Although it has been tough for most companies in this economic recession, a new study reports Great Workplaces have performed better, with revenue and stock prices to the avoidance of the dreaded layoff and its terrible consequences. Our good friend Asher Adelman, Founder of GreatPlaceJobs.com, said their recent study “shows that even though top-ranked employers have suffered through the current recession, their revenue levels and stock prices are still in better shape than their competitors.” He also stated “the general sample of companies laid off employees almost twice as often as the excellent employers.  A shocking 86% of the Fortune 100 largest companies have laid off workers since the recession started in early 2008,” stated Adelman.

Let’s revisit the proven reasons Great Workplaces survive in a rough economy, which I shared with you last September.

The people inside Great Workplaces make the difference because their company truly cares for them by creating a sustainable, flourishing culture.  As a result, a majority of their energized employees are engaged and running on all cylinders. The benefits of creating a Great Workplace are numerous.  As chairman of the board, CEO, business owner or start-up entrepreneur, the proven benefits of building a Great Workplace will likely make your company a powerful force even in the most difficult of times.  Why? The benefits of creating a Great Workplace have been researched and proven by the Great Place to Work Institute:

• Higher productivity
• Higher profitability
• Better customer satisfaction
• Lower staff turnover rates
• Greater number of applicants for open positions
• Attraction of the best and brightest talent
• Less resistance to change
• Lower health care costs
• Lower workers’ compensation costs
• Lower absenteeism rates
• Lower presenteeism rates
• Higher levels of cooperation
• Higher quality products and services
• Increased innovation and risk taking
• Higher returns to stockholders

When you build a winning team with a great work environment, employees will take care of business during both good and bad times. It is a winning formula for building a long-term, growing and profitable organization.

So how can you better insure your company against the doom and gloom of the latest economic recession? Become a Great Workplace. You will not only attract the top talent your industry has to offer, but you will also keep that talent by developing a positive work environment designed for the success of your employees.

Go here to read the rest of the GreatPlaceJobs employment study on why Great Workplaces are outperforming their competitors in the recession.

To get more information, or to develop strategies for turning your company into a Great Workplace, contact Kevin Kennemer with The People Group at 888.797.9992 Ext 1, or by e-mailing kevin@thepeoplegroupllc.com.

Do you remember that Pantene commercial in the 1980’s when the girl in the shower said, “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.” Don’t worry, when you are in the job market, employers in most cases will love you when you are beautiful.  Advertisers know that sex sells stuff.  Sex appeal helps those in the job market as well.  Bottom line, beautiful people go to the front of the employment line.

Have you ever been seated in the lobby of a doctor’s office and watched as the pharmaceutical sales representatives wait for their appointment? I have noticed I would not qualify for their job.  First, most are beautiful women.  You know, the kind of women who could wear a feedsack and still look terrific. Secondly, the pill selling men could pose for GQ Magazine.  Does this give you a comfort feeling? Could it be our trusted doctors and their staff prescribe the latest medicine based on the good looks of the pharmaceutical company’s sales staff?  “Oh, I think that blonde rep. is so hot. If I prescribe tons of Zoloft maybe she will go out with me.”

Overweight People Must Work Harder
I remember a comedian telling his audience, “Fat people have to work harder.”  Overweight comedians might be funny but in the office it’s not so comical.  You remember elementary school? Children are brutally honest and will routinely make fun of overweight kids. Bullying might be a better term for this. Those same bully kids who called fellow students “fatso” grew up and now work in the corner office.

If you are overweight and/or beauty challenged, working relationships might get a little rough for you in the workplace.  You might have to produce more than your beautiful and thin coworkers to obtain the respect they garner.

Timeout
At this point I suspect those who feel overweight or not-so-beautiful understand this article. I am saying things people know but just don’t verbalize in writing. If you are a workplace beauty, on the other hand, you may not be convinced you have an upper-hand in the career game. Some good-looking women may feel they are discriminated against because they are too good looking.  I suppose that could happen too.  According to CNN.com, a recent study has shown attractive people earn five percent more than their average-looking counterparts. Let’s move on.

