Work-Life Balance from Debbie Hanchett

Work-Life balance is a concept including proper prioritizing between “work”(career and ambition) and “lifestyle” (health, pleasure, leisure, family and spiritual development/meditation).  A broader definition includes the term, “lifestyle choices.”  I am sure many of you ask this question, “How do I achieve a work/life balance?” 

Here are five ways to bring a little more balance to your daily routine from webmd:

1. Build downtime into your schedule.

When you plan your week, make it a point to schedule time with your family and friends, and activities that help you recharge.

If a date night with your spouse or a softball game with friends is on your calendar, you'll have something to look forward to and an extra incentive to manage your time well so you don't have to cancel. Try scheduling a routine day/time each week that you have dedicated time for a family activity or “me” time. 

2. Drop activities that sap your time or energy.

"Many people waste their time on activities or people that add no value -- for example, spending too much time at work with a colleague who is constantly venting and gossiping," says Marilyn Puder-York, PhD, a psychologist and executive coach in New York and Connecticut.

Her advice: Take stock of activities that don't enhance your career or personal life, and minimize the time you spend on them.

You may even be able to leave work earlier if you make a conscious effort to limit the time you spend on the web and social media sites, making personal calls, or checking your bank balance. "We often get sucked into these habits that are making us much less efficient without realizing it," Stack says.

3. Rethink your errands.

Consider whether you can outsource any of your time-consuming household chores or errands.

Could you order your groceries online and have them delivered? Hire a kid down the street to mow your lawn? Have your dry cleaning picked up and dropped off at your home or office? Order your stamps online so you don't have to go to the post office? Even if you're on a tight budget, you may discover that the time you'll save will make it worth it.

Stack also suggests trading services with friends. Offer to do tasks that you enjoy or that you were planning to do anyway.

"You could exchange gardening services for babysitting services," Stack says. "If you like to cook, you could prepare and freeze a couple of meals and give them to a friend in exchange for wrapping your holiday gifts."

4. Get moving.

It's hard to make time for exercise when you have a jam-packed schedule, but it may ultimately help you get more done by boosting your energy level and ability to concentrate.

"Research shows exercise can help you to be more alert," Brooks says. "And I've noticed that when I don't exercise because I'm trying to squeeze in another half hour of writing, I don't feel as alert."

5. Remember that a little relaxation goes a long way.

Don't assume that you need to make big changes to bring more balance to your life. Brooks recommends setting realistic goals, like leaving the office earlier 1 night per week.

"Slowly build more activities into your schedule that are important to you," he says. "Maybe you can start by spending an hour a week on your hobby of carpentry, or planning a weekend getaway with your spouse once a year."

Even during a hectic day, you can take 10 or 15 minutes to do something that will recharge your batteries. "Take a bath, read a  novel, go for a walk, or listen to music," Stack says. "You have to make a little time for the things that ignite your joy."

“The ability to be present at work and at home, keep things in perspective, and enjoy your life.”

                                                                             ~Angie Schiavoni, founder of Mamajamas 

Debbie Hanchett| Regional Director of Operations 

Accountability from Ken Lundin

Tips on Driving Employee Engagement

The habits of engaged employees can be seen by the following;

·       They tend to choose activities that advance their goals

·       They act opportunistically in seeking new work.

·       They tend to learn fast and adapt accordingly.

·       They seek challenges beyond their stated areas of expertise

·       They revel in the intrinsic rewards of achievement.

·       They help others on the team improve and create organizational value as a result

What? That doesn’t sound like you team? What can you do?

1.     Walk around!- It’s an old practice that dates back decades but it has timeless benefits.  You’ll know more about your operations.  You’ll see firsthand what’s working and what’s not.  And you’ll quickly find the engaged staff on your team.

2.     Organize off-work activities-Create occasional opportunity for families and employees to gather and enjoy a company sponsored event.  It can be a half day at the local bowling alley or a meal together.  Getting to know your employees through some unguarded opportunities will help you find out what’s really working and what’s not.

3.     Embrace regular experimentation- Workers need to benefit from actions that remove obstacles to getting work done.  There is no greater motivator.

