Marissa Mayer of Yahoo Bans Home Working

A fascinating decision which has moved me to pen my first blog post in a while:

 

There are only 2 reasons why a manager should consider an employees request for home working. First, if there is some personal reason that the employee needs to be at home and second, if isolation from work is required to think, plan or accomplish a particular project.

 

Many Company's, sadly, have let home working grow without considering these criteria with the result that too often the phrase 'Working from Home' is little more than a euphemism for a day off regardless of the good intentions of the member of staff concerned. I hope that this debate will finally bring into focus that all the modern tools that enable home working, video conferencing, skype and the like are merely substitutes for real human contact in the workplace and should not be seen as a permanent alternative to it

 

Finally, this issue is not about whether employees are 'trusted' to work from home. A good manager should always trust their staff but they should also provide a framework where they can give of their best. That means creating a work environment where the staff want to be regardless of the attractions of home.

New Year New Outlook

Faced with a business appointment in Birmingham last week I decided that, despite the recent hike in fares, I would follow the advice once given so memorably by Sir Jimmy Saville and 'Let the train take the strain'.
As usual I had underestimated the amount of time it took me to organise myself out of the house so I decided to phone for a taxi rather than take a bus. Only that way would I be sure of catching the earlier less crowded train. I use a local firm who are always prompt and so, with just enough time to spare, I parked myself and my briefcase on the passenger seat and announced confidently to the driver 'Midland Station please'.
Had I asked to be taken to Alpha Centauri I could not have received a more perplexed and quizzical reaction, a repetition of my chosen destination produced no improvement in the situation. After some minutes of fevered question and answer we established that I was asking to be taken to the train station, 'why on earth didn't you say that in the first place?' was the look I received when we had finally sorted it out.
By the time we set off it was obvious that I was going to miss the earlier, less crowded, train. Cursing my luck I squeezed myself onto the later train and, with great difficulty and no little tact, into a corner seat past someone whose frame could not be contained in the single space provided for the purpose and opposite someone else whose legs stubbornly refused to vacate the area normally allocated for my side of the table. Awkwardly seated, I started to feel even more uncomfortable as I slowly realised that the delay in the taxi which had led me to this cramped corner was my responsibility and mine alone . Why? Because the information I gave the driver was the problem.
For about 70 years in Nottingham there were 2 main railway stations, Victoria, which was run by the Great Central Railway and Nottingham Midland. To tell them apart they were, naturally enough refered to as 'Victoria Station' and 'Midland Station'. Despite Victoria stations demise in the mid 60s the name 'Midland Station' lived on and it was by that name that I came to know and refer to it.
My mistake was that I hadn't realised a changed reality that, with one station since the mid 20th century, the name I was using in the 21st was as obsolete as a starting handle for a car. As we start out on 2011 it was a timely reminder that we should all challenge our assumptions every so often to see whether changing reality or the passage of time means a rethink is in order. Not only will it force you to keep abreast of latest developments it will also mean you catchyour train on time.

What Wins Sales

In a few days I will begin a project with a new client that will involve looking at their HR structure, policies and procedures from top to bottom. I have been given a 6 month deadline to produce a report and recommendations but I know it won't take that long. Quite simply, if I haven't formed a view by the end of the first week then I should be in some other line of work!
Some things though do take longer and this contract is a case in point, I have been chasing this particular client for nearly 2 years. A friend of mine once told me that everyone knows one thing about the mechanics of a car and, regardless of what may be wrong with your particular motor, they will always trot out their particular theory about engines.
I think that also applies to what works in sales so, for what it's worth and with apologies to sales people everywhere, here is the one thing I (think) I know about getting a sale. It's luck. I don't mean that it doesn't happen without planning and hard work but so much also depends on your sales target receiving that visit, telephone call or e-mail at precisely the time they are ready to think about moving their account. There are many talents to sales but the ones I value above almost all others are persistence and bloody minded determination. It is that kind of doggedness that keeps in touch with the prospective client however unpromising it may seem and that, more often than not, wins the sale. I think that is what helped me win this new contract, it will, however, require another set of skills altogether for me to keep it!