My Story
Before you come unglued and think I am totally insensitive and have lost my mind, let me tell you my story. Keep in mind I am a workplace consultant and this is my line of work; organizational behavior.  Neither do I consider myself outwardly good-looking or thin. In other words, I am not meddling.

One time a businessman told me I needed to lose weight.  Was he concerned about my health? No, he was concerned about his image.  He simply was trying to gain a political advantage over me. Besides, at the time I did not even consider myself to be overweight. And secondly, my weight was none of his business!

Several years later a CEO mentioned to me I had gained some weight and I needed to lose it.  At the time I was dealing with some personal issues and had actually gained some weight, however, that kind of advice should never be given by an employer.  A spouse can give this kind of feedback.  Even if it is your spouse, tread very carefully.  Guys, did you hear me?

Business leaders, I do not recommend telling an employee, “Hey, do you know we have an on-site workout facility? I suggest you use it and lose some weight.”  This creates an unfriendly, if not hostile, work environment.  Overweight people rarely take advice from ridiculously thin people who constantly eat Ho Hos and drink real Pepsi like the world is coming to an end.

Beauty, Weight and Disability Challenges
Beauty, weight and disabilities are all areas where employers should tread carefully.  Keep in mind I am talking ethics, not laws. It is perfectly legal to discriminate against ugly and overweight people in the U.S.  However, it is not ethical.

Who gets invited to the company’s annual report photo shoot?  Beautiful employees.

Who receives an invitation to the employee benefits video filming? Beautiful employees.

Who receives second and third notices about the weight watchers program? Overweight employees.

Are weight management programs realistically for the health of the employee or under the radar company image compliance programs? You guessed it. Workplace health programs are typically aimed at thinning up overweight people and improving the company’s outward image.

Serious About Healthy Workplaces?
Maintaining a healthy weight is a good, individual goal. However, if companies were truly concerned about the health of their employees, they should fire their workplace bullies who cause, anxiety, fear, clinical depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome, and a host of other costly medical and business expenses.  I suspect workplace bullies cost as much if not more in turnover, time off, business interruption expenses and cause nervous people to overeat than overweight people cost the company’s medical and time-off plan.

Legal to Discriminate
Did you know it is perfectly legal to discriminate based on good looks in most U.S. jurisdictions? There are companies who seem to be unusually focused on the outward appearance of the employee.  These employers are not simply concerned with an applicant’s wardrobe, social and job skills, they are enamored by beauty, attractiveness and good looks, both male and female.

Eye Candy as Requisite Skill
I once met an executive who demanded the company’s receptionist be hired as eye candy for the other executives.  Was this an illegal demand? No, it was not illegal but certainly an unethical hiring practice if one is not basing hiring decisions on skills and capabilities.  In America, it is perfectly legal to hire only beautiful people and drop kick ugly and overweight applicants, assuming the beauties have the requisite skills.

Outward Appearance vs. Inward Character
Sunday School teaches you a great deal about life when you are young. When I was a young boy I remember being taught an Old Testament scripture. It comforts me to know that according to the Bible’s teachings, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” In the game of life, people may look at our outward appearance but God looks at our inner character.

I suspect the Great Workplaces across America have also tapped into the character of employees rather than their outward appearance.  Great character comes in all shapes and sizes.  As an employer, I would much rather recruit those with high moral character, a servant’s heart, a strong work ethic and the desire to treat all people with trust and respect. It’s what is inside that really matters.

Why Open this Can of Worms?
With the rising unemployment rate there will be increased competition as more workers apply for fewer jobs.  It is likely many unemployed workers will be unprepared for the new wave of vanity that will sweep across American workplaces.  You have heard, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I submit to you, beauty and jobs are in the eye of the employer.