4.     Reward the behavior you want- Embrace modeling, show employees what you need by rewarding those who exhibit behaviors that lead to higher engagement and thus performance.

Own Your Business Tips: Enhancing Customer Service- Soft Skills

When we think of traits that individuals possess that lend themselves to good customer service,  we oftentimes talk of “soft skills.” Listed below are 10 soft skills traitsfrom About Careers, that support good customer service:

Communication
Clear communication is essential in customer service – you need to know what the customer wants, and be able to articulate what you can do for the customer. Enunciating, speaking loudly enough, and employing an upbeat tone, will help you communicate clearly and positively with your customers.

Listening
Listening skills are just as important as communication skills. Listen carefully to the customer to know exactly what they need and how you can help them. Demonstrate that you are listening through body language and responses (nod when you understand something, make eye contact, etc.). Don’t be afraid to ask clarifying questions to make sure you understand the other person. An important aspect of customer service is simply making the customer feel heard.

Self-Control
People that work in customer service need to be able to calmly handle all customers, even the most negative ones. You must strive to remain calm and cool, even when your customer is not. Patience and self-control will keep you from getting upset and saying something inappropriate.

Positivity
A positive attitude goes a long way in customer service. Make sure you know all of the benefits of the products or services your community or department provides, and convey them to your customers. If a customer has a problem with a product or service, focus on what you can do to help him or her. While you don’t want to seem overly happy when a customer is upset, being proactive and optimistic can help a customer stay positive, too.

Assertiveness
When dealing with a customer, you want to be able to take control of the situation and do what you need to do in an efficient manner. If you are meek or passive, the customer may not have faith in you. However, you also don’t want to be aggressive or demanding, which can offend customers. By speaking in a strong, steady voice, asking direct questions of the customers, and keeping track of what you need to do, you will convey confidence without being aggressive.

Conflict Resolution
In customer service, you deal with many customers who have a problem that needs to be solved. It is important for you to be a creative problem solver. Always make sure you understand the problem clearly, and offer them possible solutions. Think creatively; often you will need to think of solutions that fit the needs of a specific customer. If you cannot find a solution that works for the customer, help them locate additional help. Follow up with the customer to make sure the issue has been resolved. Customers will appreciate your interest in their problem, and your willingness to help, in whatever way possible.

Empathy
It is important not only to understand what a customer says, but how a customer feels. An important soft skill is being able to recognize and understand a person’s emotional state. If you struggle to convey empathy, think about being in the customer’s position. How would you feel if you were in her position? How would you like to be treated by an employee? These questions will help you to identify with and better assist your customers.

Depersonalization 
While you should be friendly with your customers, remember that you are not there to share your life story. When a customer explains an issue they are having, there is no need for you to respond with your own, related problem. A simple “I understand” or “I know how you feel” will make the customer feel understood and appreciated. Customers want you to focus on helping them.

Taking Responsibility 
A big part of working in customer service is being able to say, “I’m sorry,” whether it’s for a late meal or the poor quality of a product. You have to be able to sincerely apologize to a customer on behalf of your company, even when the problem was not your fault.

Humor 
A sense of humor can make a potentially stressful customer-service interaction more enjoyable. If a customer cracks a silly joke, she will appreciate if you chuckle along with her. However, make sure you are never laughing at a customer (such as when they make a mistake or have trouble with something), but instead laughing with a customer.

I encourage all of you to practice these skills and to share with your associates to enable them to hone their “soft skills.” 

Debbie Hanchett| Regional Director of Operations

November posting Kevin McLaughlin HOLIDAY EVENTS AND SUPPORTING REGION ACCOUNTS

Communicating Value- Client Retention

As we enter the Holiday Celebration season it is extremely important that we have 100% focus Holiday support between Region accounts.  From our clients perspective, support from other Morrison Account Directors, Assistant Directors, Chef’s, Hospitality Managers, Kitchen staff quite possibly is a key element of the depth and Value of resources that we can provide.

Imagine your client seeing and realizing the depth of our Region talent. 

·         Imagine the “mileage” you will get when you publish this in the Monthly Client Report.

·         Imagine the experiences that each of our TEAMs will experience as they work together driving success at each other accounts. 

