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On the Contrary Got a Reputation Be Sure It’s the One You Want

I’m part of a team that has no idea how much I fret about being part of ateam. I left our last meeting worried that I had talked too much, that my ideasweren’t original, that I was too critical of the logo design under discussion,and that everyone in the room had noticed when my mind drifted from the topic athand to what I was going to cook for dinner . . . I’d decided on rosemary-garlicchicken, and my smile must’ve given me away.


    By the time I got into my car and buckled the seat belt, I’d convinced myselfthat everyone else was driving home with the same thought: “What was thematter with Shari today?”


    I used to believe that this kind of self-consciousness was abnormal, theresult of some trauma that had occurred before I wore underwear that wasn’t madeof plastic. Surely, no one else worries about image as much as I do.


    Come to find out, they do. According to a recent study by Watson WyattWorldwide, 81 percent of top-performing employees say the desire to maintain agood reputation affects their performance more than compensation, the workitself, or the desire to please supervisors. And what is reputation, I ask, buta fancy word for the image a person projects on a repeated basis? Simply stated,top performers do a good job because they care what others think about them.


    On reading the Watson Wyatt statistic, I gloated-to myself, of course,because external gloating creates a bad impression. I gloated because if Ihaven’t mentioned it already, these were top performers who worried most abouttheir reputations. Apparently, it’s a good thing to be concerned about yourimage.


    But then I got to thinking: human beings are a social species. It seems to methat on some level, everyone must care about his or her reputation. (Well, maybenot Anna Nicole Smith, and maybe not Eminem, but most everybody else.) What dotop performers do that makes the desire for a good reputation work for them? TheWatson Wyatt survey didn’t say, but I have a hunch that top performers succeedbecause they are specific about what they want their reputations to be.


    You see, it’s not enough to say you want to have a good reputation. That’slike saying you want to be a better person or lose some weight. It’s too vague.It’s like former President Bill Clinton saying he wanted his legacy to be thatof a good president. Clinton will no doubt be remembered for a lot of things,but “goodness” probably isn’t one of them.


    People who are more specific about their reputations, however, often getcloser to their goals. Pablo Picasso wanted to be remembered as one of the mostindependent and creative artists of all time. Princess Diana once said,”I’d like people to think of me as someone who cares about them.” Andthen there’s the all-time champion of reputation management: my old high schoolfriend Sue Myra.


    In 1977, when every suburban high school student I knew was drinking Schlitzmalt liquor out of quart bottles purchased by strangers at 7-Eleven, Sue Myrawas drinking martinis. Granted, they came from a can, but Sue wrapped animpressive white linen handkerchief around the can to absorb the moisture.


    In 1977, when everyone else I knew trudged to school in frayed bell-bottoms,Sue Myra flew into class wearing woolen capes.


    In 1977, when everyone else I knew smoked illegal substances in the backseats of used Celicas, Sue Myra smoked slim brown cigarettes in silverholders-in public.


    Sue was not born into money or class, but from an early age she wanted to beregarded as a sophisticate. Of course, we made fun of her in high school-whowouldn’t? But to this day, she’s the most refined individual I’ve ever met.


    What Sue Myra, Princess Di, and Pablo Picasso have in common is that they setout knowing precisely what they wanted their reputations to be. Yes, theyworried about their images, but they used that concern to guide their actions.


    So here’s the lesson: many corporate HR professionals today are struggling toimprove their image and change their reputation. That’s good. Remember, it’s topperformers who worry most about these things.


    But working to merely improve a reputation is not good enough. You have to beclear what you want the new image to be. Do you want to be a leader? An employeeadvocate? A problem solver? Do you want to be the keeper of corporate culture orthe master of knowledge management? You have to decide. You have to decidebecause being all things to all people doesn’t work. Pablo Picasso wouldn’t haveexperienced such artistic success if he also fretted about being a giver, a laLady Di, and a sophisticate, a la Sue Myra. You must explicitly craft yourmission and stick with it.


    Living up to somebody else’s ideals doesn’t work. As essayist Frank MooreColby said: “I have never hurried to meet a public expectation withoutleaving myself behind.”


    I’m well aware that I’m probably teaching what I most need to learn. Ihaven’t a clue what I want my reputation to be among my new team members. ButI’m still going to fret about it, because worrying about my reputation is a goodthing. The folks at Watson Wyatt say so. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have tocheck a bid I placed on eBay. It’s for one slightly used silver cigaretteholder.


