For the Kaiser Chiefs album, see Employment (album)

Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. In a commercial setting, the employer conceives of a productive activity, generally with the intention of creating profits, and the employee contributes labour to the enterprise, usually in return for payment of wages.

Employment also exists in the public, non-profit and household sectors.

In the United States, the "standard" employment contract is considered to be at-will meaning that the employer and employee are both free to terminate the employment at any time and for any cause, or for no cause at all.

More on [ Employment ]

NYT > Job Market

Under New Management: Life After a Merger: Learning on Both Sides
KELLEY HOLLAND Sun, 24 Jun 2007 03:11:03 -0400
Managers should act promptly (and creatively) to keep the best people after a deal.
Home Front: Training for the Twists of Driving a School Bus
JOSEPH P. FRIED Sat, 23 Jun 2007 16:25:36 -0400
A program in Brooklyn helps low-income or unemployed New York City residents become bus or truck drivers.
The Boss: When Focus Leads the Way
As told to PATRICIA R. OLSEN Sun, 24 Jun 2007 03:13:22 -0400
“New Orleans defines who I am,” said Arnold Donald, chief executive of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.

Portfolio.com: Careers

Get in Shape to Lead
Tue, 06 May 2008 14:00:00 -0000
Managers have tough jobs: Under intense pressure to make decisions with incomplete information, even the best among us make mistakes. The good news? Evidence abounds to help us make the right choices. The bad? Many of us ignore it—relying instead on outdated information or our own experiences to arrive at decisions. Some of us fall victim to hype about “miracle” management cures, or we adopt other companies’ “best practices” without asking whether they’ll work just as well for our organizations. Result? Poor-quality decisions that waste time and money (at best) and risk your company’s future (at worst). To avoid this scenario, start an evidenced-based management movement in your company: Every time someone proposes a change, ask for evidence of its efficacy. Clarify the logic behind that evidence—looking for faulty reasoning. Encourage managers to experiment with new ideas—rewarding those who learn from these efforts, even if an experiment itself fails. And insist that managers stay current in their field—and provide continuing professional education opportunities to help them do. Your reward? You and your colleagues face the hard truths about what works and what doesn’t. You expose the dangerous half-truths that mar much conventional business wisdom. And you make smart decisions on the most pressing issues facing your company. The Idea in Practice To start an evidenced-based management movement in your firm: Demand evidence. Whenever someone makes a seemingly compelling claim, ask for supporting data. Example: At DaVita, an operator of kidney dialysis centers, facility administrators use disciplined measures to evaluate patient care quality and operational efficiency—and to make confident claims about DaVita’s performance. Reports and meetings begin with data on patient health as well as operational efficiency—as measured by metrics such as treatments per day and employee retention. Formerly teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, DaVita now lays claim to the best patient care quality in the industry. Examine logic. Parse the logic behind evidence presented to you, looking for faulty cause-and-effect reasoning. Example: A manager who has benchmarked top-performing companies’ best practices recommends adopting a particular practice. You ask him: 1) Does the benchmarked company’s success clearly stem from the practice you want us to emulate? 2) Are our strategy, business model, and workforce similar enough to the benchmarked firm to enable us to learn from that company? 3) Precisely how did this practice make a difference? 4) What are the downsides to implementing this practice, and how might we mitigate them? Encourage experimentation. Invite managers to conduct small experiments to test the viability of proposed strategies. Example: Gaming giant Harrah’s offered one control group of customers the company’s typical promotional package worth $125 (a free room, two steak dinners, and $30 worth of free gambling chips). It offered customers in an experimental group just $60 worth of free chips. The $60 offer generated more gambling revenue than the $125 offer did—demonstrating that Harrah’s didn’t have to spend nearly as much as it believed was needed to boost revenues. Reinforce continuous learning. When managers constantly expand their knowledge, they acquire increasingly more reliable evidence with which to make decisions. Encourage use of inquiry