·         Imagine the “service excellence” that each of our Residents will experience and talk about for months to follow.

·         Imagine the positive outcomes from supporting Holiday Events between accounts

·         Imagine creating Dining Memories for all during the Holiday season that will resonate for the entire year within our communities.  

Remember that Client Satisfaction surveys are only 90 days way (typically in early March).  Executing a sensational event and creating a memorable Dining experience at the Holidays supported by our Regions creative depth can only help drive your Client Satisfaction scores higher.

TEAMs working with other TEAMs drives engagement as support is something that is reciprocated.  TEAMs always need support and the process of helping each other drives engagement between our associates to a new level.  Having an experience to work and support another Morrison account gives associates exposure to what we are all about.  Additionally, it works to drive development and position promotability as exposure to other accounts allows for our Associates to see a larger or smaller operation within a different type of community. 

Region Support is truly a “WIN WIN” for everyone including Clients, Residents, and our Associates no matter how you look at it.

The time is now to begin organizing Region support for your Holiday events.  Below is a sample of “pre-planning” for support within the Region for your Holiday event

1.    Identify your accounts Holiday event schedule and post within the account

2.    Establish a contact person on your account TEAM to coordinate emails and calls from Region support personnel

3.    Once finalized, share the schedule and contact information with your RDO

4.    Your RDO will share this with the other RDO’s within your Region

5.    Send your Holiday support needs out to all of your peers within the Region requesting support

6.    Be sure to work at least 3 weeks out to insure that Region support can get the events on their schedule

7.    Clearly define the type of support that you are requesting prior to everyone coming into your account are knowledgeable of what they will be dong while at supporting your event.

8.    Ask all Region support if you can support their account in any way

9.    Once you have all of the support you need from the Region be sure to “Communicate the Value” to your client

10.  Create an environment of excitement and TEAM SPIRIT

11.  Post your events on the bethebenchmark.blogspot.com and focus on support as well as the success of your event

Have a great Holiday Season Communicating Value and driving positive Client Retention 

Thanks

Kevin J Mclaughlin | Regional Director of Operations

Safety Post to Blog from Debbie Hanchett

I wanted to take a minute to talk to all of you about Safety.  We know that safety is our #1 priority for our associates and for those we serve.  At times we get caught up in the day to day and lose that laser focus.

I would like everyone to work toward keeping this as a top of mind item each day. Here are a few things to get you started:

1.       Do you complete the safety orientation with all new hires?

2.       Is the current 2015 copy of the safety manual posted and reviewed with all associates?

3.       Do you go over the safety pledge with ALL associates on an annual basis and keep a signed copy in the employee files?  Including managers?

4.       Are the Golden Rules of Safety posted?

5.       Are you doing the safety moments with Showtime daily?

6.       Have you completed the JSA’s to determine the proper safety gear needed to perform tasks?

7.       As managers, do you watch for proper use of safety gear?  Cut gloves, safety shoes, steam gloves and aprons in the dish room, protective eye goggles when handling oven cleaner and delimer just to name a few.  It is important that you reinforce this gear being worn as well as setting the example when you are in the kitchen.

8.       Review the Eco Sure audit, including the safety portion with your team.

9.       What steps do you take to ensure resident Safety?

10.   Are your food allergy procedures in place and followed?

11.   Do you have a safety board and post the # of days since a reported claim?

12.   Do you have a safety committee for the dining services department?  This is a great way to get some of your associates engaged as well. See the list below of topics to get you started.

              Safety Meeting Topics, Safety Meeting Questions from Workplace Safety Experts. Com:

• What is our most important safety concern with regard to overall cost and liability to the company?
• What is our most common safety hazard or safety problem in an average day, week, etc?
• What safety measures have been falling behind or are not being properly enforced, regulated, and employed?
• What new safety measures or safety precautions need to be implemented in the workplace for the immediate future?
• What literature has been passed out to company employees?
• What signs and posters have been placed around the workplace to promote safety awareness?
• Who is in charge of which safety procedures?

