SIOP Member in the News
Clif Boutelle
SIOP members continue to be sources for news stories in various media around the country and in Canada. There is no question that reporters are becoming more aware of the expertise in workplace issues that SIOP members possess and frequently turn to them for information to assist with their stories. Of equal importance, though, is that SIOP members recognize the value of media exposure in advancing I-O psychology and are making themselves available to respond to media queries.
Evidence of that (in addition to increased news coverage) is that nearly 2,200 SIOP members are included in the latest version of Media Resources, found at www.siop.org. This service offers experts in more than 100 different workplace categories, and as more reporters become aware of Media Resources, the more SIOP members will appear in news accounts across the U.S. and Canada. And, that’s a very good thing.
Following is a sampling of recent media coverage featuring SIOP members:
Ben Dattner of Dattner Consulting in New York City was a guest on CNN’s “Managing Your Money” program on November 8. Given the difficult current job market, Dattner advised employees not to panic and just focus on the job, not organizational politics. He also suggested acquiring additional skills through education, training, or volunteering with professional organizations, which is also a good way to develop contacts that may be helpful in the future. Consider consulting. Companies in the midst of downsizing will often hire consultants to perform needed tasks.
David B. Peterson of Personnel Decisions International Corp. contributed to a November 4 Wall Street Journal article about how to do well on performance reviews. “Many people think of the performance review just as a backward reflection. But it’s an ideal opportunity to look forward as well,” he said, suggesting it is good to share with the supervisor things that you would like to achieve and ask for his or her input on how to succeed.
Job burnout was the subject of a John Tesh radio program segment in early November that cited Michael Leiter of Acadia University in Nova Scotia. Burnout, he said, is often the result of an employee feeling ignored and unappreciated when work is no longer challenging. He said happy employees have three things in common that prevent burnout: They feel their work makes a difference, they enjoy their coworkers, and they are able to make some of their own decisions.
Mitchell Marks of San Francisco State University and Kenneth De Meuse of Korn/Ferry in Minneapolis were quoted extensively for an October 23 story on how workers can handle the stress that comes with economic turmoil. The story appeared in Market Watch and several newspapers around the country. Marks advised workers to take care of themselves by eating healthfully, getting regular exercise, and talking about anxieties instead of building up negative emotions. “It sounds simple, but it’s tough because the economic downturn is so pervasive.” Both recommended that employees check out their organizations’ employee assistance programs (EAP). They are often a great source of help. De Meuse said companies need to communicate their strategies in dealing with economic crises in a consistent way that will foster understanding on the part of employees.
For an October 20 story on uncivil behavior in the workplace that appeared in Scripps Howard newspapers around the country, Amir Erez of the University of Florida said public spats in the office could lead to diminished performances for the entire staff. He added that standing up to a superior is not wholly negative, but it becomes unacceptable when the person is uncivil and rude in advancing his or her position on an issue. “That’s unacceptable,” he said.
Given the intensity of the presidential election, should people be talking politics in the office? Stuart Sidle of the University of New Haven in an October 19 Connecticut Post story said talking politics, if done in a reasonable and honest manner, can build a better working environment. “You don’t want a workplace where every topic considered slightly controversial is off-limits,” he said. However, he recognizes that political talks can alienate co-workers and says there may be times when it is in the best interests of the organization and the person to keep his/her mouth shut.
Constance Dierickx of RHR International and Stephen Laser, a Chicago-based consultant, were quoted in an October 14 Forbes story about being ready to interview for a top job within an organization. Dierickx said it is important for a candidate to distinguish himself. One tip: Get to know the employing organization inside and out. Read its financials and demonstrate your knowledge with a business proposal that lays out your vision of where you will take their company. Laser, who looks at personalities and mental wellness of candidates, said once a person has reached the top levels within an organization, it isn’t so much about his or her ability to carry out the day-to-day duties as it’s about that person’s performance under the pressure of leadership.
Ben Rosen of the University of North Carolina contributed to an October 13 Wall Street Journal story about providing feedback to younger employees. He worked on an Ernst & Young survey that found Generation Y workers wanted a lot of feedback from their immediate bosses and anyone else. “These younger workers grew up where everyone gets a trophy,” he noted, adding that they like to be reassured.