and observation to gather evidence about causes and potential cures for business problems. And provide resources for the continuing professional education of managers. Example: At one computer manufacturer beleaguered by poor sales, top managers initially blamed the firm’s corporate sales staff—initially dismissing their claims that weak revenues were a result of poor product quality. Then senior managers were encouraged to further investigate the problem. When managers posed as customers at retailers who carried their computers, store salespeople dissuaded them from purchasing their company’s product—citing the computer’s excessive price, weak features, and clunky appearance. By practicing inquiry and observation, company managers learned that they needed to reexamine product quality. Purchase the full-length Harvard Business Review article.Related LinksYour Hospital's Deadly SecretPrison for Fallen HealthSouth CEOSilver Lining Department, HealthSouth Division
The Perfect Paradox of Star Brands
Tue, 06 May 2008 13:30:00 -0000
A watch costing $58,000. Dresses that look like newspaper. An eyeshadow called “gangrene.” Who needs them? No one. But millions of selective consumers worldwide line up to buy them. That’s because LVMH—the world’s largest, most successful purveyor of these and other luxury goods—is a master of radical innovation. Through this surprisingly messy activity, the French powerhouse has created irresistible star brands in industries ranging from retailing and cosmetics to jewelry, leather goods, and wines. In 2000 alone, LVMH’s brands generated $10 billion. The company’s secret? LVMH balances a delicate paradox: Be timeless and modern, fast growing and profitable—all at once. The Idea in Practice Balancing the Paradox Star brands are simultaneously: •    timeless—eternal. Timelessness takes decades to develop. However, you can create the impression of it sooner through uncompromising quality—by hiring dedicated people with the brand “in their bones” and keeping them for a long time. •    modern—edgy, fashionable, sexy. A modern brand is so new and unique that people feel they must buy it. •    fast growing—to show shareholders you’ve struck the right balance between timelessness and fashion, and to allow you to charge premium prices. •    profitable—through disciplined, efficient, and rigorous manufacturing processes that contrast sharply with freewheeling creativity. LVMH’s manufacturing processes enable it to offer highest-quality products at prices that yield impressive returns. Unleashing Creativity To balance the above qualities, apply these counterintuitive principles: •    Free creative people from financial and commercial concerns. Creative types freeze whenever calculator-clutching managers hover nearby. So hire innovative types who want to see their designs succeed “on the street”—then let them run wild. Example: Dior designer John Galliano shocked the fashion world when he clad runway models in newspaper dresses. Yet LMVH never flinched. Blocking the plan would have crushed Galliano’s spirit. Later, when Dior manufactured dresses in newspaper-printed fabric, they sold briskly. •    Don’t follow consumers. You won’t generate breakthrough products, and people won’t pay premium prices for something they expect. Instead, let creators drive innovation, and listen to focus groups with only one ear. Example: Focus groups responded lukewarmly to a new Kenzo perfume, Flower—with its oddly shaped bottle and scentless signature flower, the poppy. LMVH launched Flower anyway, because the design team believed in it. Kenzo’s sales rose 75% early in 2001—largely on Flower’s success. •    Minimize risk. Don’t put your company at risk by introducing all new products all the time. Let proven products carry you. Example: LMVH made only several thousand innovative, $1,800 Dior handbags. The rest of the product line was less radical in fabric and design, but the company made more of them and sold them for less—thus encouraging creativity while minimizing risk. •    Give star brands time to grow. Star brands need great talent and heritage. Use incubation time to learn. Example: Although the highly creative Christian Lacroix fashion house hasn’t been profitable since its 1991 launch, LMVH uses it as a laboratory, learning how to start a brand from scratch and nurturing it until it has some history. Purchase the full-length Harvard Business Review article.Related LinksLVMH Good News, Bad NewsRichard Prince vs Louis VuittonFashion Breakfast
Predictable Surprises: The Disasters You Should Have Seen Coming
Tue, 06 May 2008 13:30:00 -0000