I want to congratulate Brecon Village and the Memory Support Center for a successful Eco Sure Audit and for exemplifying our safety standards during that audit.  The Auditor took pictures of our dishwasher and stated she has never seen anyone wearing all of the proper gear in her audits.  Additionally, our safety orientation packet and forms was also considered a “best practice” and she took copies to share with other units, nice job Ashley!

Own Your Business: Debbie Hanchett

The Nine Principles™ of service and organizational excellence were developed by the Studer group to provide organizations and individuals with a  step-by-step process to attain desired results.

Principle #1: Commit to Excellence
It all starts with a firm and measurable commitment to excellence.
Principle #2: Measure the Important Things
This helps an organization define specific targets and measurable tools, and align the necessary resources to hit those targets.
Principle #3: Build a Culture Around Service
All successful change requires well thought-out processes and procedures that must become the norm and be hardwired into the organization.
Principle #4: Create and Develop Leaders

This principle teaches how to identify current and future leaders and then how to develop, train, and equip those leaders in a cost-effective manner.
Principle #5: Focus on Employee Satisfaction

Every employee is critical to the success of an organization.  Build a better workforce!
Principle #6: Build Individual Accountability
This principle teaches how to create a self-motivated workforce. It’s amazing what your staff will do when they feel the power of their behaviors and actions aligned with those of everyone else in the organization.
Principle #7: Align Behaviors with Goals and Values
Leaders need to create and implement objective, measurable evaluation systems that are tied to the organizations goals.
Principle #8: Communicate at all Levels
An increased level of communication speeds up the decision process, creates proactive behavior, and improves working relationships.
Principle #9: Recognize and Reward Success
Everyone makes a difference! Start creating legends in your organization. A legend is an example of those who live the organizational values.  Create win-win-wins for your staff. Never let great work go unnoticed! 

 

Debbie Hanchett| Regional Director of Operations

Own Your Business: Carolyn Rigterink

Performance Coaching is one approach to motivating and guiding your team to success and top box OYB Performance.

Here are 7 Steps you can follow to coach your team and achieve great results:

1.      Identify the Opportunity: For you, the team, region, client or the company.

2.      Picture the Desired Outcome: What ill the situation look like when the gap is filled?

3.      Establish the Right Attitudes: How well you know your people may determine if you have people in the right capacities and how they are motivated. Very important to effective coaching and not just overcoming resistance.

4.      Provide the Resources: To be successful, it is important the appropriate resources bee available. This includes time, and a personal commitment to succeed by all involved.

5.      Practice and Skill Development: Once the resources are in place and the correct skill set has been identified, explained and demonstrated, it is now time for the trainee to practice and apply what has been learned. In order for knowledge to evolve into a skill we practice it and perfect the skill with the help of a coach.

6.      Reinforce Progress: Making progress is one thing, but without a way to reinforce it and keep it in place people may quickly go back to the way they did things before.  One of the biggest fallacies managers hold to is the assumption that if people know something they will do it.

a.      Empower people to get results after they have learned new skills

b.     Give the right kind of feedback

c.      Follow up

d.     Handle non -performance issues

e.      Handle mistakes when people get off track.

7.      Reward: One of the best ways to cement growth and progress is to reward it.

What we reward gets repeated!

What gets repeated becomes habit! 

To ensure change happens quickly and is kept in place as long as needed, celebration and reward are important.

 Sourced from Dale Carnegie 

“ You get the best effort from others not by lighting a fire beneath them,

but by lighting a fire within” Bob Nelson

Own Your Business: Kevin McLaughlin

To help insure that all of your associates have truly accepted our invitation to being part of the higher standard, look at the TEAM as a group and determine who would you consider “mediocre”. The process begins with a full understanding of what ‘mediocre” truly means.  

 

Merriam Webster defines MEDICORE (me–de–o-cre) as;

 

          “not very good”, “of moderate or low quality, ability or performance”

 

Can you identify who on your TEAM is MEDIOCRE?