This is why you should choose your employer carefully.  I suggest you start with the Fortune 100 Best Companies To Work For List.  They are not perfect but are likely better than those not on the list.

Watch for another upcoming article on this topic on The People Group Blog, assuming there is not a contract killing placed on me by a good-looking assassin.

As a business owner, I can tell you starting a business is not for the faint of heart. It takes patience, perseverance, determination and a little bit of insanity.  Understandably, there are people who want a stable job where a paycheck arrives every two weeks. My parents worked for their companies a very long time and they never quite understood entrepreneurship. My father worked forty-four years and never used a sick day because he was dedicated to his company.

Thanks to my father’s company where he retired, my mother has the best in health insurance and a retirement plan.  Benefits like that are hard to get in today’s economy.  Unfortunately, that kind of employee-employer loyalty is rare in today’s business environment.

Would I be more comfortable working in a 9 to 5 career with business risks falling on someone else’s shoulders? I can honestly say “no.”  And here are a few reasons why:

People Issues

There is no shortage of people and leadership issues in the workforce. Unfortunately for American workers, most people are unfulfilled, unsatisfied, unrecognized, under-utilized, under-appreciated and unengaged. Why? Leaders typically rank financial issues and a host of other concerns higher in priority than people issues. Address your people issues, on the other hand, and other business concerns will begin to come together.

Mission-Based Living

I’m on a mission to help create Great Workplaces across America.  Employees will enjoy their work life much more if they see a higher meaning attached to it. Most companies say they want employees to enjoy the experience and be passionate about their work, yet that is not the case most of the time.  I am very passionate about treating people with trust, dignity and respect at work. When I confront an untouchable executive about their bully behavior, all of a sudden this passion is considered insubordination.  It doesn’t work to have high moral values and passion about developing a great company culture unless there is true independence as a consultant.

Greed is Alive and Well

Greed destroys lives. Along with many good people, I helped build a nationally recognized company that was destroyed by the uncontrolled greed of a few individuals.  As a result, I learned a very hard lesson: organizational leaders should be held accountable for their behavior.  Leaders should understand how their decisions will affect the hard-working people inside a company. If leaders start veering off a moral path, someone should be able to throw up a red flag.  If their warnings are not heeded, the leader(s) should be shown the exit. Greed has hurt a number of good, innocent people in our country and city recently.  Great Workplaces help to weed out toxic influences like greed. Making money, being profitable, incentive plans, etc., are all extremely necessary. Greed, however, must be kept under lock and key.

Take a few minutes to think about what you are working for in 2009.

Meet Mr. Good and Mr. Evil. This was the strangest leadership style I had ever encountered. It was typical to leave the CEO’s office feeling great about the company, pumped up, energized and feeling good about work and life. Meetings with the CEO’s powerful second in command, on the other hand, left you feeling drained, deflated, confused and worried if you would even have a job the next week.

Psychopathic Polarized Leadership Sinks the Ship

The CEO was cordial, respectful and seemed to have a positive outlook on life.  His second in command was an abrasive bully who was arrogant, foul mouthed and narcissistic. This psychopathic polarized leadership style would later prove devastating to this company.  Communication within the organization was dysfunctional at best.  Executives did not know where the company was going and were hesitant to pursue cold, hard facts in a fear-based buffer that surrounded the CEO thanks to leader number two.

Good Cop-Bad Cop?

The senior management’s leadership style was confusing and left many company leaders and professionals bewildered at times. The top two management duo’s modus operandi was similar to good cop-bad cop.  Except this was good leader-evil leader.  The players were not cops but irresponsible business leaders. The victims were not crime suspects but well-respected business leaders and professionals.

Public Speeches about Great Workplaces

As the head of human resources, I would occasionally be asked to speak to groups. I was very proud of our company and the progress we had made in creating a great place to work. This was an absolute miracle considering the psychopathic leadership model at the top. Not only had we grown from obscurity to number five on the Forbes list of largest privately held companies, we also were well known throughout the city and the region as an employer of choice.

