General Guidelines in Answering Interview Questions

Everyone is nervous on interviews. If you simply allow yourself to feel nervous, you'll do much better. Remember also that it's difficult for the interviewer as well.

In general, be upbeat and positive. Never be negative.

Rehearse your answers and time them. Never talk for more than 2 minutes straight.

Don't try to memorize answers word for word. Use the answers shown hereas a guide only, and don't be afraid to include your own thoughts andwords. To help you remember key concepts, jot down and review a few keywords for each answer. Rehearse your answers frequently, and they willcome to you naturally in interviews.

As you will read in the accompanying report, the single most important strategy in interviewing, as in all phases of your job search, is whatwe call: "The Greatest Executive Job Finding Secret." And that is...

Find out what people want, than show them how you can help them get it.

In other words, you must match your abilities, with the needs of the employer. You must sell what the buyer is buying. To do that, before youknow what to emphasize in your answers, you must find out what the buyer is buying... what he is looking for. And the best way to do that is toask a few questions yourself.

You will see how to bring this off skillfully as you read the first two questions of this report. But regardless of how you accomplish it, you must remember this strategy above all: before blurting out yourqualifications, you must get some idea of what the employer wants most.Once you know what he wants, you can then present your qualifications as the perfect key that fits the lock of that position.

Other important interview strategies:

Turn weaknesses into strengths (You'll see how to do this in afew moments.) Think before you answer. A pause to collect your thoughts is a hallmark of a thoughtful person.

As a daily exercise, practice being more optimistic. For example, try putting a positive spin on events and situations you would normally regard as negative. This is not meant to turn you into a Pollyanna, butto sharpen your selling skills. The best salespeople, as well as the best liked interview candidates, come off as being naturally optimistic,"can do" people. You will dramatically raise your level of attractiveness by daily practicing to be more optimistic.

Be honest...never lie.

Keep an interview diary. Right after each interview note what you did right, what could have gone a little better, and what steps you should take next with this contact. Then take those steps. Don't be like the 95% of humanity who say they will follow up on something, but never do.

WHY EMPLOYEES LEAVE ORGANISATIONS? BY AZIM PREMJI

Every company faces the problem of people leaving the company for better pay or profile. Early this year, Abhishek, a senior software designer, got an offer from a prestigious international firm to work in its India operations developing specialized software. He was thrilled by the offer. He had heard a lot about the CEO. The salary was great. The company had all the right systems in place employee-friendly human resources (HR) policies, a spanking new office, and the very best technology, even a canteen that served superb food. Twice Abhishek was sent abroad for training. "My learning curve is the sharpest it's ever been," he said soon after he joined.

Last week, less than eight months after he joined, Abhishek walked out of the job. Why did this talented employee leave? Abhishek quit for the same reason that drives many good people away. The answer lies in one of the largest studies undertaken by the Gallup Organization. The study surveyed over a million employees and 80,000 managers and was published in a book called "First Break All the Rules". It came up with this surprising finding: If you're losing good people, look to their immediate boss. Immediate boss is the reason people stay and thrive in an organization. And he's the reason why people leave. When people leave they take knowledge, experience and contacts with them, straight to the competition. "People leave managers not companies," write the authors Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman.

Mostly manager drives people away? HR experts say that of all the abuses, employees find humiliation the most intolerable. The first time, an employee may not leave, but a thought has been planted. The second time, that thought gets strengthened. The third time, he looks for another job. When people cannot retort openly in anger, they do so by passive aggression. By digging their heels in and slowing down. By doing only what they are told to do and no more. By omitting togive the boss crucial information. Dev says: "If you work for a jerk, you basically want to get him into trouble. You don't have your heart and soul in the job." Different managers can stress out employees in different ways - by being too controlling, too suspicious, too pushy, too critical, but they forget that workers are not fixed assets, they are free agents. When this goes on too long, an employee will quit - often over a trivial issue. Talented men leave. Dead wood doesn't.

How to Look for a Job When You Already Have One!

