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	<title>Marastar Blog</title>
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	<description>Marastar Blog</description>
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	<pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:13:08 EST</pubDate>
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	<copyright>copyright (c) 2008 Marastar Blog</copyright>
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	<item>
		<title>(Good) employee communication: the building blocks to improving punctuality and absenteeism</title>
		<link>http://blog.marastar.com/index.cfm?CommentID=15</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Punctuality, absenteeism, employee communication&amp;hellip;all are issues that, if not addressed, can severely erode a business of any size. The problem is that, in order to improve employee communication or employee-management communication, you need to work with and break through the existing system of communication. This can prove difficult and &amp;ldquo;employee communication&amp;rdquo; is one of the areas most frequently listed by employers as needing work, but it is also a topic largely ignored by training.
Worry about employee communication first
Good employee communication is the foundation for all future training sessions, but because it is so unique to each organization and existing patterns are so deeply ingrained in current employees, it often seems easier to teach &amp;ldquo;simple&amp;rdquo; topics like punctuality, harassment, diversity and absenteeism. But read that again. It&amp;rsquo;s easier to teach people to be tolerant and accepting than it is to teach them to communicate effectively? Surprisingly, many think so. You can teach someone to avoid harassment charges by keeping their mouth shut, but this is the exact opposite of communication, good or bad.

We don&amp;rsquo;t advocate calling your coworkers morons if they make a mistake, but that may be preferable to not saying anything and letting the team fail. Without good employee communication, each employee functions on his or her own; when they communicate effectively, everyone works together. So while name calling is not a good thing, it is a form of communication and a better building block than the silent treatment.
Focus on creating a team, then improving punctuality and absenteeism
Once you have your employees communicating, they will begin to see themselves as a team or a unit, instead of individual employees unconnected to each other. This will make it much easier for them to grasp that if they&amp;rsquo;re chronically late or absent, it&amp;rsquo;s a problem for everyone, not just them. Punctuality and absenteeism are fairly straightforward issues that deal with accountability, productivity and respect, but you&amp;rsquo;d be amazed at how much more effective punctuality or absenteeism training can be when you have a solid foundation of good employee communication in place.

There&amp;rsquo;s one catch to punctuality and absenteeism training however: the simpler an issue is to understand, the more basic (and boring) the training generally is. Make it count by keeping sessions brief (how much can you say on the importance of being on time anyway?) and light. Humor goes a long way toward keeping employees happy; even if it&amp;rsquo;s a little cheesy, they&amp;rsquo;ll appreciate the effort. We&amp;rsquo;ve got some Punctuality &amp;amp; Absenteeism cartoons in our Human Resources package, and I&amp;rsquo;m sure you can come up with some funny employee communication scenarios based on your corporate culture. Get a little creative, and get your employees involved.]]></description>
		
		
		<category><![CDATA[Training Cartoons]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Employee Training]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Human Resources]]></category>
		
			
		<author> (MaraStar)</author>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:58:00 EST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://blog.marastar.com/index.cfm?CommentID=15&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
	</item>
 
	<item>
		<title>How the Internet is helping Human Resources management training programs</title>
		<link>http://blog.marastar.com/index.cfm?CommentID=14</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Human Resources management positions can be some of the more difficult to fill because of the wide variety of personal and professional skills required to do the job well. The training process for HR jobs also goes well beyond the typical HR training seminars and management training programs, making HR Managers important people to invest in. Human Resources Managers need to be continuously learning new skills to deal with developing issues that were not present in HR departments 10 or 20 years ago.

HR Training in an online world
The expansion of issues that fall under the Human Resources department&amp;rsquo;s discretion has put HR people are in high demand, and Human Resources management training programs are struggling to keep up. The Internet has added a new layer to HR training and requires Human Resources Management training programs and seminars to constantly evolve and stay abreast of the next level of employee communication, with other employees and with customers.

But while the Internet has added more responsibilities to the Human Resources management department, it has also made it easier to find HR training materials and information. A number of credible organizations publish Human Resources management articles, resources and news stories online, and RSS readers make staying on top of industry news a snap.

Making Human Resources management training programs work for you
However, for effective HR training, managers need to do more than just know what&amp;rsquo;s going on; they need to teach and implement what they&amp;rsquo;ve learned effectively. The demand for Human Resources management training programs is high, and the ones that demonstrate proven success find a way to present the growing amount of HR training material in a manner that is enjoyable and memorable. These programs engage employees and make their message stick by encouraging interaction with the material. 