When job openings were advertised on our website, within minutes hundreds of people would be applying.  In fact, we were aware of job applicants working at other respected companies waiting for positions to come open so they could apply for a chance to work in a great workplace. This was a talent recruiting position many leaders only dream about.  We had become a magnet for the best and brightest people.

Unhealthy at the Top

When speaking to groups, it was only natural to tell audiences my philosophy of creating an employee-friendly corporate culture where people should be treated with trust and respect. The importance of a company’s internal personality cannot be overstated.  However, I knew our company’s personality at the top was sick and twisted.  Overall, ninety-nine percent of the company was comprised of very good, respectful people who cared about the organization and its people.  The company was unhealthy at the top.

Two Ten Thousand Pound Gorillas

It has been said, “You are only as strong as your weakest link.” Unfortunately for us, our weakest link was two ruthless, clever, greedy scheming executives at the top. In other words, underneath our great workplace story was two ten thousand pound gorillas.  Mr.  Good and Mr. Evil.  I dared not talk publicly about their confusing and exasperating leadership styles.

As time went on this became an enormous problem. It created fear, dread, aggravation and knots inside many peoples’ stomachs.  At first I simply thought we had an out of control, certified asshole executive along with a beloved CEO who avoided conflict and would not rise to the occasion and stop the internal psychological terrorism on employees and fellow leaders.  Later I realized they were working together to create a polarized management system.

Moral of this Story

Learn from this sad but true story. This is an extreme example. However, it is important because you need to know who is running or ruining your company. Is Mr. Good really working for the best interests of the company?  Is Mr. Evil really worth keeping around?  People practice professionals need to speak freely about what ills the company. Many executives do not want to hear about problems.  That is why it has been said most human resource executives need a “go to hell fund.”

Live your life with utmost integrity and be willing to tell the truth, even if the truth will likely cost you your job.  In the long run an integrity-based journey will make sense and bring worthwhile rewards.

If you were faced with an evil, illegal, unethical or highly questionable business practice sanctioned by your leaders, would you have the character to stand up and declare your disapproval, even if it meant losing your job?  Would you walk away from a steady paycheck if your company’s leaders were unwilling to correct their wayward practices? When the eyes of evil are upon you the act of conscientious separation can be a very, very difficult moment in your life.

This is our hope: when faced with evil, we will stand up for what is right, good and honorable.

Group Behavioral Norms

The problem is that group behavior tends to create norms and patterns of behavior that tend to force people to conform in order to feel part of the team. That is why belonging to the right company culture is absolutely necessary for the mental, physical and spiritual well-being of employees over the long term. The people in power at your company – president, CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, CHRO, board of directors, etc. – have enormous control over the company’s cultural climate and group behavior.  Company culture flows down from the top.  It does not bubble up from the mail room or permeate the organization from human resources.  Company culture is a reflection of the leader’s personality.

Follow the Leader

Employees tend to follow their leader. I once observed the grotesque transformation of an administrative assistant. She changed from a rather nice person to an extremely difficult, overbearing, hateful and simply rude dominatrix after working a few years for her boss who exhibited the same traits.  She found her incentive plan paid better when she exhibited her boss’s behaviors.  She was mirroring and conforming to her supervisor’s behavioral norms. The leader’s evil ways rubbed off on her.  Her former nice self was not compensated as well so she shoved that character into the closet and locked the door.

The executive’s control of incentive payments changed her in a very disturbing and negative way. Sometimes soccer moms are not immune from morphing into whatever behavior pays the most money so the kids can have the latest brands, gadgets, technology and private education.

Stanford Prison Experiment

Consider the famous 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment. College students volunteered to play the role of either prisoner or prison guard.  The result: only after six days the planned two-week experiment had to be abruptly halted as the college students playing prison guards morphed into evil dictators who levied psychological abuse on their fellow students playing the role of prison inmate.