Even the best-run companies can get blindsided by disasters they should have anticipated. These predictable surprises range from financial scandals to operational disruptions, from organizational upheavals to product failures. But you can minimize your risk by lowering the barriers—psychological, organizational, and political—preventing you from foreseeing calamity. It isn’t just a matter of better environmental scanning or contingency planning. You need a rigorous approach called RPM: •    Recognize the threat. •    Prioritize it. •    Mobilize resources to stop it. Failure at any stage exposes your company to predictable surprises. Given the stakes involved, RPM should count among every business leader’s core responsibilities. The Idea at Work How We Fail The most skilled executives may fail at any RPM stage: •    Recognition. Leaders remain oblivious to emerging threats. EXAMPLE: Jack Welch never anticipated that GE’s acquisition of Honeywell might flounder during antitrust reviews. Then the European Commission nixed the deal. Had he attended to the warning signs, Honeywell might be part of GE today. •    Prioritization. Leaders recognize a threat but don’t consider it serious enough. EXAMPLE: Though Monsanto CEO Robert Shapiro knew Europeans had food-related concerns, he entered the genetically modified food industry. His failure to win public acceptance of GMO food products cost him his company. •    Mobilization. Leaders recognize and prioritize a threat but don’t respond effectively. EXAMPLE: After the Big Five accounting firms pressured the SEC to allow auditors to continue providing consulting services to clients, the accounting scandals erupted. Why We’re Vulnerable Predictable surprises stem from three kinds of vulnerabilities: •    Psychological. Cognitive biases lead us to see the world as we’d like it to be—not as it is. We favor only evidence supporting our preconceptions, fail to notice others’ behavior, and ignore problems we haven’t personally experienced. •    Organizational. In large organizations, decision makers receive fragmented, distorted, and incomplete data. Everyone assumes someone else is accountable; no one acts. •    Political. Power imbalances lead executives to overvalue some groups’ interests and slight others’. Vested interests can impede action. What We Can Do To anticipate and avert crises, first ask yourself and your colleagues, “What predictable surprises are currently brewing in our organization?” Obvious, yes—but rarely asked. People often know of approaching storms but remain silent. Encourage them to speak up. Then, ferret out threats invisible to insiders by using: •    Scenario planning. Gather individuals from inside and outside your company to analyze external trends and identify business drivers. Create scenarios for surprises that could emerge over the next two years, then design preparatory measures. •    Risk analysis. Estimate future events’ probabilities and costs and benefits. Create cross-functional teams of insiders and outsiders to synthesize industry intelligence. •    Incentives. To promote information sharing, reward managers for balancing corporate and local interests. •    Networks. Gather internal and external advisers to test and refine early impressions and counter unconscious biases. Build formal coalitions to mobilize people outside direct lines of control. Purchase the full-length Harvard Business Review article.Related LinksThe S.E.C. Inspector CallsGE Not Quite Ready to Build an Electric CarBulls Find a Voice
The Alternative Workplace:
Mon, 05 May 2008 16:00:00 -0000
Could your organization benefit from the alternative workplace—where employees work off-site, primarily from home?AT&T, IBM, and even the U.S. Army are saving a bundle in real-estate and infrastructure costs by having workers work from home—even with the added cost of providing these employees computers, software, tech support, etc. Productivity gains are another compelling benefit: in a study of one well-managed office, conversation and other office norms distracted people from work an average 70 minutes in an eight-hour day. Less tangible results, such as increased employee satisfaction that translates to improved attitudes toward customer service, are just as important. Yet, the alternative workplace is not suitable for every company or every job. Like many other business management trends, this one requires careful application.The Idea in PracticeNotable cost savings from alternative-workplace arrangements lead some business decision makers to think that these arrangements are the wave of the future. Others cling to the notion that a company office is still the most productive place to work—water cooler and all. Some managers argue that alternative workplaces hurt employee cohesion, while others say "just give 'em a laptop and a cell phone, and they'll be fine."How can you sort through the myths and misconceptions to determine if the alternative