 

The below suggestions will help as you take a look at your TEAM,  a year in review

 

• Do all associates in the account drive enthusiasm?
  • If not these staff are mediocre
• Are there small “clicks” of hourly associates who seem dis-interested in change?
  • If yes, these associates are mediocre
• Can you identify “self-starters” on your TEAM?
  • If yes, the other can be identified as the mediocre performers
• Have you recognized staff who continually go above and beyond driving our transformation?
  • If yes, congratulations, if not, could you be mediocre?
• Is your TEAM engaged in the Route 66 program and My Marketing Plan themed Meals rolling forward in FY 2015?
  • If not, ask yourself why
• Are the six engagement questions part of your daily management routine? 
• What actions have you taken or will  take to correct any “mediocre” performers? 

The above few questions are designed to be a short and quick “checklist” review on the status of accepting “mediocre” in your account and to help each of you identify areas that are working and areas that still need work as we enter FY 2015.

 

Remember,

 

“Mediocre performers do not like high achievers, high achievers do not like mediocre performers,  championships are not realized with mediocre performers. The entire TEAM  must accept the high achievers standards of performance.”

                   Nick Saban 

 

Thanks

 

Kevin J Mclaughlin | Regional Director of Operations

You Rock at NorthPointe Woods

We have an "You Rock" board for our staff and managers to show appreciation to each other throughout the month at NorthPointe Woods. The staff and managers really enjoy it. They send Birthday wishes to one another, thank you notes for helping out and words of encouragement. At  the end of each month we do a drawing for a gift card. This has really helped with staff engagement.

Jennifer Hudson CDM, CFPP| Director of Dining Services

Own Your Business: Christina Bodanza, Christian Rest Home

The true key to resident engagement is often rooted in associate engagement.  We as supervisors can stand over and dictate with processes and trainings, but to truly deliver on excellence in service it is up to the employee what level of buy in and passion they will ultimately deliver.  Utilizing HATS based trainings of watching for cues and meeting the needs of our residents can build the level of skill, but often incorporating the personal side of the people we serve can create a sense of buy in.  Relating snapshots of our resident's lives; bringing in personal interest stories of accomplished older individuals (remember the eighty-five year old marathon runner?) can build understanding and inspiration.  It is important for them to remember that it only takes one person to make a huge difference in a person's life, and that they can be that person.

 Christina Bodanza | Morrison Senior Living| Director of Dining Services; Christian Rest Home

Own Your Business: Ken Lundin

Finding outstanding team members is hard enough, so don't waste all that time, money and effort by then losing someone through bad management or poor leadership.  

Here's 7 common ways you lose employees you shouldn't...

 

1. Don't ask them what works and what doesn't
Ignore the input, ideas and insight of your team, and plan your direction without their input...at your own peril.

2. Hire because you "need someone"
Do you hire to fill a slot or to make a difference? What are the talent gaps in your current teams? Do you look for people that bring those talents and make your team stronger?

3. Don't improve your training program on a regular basis. Turnover thrives on bad training programs and poor communication. Now that Baby Boomers have earned and aged into the Area Director/Senior VP ranks of our industry, and Generation X managers are running units staffed with Gen Y--giving new insight to the term "Generation Gap"-- shouldn't we ask some serious questions about the current relevance of our communication and training materials? Are they aimed and designed for the right mindset? Are we talking down a few generations in tone, style and format?  The generation gap today is less a lifestyle difference and more of a technology disconnect between the age groups. Relative to cyber-skills, we have Digital Aliens training Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives.  

 3. Don't let your employees know where they stand-good or bad.
What's the old saying? Never let either good work go un-praised (if you see it, say it) or poor work go unnoticed (make it private and positive).

4. Don't re-recruit your crew every single day.
As Michael McLaughlin said in a recent Workforce magazine interview: "Maybe if you keep your eyes closed, you won't see the rush for the door when the economy picks up again. " Sound pessimistic...or prescient? You be the judge. After every shift let each team member know how they did and how much they're appreciated.

5. Play by the Rules. Lots of them.
A sure way to turn over more employees is to over-burden them with rules and regulations. A better philosophy? Strong culture, thin rulebook. And it's helpful to remember the difference between rules and principles. Rules tell your people what they can do.  Principles tell them what they cannot do. And as far as rules go, the bottom line is that only one thing that's "sacred" is this: the customer comes back.