The #1 reason people change jobs is not money. Feeling under-appreciated in a job that lacks any personal satisfaction is what motivates most people to move on. You'll spend about 11,000 days working over your lifetime, and I believe they should be rewarding and happy ones in which you are paid what you are worth. Contrary to public opinion - you cannot compartmentalize your life. Your career, your family, your hobbies, even your socializing, all impact your well-being interconnectively. So if you're unhappy at work those feelings spill over into your home life too.

If I'm describing you, recognize that you are not alone. Many of my career counseling clients are in the same boat. I have seen dozens of clients in the last few months who were employed, but they wanted more - and they got it. Julie had been a program manager for a major software company but had become disillusioned with the job. She put off looking for a new job because she felt overwhelmed with her current position. Her excuse was that she lacked the time to do it, that is until a friend told her about a terrific new position that sounded just perfect. That got her moving.

We began to work together and created her resume, a targeted cover letter, and polished her interviewing skills. From the day she decided to go after the new job, it took her less than three weeks to land it. The job pays over $100K with a lucrative bonus structure, which was a significant raise from the old job. Needless to say, life got immediately better for Julie once she made the decision toact. On top of which, she wrote to tell me that she loves the new job.

If you want to improve your life with a career change here are a few strategies to get you quickly moving in the right direction.

1. You need a great resume NOW.
You simply will avoid applying if you have to "do your resume." Do it right away: set aside the next weekend, sit down and write it. Today's employers want to see the results of your efforts so be specific in outlining accomplishments, noting how you made money for the company, or how much money, time or effort you saved. Note every way in which you have made positive contributions to your recent employers. Your resume is likely to get only a 20-second glance, so be certain it's the best advertisement possibly announcing your skills, and get help if you are struggling to write it on your own.

2. Cherry pick.
When you have a job, you need to be very selective about those for which you now elect to apply. Time management is crucial since you will likely only have about five hours a week to job search. Don't waste your time on any job that is not exciting and a pretty decent fit. A new job may be the one that is also a move up so stretch a bit to go after your dreams, but be realistic too.

3. Write targeted cover letters.
Why? Employers LOVE cover letters, and will take time to read well-written ones, meaning yours will get a longer look and you will have a stronger potential to be called in for the interview. The letter must be tailored to the opportunity and quickly outline the qualifications and past accomplishments that you bring to the job, pointing out why you are a good fit. Be sure your opening paragraph summarizes your top skills.

4. Know what your skills are worth.
Learn whether you are truly being underpaid and what you should realistically expect. Be well-prepared to effectively handle any salary questions or you may leave money on the table, or worse, not get the job since the interviewer downgraded your skills because your current salary was lower than your skills should garner. Keep this mantra in mind: whoever mentions money first loses - don't let it be you.

HR Leaders Must Capitalize On Their First 100 Days On

The following is an excerpt from Mercer's new Point of View paper, "Your first 100 days as chief human resource officer: Make a good first impression for lasting success."

Your first 100 days as the new Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) provides a window of opportunity to build a solid foundation for long-term success. It's a time to gain the confidence of the CEO, the executive team and those in the HR function, and to secure an in-depth understanding of your new environment.

This is a unique opportunity. ..one you will never have the chance to do over. How can you make the most of it? We suggest you spend these critical first 100 days at the strategic level, focused on the development of connected strategies for both the organization' s workforce and the HR function itself.

You should strive to:

1. Connect the goals of the HR function to the goals of the business.By starting with the broad business challenges and strategy, you'll convey to senior executives that you understand the need to link workforce investments to business results. It will take some time before you can measure the impact of your HR leadership, but you can set the standard in the first 100 days as you identify new goals and measures for HR.

2. Identify the greatest sources of pain for immediate attention and prioritize longer-term issues.While you won't be able to address all of the organization' s workforce or HR issues in the first 100 days, you can identify the most critical ones, assess the available resources and develop a plan of action. You can also take advantage of smaller issues where quick action will result in immediate benefits.

