Welcome to HR Club Philippines' Online Newsletter

This Online Newsletter is a by-product of Businessmaker Academy's Educational Program on Human Resource Management. Aside from our regular forum, we've decided to digitally deliver helpful news, insights and project ideas to help you make positive improvements in your workplace. Basically, we're here to help you help others at work.

Friday, November 13, 2009

New Workplace Trends & Technology

[Manila Bulletin WORK LIFE Column: published November 4, 2009]

Last October 22, I attended the 3rd HR Philippines National Convention where my good friend, business partner and Chief Training Consultant, Cindy Sajwani, gave a talk on “New Trends in Training & Technology.” There were about 700 HR practitioners who were present in the convention and discussions centered mainly on HR 2.0---how advancements in technology are redefining the workplace.

The convention confirmed the general feeling of today’s many Business and HR practitioners: that the world is changing and it’s doing so in a very fast pace. And as the business climate of today transforms significantly, so too are the prevailing culture and experiences in the workplace.

Technology is rapidly moving and it is up to you to ride on it or be left behind. Whether we like it or not, we need to be able to adapt in order to survive and even thrive. Here are a few workplace trends that you should prepare yourself for:

Millennial Invasion
Born between 1980 to 1995, “Millennials” are a new breed of workers who are rapidly taking over the workplace. They were raised by doting parents who told them they are special. They are tech savvy and have been exposed to all sorts of gadgets. They are very hard-working but they don’t necessarily adhere to strict and formal etiquette or policies that do not make sense to them. If you belong to an older generation, are you ready for this new generation? How do you deal with them and how can you ensure that you do not become obsolete?

Computer-Wired Workplace
Gone are the days of the typewriter, OHP projectors and Polaroid Cameras even though we may miss them. Nowadays, if your company wants to stay competitive, you should at least have a computer and DSL in your office. When our company invested in providing computers to all of our employees, we saw their productivity shoot up. More importantly, it empowered our employees so much so that they have all become single business units in themselves. The question is, how computer-wired is your workplace? Is it important in your line of business? And if you have a computer, are you maximizing its use?

Work Anytime, Anywhere
Laptops and the Wifi access in malls have allowed our management to work away from the workplace. Wherever I am, I can still monitor and communicate with my co-workers because aside from mobile phones and emails, we have an online forum and knowledge management system to keep track of all our business discussions, decisions and work progress. Not a lot of companies do this yet, because of the perceived high-cost of hiring an IT guy to set this up. But to be honest with you, it’s quite simple to set this up yourself. Just because, you are not an IT person, doesn’t mean that you cannot integrate technology to your work life. If we were able to do it, so can you.

Social Networking
Is facebook, friendster and multiply allowed in your workplace? If so, are you using it for business or for pleasure---be honest?! In our company, we do allow facebook and other networking sites because most of our clients communicate with us using those mediums. But I must admit, monitoring these activities is a bit challenging and it poses as a big temptation and interruption of work, sometimes. It definitely has its advantages and disadvantages. I believe that allowing its use is a prerogative of management. It depends on the nature of your business and the culture of your company. In your opinion, should your company allow employees to have access to facebook and other networking sites? And if you are allowed to access these, can you honestly say that you can use it for business purposes only and not abuse it?

Online Learning & Webinars
Company Trainings are not just focused on Instructor-led seminars anymore. Nowadays, a new training methodology is being utilized because many companies cannot afford to gather all their employees in one venue all at the same time to attend a seminar. A new trend is emerging in the form of Online Learning & Webinars. In our company, we use webinars for New Employee Orientation. Since new employees are not hired all at the same time, it becomes very tedious for management to keep on giving full Employee Orientations every time a new employee comes in. The solution, Interactive Orientation Webinars whereby employees learn about the company through an interactive multimedia and online quiz. The experience is quite fresh for many people and this makes it a little bit more exciting for the new employees. Have you experienced learning from webinars?

Online Resources
As technology speeds up the business process, so too are the demands of work. Years ago, it took weeks to come up with a project proposal, contract or report. Now, we are expected to deliver these within days or even a few hours. Work life can get really overwhelming. Luckily, technology also provides a solution through Online Resources. The internet has a lot of free stuff. All you need to have is the patience to sort through all of these. There are also products for sale out there that are useful. For instance, HR practitioners can now rely on www.InstantHRToolkit.com which provides them with over 100 downloadable, customizable and printable manuals, contracts, letters, forms and templates. Gone are the days where one has to create a document from scratch. There are shortcuts available and all you have to do is know how to use these online resources.

