Recently, Advance Commercial Movers, The Advance Group’s commercial moving business unit, celebrated its 30th anniversary. Begun in 1979 by T. James Molloy as Advance Relocation and Storage, Advance Commercial Movers capitalized on the growing need of businesses to relocate throughout the New York market and across the nation. Molloy Bros. Moving and Storage (www.molloybros.com), another business unit and a part of Mayflower Transit, has earned quality performance awards since 1998.

As part of the introductory program, The Advance Group will launch a series of new marketing and advertising initiatives including new websites, comprehensive sales materials, and an aggressive media campaign. The goal of the program is to create awareness within the business community and existing clientele of The Advance Group’s leadership position and its extensive resources and capabilities.

This program is part of a fundamental transition in the way The Advance Group will market its services. It has always been the vision of the company’s founder and CEO, Jim Molloy, to become the favored solutions provider for the most challenging relocation projects from the largest companies in the New York market.

“Planning is second nature to us in the moving business, and we have been planning this project for several years. With the changes to the economy, we felt now was an ideal time to roll out our new brand identity and marketing initiatives. Together, these new programs will allow us to improve the client experience for both new and existing customers. As the economy regains its strength, The Advance Group will be in an even stronger position to take advantage of opportunities,” said Mr. Molloy.

The Advance Group is formed from leading businesses in the commercial moving, office furniture installation, distribution, storage, document management, and employee relocation fields.

The Advance Group has over 40 years of broad-based experience, national and international connections for complex moves, the largest talent pool and most experienced management-level team in the industry, and a centralized management operation. Together, these services provide a seamless, cost-effective, and highly coordinated response to the most challenging move and relocation projects.

I probably should tell him about the hair too

1. Everybody wants something. Almost everyone acts out of self interest (especially when they claim they don’t.) Quid pro quo is the order of the day; in fact, the people most eager to volunteer advice or help tend to want the most in return. Assume all career or business assistance is part of an expected exchange, either now or in the future. Then you won’t be disappointed. But keep in mind that occasionally…
2. What a few people want is just to feel good about helping others. Rarely, but it does happen, someone likes to help simply because it makes them feel good. Those people are hard to find, though, because their names aren’t listed as sponsors on event programs or plastered on the sides of b-school buildings. When you find one, make them a permanent part of your life.
3. Everything before “but” is bull. “I don’t meant to be critical,  but…” “I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but…” “Please don’t  take this the wrong way, but…” Yes you do, yes you are, and yes I will.  Disclaimers are anything but, indicating the true meaning behind what is said.
4. Boring people win. The people who achieve the most do a lot more of the boring stuff. Routine, rigor, attention to detail, churning away day after day… that is how you will succeed. Every elite athlete, entertainer, and successful business person you will someday know has put in thousands of hours of practice and effort. They are successful mainly because they are willing to do what other people won’t. Learn to enjoy the mundane and you will quickly outdistance the pack.
5. Stop brainstorming and start borrowing. Most people try to be original — and want to be perceived as original — primarily out of ego. Results are all that matter. Stop trying to think of something new. Someday you’ll spend two hours in a bottling plant and bring back more great productivity and quality ideas than you can implement in a year at your book plant. The store, the restaurant, the factory, the school… ideas you can borrow — ideas that you can see actually work — are everywhere. Borrow freely and often.
6. The women you really want to meet don’t care about the kind of car you drive. Darn it.
7. Training is great; advice is not. Advice is what you ask for when you already know the answer but wish you didn’t. Always ask, “How do I…?” because “how” leads to training and knowledge. Ask, “Should I…” and you get opinions often colored by individual perspectives. Always ask to be shown or taught. When you know how you can decide for yourself whether you should.
8. Visibility is everything. The people who get promotions and opportunities are the people who are seen and noticed. Spend the majority of your time doing great things, but spend at least 10% of your time getting the attention of the people who matter. Customers, partners, media… no one will discover you on their own.  You absolutely must help them find you.
9. Always take out something. Initiatives, projects, decisions… you’ll constantly be tempted to add one more thing to make them even better. Addition almost always results in subtraction. The more you eliminate the more you can focus on what remains, so the stuff you leave out is as important as the stuff you leave in.
10. The people who say the least have the most to say. Bragging is a mask for insecurity. Truly confident people are quiet and unassuming. Hang around them. When they do speak you’ll be glad you were listening.
11. Your parents are a lot smarter than you think. And they only want the best for you. And they’ll always be there for you. And they won’t be around forever. So will it hurt you to call once in a while?
12. Always learn on the fly. Waiting until you’re ready means waiting forever. When you’re “preparing” there are millions of reasons to delay a little longer. Trust yourself. Learn a little and then jump in. Make mistakes, adjust, adapt, and develop greater skill by doing. You’ll save time and achieve more.
13. Don’t expect to get back what you give. Favors will not be returned. Sacrifices you make for others will not be rewarded. All the people you mentor, develop,  promote, and work with will not call to see how you’re doing when you  are suddenly let go years from now. When you give, give because you want to give; then you’ll never be disappointed.
14. You will only regret what you decide not do. You won’t regret broken bones from motorcycle racing; you will regret not taking a shot at a higher level of the sport. You won’t regret taking a particularly crappy job; you will regret turning down what was probably a great job. When you look back you will only regret a few of the things you did. (The rest, even if they were mistakes, will help make you the person you become.) What you will regret are things you decide not to do due to lack of confidence or fear of the unknown — like the businesses you should have started and the joint venture you turned down. Safe, in your life, will almost always equal sorry. Take intelligent business risks and trust you will be able to work through any challenges. If nothing else, you’ll have more fun.