3. Create a plan that will guide your function and your business partners.After you identify your goals, you can create a vision of success and a road map to get there. Your action plan will clearly articulate the activities, timing and required resources. Your plan should engage stakeholders throughout the organization to ensure a solid connection between business and workforce strategies.

4. Build the case for change within the function and throughout the organization.The scope and magnitude of change will be different in each organization, but there's no question that people will expect action - and business challenges will demand it. Your new role will provide momentum for change, and the CEO's agenda may add additional urgency. Your demonstrated ability to make a persuasive case for change in the first 100 days will highlight your value to the executive team.

5. Create a powerful personal brand as a business leader and change agent.What you do - and what you choose not to do - will communicate the value and character of your personal brand. Partly it's a matter of substance: what you have to say. But it's also a matter of style: how well you say it. While you will undoubtedly be influenced by aspects of your new organization and its culture, it's important to express your personal views on what HR must do - and how it must be done - to help the organization succeed. Expect some healthy debate as you posit views that others in your organization may not immediately agree with - including other business leaders and even your own HR team. This can be very constructive as you discuss the business, its future course and the implications for the workforce and the HR function.

Admittedly, each HR leadership job is different - greatly affected by market conditions, business strategies and the current state of the function. But regardless of the specific job situation, you will need to gather and synthesize facts and opinions about the organization' s unique business and workforce challenges, and then translate this information into a comprehensive set of actions.

The following three-step process can help you make a strong start and exceed the expectations of those around you:

Step 1: Understand the business and workforce issues.Identify the current and changing dynamics of key markets and customers... and their impact on the organization' s business strategy, brand and workforce priorities.

Step 2: Develop workforce and HR function strategies.Identify the important segments and characteristics of the organization' s workforce that will drive strategic competitive advantage. Determine the operational consequences of both the business and workforce requirements on the design of the HR function. Then spend some time developing a concrete plan - including priorities, important decision points and milestones, accountability and critical resources.

Step 3: Promote and lead change.Identify what needs to change, potential barriers and the activities required to support and sustain effective implementation - including productive new workforce behaviors supported by world-class HR.

Should You Use Chronological or Functional Resume?

Should You Use a Chronological or Functional Resume? By Roberta Chinsky Matuson

Too many people make the mistake of thinking that a resume's purpose is to get them a job. Actually, resumes open and close doors. Their main purpose is to make an employer interested enough to invite you in for an interview.

But how do you create that interest when you don't exactly fit the mold? Just as people come in different sizes and shapes, so do resumes.

Chronological Resumes
The chronological resume seems to be the most popular format used. This type of resume usually contains an objective and/or summary statement and a chronological listing (from most recent to past) of all your employers along with related accomplishments. Educational information is included along with certifications and special skills.

This type of resume may be fine for someone who is experienced, but if you are switching careers or are just entering the workforce, this type of resume will most likely help you wind up in the "no" pile. So how do you showcase your talents if you can't lay them out like everyone else?

Functional Resumes
Take the time to develop a strong functional resume. Functional resumes highlight your abilities, such as hiring, managing or coaching, rather than your chronological work history. You'll still need to summarize your work history, but this is usually done at the bottom of your resume. Don't panic. By the time the reader has gotten to that point, he is usually sold on bringing you in for an interview.

Most books on resume writing contain sections on how to write functional or skills-based resumes. Go to your local bookstore or library and thumb through some books. Then make your selection.

One of my favorite books on this topic is an oldie but goodie. It's old enough to be out of print, but you can still find copies online or at libraries. The book is titled Go Hire Yourself an Employer by Richard Irish. It just goes to show that solid advice is just that - solid.

Who Should Use a Functional Resume?

A functional resume is particularly useful for people who:
1. Have gaps in their work history.
2. Are reentering the workforce.
3. Have frequently changed jobs.
4. Are looking to transition into new careers.
5. Don't exactly fit the mold of what recruiters are looking for in the positions they want.

The reason functional resumes work well in these situations is that many of us have acquired skills while working that are very transferable. For example, if you have worked as a retail manager, chances are you were responsible for hiring, training, coaching, evaluating and handling employee relations issues.