New Technology poses a lot of promising advancements in the workplace, but with it comes challenges. If used properly (just like what we have done in our company), it can truly make the workplace productive; if used unwisely, it can give you a lot of headaches and problems too. The important thing is to prepare yourself and dare to embrace change a little, because like it or not, it is transforming the workplace now.

Jhoanna O. Gan-So is the managing director of HR Club Philippines and president of Businessmaker Academy---a training company that offers public seminars on Human Resource Management, Business Skills and Internet Marketing. They also hold training programs for corporate skills training, as well as develop interactive webinars for corporations and institutions. To know more about these organizations and the seminars they offer, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com and www.hrclubphilippines.com or call (632)6874645. You may email your comments and questions to: mbworklife@gmail.com

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Reader Helpline: Back Pay

[Manila Bulletin WORK LIFE Column: published October 30, 2009]

“HELP! MY PREVIOUS COMPANY WON’T GIVE ME MY BACK PAY!”


Hi! My Name is Chase. It's been 5 months already since I got terminated from my previous company. And, until now they're not yet releasing my back pay. I'm just wondering if I can do something legal about it, because every time I ask someone in the human resource department, their answer is always the same - they have no idea when they can release my back pay.

ADVICE: Before seeking legal means, do the practical steps first. Gather all employment documents that you have like payslips, clearance and certificate of employment. Send a letter to both the President and the HR manager explaining the situation and requesting that they release your back pay within 1 week from date of receipt. This will give them the opportunity to respond and correct the issue. Make an extra copy of that letter for yourself, have them sign and receive it. This serves as your evidence that you have given them due notice in writing. Follow up after a week. If they do not respond and still deny you your back pay, then you can take legal action because the Labor Code of the Philippines stipulates that it is unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly, to withhold any amount from the wages of a worker. For further questions and assistance, you can also contact the Department of Labor and Employment at the DOLE HOTLINE: (632)5278000 or through their website www.dole.gov.ph.

Graceful Exit

[Manila Bulletin WORK LIFE Column: published October 7, 2009]

When a key employee decides to leave a company to pursue other goals or employment, it sets forth a chain of events that not only affects his or her life but also the business operations of the company that he or she is leaving. That is why it is critical for both employers and employees to make the exit process as smooth as possible.

See, leaving a company that you’ve been a part of is difficult for most people. Letting go of employees is also one of the saddest moments for employers. This is where a lot of emotions, both positive and negative, happen. If done poorly and recklessly, it can lead to team morale issues or worse, legal problems---something nobody wants.

Years ago, when my partners and I started our educational company, we didn’t have a system for dealing with such eventualities. Every time we let go of an employee, our operations would get hampered and emotions would run high. So I took on the reigns, made HR a priority and created our very own Operations Manual for Human Resources.

The result of this effort is priceless. We now have an efficient HR system that guides our people through the many procedures and phases of employment. It allows us to welcome new employees, coach them to become productive team members and help them grow with the company. In instances when an employee needs to leave, our current system is also set up to provide a harmonious and graceful exit.

In the interest of guiding both employers and employees through this difficult phase, let me share with you the general exit process that many companies follow:

RESIGNATION

When an employee voluntarily resigns from a company, it is customary to submit a formal resignation letter. Upon receipt of the letter, the boss discusses the matter with the employee and decides whether to accept the resignation or negotiate other terms. If the boss accepts the resignation, the HR head is notified and the paperwork process begins. A 30-day grace period is usually practiced to allow for proper turnover and clearance. However, a shorter grace period may be granted at the discretion of the Management Team.

The usual documents that are commonly used are turnover checklists to aid you in proper turnover, exit interview survey to document the reason for your resignation, clearance form and certificate to ensure that you have no pending accounts and assignments with the company. Once you have been cleared, you will be given your last pay by your company. It is important to keep a copy of your Clearance Certificate or request for a Certificate of Employment as your next employer may require you to present one.

TERMINATION

Meanwhile, an employee may also be terminated due to lawful causes, just causes or authorized causes. Lawful causes are acts done by an employee that are not in accordance with the law. Just causes are acts done by an employee that are not in accordance with the company’s policies after sufficient warnings have been provided. Authorized causes are instances where the company has to terminate employment due to closure of the company, lingering illness of an employee or reduction of staff. Separation pay is usually given for authorized causes that involve illness of an employee and reduction of staff.

