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Ahh, finally corporate profits are coming back! In fact, the government recently announced that corporate profits after tax in 2003 soared to 19.2%. But this has not caused organizations like those in the health care industry to open job requisitions, add FTE's and bring on more staff.
Many business leaders are quick to look at global competition and off shoring as the primary cause of the slow job growth. While others, including those in the health care industry are looking at another possible contributing factor: the national productivity level.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 4th quarter 2003 productivity increase of 4.5% in the business sector. American's have again proved they are a strong and ingenious workforce!
"By most estimates, productivity has been increasing much faster than historic norms. And an incremental 1 percentage point increase in productivity eliminates the need to hire and estimated 1.3 million nationwide." *
This productivity level coupled with the unmanageable cost of health insurance coverage has many companies hesitant to add employees to the payroll.
Does it feel like you and your staff are doing more with less? You probably are!
A manager's need for good prioritization and time management skills for him or herself and their staff has grown simultaneously with the national productivity level.
Prioritization Techniques:
* Adapted from For Firms, Adding Jobs is a Chore, by Chris Lester, Kansas City Star, March 30, 2004.
Use only one planner (not one for home and another for work)
Use planner for preventive time strategies
If you are prone to overbook, write list of current priorities
Devote specific times for projects that support these priorities
Set and honor your boundaries (e.g. If creating work/life balance is a priority, why are you accepting another volunteer/committee commitment?)
If you find you bend too easily to others' requests, write yourself a mantra at top of every weekly page; "My priority is to __________.
Use planner to detail both starting and completion dates of important projects.
Identify "low energy" times in your workday. Likely suspects are right after lunch, mid or late afternoon. Use these times to do routine tasks or tasks that require less brain power
Build in variety
Force yourself to spend several 20-minute segments for concentrated work on a dreaded project; i.e. one you keep putting off.
If you would like more information and/or training on personalities in the workplace, visit Our Services to view descriptions of our specialized products and offerings including employee and management roundtable discussions on Work Style Profiles.
Working Solutions is a non-profit organization providing employee training and leadership development services for healthcare organizations, non-profits and corporations. This retention tip is published monthly to provide tips, strategies and new ideas for HR professionals, managers and executives to help retain their employees.
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