A Question of Style

In the wake of yesterdays 'Bigotgate' affair I find some of what I wrote last month oddly prophetic 'You can't lead if you aren't seen around the business so for goodness sake, forget about the e-mail inbox and get your walking shoes on. If your not used to it this will be uncomfortable at first both for you and your staff but discipline yourself to do it at least once a week and you'll soon get the hang of it.' What happened to Mr Brown showed, regardless of your political affiliations, that here was a man who was not used to the fundamental leadership practice of 'walking the job' . Last month I talked specifically about Leadership. Those few moments of Gordon Brown talking to Gillian Duffy and immediately afterwards in the Jaguar give a fascinating insight into Leadership's less glamorous but equally important cousin, Management Style. What are we to make of Mr Brown's management style in those telling few moments?
Well, for a start, what struck me was a man who, because it was unfamiliar to him, was going through the motions of listening (look at the speaker, nod, make encouraging noises) but whose mind was elsewhere. Focusing on the next task rather than the current one Mr Brown's tried to protect his thoughts with a mental armour plate every bit as solid as that encasing his Prime Ministerial Jaguar. Only certain linguistic missiles managed to penetrate this dogged defence, tragically for him one of those words was 'immigration'. Because his mind was elsewhere it saved him the trouble of listening to the rest of what was being said and filled in the blanks for him, the 'Bigot' comment was almost inevitable from this point on. When you talk to your staff it must, for you, be the most important thing you are going to do that day not least because that will very probably be the way they feel about it. Respect them and their time and they will respect you. A good manager is a good listener.
What happened next, I have no doubt, is already being incorporated into sessions on management technique, what did Mr Brown then do? Quite simply he got into his car, over reacted and promptly looked for someone to blame for setting up the discussion. Oh dear! I don't need to bash on about how bad this is or how Mr Brown compounded it by trying to find more people to blame in his subsequent radio interview with Jeremy Vine.
One of the most frequent complaints of employees is that 'We work in a blame culture' with managements retort often being 'No you don't' Well there is an easy way to settle that one. Ask yourself, when did one of your employees last come to you with a genuinely radical idea about how you could make more money or cut costs? If your answer was 'all the time' then you are running a business where the staff know they can put something forward, receive your backing, and not be frightened of what you'll do if it doesn't pay off. If, on the other hand, you are wondering why that open door policy you started 5 years ago still hasn't encouraged a single random visitor maybe your management style is just too controlling. Gordon Brown's irritation at yesterdays encounter with Mrs Duffy stemmed I think from a feeling that he wasn't running it. I am always encouraging managers to understand that other people have opinions and ideas too and that running everything yourself is a management style that can lead to disaster, after yesterday maybe even Mr Brown would agree with me.

A Question of Leadership?

In a week or so Gordon Brown will take a short drive up the Mall and ask the Queen to dissolve Parliament and call a General Election. From that moment on we will be hearing an awful lot about leadership.
In business we are often being told about how important leadership is, the problem being that the debate on how to lead often becomes blurred with discussions about the style of famous leaders or even about heroism which, although a related topic, is a quality that is not often required when attending a management meeting on a wet Monday morning.
Like most things to do with management, leadership has been so thoroughly complicated by theorists that many people turn off when it is discussed, prefering to keep their head down and hope they are doing it right.
This is a mistake as, even if you can't aspire to the leadership levels of Churchill, Montgomery or even Richard Branson you will be surprised how effective a leader you can be if you follow 3 simple rules.

1. Be Visible
You can't lead if you aren't seen around the business so for goodness sake, forget about the e-mail inbox and get your walking shoes on. If your not used to it this will be uncomfortable at first both for you and your staff but discipline yourself to do it at least once a week and you'll soon get the hang of it. It's helpful if you have a question ready to get a conversation going try 'What are you working on' for instance.

2. Be Polite
This might seem an odd one, you are running a business not a charm school after all, but I am a great believer that managers that scream and shout are more diminished in the eyes of their staff after each outburst. Just like a chain being as strong as its weakest link a manager is as good as the way he or she treats the most junior employee. Politeness, particularly when the pressure is on, is not a sign of being soft, still less of weakness, it is a sign that you are in control both of the situation as well as yourself.

3. Make That Decision
Sadly too many managers think that if they put off making a choice between 2 conflicting proposals, or delay getting back to someone with a negative answer about that pay rise they asked for, they will avoid a row and somehow keep the peace. Well, they might but they will also lose the respect of the people they are trying not to offend, which is much worse. As long as you observe rule No 2 when you give your reply you will at least be regarded as someone who doesn't shy away from tough decisions.