The usual documents that are commonly used are termination letters, notices and reports, turnover checklists, exit interview surveys, clearance forms and certificates. For authorized causes, HR are advised to submit letters and notices to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

EXIT GRACEFULLY

Whether you are an employer or an employee, it is critical for the health of your company as well as your career to make the exit process as smooth as possible.

As an employer, I’ve learned that it is definitely a lot better to send off your departing employees in a positive tone and to remove the drama from it all. Having an efficient HR system allows you to do just that. It helps you give goodwill.

As an employee, I’ve learned that it is in your best interest to leave with your reputation intact. Your relationship with your previous employer doesn’t end just because you left. It just simply changed. It is a true joy to be able to still communicate with people you have previously worked with and to be regarded in a good light. So exit gracefully, leave a good mark and keep in touch.

Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company will be holding a seminar on Compensation and Benefits Management on October 21 (Wed), as well as, Labor Law and Relations on November 14 & 21 (Sat). Her company and team of HR consultants also offer consultancy services to help companies develop an efficient and practical HR System. To know more, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com and www.hrclubphilippines.com or call (632)6874645. You may email your comments and questions to: worklife@businessmaker-academy.com

Saturday, October 3, 2009

When Job Hunting, Is Honesty Really the Best Policy?

[Manila Bulletin WORK LIFE Column: published September 30, 2009]


Years of convent-style schooling compels me to say that in anything you do, you should strive to be a person of honesty and integrity. I believe in that wholeheartedly, not because it gains me entry to heaven, but because humbling experiences have shown me that it is much simpler to tell the truth. And yes, the truth does set a lot of us free (unless, of course, if you are a criminal).

But when telling the truth, there is a fine line between Tactful and Tactless. What you say and more importantly, how you say it are really what ultimately affect people. This reminds me of an actual conversation that I witnessed among my childhood friends Mina* and Belle* (not their real names)

Mina approaches Belle and says, “No offense, Belle, but you’re tactless.” Belle gets back at her, “Ikaw, pangit!” (you’re ugly)... After awhile, Belle whispers to us, “What’s tactless?”

THAT conversation is a perfect example of tactlessness. In case you are wondering which girl is the tactless one---both of them were!

TELLING THE TRUTH, TACTFULLY

When job hunting, you’re ability to tell the truth tactfully or tactlessly can spell the difference between landing that job vs. losing the career opportunity. Telling the truth tactfully is a communication skill that not many people have and it would be wise to develop and apply it in the process of your job search.

So let’s take a look at some real-life job hunting scenarios where telling the truth tactfully matters the most...

Scenario 1: Jumping from Job to Job
You have worked as a call center agent for a year, but the problem is: it is not for just one company but for four companies. The first two companies you worked for closed down after 3 months, while the other two, you resigned from because it was really tough selling to US consumers in the midst of the recession. You don’t want to appear like a serial job hunter who can’t hold a job for a long time. Question: Should you even put these short stints in your resume?

My advice: The Call Center Industry generally has a higher job turnover rate compared to other industries. It is quite common to see shorter than normal stay among call center agents. Hence, if you are applying for another call center agent position, it would be good to include the jobs you held for that year since it will show that you have experience. Recruitment Officers review job experience and timeframe in resumes. If you do not put those stints, you will be leaving out a year’s worth of experience. That one year gap may render your resume as questionable.

Meanwhile, when you get that interview, simply tell the truth and explain that the companies you worked for closed down due to management decision. When the interviewer asks you why you resigned from the other ones, never ever tell him or her, “Ang hirap kasi ng trabaho”. (The work was too hard). Instead, try phrasing it this way: “I resigned because the job did not really utilize my strengths. Being productive gives me a lot of fulfilment.” And while you’re at it, make a mental note and tell yourself never to whine about work being hard. You can do it!

Scenario 2: You Hate Your Ex-boss’ Guts
You resigned from your previous job because you simply could not stand your boss. He gets angry easily and you are not happy with your pay. There are many things you don’t like about that company and have finally decided to call it quits. Question: How should you answer when the interviewer asks: Why did you resign from your previous job?

