Recognising your employees on a human level

The seeds of this article were sewn as I put together the last edition of Network HR. First, as I edited the Training & Development section, I read the following prophetic words from Jennifer Petersen, “If you want your customers to feel cared for, you must care for the employees that serve them.” This started me musing about the way organisations across China treat employees. Yet, at that point my thoughts had no real direction and this article remained very much in the embryonic stage. That was the case, until I read 30 Days to a Happy Employee by Dottie Bruce Gandy and began to explore the idea of acknowledgement.

It is safe to say that the chaos caused by the extreme weather conditions in February took much of the lustre off 2008’s first Golden Week for thousands of people – many of you included I would imagine. Spending hours waiting for trains that never came or being stranded in freezing conditions hundreds of kilometers from home, will have caused many people to return to work in greater need of a holiday than before they left. However, as extreme as the weather conditions were, the events of Spring Festival 2008 showed that the Golden Week system is far from perfect and that we may need other options in terms of time off for our employees.

Unleash the power of employee giving programs

In December 2004, a raging Tsunami gripped the Indian Ocean, claiming the lives of over 150,000 people. Eight months later, Hurricane Katrina struck the southern coast of the United States, resulting in the loss of1,800 lives and $81 billion of damage. However, one of the most uplifting elements to emerge from the devastation of both events was the outpouring of emotion and support from people around the globe that helped to raise millions in relief. People from almost every walk of life donated money, goods, time, or skills to help repair some of the damage. Rooted in this desire to help others, is an opportunity for you to change the way you look at the benefits you provide your employees.

Finding the right formula for fitness and teambuilding

One of the best ways in which to examine the intricacies of successful teams is via the sports world. It is common knowledge amongst sporting coaches that even when a team possesses the greatest players in the world, it can still fail to perform. Just wait for the Olympics in Beijing later this year, I can guarantee there will be several upsets, with the favourites falling to less talented, but more unified teams. Top coaches refer to teams, which work well together as having ‘chemistry'. However, chemistry is not just an essential factor on the sports field; it is also essential to any office.