Workforce, April 2001, pp.22-23 Subscribe Now!

Other columns by Shari:

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Nationwide Speeds Up Hiring, Increases Satisfaction

How long does it take a multi-billion dollar, Fortune-500 company to reducehiring time and improve manager satisfaction? Not as long as you might think.


    Like any large corporation, Nationwide is rather complicated. It essentiallyis in three different businesses–personal property/casualty insurance,financial services, and commercial services (helping other organizations withrisk management, workers’ compensation, and a variety of other areas).


    Workforce recently caught up with Patti Cotter, vice president of recruiting& staffing for Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio, to discuss how herteam is making life easier for managers at those three divisions:


Well, let’s do a little before and after. First, the “before.” Tellme how things were at Nationwide.
Culturally, it took awhile to hire people here. We didn’t have a step-by-steprecruitment process. People didn’t go through a defined process. Typically, ifsomeone would respond to an ad, his resume might sit somewhere. By the time weget to them, they’ve moved on to the next ad. When we did call them, we wouldsay on Monday, ‘can you come in on Friday and interview.’ It was all too long.It took 45 days to get someone in the door.
 
What did you to improve things?
Well, backing up…in December 1999 I went into the database and said, ‘Ineed the name and zip code of everyone who’s hired anyone in the last year.’Anyone who has hired someone was sent a satisfaction survey. I asked veryspecific questions about responsiveness, time to fill. Going into 2000, and wehad a 63, 63, 79 rating in our three divisions (personal property/casual,financial services, commercial). We asked in the survey how we could improve.Some of it was purely education. Some people thought it should take a week tofill a job.
 
In your industry — should it take a week?
Sometimes no. I got all the benchmark information in our industry — what’srealistic, how long it takes. I found out quantifying time-to-hire really varies. Somepeople include the whole time until you see the whites of their eyes. Othersit’s when the job is accepted.
 
Ok, let’s talk about you changed things to try to get those satisfactionnumbers up.
We used to not post jobs to our employees first. That frankly created a lotof bad will. Employees would think, ‘If the human capital here is the mostvaluable thing, why don’t you give us a chance before you put the jobs out andblast them out all over the world?’
 
So you gave an edge to the internal candidates. What else did you do toimprove your processes?
We weren’t screening enough, so it wasn’t uncommon for a hiring manager toget 14 to 15 internal candidates. Generally your hiring manager wasn’tcomfortable calling 11 of them saying ‘you don’t meet the qualifications.’ Theburden of the internal process fell very heavily on the hiring manager. Managers would say, ‘Thisjust isn’t right. I can’t weed through all these people.’Now, we send them three qualified candidates. The top three candidates go to the hiring manager.
 
And you’re improving communication between managers and recruiters?
Now, all of our recruiters — within 48 hours of receiving a requisition –arerequired to contact the hiring manager. They say, ‘Joe, I just want to make sureyou know I got your job posted, and I’ll let you know as soon as I get somecandidates.’ If it’s a higher-level job, they might say, ‘We need to talk aboutthis in more detail.’
 
Have you made any online changes?
We’ve done a lot with our Web site to really enhance our careeropportunities. ‘Careers’ is in the upper-right hand corner of the Web site. My Webpeople tell me that’s prime real estate. They say they’ve done studies and saythat’s where people gravitate. If we want to continue to keep and attract newpeople, you want to put us there, not a product.
 
I bet you had to sell that.
Yeah, when you do a Web site, you’re fighting all the product people.
 
What else did you do online, with your site?
The previous biggest compliant I got was the resumes fell in a black hole. Weget about 15 to 20,000 expressions of interest a month. We cannot possibly havepersonal contact with those people. Since they weren’t getting any kind ofacknowledgment, the frustration was creating a lot of calls to us. A light bulbgoes off — we really need to figure out a process that assures people don’tfall off.
 
So now there’s more contact with the candidate.
It’s nice from an applicant standpoint. You search jobs, and if you want toexpress interest, you cut and paste your resume, and hit submit. You get a noteback, and it will say ‘Todd, thank you for your interest in Nationwide.’ Within24 hours you’ll get another acknowledgment at your e-mail address: ‘Todd weappreciate your interest in Nationwide…’
 
What’s your next step with the site?
What we’re going to do is build a better technology to search that database– asearch query that could be done at night. We’ll say, ‘Give me all the resumes that are 90-days old.’ Everyone that has no workflow — in other words, they haven’t had aformal opportunity to be interviewed at Nationwide. We’re going to e-mail atthat point and say, ‘Todd, about three months ago you expressed interest inNationwide. We’re sure you’re a talented person, and if you’d like us tocontinue to search for the right job for you, let us know.’
 