My advice: Never ever say that you hate your ex-boss’ guts as the reason why you resigned. Never ever bad-mouth previous employers. When I interview applicants and they start telling me negative things about their previous employers, I usually just cut the interview short. First of all, no one wants negative people in their office. Secondly, an interview is not a counselling session. Lastly, if you say bad things about previous employers, recruitment officers will immediately see that you are likely to do the same thing to their company. Instead, simply say that the company culture does not fit you well, that you are looking for a happier and rewarding place to work in.

Scenario 3: You Have Some Experience but No Title
For your first job, you worked in a small company where you did all-around work. You did a lot of stockroom inventory work, some marketing and purchasing. Now, you are applying for a bigger company as an Inventory Supervisor. The problem is, you previous job title is Office Assistant. Question: How can you show that you are qualified for the Supervisory position even if you did not have the proper title?

My advice: Do not claim that you used to be an “Inventory Supervisor” to get that Inventory Supervisor job. That’s considered lying. Believe it or not, this actually happened to an HR friend of mine who was duly checking the background of one of her job candidates. The candidate passed the interview, but when she called and verified the information presented, she realized that the candidate lied about the position title. As a result, the candidate didn’t get the job. See, it is important to know that Recruitment Officers do background checks. And they do not simply just call the references you presented. They call previous employers. So instead of giving false information, the simple solution here is to highlight your experience in stockroom inventory work. Enumerate your skills, the activities that you did and what you accomplished or contributed in your previous job.

THE TRUTHFUL WAY

Being honest, whether you’re applying for a job or talking to a childhood friend is not just about telling the truth and nothing but the truth. What you say and how you say it matters very much. It can make a relationship or break one. So be wise and tell the truth with a lot of tact.



Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and managing director for HR Club Philippines. Together with her team of HR Consultants, she has developed a successful seminar series on Human Resource Management which includes courses on Recruitment, Screening and Selection for HR practitioners. To know more about these seminars, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com and www.hrclubphilippines.com or call (632)6874645. You may email your comments and questions to: worklife@businessmaker-academy.com

Friday, August 14, 2009

Five Work-Life Balance Programs for Employees

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES A DULL WORKPLACE...
So we've added a few affordable programs in our office for instant fun and camaraderie that develops the team in mind, body and spirit.

Here are five quick and easy HR projects that you can start in your company to encourage work-life balance and to develop your Employees.

Movie Nights

Although there's additional cost involved in holding movie nights, we find that it's well worth it. It gives everyone a chance to spend a little leisure time with co-workers and it gives our team something to look forward to.

Movie Nights are great for department get-togethers or companies with a lean team. It can be a free benefit for all or it can even be used as a reward for team performance. Some big companies have it on a larger scale. One of the biggest companies in the IT-BPO industry in the Philippines treats their employees to regular movie nights. They actually rent movie theaters for their employees for a few nights, like a premiere. Yes, they are lucky enough to have the budget for it. And best of all, they have their management's support.

DVD Club

If there's no budget for Movie Nights, a great alternative is to start a Video or DVD Club. In our office, we have a simple, self-regulating club wherein any employee can donate and borrow DVDs from the list for free. They can borrow 3 titles in any given time by filling up a borrower's log and they must return them for inventory checking by the end of the month. Just a way to help people relax and unwind in the comfort of their own home with their families.

Sports Club

Most people with desk-bound jobs more often than not have sedentary lifestyles. And as we know, this lack of physical activity cause stiff muscles, slower metabolism and the big O---obesity. Having elevators in the office does not help us to become healthier either.

So from time to time, you can organize sports days or even sports festivals. If your company has the facilities, you can even get volunteers to lead the Sports Club. All you need are a few balls, rackets, water and willing souls.

Company Library

Meanwhile, for employees who aren't really into sports but are more into books, you can create own your Company Library wherein employees can donate and borrow books. For our company, we've manage to collect many personal and professional development books, crafts books, cookbooks and marketing books that any of our employee can read. And very much like the DVD Club, we've set it up so that it is self-regulating. For companies with a small group of employees, self-regulation works. For big companies, you may have to assign someone to regulate your library.

Bible Study

Purely voluntary and optional, we have allowed a group of our employees to conduct bible study in our company premises outside office hours. Although our employees belong to different religions, they are generally Catholics and Christians, so there are common grounds in terms of teachings. In our company, praying together and respecting each others' religion (without necessarily arguing about religious beliefs) is encouraged for spiritual growth.

Okay, this may be a bit controversial. That's why I placed it at the end. Bible studies may cause some conflict if there are differing and passionate views about religion. It is not for everyone. You have to take into account your company's culture, as well as the sensitivities of people. So only do this if everyone is okay with it. If not, do not force it.