If you were to submit this information in a chronological resume, there's a good chance a hiring manager (or computer) might skip right by you, because you did not hold the title of human resources manager, even if 50 percent of your day was spent dealing with HR-related issues.

It all comes down to how you package yourself. You can give employers the same information, only in a new and improved package. This is bound to get you more interviews, which will increase your chances of landing the job you want.

How To Plan Your Career?

Career Planning is a long process, which begins right from the time one starts visiting school. Choosing a job that will suit you best depend on a number of factors, beginning with your interest and what you enjoy most. This is most important since there is no point working if; you do not enjoy the work you are doing. Secondly, it is also important to know what you wish to achieve in future. Setting prior goals is essential as this is what is going to motivate you in attaining results at the earliest.

The initial few years of your career are the most crucial period. It is during this phase that you realize which will be the perfect job for you. Counsellors also suggest that one should keep experimenting with a variety of profiles during this period to see where the interest actually lies. The career planning cycle has been broken into four stages that help in evaluating your position and take you to your desired position. The four stages are as follows:

Where you are? Where can you be? How can you be there? Are you actually getting there?

Let's now study these four stages and see what they actually mean.

The first step in career planning is self-assessment. To find out 'Where you are' placed and why you are in the position. Once you start evaluating your position you will know how focused or lost you are. And accordingly, you will also know how to refocus on your goals and move ahead. Proper and effective evaluation of the reason for your stagnation or your development is also essential. On doing this, you will know if the job you are currently pursuing is actually of interest to you or not.

Your next level should be to set goals, i.e. answering the question, 'Where can you be?' This is a very practical stage of your career planning and no assumptions or superficial beliefs would help you in this situation. Your assessment should be an effective reality check on your growth to find out of the loopholes if it exists anywhere. At this level, you also need to make up your mind clearly as to where you really wish to get, while you are making your career moves.

On answering the above two, you have now successfully reached the third and most dynamic stage of your career planning. Here you need to figure out 'How can you be there?' and prepare your skills and knowledge accordingly. Do a SWOT analysis on your self, i.e. a rigorous check of your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This is the stage of implementing your plans. This is the execution phase.

Next comes a final assessment, to find out whether you are actually getting there. This is a periodical check on your moves. And will guide you to the right path.

The next most important thing in choosing the right career is to evaluate if your values, beliefs and attitude will fit in the job or not. There is no job satisfaction if you are not rightly and adequately paid for the job. And this is one reason for which most people are dissatisfied with their work.

Invest some time out of your schedule to find out the answer to these simple questions and find a career for yourself, which will compliment you and help you to love your workplace.

Top Companies-Survey 2006-IDC DQ

The Top 20-Best Employers in India - 2006

1. Tata Consultancy Services
2. RMSI
3. HCL Infosystems
4. Infosys Technologies
5. Cadence Design Systems
6. Hexaware Technologies
7. Aztecsoft
8. Induslogic
9. Wipro Technologies
10. Accel Frontline

Top List Company to work in the world with highest pay and Good Employee satisfaction:

1. Google
2. Yahoo
3. Sun Microsystems
4. IBM
5. Oracle.
6.AOL.
7.Apple Computers.
8.GE
9.Microsoft
10.Intel.

Top List Company to work in the India with highest pay, Good Employee satisfaction:

1. Google (bang)
2. Yahoo (bang)
3. Sun Microsystems (bang)
4. Trilogy (bang)
5. Oracle (Hyd, Bang)
6. Adobe and RedHat.(Bang).
8. Microsoft (Hyd).
9. Verizon (Chennai).
10.SAP-Labs.(bang).

Best Quality Training Company for Entry level Software Engg in India is Infosys.
Best Outsourcing Company in the world is Accenture.
Highest no of employee: IBM.
Best Mail Server is Yahoo and Gmail.
Highest Hitting Web site is www.google.com
Best Supporting Company is Access-Linux and Sony.
Best Electronic Company Sony.
Best Computer DeskTop provider is Dell.
Best LabTop provider is IBM-Think.
Best MotherBoard provider is AMD.
Best Client for IT is City Bank and Deutsche Bank.

