No matter if you have performance reviews at the end of the year or around an employee’s anniversary date, performance reviews are extremely important for employees. Employees want regular feedback on their work and what areas they can improve. Providing ongoing feedback can help improve employee morale in the workplace and help prevent larger issues in the future surrounding employee performance. Below are a few performance review tips:

• Have employees track their accomplishments. Before writing an employee review, ask each employee to provide a list of what they have accomplished over the year. This will help you remember all the projects that they have worked on and help employees feel good about all that they have accomplished throughout the year.
   
• Schedule times consistently. Depending on when your performance reviews are complete, make sure all employees are on the same page when they are completed. If you perform reviews at the end of the year, try to schedule the reviews on the same day if possible so it is fair to all employees.
   
• Provide honest feedback for both parties. In order to help your employees improve on the job, praise what they do well on the job and be honest in areas they need to focus on. Make it clear during the conversation that the employee can discuss anything that they have concerns with. It needs to be a two-way conversation.
   
• Give plenty of examples. Whether it is positive or negative feedback, try not to be vague during your discussion. Examples for each major strength or weakness will provide a clearer picture to employees.
   
• Focus on the future. Discuss what measurable goals you want your employee to accomplish in the future so that they can strive to achieve them. Also ask your employee if there are any areas of the business or your group they would like to get exposure to. This will show your employee that you want to provide them different opportunities to learn and grow.
   

Remember performance reviews should be a positive experience and something that employees should look forward to. Creating a positive atmosphere during a review will help ease their nerves and have them leave your office with a renewed attitude towards their work and be well motivated for the year ahead.

More and more employers are finding it cost effective to utilize older workers and retirees hired on a part-time or project assignment basis for hard to fill openings. Retirees generally need less training and have a better work ethic and will often take a part-time or temporary assignment for far less than the hourly rate they commanded when they were working full-time. Employers usually do not have to pay benefits for these hires so hiring retirees is a win win for employer and retiree. This article will provide supporting data for these cost savings as well as recruiting methodologies.

Background

Few employers are preparing for the coming retirement of boomers in great numbers.
As these employees retire a great deal of experience and knowledge will be lost.
Most employers have not yet instituted programs to retain these boomers and even fewer employers have put programs in place to recruit retired seniors with the needed experience and knowledge to fill coming vacancies.

Common Misconceptions and Stereotypes

The perception that older workers are less productive than younger ones is false. Numerous studies and research have shown that older workers’ productivity does not fall but rises because of greater dependability, better judgment and accuracy. Studies have shown older workers actually miss less work than younger workers and can learn new techniques and technologies effectively.

Advantages of Hiring Older Workers

Most older workers have a better work ethic, are more dependable, tend to be more loyal and are more appreciative of having a job and care about doing a “good” job.

A study conducted by AARP identifies older workers’ assets (compared to younger) as having and being:

• Lower absenteeism -Punctual
• Less likelihood to change jobs -Commitment to quality
• Superior customer service skills -Better people skills
• More eager to learn new skills -Positive attitude
• Experienced

How Some Employers Effectively Engage and Keep Mature Workers

The cost of retaining older workers is often substantially less than replacing them when all costs of hiring and training are included.

Employers have used the following to both keep current seniors interested in continuing to work as well as interest retirees in working for them:

1. Allow seniors to work more flexible hours.
2. Allow seniors to work part-time jobs or temporary assignments. Managers and executives can work project assignments.
3. Allow seniors to work from home or remotely (telecommuting) part or all of the time.
4. Create job sharing programs for seniors.
5. Outsource the task of hiring and employing seniors and retires you wish to return to work or continuing working if this is a difficult program to initiate internally.
6. Money is not necessarily the most important factor for seniors.
   Seniors need recognition and support. If a senior employee is doing a good job make sure to say so. Reinforce their efforts by telling senior workers you care about them. Ask for their input and use it. Their experience can be of great value. Give them support if they make an error.
7. Set goals, communicate them effectively and give accolades when these goals are met.
8. Set up training programs to assist and coach hiring mangers to initiate talks with retirement eligible employees without subjecting the company to problems of age discrimination.
9. Have younger or new employees involved in shadowing programs to learn from first hand experience the skills and see how retiring employees perform their duties and handle their job functions.

Resources

• YourEncore.com provides assistance primarily in the areas of researchers & chemists.
• Temp firms that have divisions that specialize in staffing utilizing seniors.
• Green Thumb a leading non-profit provider of training and placement services for mature and disadvantaged workers partners.
• National Council on Aging, or NCOA, has a full department dedicated to Workforce
• Development. Branded under the name, MaturityWorks (sm), this department works to increase awareness of the viability of older employees and provides direction to companies on how to maximize their value.
• Work with local chapters of AARP.

Reaching Older Workers

Many older workers will not apply for positions that may be appropriate for them as they often feel they will be discriminated against because of their age. That is a good reason to go to media that targets seniors. It is also a reason to craft a message tailored to a senior audience. Try:

• Internet sites like: RetiredBrains.com, seniors4hire.org, retirementjobs.com, retireecareers.com, seniorjobbank.org, seniorhelpwanted.com, ncoa.org
• Direct mail lists that are targeted to a senior audience
• Senior publications
• Alumni magazines
• Radio programming for the senior audience
• Special issues or sections of newspapers that target seniors
• Employee referral programs targeting seniors with the skills and experienced needed

To assist you chose appropriate media and craft a message to best reach older workers consider working with a recruitment communications firm that has expertise in this area. Check out the firm you are currently working with to see if they offer this expertise. Some of the background material for this article was researched by the Mature Market Group of JWT Specialized Communications which specializes in the senior market.

One of the biggest problem facing many employers is that each has areas where they are most anxious to keep seniors from retiring while at the same time there are other areas where retirement is cost effective and early retirement programs are encouraged. This is a slippery slope that can cause employers huge litigation problems not only with government agencies, but with their workforce. It can also generate bad publicity that can cause millions of dollars in lost revenue. Caution is advised. Work with professionals who have experience in this area!

The holidays are quickly approaching! Yes it’s the season of togetherness and joy but it can also be a very stressful time. We have to worry about buying and wrapping gifts, sending out holiday cards, decorating and the list goes on and on. During this frantic time, it is very easy for employees to get distracted. Below are just a few helpful tips to help them stay focused at work:

Emphasize Goals

It can be helpful to hold an informal company meeting to let people know where the company is and where the company wants to be before the end of the year. Reinforce that the success of the company comes from everyone, not just individuals. This approach will help build enthusiasm and continue momentum. Talking individually with employees about their goals for the rest of the year and next year is also important, especially if their annual review is conducted at year-end.

Be a Model Manager

You want to set a good example for your employees. They know that you are also stressed during the holidays but your leadership abilities should come into play at this time. Make sure you come to work on time, do not procrastinate, and stay focused on your goals. Your employees should follow your example.

Schedule Festivities

Keep employee morale high by having a holiday treat whether it is bringing in doughnuts and coffee, decorating around the office, or hosting a gift exchange. You want to make work a little more fun during the holidays so they enjoy coming to work and be more productive.

Acknowledge Accomplishments

Thank your employees for all the hard work that they have done over the year. By making them feel appreciated and worthy of recognition, they will be more likely to forget about all the stress that comes with the holiday season and stay focused on their jobs.

Plan & Organize

The end of the year is also a good time to organize and plan for the New Year. Schedule a meeting with your team and share ideas on how to best organize the office, get rid of clutter and brainstorm on new processes to increase productivity in the New Year. This will generate new ideas, encourage teamwork and give you a great head start.

Stay focused and have a great holiday season!