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Reliable CL500A Steam Cleaner

Elma E, S & P Series Ultrasonics

Elma, Germany’s leading manufacturer of ultrasonics, has enhanced its family of cleaners with the introduction of the S-Line.

The exterior has been designed for style and usability. Each unit has a waterproof operating panel and plastic carrying handles that won’t get hot. The lids serve as drainage trays for the optional baskets. The CL30S, CL60E and CL60S each have an exterior drain for easy emptying.

Both E-Series and S-Series units feature:

• An automatic sweep function, which evenly distributes cleaning power throughout the stainless steel tank
• An autostart heater, which automatically starts the ultrasonic action when the preset temperature is reached
• A ceramic heating element that cannot be damaged even if the unit is run with the tank empty
• A two-year manufacturer’s warranty

Additional features exclusive to the S-Series are:

• An LED display which shows the set and the remaining time of the cleaning period
• Turning knob for setting the cleaning period, adjustable from 1 minute to 30 minutes, with two operating modes: continuous operation or short-period operation
• Optionally selectable sweep function, with frequency modulation ensuring an optimised sound field distribution in the cleaning liquid.
• A handy function to efficiently degass the cleaning liquid

Added features to the E and S Series:

• Two switchable ultrasonic frequencies, 37 kHz and 80kHz
• Frequency switch-over for simultaneous coarse and fine cleaning
• Activatable pulse mode for an additional power through increased peak performance
• Automatic stirring during heating-up process
• Indication of unit settings by alphanumerical display

 

Tank Specifications:

Capacity:             2 quart                       3 quart                      11⁄2 gallon
Tank dimensions:  5.9”L x 5.4”W x 3.9”H   9.4”L x 5.4”W x 3.9”H  11.8”L x 5.5”W x 5.9”D
Outer dimensions: 7”L x 7.5”W x 8.5”H     12”L x 7”W x 8.5”H       14.5”L x 7.5”W x 10.5”H

SKU: CL20/30/60x

Please Choose your model CL20 – 2 Quart Tank CL30 – 3 Quart Tank CL60 – 1 1/2 Gallon Tank

Please Choose your series E – E-Series S – S-Series P – P-Series

Price: $355.00

Branson 1510/2510/3510 Series Ultrasonic Cleaners

The Business Case for Engagement

Is re-kindling a relationship the start of a beautiful thing?