An October 12 story on MSNBC.com about actions employees can take following a merger to not only survive but also thrive quoted Rebecca Schalm of RHR International. Because change is often a consequence of a merger, she suggested employees think of it as a new job. It’s important to get to know new management and let them know who you are. “The acquiring company is very interested in the talent because what these organizations are buying is the people that come with it. They actually want to know who they have and where the talent is,” she said.
The Wayne State University I-O Psychology program collaborated with Crain’s Detroit Business to develop and conduct a “Most Admired Companies” survey. Crain’s ran a series of stories in October about the survey, which identified 14 local companies as being highly regarded for their business success and community involvement. “It’s no secret that this region (Detroit) is having some difficulties and the companies that are admired are the companies that pay attention to the region and show some loyalty and dedication to the region,” said Marcus Dickson, part of the Wayne State team that developed the survey along with John Arnold, director of the Applied Psychology and Organizational Research Group, and graduate students Anne Bal, Abby Reiss, and Cort Rudolph.
Relatively few companies assess an applicant’s writing skills before extending a job offer, reported the October edition of Workforce Management magazine. David Arnold of Wonderlic said that developing and grading a writing test may appear daunting and labor intensive but it still can be far more cost effective than hiring a writing-challenged employee. He noted it was legally defensible to assess applicants’ writing skills as long as the employer can demonstrate that writing constitutes an intrinsic part of the job description. He suggested that employers request a writing sample that fits with the applicant’s prospective job.
An interview with Thomas Thomas of Austin, TX about his Thomas Concept and Power of Opposite Strengths appeared in the September 23 issue of BusinessWeek. Although most people believe they have both strengths and weaknesses, Thomas promotes the idea that people have only strengths by redefining the concept of strengths and seeing themselves in terms of opposite strengths. It’s a matter of not succumbing to the positive–negative framework.
A study by Tim Judge and Beth Livingston of the University of Florida published in the September issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology led to a September 22 story in the Washington Post. Their study found that men with egalitarian attitudes about the role of women in society earn significantly less on average than men who hold more traditional views about women’s’ place in the world. They mentioned two possible explanations: traditional-minded men might negotiate much harder for better salaries, especially when compared with traditional-minded women. Alternatively, it could also be that employers discriminate against women and men who do not subscribe to traditional gender roles.
When a star player on the Tampa Bay Rays loafed on the base paths several times during the past season, running into easy outs, it prompted a September 14 story in the St. Petersburg Times likening the incident to workplaces where talented people give less than their best, often leaving it to others to pick up the slack. Paul Harvey of the University of New Hampshire said lack of teamwork in the workplace is demoralizing to others. “People tend to like a level of equality and justice in the workplace.” It really annoys coworkers if someone is actually hurting the team and they display an attitude of entitlement, he noted.
Harvey also contributed to an August 28 story in the Portsmouth Herald News about how employers should go about announcing layoffs. “Part of it is common sense and being respectful,” he said, saying that companies should work to minimize fear and tension among employees. He also urges organizations not to create ambiguity. They should be as clear and candid as possible, he said.
A September 12 story in the Kansas City Star and Reliable Plant Magazine featured research on the ROI of executive coaching by Derek Steinbrenner of Cambria Consulting Inc. and Barry Schlosser of Strategic Executive Advisors LLC. They are in the process of developing evidence-based scientific measurements of the effectiveness of coaching that will be useful to organizations when designing coaching programs and making coaching decisions. What they have learned so far? “Coaching does have a real business impact,” they say.
A September 4 story in Business Week describing how companies are working to attract and retain young talent and putting them on the fast track quoted Matt Paese of Development Dimensions International. Previously, up-and-comers were identified the first few years on the job; now, in many cases, the handpicking begins much earlier—sometimes long before they have their first job—followed by an accelerated career path. Paese said that nearly 40% of North American employers use this kind of fast track to identify and develop leaders for companies facing an exodus of retiring employees.
The September issue of Reader’s Digest ran a story on why people put off until later things they can do immediately. The story stems from a Psychological Bulletin article on procrastination featuring Piers Steel of the University of Calgary, who has been analyzing procrastination research for more than 10 years. “People who procrastinate tend to be less healthy, less wealthy, and less happy,” said Steel.