Many of the prisoners were found laying on the floor in fetal positions experiencing mental breakdowns as a result of the significant levels of psychological mistreatment.  Can you imagine what would have happened if the experiment continued for two weeks?

According to psychology professor and leader of the now famous experiment, Dr. Philip Zimbardo, said, “the planned two-week study was terminated after only six days because it was out of control. Good boys chosen for their normalcy were having emotional breakdowns as powerless prisoners,” Zimbardo stated. “Other young men chosen for their mental health and positive values eased into the character of sadistic guards inflicting suffering on their fellow students without moral compunction, said Zimbardo.

And those “good guards” who did not personally debase the prisoners failed to confront the worst of their comrades, allowing evil to ripen without challenge,” stated Dr. Zimbardo.

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

Professor Zimbardo underestimated the corruptive power of unbridled authority. Lord Acton once said, “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”  Professor Zimbardo stated, “My guards repeatedly stripped their prisoners naked, hooded them, chained them, denied them food or bedding privileges, put them into solitary confinement, and made them clean toilet bowls with their bare hands.”

There are leaders who will not allow others to question their authority. They believe they can treat employees how they want – good and bad – without repercussions because they sign their paychecks.

Translation to Building Great Workplaces

You may be thinking the Stanford Prison Experiment is in no way related to building a Great Workplace. Ridding the organization of tyrants, jerks, bullies and people with evil intent is merely a good start.  Most importantly, Great Workplaces are dependent on leaders with high levels of integrity, trust and respect, especially when times get tough.

We must also be careful how much absolute power we give our leaders.  Lord Acton observed that a person’s sense of morality lessens as his or her power increases. I have seen this scenario come to fruition as business associates became the beneficiaries of enormous financial success.  Sadly, they did not know how to manage the pressures of wealth, power and authority.  Unbridled power can destroy the person and bring the company down along with the toxic executive.

Employ a Truth Telling Advisor

Top executives need someone who can speak to them without fear of being fired. This senior adviser should be able to speak freely with the CEO, even regarding issues that are unpopular or taboo.  CEO’s who are smart will hire a senior advisor who is paid to provide open, honest feedback – even if it hurts. Decisions made by CEO’s in isolation in their executive suite have the potential to cause enormous employee morale issues and severely damage the company’s public image.

Reflective Sunglasses

As the prison guards began to fully assume their role as sadistic rulers, they began to wear reflective sunglasses 24/7. The inability to peer into the eyes of your tormentor was a way for fellow students to distance themselves from their prisoners whom they were severely mistreating.

In the event your company’s leadership begins to distance themselves from employees and peers, be prepared for upcoming decisions that could negatively impact the entire workforce.  Looking straight into the eyes of your leader can be very revealing.  The eyes can be a window into their heart.  Are your leaders in hiding?  Are they creating distance between themselves and employees? The act of creating distance may be an advance warning of impending trouble.

How Good Leaders Turn Evil

Most people do not determine in their hearts to turn evil.  It is a process of compromise over the course of time.  They surround themselves with people who are more interested in the benefits of group acceptance and membership rather than pointing out problems and issues with their leader’s decisions and actions.  The “how” things get done become unimportant just as long as the work gets done. Before you know it, the leader has succumbed to evil.

During the recruiting process, Mr. Iam Screwed was given an impressive tour of eVille Unlimited’s headquarters, and he was absolutely ecstatic.  A dream job come true, eVille Unlimited had highly recruited Mr. Iam Screwed.

As he toured the extensive headquarters facilities, their professional employees were friendly, helpful and motivated. Plus, the campus included all the latest perks, including a gym, spa, doctor’s office and hair stylist, dry cleaners, restaurants and concierge services, just to name a few.  His potential new boss, Ms. Dee Generate was smart, open, cordial and answered all his questions with utmost patience.  He accepted their generous job offer later that week.