Best Products by the Software Company:
1. Mainframes Server by IBM.
2. Application Server by Oracle
3. Business ware Tool by IBM MQ-series.
4. Application Servers by Sun Microsystems.
5. Application servers by bea-Weblogic.
6. Application servers by IBM-Webshpere.
7. Oracle database by Oracle.
8. MS Office by Microsoft.
9. Lotus Notes Mail server by IBM.
10 . Integration tools by tibco.

Best Commerce Server is Web sphere Commerce Server by IBM.

Top Best Fields to work:
1. Main Frames
2. SAP.
3. EAI-Integration domain in all tech.
4. Java/j2ee
5. Embedded Technology.
6. Dot Net.
7. Oracle
8. ERP
9. Mercury Testing tools.
10. Networking and Routers using C.

Best Position in Software Company after Management team:

1. Business Analyst team.
2. Application Integration team.
3. Application and Product Development team.
4. System Development team.
5. Quality Control Team.
6. DB Team.
7. Networking and System admin team.
8. Application maintenance and Enhancement team.
9. System maintenance team.
10. Testing Team.
11. Marketing Team.
12. Finance Team.
13. Human Resource Team.
14. Resource Management Team.
15. Infrastructure Maintenance and Help Desk team.

Best Operating System:
1. Unix (For security and Capability)
2. Microsoft Windows 2000 (For GUI and Flexibility)
3. Sun Solaris.
4. Red Hat Linux.

Questions for Leaders at the end of each Quarter of A Year

When a quarter ends business leaders at all levels will spend the next few days or weeks collecting financial results and reporting on them.

Will all those reports help you manage your business? Hopefully they will be of some help. They might not be enough, though. Here are some additional questions you might want to ask yourself in order to help you turbo charge the next quarter.

Questions About You

What significant contribution did you make to your organization in the last three months? I suggest writing a PAR (Problem-Actions-Results) statement for each of your significant contributions, and pasting it into your resume for future reference. Do it now before you forget what you accomplished.

What new skills did you learn in the last three months? What did you read?

How many new contacts did you make in the last three months? How have you followed up with them? How have you maintained contact with the rest of your network?

What feedback have you received about your leadership skills?

How many times did you get out at the "coal face" - where your team is actually delivering service to customers or making widgets?

What did you do for your mental and physical health this quarter?

What did you do to improve your on-line brand over the last three months? When you google yourself, what do you find?

What does all of that imply for your second quarter self-development plan?

Questions About Your Team

How many times did you give feedback to each of your employees?

How would you rate the results of each of your employees so far this year? Have you shared those ratings with them (you should)?

What progress has each employee made on her development plan this year?

Which employees are over-delivering and may need additional challenges?

Which employees are having trouble and need help (or to be re-assigned)?

What does all of that imply for your second quarter team development plan?

Questions About Your Customers

How many customers did you visit with in the past three months?

What are your customers saying about your product/service and what are you doing about it?

Where are you gaining market share and price?

Where are you losing market share, or sacrificing price?

What does all of that imply for your second quarter market plan?

Questions About Your Business (Or Your Part Of The Business)

What are the trends for gross margin, operating margin, days sales in inventory, days sales outstanding and days payable outstanding?

What is the trend in waste?

What changes are you facing? Are they major or minor? Are they short term or long term? If long term and major, how have you revised your plans to cope with the changes?

What went well in the last three months, and what did you learn from the success?

What went poorly in the last three months, and what did you learn from the failure?

What are the key opportunities and problems you must fix in the coming three months?

What are the key questions you need to answer in the next three months?

What does all of that imply for your second quarter business plan.

Some Killer Questions To Ask In Your Next Job Interview

Imagine you’re in a job interview and everything is looking great - the job looks interesting, the salary and perks are about right, people seem nice.

