Archive for February, 2012

Creating a Strategic Workforce Plan

February 29, 2012Life at work, Organizational DesignLeave a comment

By Alexandra Zatarain

Workforce planning ensures that the right people with the right skills are in the right place at the right time

A strategic workforce plan (SWP) has as an objective to forecast and anticipate human capital needs of an organization, thus enabling evidence based workforce development strategies.

In a recent blog post we centered our discussion on what a strategic workforce plan is, its benefits and reasons for existing. This time we will address the actual development of the plan, the sections it should include and considerations when implementing it.

CSS Receives USPAACC Certification

February 28, 2012CSS team, DiversityLeave a comment

Creative Solutions Services just received the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC) Certification.

We are proud to be part of the oldest and largest national, nonprofit, non partisan organization representing all Asian American and Asian American-related groups in business, sciences, the arts, sports, education, public and community services.

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The Basics of Background Screening

February 28, 2012CSS ServicesLeave a comment

By Alexandra Zatarain

These days, job applicants are subject to more extensive background checks than ever before. It’s highly probable that any applicant will have to sign a consent form authorizing a background check. Doing so opens the door for employers to scrutinize the candidate’s past, from credit history to driving records. All like an open book.

Organizational Culture 101

February 27, 2012Life at work, Organizational CultureLeave a comment

By Alexandra Zatarain

“The thing I have learned at IBM is that culture is everything.”

Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. former CEO IBM

The term organizational culture gained prominence in the 1980s, when Japan’s manufacturing successes became legendary. Japan’s corporations’ successes gave organizational behavior a name, and U.S. companies started paying attention to this matter. Competition forced corporations to include corporate culture as an essential part of their business operations.

The Workplace Of The Future

February 24, 2012Job market news, Life at work, Organizational DesignLeave a comment

By Alexandra Zatarain

The future is here. It’s just not widely distributed yet

William Gibson

The book “The 2020 Workplace” describes a workplace that includes five generations, which makes it as diverse as diverse can be. With the help of globalization talent is feeding organizations from every corner of the world, while social technologies are democratizing information and providing more tools for individuals to take the reins of their lives and decide when, where and how they wish to be employed.

In this knowledge-based economy, human capital is the most important asset for any corporation. With ongoing changes in the workforce it is reasonable to expect a drastic change in the way we see and think about employment.

The Benefits Of Gender Diversity

February 23, 2012Diversity, Life at work, Organizational CultureLeave a comment

By Alexandra Zatarain

Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.

Kofi Annan

Women matter

A startling starting point: The employment rate for women is 21% lower than for men.

Women occupy fewer positions than men in the private sector than in the public sector. And they do even less in top management positions and on boards.

In Europe women represent only 11% of the membership of the governing bodies of listed companies.

Even as more women are graduating from universities, this hasn’t been enough to bring up change in the workplace. Research by McKinsey states that this natural growth in women graduates “is insufficient to bring about change”. Statistics by the OECD show that the increase in the number of female graduates will have a limited impact on diversity at work.

What Is Strategic Workforce Planning?

February 22, 2012Life at work, Organizational CultureLeave a comment

By Alexandra Zatarain

Strategic workforce planning answers the question—“What are our business goals over the next several years and what kind of workforce will we need to reach those goals?” Once you know where you want to go, you can identify the type and amount of talent you need to get there.

successfactors.com

Understanding the present and upcoming talent needs and bridging the gap between today and tomorrow can make a big difference in the ability to execute strategy effectively, and will definitely impact an organization’s productivity.

Changes in H-2B Foreign Worker Visa Regulations

February 21, 2012Job market newsLeave a comment

By Alexandra Zatarain

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced changes in the H-2B temporary worker program, which allows workers from overseas into the United States whenever qualified Americans are unavailable to fulfill a specific role and when the employment of those foreign workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers. The program enables employers “to hire foreign workers, usually for less than a year, to come to the U.S. for non-agriculture jobs”.

Every year up to 66,000 visas of this kind are issued, which in the current job market gets many Americans furious.

The new regulations seem to try its best to make it easier for jobless Americans to get a temporary work, rather than giving these jobs away to foreign workers. This means tighter restrictions for overseas workers who wish to snag the same jobs but also strengthens worker protections for them.

Employers will also have to follow stricter guidelines to make sure that all possibilities of U.S. workers have been explored before giving away a job to a foreign worker.

Saint’s Alp Visits CSS

February 17, 2012CSS team, Life at workLeave a comment

Saint’s Alp Teahouse just dropped some bubble teas at the CSS office. Great way to freshen up a Friday afternoon at work! Visit Saint’s Alp at 39 3rd Avenue New York, NY 10003, to try any of their delicious flavors of bubble tea

Personality And Communication Styles In The Workplace

February 17, 2012Life at work, Organizational CultureLeave a comment

By Alexandra Zatarain

To determine an individual’s communication style, use a reliable measurement, like the DISC Personal Profile or Myers Briggs Indicator. A good assessment, if handled skillfully, can help you coach and work well with diversity. Dr. Marilyn Manning

Not everyone is a natural good communicator, and even when good there’s always room for improvement. An assessment of employee’s communication styles will help better guide towards an effective communication in the workplace.

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