Welcome to the May 16, 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:

1. The High Cost of Workplace Jerks (Office Bullies)

Workplace jerks do their dirty work in all sorts of ways, ranging from the subtle to the obnoxiously blatant. (See Perfect Labor Storm Facts and Trends below.) Whatever the tactic, workplace bullies pack an emotional wallop, demeaning and de-energizing employees and customers alike.

Jerk-infested workplaces are more common than employers like to think - or at least admit: Nearly 45% of U.S. workers have toiled for an office bully, according to a recently released Employment Law Alliance
survey. This is nearly double the number of workers (27 percent) reported mistreatment by someone in the workplace in 2000 (The Nature, Extent, and Impact of Emotional Abuse in the Workplace, Keashly and Jagatic). And in a 2003 study, 91 percent of nurses reported they experienced verbal abuse. As a result, 12 states are weighing legislation to keep the statistic in check.

The most extreme and dangerous bullies are the subject of a new book, "Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work." Psychopaths!!! Many of you will likely have the same reaction as I did when I picked up a copy of new book: you're thinking serial killers and stalkers or picturing Hannibal Lecter, Freddy Krueger, and Dr. No starring as the boss.

Reality however paints a far different picture. Psychopathic behavior is not illegal. It is not in fact even classified as a mental illness.   Psychopathy is a personality disorder and hiring managers today
unwittingly confuse its symptoms with successful work attributes.

For example, how many rising stars have you known who are driven, ambitious, resilient, charming, articulate, intelligent, and charismatic? Their mere presence disarms the most skeptical while
their supporters fawn and idolize them. Now remove the incapability of empathy, guilt or loyalty to anyone but themselves and viola - you have a psychopath.

In search for high-potential top talent, hiring managers see what they want to see: candidates exuding "leadership" skills such as taking charge, making decision, and getting others to do what you want. They see innovation and risk taking, ignoring how far this individual is willing to push the envelope. What they miss is the psychopath who has deftly re-articulated his dysfunctional inclinations of coercion, domination and manipulation into a socially acceptable package that lasts long enough to get through the interview. Authors Dr. Paul Babiak and Dr. Robert D Hare in their "Snakes in Suits" book write, "Failing to look closely beneath the outer trappings of stereotypical leadership to the inner working of personality can sometimes lead to a regrettable hiring decision."

In addition to turnover, lower productivity, absenteeism and even higher rates of disability and stress-related illnesses, office bullies can cost a company a lot of money. In a recent article in the
McKinsey Quarterly (2007, Number 2) one company calculated the extra costs (or TCJ = total cost of jerks) generated by a star salesperson - that assistants he burned through, the overtime costs, the legal costs, the anger management training and so on. The extra cost of one jerk for one year was $160,000.

One study, which included interviews with 30 people who had either witnessed or experienced workplace bullying, indicated that 40 percent of the targets left their organizations, while 30 percent of the witnesses were planning on leaving their workplaces as a result of the behavior. That survey, based on the direct and indirect experiences of those interviewed, revealed that 244 employees left their positions due to workplace bullying.

Employers committed to sustaining a civilized workplace have several options. First and foremost is the enforcement of a "no-jerks" rule. Bullying behavior must be dealt with immediately. Repeat offenders
aren't ignored or forgiven again and again. Jerks must change behavior or change employers.

Click here to read more about Developing a Violence Program

And while I will be the first to admit that personality tests are not predictors of clinical disorders, they can predict behaviors that are magnets and catalysts for conflict: disrepect, aggression and intimidation.

Click here to read more about any of these assessment systems
or call us at 717.291.4640 or 800.803.4303.

2.  Perfect Labor Storm Facts and Trends

Workplace bullies use many methods to intimidate their targets. Based on studies of toxic workplaces, the Workplace Bullying Institute has identified 25 of the Top Workplace Bully Tactics employed by workplace bullies.

  1. Falsely accused someone of "errors" not actually made (71 percent).
  2. Stared, glared, was nonverbally intimidating and was clearly showing hostility (68 percent).
  3. Discounted the person's thoughts or feelings ("oh, that's silly") in meetings (64 percent).
  4. Used the "silent treatment" to "ice out" and separate from others (64 percent).
  5. Exhibited presumably uncontrollable mood swings in front of the group (61 percent).
  6. Made up own rules on the fly that even she/he did not follow (61 percent).