For more ideas about programs and projects that you can start for your company, you may read books or talk to fellow HR practitioners at HR Club Philippines.

>>> Jhoanna O. Gan-So is the president and head of research and development for Businessmaker Academy. She is an educator, entrepreneur, marketing communication specialist and HR practitioner. Together with her husband, Mark So, she is committed to helping people improve their personal, professional and financial lives.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

How to Set Up an Employee of the Month Program

Can you improve team performance through an Employee of the Month Program? I say, DEFINITELY YES!

Let me share a simple program that we did and how it improved team performance and culture...

THE STARS & STRIKES PROGRAM


When we started our company, we briefly encountered a stressful and emotional period wherein anger and yelling started happening between supervisors and subordinates. This was brought about by errors and negligent work issues.

It would start innocently enough. A staff would make a mistake. The managers would talk about it and the next thing we knew, blood pressure would rise and people would flare up. Needless to say, morale was low and the team became fearful of the bosses. Negative comments were amplified and positive comments went unnoticed.

We did not want our company culture to be this way, so we started the Stars & Strikes Program. It's a fairly simple program that can be used per department or the company as a whole and linked with the Employee of the Month Award.

In the Stars & Strikes Program, we basically have two types of colored cards.
a. Blue cards for Stars --- where we commend and write down each good performance and deeds of our staff.
b. Yellow cards for Strikes --- where we write down each mistake and reminders to perform better to our staff.

We drop these cards in a confidential box. Then at the end of each month, we open the box in front of our staff. We count the Star cards against the Strike cards. Whoever, gets the highest amount of Star Cards (less the strikes) is our employee of the month. The Employee of the Month gets a cash prize and a day off.

I like this program because:

a. When a staff makes a mistake,
- it gives the manager time to pause and think before getting angry.
- it is a writing tool to express reminders and corrections.
- it is a tracking tool to quantify the criteria for employee of the month.

b. When a staff performs well,
- it gives the manager a medium to express gratitude.
- it is a written commendation that employees can keep.
- it helps us recognize the exemplary deeds and contribution of each employee.

Lately, we noticed that we have been writing a lot of Star cards and very minimal Strike cards. This shows that performance is up. Our company culture is on the right track and morale has never been better.

If you have comments, questions or clarifications, please reply to this post.
If you have your own favorite program that you would like to share, feel free to reply to this post.

Let's all help each other improve our companies. Ultimately, this will lead to a better Philippines.
For more tips on Performance Management, check out Businessmaker Academy's seminar on Coaching Techniques for Managers & Supervisors, as well as their HR Management Seminar Series.

>>> Jhoanna O. Gan-So is the president and head of research and development for Businessmaker Academy. She is an educator, entrepreneur, marketing communication specialist and HR practitioner. Together with her husband, Mark So, she is committed to helping people improve their personal, professional and financial lives.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Useful Tools to Communicate & Udpate Employees

Aside from traditional bulletin boards, there are simple tools that you can use to communicate and update your team of employees. Let me share with you a couple of tools that we use in our company...

COMMUNICATIONS LOGBOOK & ONLINE MESSAGE BOARDS
This is especially helpful when you've got employees with different schedule shifts... Or when we need to share information within the team, but don't want to necessarily announce it to the whole world.

Back in college, not so long ago, we had a tambayan (hangout place). Since my friends and I had different class schedules and we didn't see each other daily, we would communicate and update each other using a message logbook. (There were no cellphones yet at that time and not everyone had beepers).

In the same way, we've been using a message logbook in our office for the past 5 years. In the logbook, we write notes, reminders, greetings and such. It's has been a pretty good communications tool.

But we've recently added another improvement in our company. Since everyone in our company now have computers and internet access, we have an Online Message Board for the team. We use the forum to update each other about projects and programs. Unlike email wherein it gets difficult to sort through all the messages that come in, the forum provides a focused discussion thread for us.

It's pretty cool and very easy to do. For more information on simple HR projects that you can do, you may attend Businessmaker Academy's HR Management Seminar Series and become a member of HR Club Philippines. For assistance in setting up your Online Message Board and train your people on how to use it, you may work with an IT specialist or visit BusinessmakerOnline.