workplace is right for your organization? Ask yourself these seven questions:Are you committed to new ways of operating? For example, rewarding for results brought in from the alternative workplace rather than effort made in the office?Is your organization industrial or informational? If your structure and systems are designed for face-to-face interaction, the potential for alternative workplaces may be limited.Do you have an open culture and proactive managers? The effort won't succeed unless managers are enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and ready to leave tradition behind.Can you establish clear links between staff, functions, and time? What function does the job serve? How is the work performed? Thinking through these issues will help identify jobs that can be filled via alternative workplaces.Are you prepared for "push-back"? Some managers get uneasy when their direct reports are no longer in close physical proximity.Can you overcome external barriers? Have you determined, for example, whether most employees have the room at home to set up a workspace?Are you willing to invest in the tools and training needed to make the alternative workplace succeed?If your answers favor the alternative workplace, launch a simple pilot project and then phase in more people over time, tailoring the program with employee feedback as you go. Start with sales, project engineering, and other areas where employees are largely self-directed. Divide the pilot group into the office-bound, travel-driven, and independent—then think through the logistics of how they’ll work with each other after some of them have started working at home. Give careful thought to what you’ll do to ensure that remote employees still feel “in the loop.”Finally, see to it that managers are given guidance in monitoring remote employees, that employees know what results they’re expected to achieve, and that other stakeholders such as customers are fully informed.Related LinksTech Is Blue No MorePCjr: the 25th AnniversaryLenovo Story in the Magazine
Funding Growth in an Age of Austerity
Mon, 05 May 2008 16:00:00 -0000
You know you can't outgrow your competitors unless you out-innovate them. But in an era of rampant R&D belt-tightening, how can you squeeze more innovation out of every dollar you invest?First, don't leave innovation to the "experts"; instead, turn all of your employees into innovators. Whirlpool, for instance, trains its 15,000 salaried employees on how to generate innovative ideas. Also, look beyond incremental product or service enhancements for truly radical ideas. And conduct small, inexpensive, low-risk experiments to test new ideas commercial promise. Finally, augment your internal innovation efforts with external resources—such as communities of consumers who are passionate about the same things as your workforce and are dreaming up creative ideas themselves.The competitive field favors companies that do more with less. Take W.L. Gore. The company's wildly successful signature product, waterproof but breathable Gore-Tex fabric, sprang from a simple experiment conducted during an attempt to create a low-cost plumbers' tape.The Idea in PracticeFour Ways to Innovate on a ShoestringCultivate innovators in your company. Send employees the message that you expect them to generate new ideas. Then give them the time, tools, and space needed to exercise their innovation muscles.Example:Mexican cement maker Cemex devotes nine "innovation days" each year to harvesting employee ideas. One such day generated more than 250 ideas about ready-mix cement, 10 of which had immediate value and could be implemented immediately.Use outside innovators. Use the Web to find people whose passions match your problems. Many of these zealous souls are willing to work for a pittance. Ask, "Who out there cares about the problems my company cares about? How can we build goodwill in this community? What incentives would engender the volunteers' contributions?"Example:In its annual Code Jam competition, Google gives developers from around the world the chance to work on its toughest software problems. Cash prizes are modest—the real incentive for contestants is the chance to see their  code incorporated into Google's ubiquitous search engine. Google also runs a public Web site where staffers with zany ideas can post their prototypes and solicit feedback on using or improving them.Invest in the most radical ideas. For the biggest payoffs, avoid retreads, updates, or add-ons in favor of truly original concepts. "Radical" doesn't have to mean "risky."Example:The Starbucks debit card was radical: Who'd have dreamed coffee drinkers would pay for their caffeine days or weeks in advance? Yet it wasn't that risky: Debit-card technology was established, and