There is obviously much more to leadership than these 3 basic principles but you will be surprised at the results you can achieve by giving them a try. In doing so you will be setting an example to others and creating an atmosphere in your business where your team will feel valued and want to do their best for you, that is the sign of true leadership.

How to manage a pay freeze and maintain morale

Having just come to the end, we hope, of the big freeze on the weather front a recent survey has suggested that HR professionals may have to consider a freeze of a very different but, if anything, less pleasant kind concerning pay. A recent study published by the Labour Research Department (LRD) states that a larger proportion of its database of 2,000 companies than ever before were either implementing a wage freeze or seriously considering one.

Whilst a firm control of the labour bill should always be high on the HR agenda a wage freeze is something that is always viewed with trepidation and with good reason even in the spirit of realism encouraged by these economic times. In my experience however and surprising though it may seem, if you plan and carry out a wage freeze whilst paying attention to some simple rules you stand a good chance of not only making a major contribution to controlling costs but you also may even earn the thanks of the wider workforce for the way you carry it out. A feeling that ‘everyone is in this thing together’ may even restore the morale of your hard pressed employees. Here is my 3 point plan for successfully handling this difficult subject:

1. Communication

Never is clear and straightforward communication with staff more important than when the issue concerns pay and benefits. Everyone should be well aware of the financial situation in your Company on a monthly or (at least) quarterly basis. If things aren’t going well then your staff should be told, otherwise any news of a pay freeze will be met with a mixture of incomprehension and hostility. Staff that are regularly briefed about market conditions and future prospects still won’t like having their pay pegged back but will at least give you credit for keeping them in the loop. They may even have some alternative suggestions of their own to add to the debate (see below).

2. Look at the Whole

However much staff may understand the need for a pay freeze they will resent any indication that others in the business are somehow getting around it by landing benefits or perks not available to them. That is why you must ensure that the credibility of your actions is not undermined by a Director taking delivery of a new Company car or news of the sales department treating favoured clients to corporate hospitality at Twickenham or Wembley. Even the redecoration of the Board room at a time like this can set off a chorus of ‘them ‘n’ us’ grumbles so you must have your antennae more highly tuned than usual to avoid these sort of gaffes. Everyone must be persuaded that the overall health of the Company depends on putting aside personal wish lists however valid they may seem to the individual. More than ever it will be up to you to ensure that the business thinks and acts as one unit.

3. Find Opportunities

Good HR people can find positives in the most unpromising situations and this is no exception. If you have an ideas scheme then, during this period, make sure it is focused on targeting rewards directly at cost saving ideas. Why not use your staff forum to consider areas of cost savings throughout the business or even set up a cross departmental group to specifically consider what regular day to day savings in energy usage, materials and consumables could be made. Remember, staff at the chalk face often see opportunities for improvements and savings far more clearly than you. You could even consider adopting the ISO 14001: 2004 Environmental Management System as a Company objective as it addresses many energy saving issues that will save money and promote the ‘Green’ agenda.


If you are able to handle your pay freeze with these factors in mind you will be in a good position to turn what would otherwise be a beleaguered and downbeat atmosphere into something more positive and forward looking. Good luck.

Morale and how to achieve it

At the weekend I allowed myself an excursion to watch my team, Notts County, of league 2 (the old 4th division to you and me) play premiership Wigan in the 4th round of the FA Cup. Anyone with even a passing interest in football would be aware of the trials and tribulations surrounding the oldest league club in the world: a multi million £ takeover which proved to be a mirage, talk of another sale, mounting debts and doubts over whether the wage bill could be met, rumour and counter rumour swirling around the club. You would think that all this would affect the work performance of those key members of staff, the players wouldn't you? Well it certainly didn't show on Saturday as Notts raced into a 2-0 lead and were only just denied a historic win by the fluke of a last minute equaliser (OK, I'm biased).
The point here though is that, despite all the uncertainty about their future as well as whether they would actually be paid this month the team still delivered. If you are in the position of having to steer your business though uncertain times and tight budgets you could maybe take inspiration on how to do it from Notts County's caretaker manager Dave Kevan. Throughout his time in charge he has asked the team to concentrate on their own performance and contribution, not on what is going on elsewhere. He has turned the rather beleaguered atmosphere at the club into a positive by using it to bond the team in a 'we're all in it together' kind of way. Above all, he has led by example, refusing to be drawn on speculation about the clubs future and by being cheerful and optimistic, setting the standard and challenging others to meet it. In short he has proved himself to be a real leader, the kind every business could do with in difficult times.