>>> Jhoanna O. Gan-So is the president and head of research and development for Businessmaker Academy. She is an educator, entrepreneur, marketing communication specialist and HR practitioner. Together with her husband, Mark So, she is committed to helping people improve their personal, professional and financial lives.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

How to Develop a Strong Company Culture

A company's culture is greatly influenced by it's management. How the bosses conduct themselves, will ultimately be mirrored by the team. For instance, if the management is customer-oriented and conducts business in a professional yet personal way, chances are, you will find their employees acting the same way.

This is evident whenever I visit a new private doctor's clinic. I can tell immediately even without meeting the doctor if the doctor has good bedside manners and really cares for the patient. All I do is observe how their secretaries deal with customers and I'll know what the doctor will be like and whether I will continue to see this doctor.

Because customers relate and ultimately come to trust a company due to its culture, building a Good Company Culture that leads to a Credible Corporate Image is a vital function of HR and should not be shoved over to the Marketing Department to invent on its own. Ultimately, a well-defined and practiced culture will greatly increase a company's success... and HR practitioners have an major role in this.

So How Do You Develop a Strong Company Culture?

First, Build the Foundation.
In our company, our management team took the time to discuss and map out our VMV---Vision, Mission and Values. We also prepared our Company Policies, HR manual and Employee Orientation Program. It was important that the whole management team take part in this endeavor. You don't just write this stuff and expect others to read and follow. Getting people's Buy In is key, and the best way to get people's buy in is to include them in the process. (To learn more about building a solid HR foundation for your company, you can check out books and seminars on Fundamentals of HR Management)

Second, Recruit People with the Same Values.

Unless your company's primary preference is diversity, it is best to find people whose values and competencies are in line with the company's VMV. In our company, we started employing competency-based recruitment with special emphasis on Values. Since we started practicing this type of recruitment and selection process, I've noticed that our employee turnover rate has gone down. (To learn more about Effective Employee Recruitment, Retention and Selection, you can check out books and seminars near you)

Third, Train Your People
There our many ways that you can train your people. One of the most successful HR projects we have is an Automated New Employee Orientation Program. This innovative project allows us to orient an employee through a 4-part interactive webinar, so that we don't have to physically conduct the training ourselves every time there's a new employee. Any employee who is hired by us undergoes this process, then we follow it up with some Company sponsored seminars and On-the-Job Training. (To learn more, you can check out BMA's Corporate Training Services or Seminars on Training Program Development and Trainers Training Program)

Fourth, Manage Performance
Once, you've selected and trained your employees, you need to constantly ensure that they are performing well and that they are upholding the values of the company. Here you want to build programs that will help you increase productivity and create a system that allows you to track, monitor and evaluate employee's performance. Giving Feedback regularly is a powerful way to manage and increase your team's performance. (To learn how to build Performance Management Systems and Programs, you may read books, interview professionals and attend seminars)

Lastly, Reward Your Employees
This is the fun part of the job in HR, developing innovative and cost-effective programs that will make employees happy. There are so many exciting ways you can motivate your employees and keep your culture alive. In our company, we continuously try our best to maintain a stable compensation and benefits structure that the company can afford. We also have fun HR programs that reward good deeds and give incentives to star performers. (To learn more, check out Businessmaker Academy's Compensation & Benefits Management Seminar)

In the next posts, I will share with you Successful HR Project Ideas that you can easily implement to build a strong and happy Company Culture.

>>> Jhoanna O. Gan-So is the president and head of research and development for Businessmaker Academy. She is an educator, entrepreneur, marketing communication specialist and HR practitioner. Together with her husband, Mark So, she is committed to helping people improve their personal, professional and financial lives.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Philippine Holidays 2009

Philippine Holiday Schedule for 2009
(PGMA’s Proclamation 1699)

Just uploading an important News Advisory which was posted in the HR Club Forum previously. This is a helpful reference for all of us. As HR practitioners, this run-down of Holiday Schedule is very useful for planning your company schedules, manpower allocation and leaves. You might want to circulate this among managers so that they can plan events and activities on the right dates---not during holidays!