That’s cool.
That kind of personal touch will foster great relationships. I would venturea guess they would continue to be a loyal customer if they’re treated with thatamount of dignity and respect. Many of our candidates are probably customers.
 
What were the results of all this — the screening, the favoring of internalcandidates, the site, and so on?
We reduced the time to fill internal jobs over 30 percent. Before, itactually took longer to hire internal candidates, including sourcing,identifying, interviewing, hiring, and starting an internal candidate than itdid to hire external talent.
 
Wow. 30 percent.
It was 49 days to fill a job internally in the past. Last quarter we were atabout 32 days for internals.
 
How about the manager satisfaction surveys you talked about. How did thoseimprove?
Our goal for finishing up 2002 is 80 percent, 80 percent, and 85 percentsatisfaction in our three companies. I really believe anything less than 80percent is unacceptable. I think we’re at 79, 84 and 85.
 
I saw you in San Diego and you were saying you hire people on the spot. Ithought that was pretty unusual for a $100 billion company.
You should put an asterisk in there. It depends on what industry you’re in.In insurance and financial services you have to comply with (background-check)rules. When we do a really targeted job fair with very specific jobs we’ll havea pre-screener and then an actual interviewer, then pass them on to the head ofthe relevant business — people who have the actual openings. If they say it’s a’thumbs up,’ then we say to the candidate ‘we’re preliminarily interested inoffering you a job.’
 
So they’re practically hired.
Yeah, I call it getting the hook. You get the hook in their mouth. Then weproceed with the things we need to have — a background check, a drug test. We doit quickly. In fact, when we make a job offer, you have to take a drug testwithin 48 hours.
 
What positions do you do this for and how?
We’ve used this strategy in the IT world. We’ll hold a job fair — not alwaysin our work site. We actually did it at a bar/restaurant offsite. Some peoplehave concerns about going to other employers’ offices. They’re worried theiremployer might see them in the parking lot and think, ‘what are you doing here?’It’s got to be at a good location, got to be at a good time. We do it 4-8 p.m.We have appetizers, snacks, and a welcome table. It’s very casual.
 
Is hiring on the spot common in the insurance industry?
We’re a little more aggressive than your tradition financial servicescompany. We get the hook in. We’ve gotten it together to where the commitment isthat we can turn people around in a five-day period. You come on Monday tointerview, and if you want to come work the next Monday, there’s a good chanceyou can do that.
 
And hardly anyone fails the background check, so it’s basically a formality,right?
Right, it’s the exception. If you’re holding up the whole process for theexception, you’re making a mistake. Do it fast, respond fast, and keep theprocess moving quickly.
 
I’m a job candidate in Columbus. Let’s say I’m an IT person. Why do I want togo work for Nationwide when I could work for a start-up?
You know, the economy is working in our favor now. We’ve been in existencefor 75 years. We’ve had a stellar reputation in Columbus for being what we usedto call an employer of choice. Now it’s called a ‘great company to work for’ Iguess. We’ve always been viewed as a family place. You can come in and grow,have a career. That’s a little of a double-edged sword.
 
Double-edged sword? How? Doesn’t every company want to be seen as an employerof choice, and all that good stuff?
One of the paradigms we had to break in the last two years was that manypeople on the outside felt that nobody leaves Nationwide. They felt like youcan’t get through that huge wall. You’ll get hired only if you know somebody. Wehad to break out of that paradigm. I mean we have 600 to 700 jobs open on agiven day. We’re always looking for quality talent — the best and the brightestall the time.
 
How else do you get folks to work there? Other than what you said –the abilityto have a career there and such.
We have so many different businesses (divisions) it’s almost like working fordifferent companies. You don’t have to leave to have a different experience. Wejust need to help recruits understand we do have different opportunities andthat they can get in.
 