The best Human Resources Management training programs don&amp;rsquo;t stop after the seminar is done; they carry the training throughout the workplace to provide daily reminders of what employees learned at the time and place they are most likely to use it. Our ToonUps use humor to convey the original HR training message, then provide printed follow-up materials and digital graphics that can be used in emails and PowerPoint presentations to drive the lessons home.

If you want to succeed in the competitive field of Human Resources management, you need to do your homework. But even more importantly, you need to make sure your employees are doing theirs, and that you are investing in all of your futures. Check out some of the Human Resources information sources below and use that information to find an HR training program that will work for you and your employees.

    SHRM Website for the Society for Human Resources Management, the world's largest professional association devoted to human resource management. 
    HRM Guide An international guide to Human Resources management articles, books, updates, media releases and more, organized by country. 
    Human Resource Blog A well-maintained blog from the Labor Law Center that provides a practical source for daily HR tips, news and knowledge. 
    HR.com&amp;nbsp; Full wesbite dedicated to Human Resources management and HR training, full of events, job guides, articles and HR community resources. 
    HR Blog at HR Management Today Human Resources management blog from the faculty of Capella University, an online education and degree program with a strong business management program. 
    Human Resources Management Library Free library of articles and information sources that works for both non-profit and for profit companies.
    
]]></description>
		
		
		<category><![CDATA[Training Cartoons]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Management Training]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Human Resources]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[HR Training]]></category>
		
			
		<author> (MaraStar)</author>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:59:00 EST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://blog.marastar.com/index.cfm?CommentID=14&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
	</item>
 
	<item>
		<title>Information on the Call Center Summit</title>
		<link>http://blog.marastar.com/index.cfm?CommentID=13</link>
		<description><![CDATA[The state of the economy has dramatically slowed the push for call center training and expansion, but it is in these trying times that call center education is most important. When money is tight, excellent customer service is all the more important; it&amp;rsquo;s more of a struggle to get someone to part with their money or risk switching providers or brands, so you really need to impress.

The Call Center Summit can help. This year is the 4th Annual Call Center Summit, a conference that brings together leading professionals to share their strategies for call center success; this year will focus on success in an economic slowdown. 

Four CEO Keynote Speakers and 30 award winning speakers will take your call center education and call center training to the next level through content-rich case studies, interactive workshops, and thought-provoking discussions. This is the leading event for attaining practicable tools for customer retention, increased agent productivity, and maximized profit. 

Featured speakers for this year&amp;rsquo;s summit include GE Commercial Finance, Canada Post, 1-800mattress.com, Unilever, Voices.com, optionsXpress, CIT Group, Assurant Canada Solutions, American Teleservices Association, Disney Destinations, Diamond Resorts, Office Depot, and more. Visit http://callcenterevent.com/ for more information.]]></description>
		
		
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Service]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Service Training]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Call Center Training]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Call Center Education]]></category>
		
			
		<author> (MaraStar)</author>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:12:00 EST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://blog.marastar.com/index.cfm?CommentID=13&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
	</item>
 
	<item>
		<title>Using web based training for harassment without making anyone blush</title>
		<link>http://blog.marastar.com/index.cfm?CommentID=12</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Human resources management positions might be some of the most difficult to fill and execute successfully, because there are a lot of &amp;ldquo;touchy subjects&amp;rdquo; to deal with. Diversity and harassment training for in the workplace, issues of punctuality and absenteeism, helping employees work as a team and deal effectively with change in the workplace; just thinking about making it your job to help employees grasp these tough concepts is exhausting. However, human resources management is a vital part of any major company.
Why web based training for harassment works
Online resources and web based training for harassment and other sensitive issues has made it easier to inform and instruct employees without running the risk of offending or embarrassing them in front of their colleagues. Sure, we&amp;rsquo;re all adults, but that doesn&amp;rsquo;t mean we always act like it. Web based training, for harassment and diversity courses especially, allows employees to view material and demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of it on their own time, away from the prying eyes of potentially judgmental coworkers.

Our experience with human resources management has shown us how challenging it can be to train employees in any subject, but it becomes increasing difficult when employees are uncomfortable with the subject matter. Our training materials and sessions can be taught to a group, as a live diversity or harassment training for in the workplace, or individually online as web based training. For harassment issues, it is crucial that all employees know the protocol, but teaching what behavior to avoid can cross a line in itself. That&amp;rsquo;s where an e-course comes in handy.
How online training helps with human resources management
Web based training for harassment, diversity and other personal issues can spare the human resources management team and everyone else involved from having to listen to an insecure jokester&amp;rsquo;s embarrassing attempts at humor, getting through the training faster and in a more comfortable environment that the employee can tailor to his or her preference. The human resources management team can also conduct a group session of harassment training for in the workplace after everyone has reviewed the material.