Here is the List of Philippine Holidays for 2009
through PGMA’s Proclamation 1699:

April 6 - Araw ng Kagitingan - regular holiday
moved to the nearest Monday)
April 9 - Maundy Thursday - regular holiday
April 10 - Good Friday - regular holiday
May 1 - Labor Day - regular holiday
June 12 - Independence Day - regular holiday
August 21 - Ninoy Aquino Day - special non-working day
August 31 - National Heroes Day - regular Holiday
November 1 - All Saints Day - special non-working day
November 2 - All Souls Day - special non-working day
November 30 - Bonifacio Day - regular holiday
December 24 - Christmas Eve - special non-working day
December 25 - Christmas Day - regular holiday
December 30 - Rizal Day - regular holiday
December 31 - New Year’s Eve - special non-working day

Given this holiday schedule, this results
to a list of ten (10) long-weekend holiday dates for 2009:

April 4 - 6 (Araw ng Kagitingan on April 9
moved to the nearest Monday, April 6)
April 9 - 12 (Holy Week or Easter holidays)
May 1 - 3 (Labor Day)
June 12 - 14 (Independence Day)
Aug 21 - 23 (Ninoy Aquino Day)
Aug 29 - 31 (National Heroes Day)
Oct 31 - Nov 2 (All Saints Day/All Souls Day)
Nov 28 - 30 (Bonifacio Day)
Dec 24 - 27 (Christmas holidays)
Dec 30 - Jan 3 (Rizal Day & New Year)

Note: Edsa Anniversary (Feb 25) and Ramadan (Sept 21?) were not mentioned. There are also other City-related holidays that you should look into.

Enjoy the 2009 Holidays!

>>> Jhoanna O. Gan-So is the president and head of research and development for Businessmaker Academy. She is an educator, entrepreneur, marketing communication specialist and HR practitioner. Together with her husband, Mark So, she is committed to helping people improve their personal, professional and financial lives.

Friday, July 10, 2009

My HR Story

Just want to share how I got into HR...

I never really expected that I would be doing HR work. I'm an Entrepreneur and a Marketing Communications Specialist by profession while my partners are into education, sales and finance. So when we started Businessmaker Academy 5 years ago, HR was at the bottom of our list of priorities. I was busy working on the Marketing and R&D aspect of the business---giving literally my blood, sweat and tears to build our company with my partners Mark and Cindy who were working as hard.

Building the company from scratch, we went through a lot of sleepless nights working hard to survive the then shaky economy and early challenges of business. But no matter how hard we worked, we found ourselves having to work harder and harder... oftentimes having to troubleshoot, solve problems and fix the mistakes of our staff back then.

Worse---Instead of handling HR, we assigned the HR function to our then Accounting & Office Supervisor---BIG MISTAKE. Being inexperienced in HR work and having no prior training, she was not ready to take on that role. There were several occasions wherein our staff made their issues known to her, but she did not inform us of any problems encountered. Consequently, morale got low, productivity suffered, then a great divide between staff and mancomm arose. Those were dark times...

It was then that I realized that I had to take charge of our company's HR---aaack! Well, somebody had to do it.

So by default, I became the HR head. I first created a simple 5-page HR manual. Then, together with my partners, we mapped out policies, benefits and incentives. More importantly, we spent time training our new team and establishing exciting programs (please read Successful HR Project Ideas in this forum). Within a year, we managed to build a better HR system and an employee enabling company culture. Whew!

It took us 5 years to finally succeed and make Businessmaker Academy successful. Now, we can breathe and enjoy some of the fruits of our labor. We now understand: One of the key ingredients for business success is good HR Management. With our new and improved team, morale is much improved, everyone is united and productivity is high. Galing ng team!

That's how important HR is---looking back, it should have been at the top of our list: "Take care of your team and your team will take care of your company."

>>> Jhoanna O. Gan-So is the president and head of research and development for Businessmaker Academy. She is an educator, entrepreneur, marketing communication specialist and HR practitioner. Together with her husband, Mark So, she is committed to helping people improve their personal, professional and financial lives.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Our HR Digital Newsletter

Let me first introduce you to HR Club Philippines, the online forum membership site created by Businessmaker Academy to help HR practitioners and students continue learning and developing skills in Human Resource Management.

This Online Newsletter is a by-product of our Seminar Series on Human Resource Management. Aside from our regular forum, we've decided to digitally deliver helpful news, insights and project ideas to help you make positive improvements in your workplace. Basically, we're here to help you help others at work.

So feel free to subscribe, post comments and questions and share this to your friends.

Here's to a happy and productive workplace to all of us!

>>> Jhoanna O. Gan-So is the president and head of research and development for Businessmaker Academy. She is an educator, entrepreneur, marketing communication specialist and HR practitioner. Together with her husband, Mark So, she is committed to helping people improve their personal, professional and financial lives.