presence of relationships between female representation on the board of directors and other factors. Annual sales, "woman-friendly" industries, and competing organizations with female directors may influence the gender composure of an organization's board of directors.<br />
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<b>IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS</b><br />
Times are changing and diversity is crucial for an organization's growth and competitive nature. This study shows that organizations are more likely to have a diversified board of directors based on their employee demographics. In addition, if their competition has female representation on their board, they are more likely to encourage the participation of women. I personally believe that an organization should strive to create a diverse board of directors so that a variety of demographics are represented. This gives each group of people representation and increases the likelihood that voices are heard.<br />
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Diversity on the board of directors is also crucial for talent management. People are more likely to join organizations where they share similarities with others. Board of directors are often advertised on company websites and therefore, it is easy for candidates to see what demographics are present. For instance, a woman may be discouraged to apply for a position at an organization if she notices there are no female officers. She may fear sexual harassment, lacking a voice or the chance that she may be discriminated. This is not true for every individual but cases of this exist. Encouraging diversity within a board of directors can reduce the likelihood that this would occur.<br />
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It is best stated in one sentence: Diversity = Innovation = Success<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Hillman, A.J. & Cannella, A.A. (2007). Organizational predictors of women on corporate boards. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Academy of Management Journal, 50 </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(4), 941-952.</span>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745908533384470735.post-51646167296176187982011-01-12T19:30:00.000-08:002011-01-13T16:29:55.307-08:00The Influence of a Manager's Own Performance Appraisal on the Evaluation of Others<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.<br />
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<a href="http://www.sophisticatededge.com/assets/images/Careers/management/how-to-respond-negative-performance-review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://www.sophisticatededge.com/assets/images/Careers/management/how-to-respond-negative-performance-review.jpg" width="400" /></a>Latham, Budworth, Yanar and Whyte (2008) take a unique approach in conducting research. Instead of just conducting an experiment, the authors review a case study, laboratory simulation and two (2) field studies. The article was set out to determine if a manager's past performance evaluation has any influence of the evaluations of his/her team members. Feedback from performance reviews may also affect mood, which could influence the ratings managers provide their team. Dissatisfaction on the job commonly occurs when an appraisal does not provide an accurate reflection of a person's behavior. Therefore, one must consider factors that may cause a bias on performance appraisals.<br />
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<b>CASE STUDY</b><br />
The case study did not contribute to the study as the findings were not significant. In short, it did not support the hypothesis.<br />
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<b>LABORATORY SIMULATION</b><br />
30 managers from the private sector were invited to participate in a study. They were randomly assigned to two groups. Both groups were provided hypothetical feedback concerning their performance from the previous year; the feedback differed as one was negative and the other was positive. Please refer to Appendix 1 to view the feedback distributed. After reading the feedback, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) mood assessment scale was administered to each participant. This assessment evaluates mood based on a participants agreement/disagreement with 10 positive terms and 10 negative terms (all terms were emotions). Participants were then provided with a description of the job they will be assessing and watched a videotape demonstrating an employees behavior.<br />
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A main effect was present for affectivity based on one's membership in the positive or negative feedback group, F = 18.63, p<.001. Managers who received negative feedback (M = 30.92, SD = 6.65) had higher amounts of negativity (according to PANAS) than managers who were part of the positive feedback condition (M = 15.77, SD = 8.44). Managers who received positive feedback (M = 40.14, SD = 6.98) had a higher level of positivity than managers in the negative feedback condition (M = 23.47, SD = 6.65). When comparing the assessment scores to the performance appraisal completed by participants, no effect was present. Therefore, this study demonstrates that mood does not affect one's ability to evaluate another's performance.<br />
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<b>FIELD STUDY 1</b><br />
27 participants from a manufacturing company were recruited to participate in the field study. All participants had been at the company for at least five (5) years and were familar with the performance appraisal process. Researchers collected the performance appraisals of these participants and a year later, collected the participant's evaluations for their employee (a total of 74). A Spearman Correlation revealed a level of .25, with a significance of p<.05. This study supports the findings in the laboratory study.<br />
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<b>FIELD STUDY 2</b><br />
39 managers and 227 manager subordinate dyads in Istanbul, Turkey participated in the study. The HR manager had provided the performance appraisals to the researchers. The performance appraisal of a manager successfully correlated with their evaluation of their subordinate, r = .57, p<.01.<br />
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<b>CONCLUSIONS</b><br />
While the case study does not support the initial hypothesis of the researchers, the field studies and laboratory study have demonstrated that a manager's previous performance does indeed influence how they rate their subordinates. It is possible that a manager's performance appraisal sets their standards of performance and managers may have the expectations that their subordinates cannot outperform them. Although its a cynical notion, the stats of the study could support that this bias exist.<br />
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However, take this study with a grain of salt. The publication provides limited statistical information and provides no tables to expand on their findings. There is a possibility that the researchers are only presenting the information they would like to show.<br />
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<b>HR IMPLICATIONS</b><br />
If this research is true, what can HR professionals do to prevent this bias from occurring? I have 3 recommendations:<br />
<ul><li><b>Training</b> -- Inform managers that this bias does exist. Managers who are aware of this bias may be more cautious in their ratings. Some may argue that training managers on biases only causes an individual to label their behaviors instead of improving it. I have a belief that it can do no harm and therefore conducting training would not be counterproductive. </li>
<li><b>Provide In-Depth Tools </b>-- Put detail into your organization's performance appraisal. Define each attribute that is being assessed. Then anchor the rating scale to create consistency among evaluators. Once these tools are developed, provide workshops for managers that allow them to test the system and create interrater reliability. </li>
<li><b>Examine </b>- Quickly review a managers' rating for their team. Examine the managers score from the previous year to determine if they used their previous scores to set the bar. This is not an ideal method for a large organization with large teams and many managers.</li>
</ul>Further research is required on this topic and one should not assume that the results are trustworthy.<br />
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<b>APPENDIX 1</b><br />
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<i>Negative Feedback</i><br />
"Your boss is disappointed with your progress and needs to see significant improvement in your performance in the near future. There is widespread agreement that you have poor management skills. Moreover, your interpersonal skills are lacking. Your peers find your abilities to be mediocre at best. They complain that they are constantly ‘cleaning up your mess'. our subordinates do not respect you and find it difficult to take your direction seriously. They always double check your instructions with your boss. In summary, you need to improve significantly in order to ensure a future with the company. Your overall rating is 1 on a seven-point scale."<br />
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<i>Positive Feedback</i><br />
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"You have exceeded your boss’s expectations and everyone is extremely pleased with your progress. You have outstanding management skills that are only surpassed by your interpersonal skills. Your peers find your performance to be highly effective. They look to you for direction, and they respect your opinion greatly. Your subordinates think of you as a mentor, and look to you for direction on matters beyond the scope of your portfolio. In summary, you are performing well above average. You have a strong and secure future with the company. Your overall rating is 7 on a seven-point scale."<br />
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Source: Latham, G.P., Budworth, M.H., Yanar, B., Whyte, G. (2008). The influence of a manager's own performance appraisal on the evaluation of others. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 16 (3), 220-228.</div>Ian Mondrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06254654722239094714noreply@blogger.com0