However you present it, web based training for harassment is a safe bet for human resources management professionals responsible for employee training. Try different methods of delivery and see what kind of harassment training for in the workplace works best for you and your employees.]]></description>
		
		
		<category><![CDATA[Training Cartoons]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Employee Training]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Diversity Training]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Human Resources]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Harassment Training]]></category>
		
			
		<author> (MaraStar)</author>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:41:00 EST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://blog.marastar.com/index.cfm?CommentID=12&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
	</item>
 
	<item>
		<title>The trick to diversity training</title>
		<link>http://blog.marastar.com/index.cfm?CommentID=11</link>
		<description><![CDATA[As the world we live in has shifted and moved forward, employees are often left struggling to keep up, leading to a new breed of human resources issues surrounding cultural and lifestyle differences. Diversity training programs have been implemented to try to help people who find it difficult to separate the personal from the professional, an important distinction in many workplaces. The goal of diversity training is to teach tolerance, if not acceptance, and to demonstrate that personal choices and cultural beliefs do not need to play into a respectful professional relationship.
What does diversity training do?
Diversity training programs are defined as &amp;ldquo;training for the purpose of increasing participants&amp;rsquo; cultural awareness, knowledge and skills, which is based on the assumption that the training will benefit an organization by protecting against civil rights violations, increasing the inclusion of different identity groups, and promoting better teamwork.&amp;quot;
Diversity&amp;rsquo;s role in human resources issues 
Human resources issues arise when one employee has strong, negative feelings about some aspect of a coworker&amp;rsquo;s lifestyle, religion, culture, belief system, gender, race, sexual preference or other characteristic not related to work or indicative of job performance. The difficulty lies in that the employee&amp;rsquo;s issue with a coworker usually stems from some deep-rooted belief or childhood upbringing and is difficult, if not impossible, to break or change. So, an achievable goal for diversity training programs is not to change beliefs but to increase awareness and tolerance of people and lifestyles that are different from what one may consider the &amp;ldquo;normal&amp;rdquo; or &amp;ldquo;right&amp;rdquo; way to live.
This is one of the major arguments against diversity training; it doesn&amp;rsquo;t actually work, it just masks the problem, if it even does that. The underlying human resources issues are still there, just lying in wait until a tense day at the office.
Are diversity training programs doomed to be ineffective?
Investing in diversity training is not akin to placing a BandAid where there should be a stitch; it&amp;rsquo;s more like using a different type of stitch to achieve a slightly different, but equally desired, solution. It is unreasonable to assume a few days of diversity training can change a 30 year bias, but it&amp;rsquo;s possible that it can open a 40-something employee&amp;rsquo;s eyes to the fact that, like it or not, their coworker performs his or her job well &amp;ldquo;despite&amp;rdquo; their cultural differences.
Diversity training programs fail when they are afraid to confront the major human resources issues at play and really dig into the problem. This is how diversity training has been labeled a &amp;ldquo;throw away fix,&amp;rdquo; a training seminar in name only that looks good but does nothing.
Why old-school diversity training programs don't work

Diversity training programs have earned this reputation because many employers are afraid of talking about the very sensitive human resources issues that necessitated the training in the first place. They avoid training that could make people uncomfortable and demand watered down versions of diversity training programs that amount to little more than &amp;ldquo;can&amp;rsquo;t we all just get along?&amp;rdquo; Diversity training companies oblige in the interest if making money, because it is easier to waste time on ineffective training that to come up with creative solutions.
But diversity training programs can work, if approached thoughtfully. The trick is to make them so outlandish that no one can be offended; all you can do is laugh. But when the chuckles subside, the core human resources issues remain, leaving room for a discussion that can flow naturally thanks to the ice-breaking laughter. 
Don&amp;rsquo;t believe us? Check out these diversity training cartoons for proof. 
]]></description>
		
		
		<category><![CDATA[Cartoons]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Training Cartoons]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Employee Training]]></category>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Diversity Training]]></category>
		
			
		<author> (MaraStar)</author>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:52:00 EST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://blog.marastar.com/index.cfm?CommentID=11&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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