The term “engagement” is used today to describe the extent to which the employee is passionate, enthusiastic and motivated to excel on the job. Metrics of engagement are multi-faceted and include turnover, morale indicators and performance evaluation. More troubling indicators of disengagement are the frequency and severity of employee problems that require assistance from counseling and related professions typically via the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). 

The idea that a workforce interested in what they are doing will outperform workers that are disinterested in their work is not hard to swallow. Gallup estimated that disengaged workers cost U.S. business nearly $300 billion a year i and Towers Perrin key global findings indicate that engagement levels are a cause for concern in every country surveyed. 

Why Be Concerned?
Recently McKinsey summarized business concern for employee morale. “Employee
motivation is sagging throughout the world — morale has fallen at almost all companies,
at a time when businesses need engaged leaders and other employees willing to go above and beyond expectation.” ii The Corporate Executive Board found that 21% of employees today identify themselves as highly disengaged, a threefold increase over 2007.iii If business metrics are the only means to startle organizations out of a morale slumber party, Towers Perrin informs us that highly engaged firms experience EPS (earnings per share) growth rate of 28% compared to an 11.2% decline in EPS for low engagement
firms. iii

Watson Wyatt linked levels of engagement to stock price. Companies that work to engage their employees yield better financial results than those that do not. Interestingly, how people are treated was a stronger predictor of future financial performance than tracking past financials alone. These results were based and replicated using companies in the U.S., Canada and the European Union. In addition, they found that high performance firms
offer more credible performance management practices in comparison to low
performance firms.iv

Companies that focus on employee engagement are also more likely to keep key talent. Engaged employees are less likely to leave their jobs than disengaged employees. This
becomes particularly important at a time when 25% of employer-identified, high potential employees plan to leave their current jobs, as compared to only 10% in 2006.vi

“Man does not live by bread alone.” Towers Watson demonstrated that employee engagement alone will not reduce turnover risk. To reduce the loss of talent, the total person needs attention. The employee’s overall wellbeing requires tender care. In short, those who are highly engaged but also highly stressed tend to burn out. v So, if retention is your thing—you need to not only challenge but also nourish your employees.

Ignore workforce revitalization at your business peril.

How to Spark a Long-­‐term Relationship

Engaging employees is not a novel concept, how this is done, however is taking on new twists. What works and what doesn’t work over time is going to depend on knowing your workforce, communicating effectively with your employees and making certain you maintain alignment between your human resources strategy (and practice) and your business model. Even the most innovative human resource practices will fail if they conflict with the business needs/wants.

Here are a few, straight-forward guidelines for engagement:

• Relationships work when everyone wants the same thing!

–  Articulate the ethics, values and product benefits to all stakeholders, including employees

–  Product value (brand) and organizational value are inextricably linked so connect employees, customers and shareholders using this common thread

• Try and try again: Don’t date with a diamond in your pocket!

– Don’t commit before you’re ready. It’s fair and legitimate to improve by trial and error.  Experimentation is a valuable way to make progress. When you are not sure if a practice will in fact “work”—just say so and commit to a trial run

–  Trial is not the same as a bona fide operating plan; communicate to employees the truth about a new management practice or policy that “might” work—share how you will measure success

•   Don’t say it, if you don’t mean it: Once you can fake being authentic you’ve got it
made!

–  Employees want to know how they are measured
–  Measure the little things that mean so much (doing whatever is necessary, whenever it is needed with a smile on your face, for instance); these are the intangibles that make your organization a great place to work

Design authentic performance management programs. Authentic programs offer legitimacy because they measure what matters, and they do so with integrity. When performance measures lose credibility, it sends a shockwave into the organization that infects the culture with concerns about due process. This impact hurts integrity and leads to disengagement. The key is to pay attention to not only “what” you measure but also “how” you do so and to structure a dialogue about the process so that everyone ends up with a level of agreement about the employee’s performance. When this is done in the context of all elements that promote engagement, the outcome is genuine performance improvement. vi

You Don’t Appreciate Me Anymore!

The term “engagement” implies a level of on-going care, concern or involvement. This involvement is best started during orientation and sustained by virtue of the work itself, including the purpose or mission connected to their work. Employees are more likely to be “engaged” in what they do when the mission of the employer resonates with their values and interests. However, organizational missteps can cause disengagement even among normally engaged employees.