  7. Disregarded satisfactory or exemplary quality of completed work despite evidence (58 percent).
  8. Harshly and constantly criticized having a different standard for the target (57 percent).
  9. Started, or failed to stop, destructive rumors or gossip about the person (56 percent).
10. Encouraged people to turn against the person being tormented (55 percent).
11. Singled out and isolated one person from coworkers, either socially or physically (54 percent).
12. Publicly displayed "gross," undignified, but not illegal, behavior (53 percent).
13. Yelled, screamed, threw tantrums in front of others to humiliate a person (53 percent).
14. Stole credit for work done by others (47 percent).
15. Abused the evaluation process by lying about the person's performance (46 percent).
16. Declared target "insubordinate" for failing to follow arbitrary commands (46 percent).
17. Used confidential information about a person to humiliate privately or publicly (45 percent).
18. Retaliated against the person after a complaint was filed (45 percent).
19. Made verbal put-downs/insults based on gender, race, accent or language, disability (44 percent).
20. Assigned undesirable work as punishment (44 percent).
21. Created unrealistic demands (workload, deadlines, duties) for person singled out (44 percent).
22. Launched a baseless campaign to oust the person; effort not stopped by the employer (43 percent).
23. Encouraged the person to quit or transfer rather than to face more mistreatment (43 percent).
24. Sabotaged the person's contribution to a team goal and reward (41 percent).
25. Ensured failure of person's project by not performing required tasks, such as sign-offs, taking calls, working with collaborators (40 percent)

Source: Workplace Bullying Institute 2003 Report on Abusive Workplaces

Perfect Labor Storm 2.0 is now available. The year 2007 will see an increase in skilled worker shortages and more competition. The result will be higher salaries, more training and career advancement opportunities, and more flexible work cultures.  How prepared is your company to find skilled and dependable workers?  

Perfect Labor Storm 2.0 is the newly updated and revised 2007 edition of best-selling book first published in 2005.  You can now download an advance copy of PLS 2.0. a $10 value with every purchase of the original Perfect Labor Storm, still a great value at $9.95. 

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

3.  New! Upcoming Webinars, Workshops and Training Dates

Get Clues: Solving the mystery of hiring employees
Date: June 5, 2007
Time: 11:00 AM EDT
Place: On the web
Cost: FREE - limited to first 10 participants.

Looking for an easy to use, low cost tool to uncover employee clues that predict successful job performance? Then you don't want to miss this free webinar conducted by Marilyn Walker, Director of the SPS Assessment Center.

Click here to register!

ASSESS Expert System Certification
Date: June 12 and 13, 2007
Time: 8:30 - 5:00; 2nd day ends at 12:30PM
Place: Lancaster, PA
Tuition: $1500 per person; $1000 for 2nd person, same company

ASSESS Expert System User Certification has been rescheduled due to the inclement weather experienced in the Northeast from April 15-17. New dates will be June 12 and 13.

For the first time ever, Bigby Havis and Success Performance Solutions have partnered to sponsor a 2-day ASSESS User Certification in Central PA. (Bigby Havis is one of the top U.S. organizational psychology consulting firms with domestic and international clients.)

Participation is limited and over half the seats are already filled.
Don't wait. Call 800-803-4303 for information.

4. New Free Audio Podcast: Reduce the Cost of Hiring (8:04)

The cost of recruiting and staffing is skyrocketing. A recent survey placed the cost at over 14 percent for every $100,000 of compensation. Best practice employers are using assessments and tools that reduce hiring errors by as much as 50%. Ira S Wolfe speaks with Michael Spremulli about how reliable hiring solutions save time and money.

Listen and learn

5. Bridge the Generation Gaps with Generational Style Assessment

Bridge the gap between people of different ages in your workplace. The chances are, you’ve struggled with someone older – or younger – who just doesn’t see things your way. This assessment will help you understand the differences between the generations and identify ways to “flex” your own behavior to better work with or manage people of all ages.

Click here to see more about Generational Style Assessment and other tools and books.

6.  Industrial and Adminstrative Skills Testing

SkillClues evaluates technical and/or administrative skill proficiency levels - from industrial to healthcare to basic and advanced computer skills, including MS Office, Accounting, Design/Graphics and more.  Reports contain both graphical and verbal interpretation of the applicant’s results, including overall and specific question scoring.

Learn more about Clues for Skills

7.  Quotes from Hire Authorities

"A wise man associating with the vicious becomes an idiot."
Arabic proverb

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