What you really need to know now is, “Is this a nice place to work?” Are people happy at work here? Are the managers good? Are the co-workers nice? Or is this company a branch office of one of the nastier levels of hell?

You could always ask them straight out at the interview. “Say… I was wondering… Is this a good place to work?”

But you pretty much know what they’ll say, don’t you? “Why certainly, dear applicant, this company is fully committed to the well-being of its employees. We strive to maintain a high level of employee satisfaction and employees are our number one asset.”

Riiiight!

So what questions can you ask to cut through the corporate b.s. and learn whether this is an actual, honest-to-god, nice workplace?

Here’s what you can do: Ask the people interviewing you about their best experiences working for the company. Questions like:

· What’s been your best experience working at this company?

· When do you have the most fun at work?

· Who do you enjoy working with the most here? What do you like about them?

· Which manager do you admire the most in this company? What do you admire about that person?

· What’s the greatest thing your manager has done for his/her people?

You can ask the person interviewing you. If your future boss is at the interview, ask her. An even better option, if at all possible, is to get a chance to ask some of your potential co-workers. Some companies make this possible, and that’s the best way to learn more about the company.

What’s so great about those questions?

1. Because you’re asking about people’s own experiences, these questions are hard to dodge or to answer with platitudes and corporate flim-flam.

2. These are all positive questions. Even if the person interviewing you is a serial complainer, you will get some information on what’s great about this company.

3. If they think these questions are just waaaay off base and inappropriate, that’s probably a good sign that they’re not into the whole “happy at work” thing :o)

4. Answering positive questions like these puts people in a good mood, which means they’re more likely to like you and consequently more likely to hire you.

Care to try it?

Let me come clean here: I’ve only been to two job interviews in my life - both at the very beginning of my career! I’ve been an entrepreneur for almost 15 years, so I have never tried to use them in this way myself.

However, I have used the same type of questions in sales meetings (which are not too different from job interviews when you think about it), where they work very well.

These questions will give you a much better idea of what a company and its people are really like. If good stories and great experiences start flowing and the word “fun” comes up a lot, that’s an indication of a great workplace.

If they look at you like “That’s the weirdest question I’ve ever heard” it may not be.

How Do We Curb Toxic Employee Behaviors?

Q: I am HR manager at a nonprofit mental health organization. Many managers are complaining about poor workplace behaviors of employees. Although not illegal, these behaviors are unhealthy and unproductive. Employees do not seem capable of getting along with each other, and it's harming our ability to work efficiently. What can I do to address these behaviors and improve this toxic work environment?

A: The first step is to create a clear list of the exact behaviors you have in mind. Until people know what is and what isn't OK at work, you will continue to deal with employees' differing standards. For some, asking for a date is cute and flirtatious. For others, it's awkward and insulting. For some, terms like "stupid" are playful, while others find it demeaning and unprofessional.

I once worked in a large health care system that asked several respected physicians and administrators to create a code of conduct. The team met with people who had complained of a toxic work environment and asked them to share the details of what employees were saying and doing. From these interviews they then developed a detailed list of inappropriate behaviors.

What may seem menial and rather obvious produced spectacular results. After turning the list into a formal code of conduct, they then asked each health care professional to agree to the code and then started holding people accountable to the new standard. So, start by clarifying the new rules.

At the personal level, deal with each abusive interaction as it happens. Hold what we have come to call a "crucial conversation." Start by assuming the other person isn't fully aware of the impact of their actions. Instead of becoming upset, ask yourself: Why would a reasonable, rational and decent person do what they just did? Now you won't be angry and won't start the discussion on the wrong foot.

Next, describe the problem, starting with the facts: "Here's what just happened" as opposed to what you want to see happen. For example: "You raised your voice and called me incompetent. I was hoping we could keep our conversations free from labels or a harsh tone." Then stop and check for the other person's point of view. "Is that what just happened, or did I miss something?"