The missteps that lead to disengagement are often linked to management basics that fail to get attention. Typically, this lack of attention is due to harsh external competitive issues or organizational change that disrupt the “natural focus” of management. Organizations can avoid creating or contributing to disengagement by refocusing management attention on the workforce.

When it comes to engagement, one size ring does not fit all.

Strict “meat and potatoes” eaters probably won’t do well with a partner that wants to eat at restaurants with adventurous menus. It is not a good fit. Likewise, employees that prefer stability or structure may have difficulty in a fast-paced, change-oriented work environment. Similarly, the achievement-oriented who thrive in ambiguous, challenging situations will feel thwarted or frustrated by job tasks that demand structure, routine and tedious detail. Engagement tactics need to fit the nature of the workforce.

Recognize, Reward and Rally the Workforce

Professional development is not a fad, it’s a thank you and an investment. Many employees prefer organizations that invest in the development of knowledge and skills. Mentoring, coaching and development programs demonstrate that an organization values its employees. Actions speak louder than words. Implement career-enhancing, work-life
balancing and professional-skill developing programs that enable employees to feel good about the support and guidance available at work.

Recent reviews indicate that effective leadership or developmental programs create experiences that enable people to “reevaluate” what they think they know about themselves, their organizations and their interpersonal relationships. When aligned with business direction, such programs generate growth that might otherwise not happen. In addition, information or experiences that fuel development absent strategic “pruning” through business alignment, might very well lead to growth in the wrong direction. vii

Recognize Your Employees for a Job Well Done
Failure to appreciate the value added by employees hurts morale and productivity. This value requires attention and care. Never, ever take that relationship for granted. Appreciate the people that appreciate, and produce, the products and services you deliver.

Recognition can come from the work itself. While rights to the parking space closest to the door are always nice, internal or intrinsic features of the work itself are far better sources of motivation. For instance, jobs that require people to use a vast array of skills are often engaging. Tasks that provide the opportunity for the worker to “place a mark” on the final deliverable gives people a sense of task identity: “this is mine.” Creating opportunities for people to influence outcomes or “have a say” brings a sense of autonomy. These are all highly engaging elements of work—for those that want it. However, not everyone wants these elements; sometimes other work features require attention instead.

Reward Your Employees in Ways That Are Meaningful to Them
Realize that compensation and benefits are only part of the story. Work-life balance matters to most employees. Alternative work strategies and benefits deserve attention. Job-sharing, use of teleconferencing, weekend travel tickets home for those on the road, compelling learning programs, financial guidance and retirement planning services, health club benefits and of course, stock options or profit-sharing strategies all are useful retention mechanisms. Be clever about making your organization distinctive so that your retention tactics attract and retain great people.

Escargot is not for everyone, and impressing the neighbors can have limits. Take time to know the character of your workforce. Think “total rewards.” View “compensation” for a job well done in terms larger than dollars. Consider benefits such as working remotely, sabbaticals, time-off for charitable work, job sharing and flextime. Incorporate the key cultural ingredients that can make or break how employees feel about their relationship with their employer. Know how job characteristics link to people characteristics to optimize productivity and engagement.
Rally the Workforce by Communicating Effectively
Employees want to know that leadership understands the business situation and has a plan for moving the organization to the next level. Two-way communication plans engage employees in dialogue. These dialogues are also strategic ways to address the past while paving the way for the future. Being forthright with your workforce fortifies a sense of fairness, due diligence and confidence in your culture. Demonstrate integrity in all that you do, for customers, employees and all your stakeholders. This cultural element yields dividends as it prompts employees to “go the extra mile” without being asked, and the nature of the workplace becomes a magnet for retention.

Tell Me That You Love Me

It’s been rough. Decisions had to get made. Lives were changed. The nature of your business changed. How you do business changed. You’re not the same anymore. And neither are your employees.