Anthony Casas, a consultant with SOC, LLC in Nevada, was profiled in the September issue of Latino Leaders magazine. He is the former vice-president of human resources for SOC, LLC but gave that up so he could become involved in teaching. He said education was important in his family and he wants to help develop the next generation of leaders, something he considers to be a rewarding endeavor.
An August 31 New York Times story about conducting a job search while still working in a current job called upon Ben Dattner of Dattner Consulting in New York City for his thoughts. Although it is generally regarded a bad idea to share with the supervisor that you are looking for another job, Dattner said it could be done if “you have a really honest and open relationship with your boss.” When informing the boss about your new job, Dattner advises not to burn bridges or leave with a parting shot about the shortcomings of the job. Rather, take the high road and leave on a good note, he said.
More than 80% of midsize and large companies use personality and ability assessments for entry- and midlevel positions as either preemployment or new-employee orientation tools, according to Scott Erker of Development Dimensions International in an August 26 Wall Street Journal article. “Companies understand that the right personality fit is a critical criteria for good performance. You can reduce turnover up to 50% with the right preemployment assessment,” he said.
A story in the August 25 issue of New Scientist about the screening of employees engaged in jobs that have the potential to endanger others at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases quoted Leaetta Hough of Dunnette Group, Ltd. in St. Paul, MN. The USMRIID schedules routine evaluations every 5 years. Hough suggested that it be done every 3 years noting, “a lot can happen (to a person) in 5 years.”
An August article in the Wall Street Journal described what it called “a troublesome workplace phenomenon,” that is, employees who quietly cause problems so they can later take credit for fixing them. Ben Dattner of Dattner Consulting in New York City noted that workplace psychologists see a range of similar behaviors within organizations. Some staffers withhold help or key information, and then step in to save the day, he said.
Dattner also authored a piece that appeared in the August 25 issue of BusinessWeek saying it is a good idea for new executives to create a “user’s manual” for their team, which describes the new leader’s preferences, management style, including delegation, feedback, and communication. It greatly diminishes the possibility that misunderstandings will occur between the new boss and the staff.
For an August 24 story in the New York Times about motivating employees following a company downsizing, Wayne Cascio of the University of Colorado at Denver said, “often the first casualty in a downsizing is employee morale.” He said it was important for management to communicate to workers because those who survive a round of staff cuts are looking for signals from management and want to know if they have a future with the organization.
The August issue of HR Magazine carried a story about research by Stephanie Payne of Texas A&M University, Jaime B. Henning of Eastern Kentucky University, and Ann Huffman of Northern Arizona University that challenged conventional wisdom about telecommuting. Using a sampling of telecommuting employees at a Big Four accounting firm, they tested four hypotheses: higher levels of work–family balance, more control and job autonomy, more time spent on the job, and less distractions and interruptions. Contrary to their expectations, the data did not support any of the suppositions.
William Byham of Development Dimensions International authored an article for the Harvard Business Press about the importance of establishing a network when a person has been promoted or moved into a new job. He wrote that it was “imperative that you start talking to lots of people and make connections right away, so you can acquire crucial information about the new job and succeed early.”
Telecommuting to avoid high gas prices and the resulting pollution from driving to and from work everyday sounds like an energy-friendly measure. A story in the July 30 Forbes noted that telecommuters often drive just as much as those who work in an office. Jack Aiello of Rutgers University, who has studied telecommuting, noted that it often takes a more effective training program to help those are likely to “get more lonely” to be successful telecommuters.
A July 11 article in Slate Magazine focused on an NPR Radio segment about the benefits of family dinners to working parents and their children. The benefits stem not so much from the food but from the quality of the conversation that takes place among family members. Several studies were mentioned that showed parents whose jobs allowed them to be home for dinner tended to feel greater personal success and success in relationships with spouses and children. One study cited was by Tammy Allen of the University of South Florida, which found that telecommuting is associated with fewer family dinners that consist of fast food.
Please let us know if you, or a SIOP colleague, have contributed to a news story. We would like to include that mention in SIOP Members in the News.
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