Starbucks could easily test the idea in a few stores first. The payoff? Two months after the card's launch, Starbucks had booked more than $60 million in prepayments. This innovation now accounts for 10% of Starbucks' sales.Launch low-cost, under-the-radar experiments. It's not always easy to gauge an idea's potential commercial value. Use "quick and dirty" experimentation to explore a radical idea's possible ramifications—while avoiding expensive risk-taking.Example:Shell Chemicals talked a major U.K. supermarket chain into letting it install prototype laundry detergent dispensing machines at one location. Frugal U.K. customers liked being able to reuse their containers, and store managers appreciated that the new system saved shelf space. But two additional small-scale experiments uncovered several problems—allowing Shell to avoid the disaster that would have come with an initial large-scale launch.Related LinksBullish on Google — and Yahoo?Jerry: You Wanted Independence, So Back Away From Google Slowly...Coffee, Tea, and ... Smoothies?
What Great Managers Do
Mon, 05 May 2008 15:30:00 -0000
You've spent months coaching that employee to treat customers better, work more independently, or get organized—all to no avail. How to make better use of your precious time? Do what great managers do: Instead of trying to change your employees, identify their unique abilities (and even their eccentricities)—then help them use those qualities to excel in their own way. You'll need these three tactics: Continuously tweak roles to capitalize on individual strengths. One Walgreens store manager put a laconic but highly organized employee in charge of restocking aisles—freeing up more sociable employees to serve customers. Pull the triggers that activate employees' strengths. Offer incentives such as time spent with you, opportunities to work independently, and recognition in forms each employee values most. Tailor coaching to unique learning styles. Give "analyzers" the information they need before starting a task. Start "doers" off with simple tasks, then gradually raise the bar. Let "watchers" ride shotgun with your most experienced performers. The payoff for capitalizing on employees' unique strengths? You save time. Your people take ownership for improving their skills. And you teach employees to value differences—building a powerful sense of team. The Idea at Work A closer look at the three tactics: Capitalize on Employees' Strengths First identify each employee's unique strengths: Walk around, observing people's reactions to events. Note activities each employee is drawn to. Ask "What was the best day at work you've had in the past three months?" Listen for activities people find intrinsically satisfying. Watch for weaknesses, too, but downplay them in your communications with employees. Offer training to help employees overcome shortcomings stemming from lack of skills or knowledge. Otherwise, apply these strategies: Find the employee a partner with complementary talents. A merchandising manager who couldn't start tasks without exhaustive information performed superbly once her supervisor (the VP) began acting as her "information partner." The VP committed to leaving the manager a brief voicemail update daily and arranging two "touch base" conversations weekly. Reconfigure work to neutralize weaknesses. Use your creativity to envision more effective work arrangements, and be courageous about adopting unconventional job designs. Activate Employees' Strengths The ultimate trigger for activating an employee's strengths is recognition. But each employee plays to a different audience. So tailor your praise accordingly. If an employee values recognition from... Praise him by... His peers Publicly celebrating his achievement in front of coworkers You Telling him privately but vividly why he’s such a valuable team member Others with similar expertise Giving him a professional or technical award Customers Posting a photo of him and his best customer in the office Tailor Coaching to Learning Style Adapt your coaching efforts to each employee’s unique learning style: If an employee is ... Coach him by... An "analyzer"—he requires extensive information before taking on a task, and he hates making mistakes • Giving him ample classroom time • Role-playing with him • Giving him time to prepare for challenges A "doer"—he uses trial and error to enhance his skills while grappling with tasks • Assigning him a simple task, explaining the desired outcomes, and getting out of his way • Gradually increasing a task’s complexity until he masters his role A "watcher"—he hones his skills by watching other people in action • Having him “shadow” top performers. Related LinksYour Hospital's Deadly Secret

Subscribe to Employment RSS feed