Don’t let change drive you apart. It’s time to re-kindle. Get back to the basics that brought you together.  Yes, it’s been difficult, and things happened. Feelings got hurt. So, “talk it out.” Provide the business rationale for your decisions so that employees can get a sense of what happened and why. Show thoughtfulness. Be forthright. Express your commitment—to your employees and your business. Above all, offer a business plan— “and here, is how we will get better together.”

Where possible, get specific about business metrics. How are customer/consumer ratings these days? Why? Engage employees in collaborative problem solving around these critical matters—involve, engage and challenge—there’s plenty to do. Organizations with a sense of their futures are more likely to see it evolve. Share that sense with your employees and make sure they understand how they contribute to the greater good. We are better together. We know what makes development work, so implement compelling, thought-provoking experiences that enable people to grow toward the sun (aka profit).

Make sure supervisors are good at basic managing. Do your supervisors know how to motivate employees? Can your managers reduce performance problems that end up in legal? Does your management team use teams effectively? Does your remote workforce feel disconnected to their career path? Are there resources available to assist managers with vexing human relations problems?

Watson Wyatt’s U.S. findings reinforce our notion that stress levels matter to employees. Employees reporting less stress demonstrate higher retention and report greater overall satisfaction with their employers in surveys. Employees who feel supported or find it possible to balance work-life demands are less inclined to leave their current relationship for another.
Making It Last

Drinks with umbrellas in them, a weekend in the Hamptons or a trip to Barney’s for some pricey trinkets are nice—but don’t count on them for sustaining the relationship. Be authentic in your communications. Do what you say. Measure performance in a credible manner.

CCA Engagement Model

What Works
Let your employees know the good works that the company performs. Do you have executives working on charitable causes? If so, let the employees know! This is part of the fabric of the organization. Tell your customers too, for that matter. If employees
volunteer for a good cause—reward them, somehow. Let your employees know your business values and demonstrate fairness and respect in all matters: with customers, employees and all stakeholders. Your products and services will be enhanced by your culture. Your profits will thank you.

Let the work itself manage productivity. There is no need for a carrot or a stick if people are doing what they love! Imagine the work itself being its own reward!

Do the simple things right:

1. Keep the people that love what they do
2. Invest in the people that develop themselves
3. Use the work itself as the prime motivator
4. Be authentic in performance management
5. Implement compelling, business-relevant developmental experiences

Do the organization and the individual contribute to each other’s well-­‐being?

To make engagement ring true in the workplace, a systemic perspective is advised. No single management tactic will alter the path of a relationship if it is going bad and no single management tactic will sustain a good relationship. In the end, relationships “stick” because each party contributes to the making of something “together” that cannot be done apart.
To Learn More
For research and advisory services on employee engagement please feel free to Corporate
Counseling Associates at 212.686.6827 or info@corporatecounseling.com.

i  Rath, T. & Conchie, B. (2009). Strength-based Leadership: Great leaders, teams and why people follow. New York: Gallup Press
ii McKinsey (2009). Global Survey Result.
iii Towers Perrin (2007).  The Global Workforce Study
iv Watson Wyatt Worldwide (2002, 2003, 2004) Human Capital Index: A lead indicator of shareholder value; Connecting communication to financial performance; Secrets of top performers(white papers). Wash., DC; Watson Wyatt Worldwide (2007/2008). Playing to Win in a Global Economy. Global Strategic Rewards Report, U.S. Findings.
v  Towers Watson (2010) Viewpoints: Well-being: Engagement and performance to the next level. www.towerswatson.com
vi Diamante (2009). Authentic Performance (book chapter). In Smither & London (Eds.) Performance
Management, Jossey-Bass a Wiley publication.
vii Diamante (2011, in press). Leadership Development Programs that Work: Individual Transformation by
Design. In London (Ed.), Oxford University Press Handbook for Lifelong Learning.

CCA has developed a seminar to help employees anticipate and prepare for this difficult anniversary and to develop resiliency and coping skills. We are also making counselors available for on-site group and individual counseling.

To learn more about how CCA can help your organization and your workforce cope more effectively, please call us at 212.686.6827 or email us at inquiries@ccainc.com.

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