Let’s talk about layoffs.
We really don’t do layoffs. We had an all-employee meeting yesterday. Our CEObroadcast live in Nationwide Arena, simulcast around the world. He said we don’thave plans to do layoffs. That doesn’t mean no one’s going to be displaced orlose their jobs. But we’re still in a growth mode. At any given time we have atremendous number of jobs open. People want to work for a company that cansurvive the good AND the bad times. If we feel we are in an overstaffedsituation, we’d say ‘as those jobs attrition, let’s not fill them.’
 
So you haven’t downsized.
Just normal changes. My division had a whole “internal displaced jobfair.” We had a little systems group that was eliminated — 30 people. Hiringmanagers from each of our divisions came in and did interviews. I believe everysingle person among the 30 who wanted to stay with Nationwide did so.
 
But there is no “nationwide lays off 5,000 people” type thing.
The economy isn’t affecting us to the point we’re reading about it. We don’thave these massive hiring freezes. We haven’t put these strict processes inplace where every single requisition must go by someone. With these big layoffs,how many times do companies turn around and get contract workers, which they paythree times their own employees’ salaries, or they hire the same people back ata higher salary?
 
In an economy like this, instead of bringing on more FTEs, do you ever go adifferent route?
Temporary employees, leased employees, contractors. We’re doing more ofthat. It gives you the flexibility where you can let that flexible work staff gowithout having to fear paying severance, etc., and still have the opportunity tore-staff with an alternative solution.
 
I guess it’s not cheap paying severance at a company like yours.
You begin laying off people with 15-20 years employment and that costs yousome money. If you’re a department manager and you’re meeting your budget, thehighest cost of the business is the people costs. We’re a company withhigh-tenure people. Plus, there’s the intangible attitude (of survivingemployees) saying, ‘I am the next one?’
 
What do you pay for an employee referral?
It depends on the job — it’s a flex program. If we have a job that’s ahard-to-fill job, we can go to that manager, and say ‘are you willing to pay$5,000’ and if they say yes, we can advertise that.
 
Is that typical?
Typically you can earn $500-$1,000 for referring a hire, depending on the joblevel. You can get some of the payment when you start and some later, about 90days.
 
At the conference where I saw you, someone suggested referrals based on”leads.” So you’d pay someone for a phone number, even if the candidate wasn’t hired.
I’m thinking about that. It doesn’t have to be huge. And you don’t have topay, you can reward. For every referral, you can give everybody two sets ofmovie tickets. Also, with our referral program, we want to improve thecommunication. We want to be much more timely. New employees may not know of theprogram, and referrals can be your number one source of hires.
 
Also, communicating with the employee who does that referring.
I haven’t set that up but that’s kind of where I’m going. Let’s say Toddrefers an employee. Now does he want a note in the mail? Does he want to callBill himself? I’m going to ask our employees. I don’t think recruiters have allthe intelligence. Just because we should be experts doesn’t mean we have all theanswers. You need to go to the people participating in programs and ask them.

Recruiting Resultsat Nationwide


Recruiting Staff:40
Jobsfilled per month:300-400(appx. half from within)
Reduction intime-to-hire:30%
Managersatisfaction:up from63% to 80%

Workforce Online, April 2001 — Register Now!

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Performance Appraisals Should Focus on Performance, Not Personality

The Men’s Wearhouse emphasizes providing constructive feedback as part of the coaching and development effort and as a way of building initial self-esteem. On the first day at Suits University, Charlie Bresler tells the wardrobe consultants that one of the company’s expectations is that they will be open to feedback from others who are helping the individual become more skilled at implementing the sales philosophy and techniques.

The company encourages people to provide praise when they see someone doing something right. But constructive criticism is also important in building self-esteem. Bresler said:

“You know why constructive criticism is one of the best ways to build up self-esteem? It’s because ultimately the single best way to feel good about yourself is to do a better job. And the best way to do a better job is to get good coaching and criticism so that you know not only what not to do, but also what to do.”

The Men’s Wearhouse emphasizes feedback that is behaviorally specific, focused on actions and behaviors that can change. This is, of course, a sensible approach because it makes the feedback actionable.

It is, however, frequently violated in many other companies’ performance appraisal and performance management systems in which characteristics — such as conscientiousness, intelligence, and being personable — rather than specific behaviors and actions become the focus of attention and evaluating. Below are some elements of the Men’s Wearhouse performance review for both wardrobe consultants and store managers.

We present this material in some detail not because most readers are managing retail stores, but because it is a wonderful example of one company’s ability to develop a list of specific actions necessary for success and to implement and continually refine a performance management process that is focused on these specific behaviors.