6. Hire the wrong people.

High-performers like to work with high-performers and hate working with low-performers because they cause all kinds of problems that high-performers have to fix.

7. Keep them in the dark.

If you don't give your team a plan before each shift they'll presume you don't have a plan. then they'll substitute their own plan. 

by Jim Sullivan 

Own Your Business: Shawn Lenhardt, Chelsea Retirement

Goals and Expectations for Dining Services Employees 

Personality traits:

1.       Integrity

a.       Be honest to yourself as well as your co workers

b.      Strong moral principal do what is right even through its might not be easy or make you popular.

c.       Show up for each other and our residents.  Put a full day in and give it your all each and every day.

2.       Lead by example

a.       Don’t wait for someone else to show the initiative.  Take the first step

3.       Accountability

a.       Hold yourself to a higher standard.  Take responsibility for your area and the service we provide.

b.      Evaluate yourself each day.  Be honest and make the necessary adjustments for tomorrow. 

4.       Communication

a.       Follow up with your coworkers ask for and provide feedback often

b.      If you’re not sure ask, don’t assume.

Passion for Food and Service:

1.       Be the expert in your area, know the food that is served and speak to it.

2.       Be excited to be here and show it in your voice and on your face.

3.       Show pride in the work you do let people see it.

Own Your Business:       

1.       Take ownership for your area and the service we provide.

2.       Take care of the supplies and equipment you have been entrusted with.

3.       Challenge what we are doing today and look for ways to make tomorrow better. For our residents.

                                        4.       Put your Game Face on!!!

Own Your Business: Debbie Hanchett

Decision making is a critical part of every manager’s job.  Effective leaders make sound decisions and guide their teams to use effective decision making processes.

 

Tips for making sound decisions from the Successful Manager’s handbook

• Determine if you have the necessary information to make a sound decision.  If not, decide what information you need and how to obtain the information.
• Before you make a decision, establish criteria for making the decision. Involve people affected by the decision to help define the criteria.
•  Know your goals for the decision.  Then determine whether the goals address both the short- and long-term goals.
• Deliberately look at the issue from various stakeholders.
• Consider alternative solutions instead of going with the first option that presents itself.  
• If you cannot think of alternatives, ask other people.
• List major areas of uncertainty and risk.  Try to resolve, minimize or eliminate as many as possible.
• Look at each issue from several angles to get a better perspective and improve your judgment

Are you a person who says, “My decision is maybe – and that’s final”?  

- John Mason

 

Own Your Business: Shawn Lenhardt, Chelsea Retirement

Do your employees really know what is expected from them?

Take a minute and read through these questions pausing a minute to answer truthfully. 

 

Do your employees know what is expected of them? 

The expectations should be far greater than any job routine.  Routines build robots what we need to do is invest in people and develop there hospitality mind set.  The job routine is the minimum expectation of employment. We need to inspire or teams.

When developing your expectations make sure the fit inside the smart criteria. Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Timely.  When placing items on your list you should run them through this criteria and ensure they will help align your staff with the direction your business needs to go.  This list of expectations will illustrate to your staff what’s really important to you.

 How do you communicate your expectations?

The average person needs to be given new information seven time before it sinks in.  When communication these expectations be sure to keep it fresh in the memories by presenting the information, posting it in the work areas and talking about them.  

Do you follow the same set of rules?

This is a very important step.  You are the role model in your department everything you do is measured and scrutinized.  For example our managers are expected to taste the food we serve and the staff are aware of this expectation.  However there is a big difference in eating a free lunch and tasting food.  Your employees know the difference do you?  You must be the role model in your communities  

Do all managers hold to the same set of expectations?

We have different levels of managers with varying levels of responsibility.   But that does not mean we need a different set of expectations what must happen is the group to rally around the same set of goals and hold to them.  Support your managers in this effort show the staff that you are united.  In turn hold your managers accountable to the expectation and the actions of the team.   

How do you provide feedback to an employee on their performance?

After you communicate your expectations expect to be challenged.  This is the point that will set you down the road to success or failure.  All of the managers must hold people to the same expectations and communicate both positive negative behaviors.  Communicate the performance often and be sure to give positive feedback with a 2:1 ratio.