Management Blog

Rethinking workplace rewards

Carrots and sticks simply don't work… it's time for managers to rethink how they motivate employees and reap the rewards of creative thinking, argues author Dan Pink in this TED video. 

Hiring managers turn to social media

A recent US study claims a large proportion of hiring managers use social media to look into the background of job candidates, Fast Company reports.

The CareerBuilder survey suggests 45 per cent of prospective employers turn to sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to know if a person is right for their organisation.

This figure is a significant increase from a similar study that took place last year that found 22 per cent of employers were using social media to screen job applicants.

This year's study indicates 35 per cent of employers decided against a candidate after viewing their social media presence.

Inappropriate photos, drug and alcohol use, client criticism, poor communication and lying were cited as main turn offs for hiring managers.

Getting to know the IT Crowd

The BBC comedy The IT Crowd may have some fun at the expense of technology workers but one thing is for sure: there's no surviving modern office life without them.

Here's a clip from the show that looks at two very different approaches to helping non-IT co-workers during a time of need.

SMEs embrace the online world

A new survey has found Australia's small business sector is becoming more comfortable with online technologies, Digital Media reports.

The Sensis 2009 e-Business Report [PDF] has found over 95 per cent of SMEs are now connected to the internet and that a large number of these businesses are starting to use online content more creatively.

Researchers say one third of SMEs have embraced email marketing and a quarter of small businesses are engaged in marketing pursuits via third party websites.

According to the article, 71 per cent of respondents said the internet enhanced business effectiveness in areas such as customer awareness, market research, enquiries and sales.

British union calls for high heel ban

You don't normally expect union bosses to make their opinions known about women's fashion, but that's exactly what's happened in the UK with the launch of a campaign to ban high heels at work.

According to news.com.au, the UK's Trade Union Congress claims stiletto heels are demeaning to women and should be banned in favour of more sensible footwear.

The anti-heel activists claim stilettos are a health and safety issue as shoes that are more than 25mm high can result in injuries and contribute to foot and back problems.

Not surprisingly the campaign has attracted criticism with one British MP claiming heels can help women (especially diminutive ladies) by making them more noticeable at work.

What do you think? Do heels help or hinder the modern working woman?

Jargon watch: meet the couplets

Remember the DINKs... the double-income-no-kids version of the Yuppie that marketers loved so much in the 1990s?

Well new research has found this 'life stage' is still alive and well, and apparently deserving of the new moniker: the couplets.

According to a recent SheSpot study, these young soon to be married or recently married couples are an important market as their new lifestyles evoke large spending increases.

Researchers say creating larger and improved living arrangements is on the top of this group's wish list with 40 per cent of couplets looking to move house within 18 months of their nuptials.

Aside from a new abode couplets are also big spenders on bed linen, cookware, kitchen appliances, bath line and sofas.

And when it comes to making decisions about how to feather their nests the researchers suggest women are the key influencers across all couplets.

Via Marketing magazine

HaveMyShift launched in the US

In a move that could make the life of casual and shift workers a lot more convenient, a website called HaveMyShift has been launched to allow US employees to post and swap their shifts.

Springwise says HaveMyShift, which operates under the tagline 'Work Flexibility; Live Happily', aims to help both employees and employers.

The Facebook integrated service lets people know via email when there is a shift available either as a shift pops up or with once-a-day summaries.

According to the post, more than 4,000 employees so far have registered with HaveMyShift in order to exchange over 21,000 shifts.

A cool idea, could it work here? Or could it work for non-shift workers?

Examining the Reset Economy

The new book from the man dubbed the poet laureate of the US recession, Kurt Anderson, argues the financial meltdown in that country is an opportunity to start a fresh – to 'reset'.

Anderson's book Reset tells the stories of people who have lost their jobs but gained a new lease on life by following their passions.

An audio clip of Anderson talking to Time editor Richard Stengel can be found here.

Middle management opinions in demand

Middle managers, your time has come...

A new study by the Economist's Intelligence Unit suggests a large proportion of board members across the world are keen to seek greater input from middle managers following the GFC.

According to management-issues, 47 per cent of survey respondents say they believe middle managers should play a bigger role in the decision making process.

Researchers say 57 per cent of companies would also look to their customers in order to steer their companies towards better times.

The study also considered which business functions have the most input when it comes to organisational decision making. It turns out finance offered the most input and HR the least.

What happens to your Facebook profile when you die?

Lawyers around the world are struggling with what to do about their deceased clients' social networking profiles, The Daily Telegraph reported recently.

According to the article, sites like Facebook do not automatically remove members' profiles when they pass away, a situation that means there are countless profiles of dead people still in existence. 

The phenomenon, which has been dubbed the 'cyber graveyard', is evoking mixed responses.

While some family members of decease social network users maintain profiles as memorial sites, others are upset when they discover they have no power to have the site deleted.

The Law Society of NSW recommends users keep a logbook of passwords to make it easier for executors to either maintain or delete their social networking profiles.

It's also suggested that these passwords are written in a cryptic form – but probably not too cryptic – just in case they are stolen.