If the person agrees but seems unaffected, explain the consequences of their actions - how it made you feel and the effects on your relationship. If they still remain unaffected, explain that you'll have to call in an authority figure. Of course this won't be necessary as long as you start the discussion with a clear and unemotional description of the problem. When you keep a professional tone, the other person is likely to respond in kind and you'll engage in a healthy discussion of the problem.

You are right to be concerned about a toxic work environment. Everybody deserves a workplace filled with civility and respect.

5 Factors That Affect Your Employee's Productivity

1. Attitude Is Everything
Happy employees are productive employees. And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a consulting firm to figure that one out. Negative attitudes can torpedo employee productivity much faster than nonstop basketball being streamed over the Web.

“An employee with a positive attitude usually enjoys the work that they do and feels empowered and recognized for their contributions,” said Henning. “An employee that is complacent and does not really enjoy their work, but is simply there for a paycheck usually does not produce at a high level, develops a bad attitude and generally drags a team down.”

2. Boss Is the Barrier
How can you improve employee productivity when the boss stinks? A recent poll found that, among other things, an employee’s productivity is determined by their relationship with their immediate supervisor. When the bad boss fails to keep promises, never gives credit when due, makes negative comments, or blames others for their mistakes, the productivity level of their employees is significantly impacted.

“A poor supervisor is definitely the No. 1 factor that causes low productivity,” said Barry L. Brown, President of a Florida-based consulting group. “It’s been my experience that a good supervisor will motivate, inspire, encourage and reward good performance. A poor supervisor, of course, is just the opposite, only in multiples. Employees who do not have a direct connection with the company begin to lose all the reasons for wanting to do that little bit extra and take the additional time to make something right.”

3. Productivity: In Sickness and in Health
Health concerns, naturally, are a big drain on an employee’s ability to be productive, and companies know it. At the SHRM Conference and Exposition last June in Washington, D.C., a survey showed that 85 percent of U.S. employers said they were interested in services to increase employee productivity, minimize absences and enhance the health of their employees.

Estimates show that 18 to 20 million American adults age 19 to 64 are not working due to a disability or chronic disease, or are not working because of health reasons. Roughly 69 million workers reported missing days due to illness last year, for a total of 407 million days of lost time at work.

Along these same lines, nearly 40 percent of U.S. workers experience fatigue, according to a study in the January “Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.” Researchers noted that the effects of fatigue, most related to a wide range of physical and mental health problems, on health-related lost productive time is not just absenteeism but also days the employee is at work and is performing at less than full capacity because of health reasons. For U.S. employers, fatigue carries overall estimated costs of more than $136 billion per year in health-related lost productivity, $101 billion more than for workers without fatigue. Eighty-four percent of the costs were related to reduced performance while at work, rather than absences.

4. It’s the Tech Tools, Stupid
All the feel-good, psychological methods of improving employee productivity are great, but they’re useless without the right tools. And the right tools mean the right technology. For an employee to be efficient and productive in today’s job environment means equipping employees with the right gear. Companies that don’t upgrade or ignore the necessity for tech tools like PCs, Blackberries, cell phones and other 21st century tools, run the risk of diminished employee productivity.

Intel, the world’s largest semi-conductor maker, found that wireless notebook PC users increased their productivity by 100 hours per year. They studied the work habits and productivity of more than 100 Intel employees who were upgraded to wireless notebooks and found a gain of more than two hours per week, more than paying for the cost of the upgrades in the first year. They also found that when workers were able to control more of their time, that productivity increased as well.

5. Downsizing and Outsourcing Morale
Ever vigilant of saving a buck and satisfying Wall Street, corporate America has turned to cutting corners by downsizing and outsourcing. Simply put, downsizing expensive labor while outsourcing a cheaper version. For employees remaining in those offices and factories, their morale and motivation can take a big hit. Translation: Will the moves to save money be contradicted by a loss in productivity from disgruntled employees? In most cases, employers fail to recognize that if they downsize or outsource, they need to provide support to the employees that remain. The psychological impact on employees can directly impact productivity, forcing many to focus on their second careers instead of the job at hand.