Leaving a very good job, Mr. Iam Screwed showed up two weeks later for his first day at corporate paradise, eVille Unlimited’s headquarters, only to find the workplace in shambles.  The environment was chaotic and cluttered with employees yelling at each other, and many of the elaborate on-site perks closed.  As he approached the receptionist, who now had the appearance of the ghost in The Grudge, a terrible, sickening feeling was oozing all over him.  When Ms. Dee Generate, his new boss, appeared in a red pant suit with a pitchfork and horns protruding from her forehead, he realized he had made the biggest mistake of his life.

Changing jobs should not be so scary.

Seriously, remember what it was like to change jobs and begin learning the behavioral norms of the new company?  Do you recall learning the management style of your new boss?  Adjusting to the new company culture?  Discovering who possessed the real political power?  Were you a little nervous you might uncover something terrible you didn’t discover during the interview process?  Like your new boss was Satan?  Or your new company was a front for Hell?

Thanks to a new career site, GreatPlaceJobs.com, unfortunate first day scenarios like the one above can be avoided because the only companies who are allowed to post jobs on this site are officially recognized great workplaces.

According to Asher Adelman, founder and president of eBossWatch.com and creator of GreatPlaceJobs.com, “Only companies that have been recognized as a great workplace and have received one of the prestigious best employer awards are eligible to list their jobs with GreatPlaceJobs.com.”  To further clarify the quality of the companies on his website, Adelman stated “excellent employers are those that are successful in providing their employees with satisfying careers, a positive and pleasant work environment, and good compensation and benefits packages.”

As one who promotes positive people practices through the many services provided by The People Group, I highly recommend employers who qualify and employees who would like to work for the best companies, visit the site and sign up for their services.  My congratulations to Asher Adelman and his team!  Keep up the great work!

Most American workers want to put in a good day’s work. There is a deep desire created in all people to be productive, creative, innovative, inventive, and to leave this world in a better condition. However, our American corporate culture is losing the battle for the hearts and minds of employees and has fallen far from the mark. Rather than working to win the hearts and minds of employees, corporations are driving a stake in the soul of the American worker. After a two-year feasibility study, the non-profit organization Winning Workplaces identified in their Case Prospectus the cruel realities we face in our current work environment.

• The American workplace, a source of our nation’s strength, is also at the root of considerable burdens for many individuals, families and communities.
• Trust and respect in the workplace is breaking down, with less than 40% of employees believing or trusting their senior managers.
• Employees are feeling less control over their jobs.
• Opportunities are shrinking in the workplace.
• Employees are often forced to choose between work and family due to company demands.
• Workers are becoming more detached from their employers due to globalization and outsourcing.
• Work is dominating the life of the American worker.
• Employees spend, on average, 46 hours a week on their job, not counting time online at home or linked to a BlackBerry away from the office at night or on weekends.
• When jobs are satisfying and challenging, it invigorates employees in other areas of their lives.
• When the workplace deflates, frustrates and demeans people, workers are robbed of their energy and desires needed to optimize performance as spouses, parents and citizens.
• Up to 66% of employees say they regularly experience high levels of stress on the job, a significant and growing public health concern leading to drug abuse, mental health problems, accidents and absenteeism.

There is no better time than today to help companies create great workplaces. Our citizens need great workplaces to be fully productive. Our children need their parents to work in physically and mentally healthy work environments to prevent toxic workplace residue from coming home. Our society needs great workplaces to reap the rewards of successful employees and organizations. Non-profit organizations benefit from the increased volunteerism that happens as a result of great work environments. The health of our nation depends on the creation of great workplaces where employees are treated respectfully. And business owners need great workplaces to survive global competition and enjoy long-term financial success. Organizations where the employees have identified their workplace as a great place to work are far superior economically and socially. The Great Place to Work Institute has shown in its research it pays to provide a great workplace. Win the hearts and minds of your employees and you will outperform your competition and increase the return to your shareholders.