Welcome to the January 24, 2007 issue of The Total View

Published by Success Performance Solutions, Written by Ira S. Wolfe

Visit our Human Resources Blog and Perfect Labor Storm Blog where we can post daily (and more often) human resource updates, news, and Perfect Labor Storm facts. 

What's Inside:

Last Chance to Register to hear Ira Wolfe present "Choose the Best Employee Assessment Test and Put the RIGHT Person In the Job" Audioconference, Wednesday January 24 at 2:00PM EST - 60 minutes, sponsored by B21 Publishing.

Can't make it? Click here to order the CD or transcript or call 800.803.4303 for information.

1.   Absenteeism: To Show or Not To Show

On any given day, 6.4 percent of manufacturing employees miss a day's work. A survey from Circadian Technologies shows that unscheduled absences cost companies $3,600 per hourly employee per year and $2,650 per salaried employee each year.

More recently, the 2006 CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey found that the rate of unscheduled absenteeism climbed to its highest level since 1999, costing some large employers an estimated $850,000 per year in direct payroll costs, and even more when lost productivity, morale and temporary labor costs are considered.   Personal illness accounts for only 35 percent of unscheduled absences, while entitlement mentality accounted for 11 percent.

With absenteeism increasing and its associated costs rising, employers can't afford to hire or keep employees who play loosey-goosey with attendance and other workplace rules.

Getting a handle on dependability before you hire obviously has quite a bit of value for employers who have hourly employees, especially those filling entry-level positions. These are the positions notoriously associated with absenteeism and tardiness specifically in industries like call centers, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, construction, and health care workplaces.

Testing for employee dependability is easily accomplished with pre-employment tests like CandidClues and JobClues.  With CandidClues, candidate attitudes toward absenteeism and tardiness are revealed. in JobClues, the personality trait conscientiousness, closely related to dependability, is exposed.

In the world of employment tests, conscientiousness has emerged as the most consistent predictor of job success and job performance, regardless of the type of performance measure used or the level of the job involved. Conscientiousness measures an individual's preference for following the rules, follow-through, paying attention to details, and sticking to the plan.

You might be asking which scale is better, dependability or conscientiousness? Since they test for different things, it depends on what you need to know. For most jobs requiring good attendance AND strong work ethic, you likely willl want to know all you can about both attitude and personality. Why?

Because having a positive attitude toward showing up to work on time doesn't mean the employee has the skill or potential to manage their time (or keep track of their car keys and important papers or stick to deadlines etc.) So while knowing an employee has good intentions is important, it's just as critical to know the traits that influence positive work behavior.

What's so great about the new Clues system is that you have the option to assess both attitudes and personality for the same cost. (Of course, you can test for just one of these if you choose or add cognitive skills testing too.)

Getting started with Clues is easy. Call 800.803.4303 to request a test-drive of Clues or click here for more information.

2.  Perfect Labor Storm Alerts # 613 to 614

Fact #613: Americans are living longer and having fewer children, and this alters the ratio between the number of workers and retirees.
In 1937, 42 workers paid 2% in payroll tax to support every retiree.
In 1950, 16 workers paid 3% in tax for each retiree.

Today around 3.3 workers pay 12.4% in payroll tax for each retiree. By 2025 there will be two workers per retiree and by 2050 1.3 workers per retiree.
(Source: Social Security: A Tale of Two Problems, Washington Policy Center)

Fact #614: Social Security has become a poor deal for workers.
When the program started in 1935, the rate of return on a 40-year worker's investment was about 8%. Today someone that age can expect a dismal 1%. Our children's rate of return will be negative if the program remains the same. (Source: Social Security: A Tale of Two Problems, Washington Policy Center)

Don't miss day-to-day updates on Perfect Labor Storm.
Save the Perfect Labor Storm blog to your favorites.

Don't be caught in storm without all the facts. "The Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book: Why Worker Shortages Won't Go Away" is a must-read leading edge forecast that predicts workforce trends for decades to come. Order your copy today - Only $7.95.

3.   Downloadable Skillbuilder Series: Part 2 - Evaluate

Most of us go through some kind of interview process an average of ten times more frequently than did our parents or our grandparents. This estimate refers to work- or job-related interviewing. The same rate of change applies to many more situations, as well.

A successful selection interview is not a matter of luck or even effective conversation skills. Neither is it an opportunity to look for personal empathy with the candidate or to guess whether their qualifications or experience mean that they will be able to do a certain job. A typical interview is short, but we will look at a rigorous and structured process, in six phases:

Prepare
Evaluate
Question
Listen
Observe
Decide

In this issue of the TotalView, you can download the section on "Evaluate" for the interview. If you missed last week's download on "Prepare" for the interview, reply to this email or call 800.803.4303.
In following issues, I will include one phase each week.

Like what you see? Order Skillbuilders Interview/Selection in print or downloadable pdf format for all your managers. Call for pricing and information about our our unlimited use license at 800.803.4303.

4.   Reprint The Best Training Materials for As Little As $2 per employee

New for 2007! Our Self-Development Solutions License is the most cost-effective, TOTAL training solution in the industry. Self Development Solution Licenses are available to small businesses (10 to 100 employees) from as little as $36 per employee to less less than $2 per employee per year for larger workforces. All licenses include an unlimited supply of the world's best training materials.

Over 110 Products available for download, handout or customizable training workbooks.

Learn more about our Self-Development Solutions.

5.  Spotting Leadership Potential for $47 or less

A leadership drought is looming. That means succession planning is transitioning from important to urgent.

Spotting leadership potential just got a lot easier.  Compare aspiring leaders to others who would have been successful in leadership roles with our new Leadership Clues and Self-Identifier report.

The reports are divided into various behavioral areas. Within each report you will find tips to help employees develop weak skills.

A sampling of characteristics evaluated are:
Solving Problems
Motivating Others
Handling Change
Team Approach
...and more.

View a sample Leadership Identifier Report here or call 800.803.4303 for as little as $47 (or less with volume discounts).

We are now accepting applications for "Leading Leaders, Leading Others" workshop scheduled for May-June 2007. Or call 800.803.4303 to set up an appointment to discuss on-site training.

6.   Quotes from Hire Authorities

" It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory."
W. Edward Deming

Ira S. Wolfe Copyright 2007 - All Rights Reserved. Reprints and other distribution by permission