 

Performance Review Form

 

Wardrobe consultants are evaluated on the following factors — and graded as above standard, meets standard, below standard, and unsatisfactory

  • Greets, interviews, and tapes all customers properly
  • Participates in team selling
  • Is familiar with merchandise carried at local competitors
  • Ensures proper alteration revenue collection
  • Treats customer in a warm and caring manner
  • Utilizes tailoring staff for fitting whenever possible
  • Involves management in all customer problems
  • Waits on all customers, without prejudging based on attire, age, or gender
  • Contributes to store maintenance and stock work
  • Arrives at work at the appointed time and is ready to begin immediately
  • Dresses and grooms to the standards set by TMW

Managers and assistant managers are evaluated on the following factors — and graded as above standard, meets standard, below standard, and unsatisfactory

  • Engages in quality sales coaching
  • Uses multiple selling techniques
  • Maintains and coaches floor awareness
  • Ensures proper alteration revenue collection. Audits alteration tickets
  • Greets and welcomes customers
  • Participates in 15-day customer service calls
  • Ensures that customer policies relative to pressings, fittings, realterations, alteration appointments, charges, and specials are communicated consistently
  • Responds to employee concerns on a timely basis
  • Conducts weekly Saturday morning meetings that have positive formats
  • Helps resolve personnel problems
  • Communicates clear expectations to staff. Helps each individual set, monitor, and achieve their personal behavioral goals

 

This article was reprinted with permission of Harvard Business School Press. Excerpt of Hidden Value: How Great Companies Achieve Extraordinary Results with Ordinary People by Charles A. O’Reilly III and Jeffrey Pfeffer. Copyright 2000 President and fellows of Harvard College; All Rights Reserved.

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Guidelines for Home Software Use

Use and modify this guideline torestrict the sharing, duplication and installation of company software outsideof work.


Guidelines for Employees’ HomeSoftware Use


Employee use of (organization’s)software at home is strictly prohibited unless express permission is receivedfrom (organization’s) software manager or designated department. If the softwaremanager or designated department determines home use is permissible under therelevant software license agreement, then in exchange for the privilege of homeuse, I expressly agree to the following terms and conditions of home softwareuse:

  1. To install only the permissiblenumber of copies of (organization’s) software into my home computer asdetermined by (organization’s) software manager or designated departmentunder the relevant software license agreement.

  2. To use the (organization’s) softwareconsistently with the software’s license agreement and (organization’s)software policy, including, but not limited to, restricting the software’suse to (organization’s) business only.

  3. To subject my home computer with(organization’s) software for periodic software audits to ensure the(organization’s) software compliance, consistent with paragraph nine (9) of(Organization’s) Software Use Guidelines. (See Sample 3.)

  4. To remove the (organization’s)software from my computer and return materials I may have relating to(organization’s) software back to (organization) should I cease to work for(organization). I understand that continued use of the software may subjectme to potential civil liability.

I have read (organization’s) SoftwareUse Guidelines and the preceding terms applying to home use of (organization’s)software. I am fully aware of the software compliance policies and agree toabide by them. I understand that violation of any of the (organization’s)software use policies, including, but not limited to, the terms above, mayresult in my termination.


___________________________________________
Employee Signature


___________________________________________
Date


SOURCE: Software & InformationIndustry Association (SIIA), SPA Anti-Piracy Division.


Reprinted with permission of E-PolicyHandbook: How to Develop Computer, E-mil, and Internet Guidelines to ProtectYour Company and its Assets by Nancy L. Flynn, published by AMACON Books. Allrights reserved.

The information contained here is intended toprovide useful information on the topic covered, but should not beconstrued as legal advice or a legal opinion.
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Sample Policy for Personal Computer Software

Use a modified version of this formto regulate company sharing of computer software.


Corporate Policy Statement


Company/Agency Policy Regarding theUse of Personal Computer Software


(Company/Agency) licenses the use ofcopies of computer software from a variety of outside companies.(Company/Agency) does not own the copyright to this software or its relateddocumentation and, except for a single copy for backup purposes or unlessexpressly authorized by the copyright owner(s), does not have the right toreproduce it for use on more than one computer.


With regard to software usage on localarea networks, (Company/Agency) shall use the software only in accordance withthe license agreement.


(Company/Agency) employees are notpermitted to install their own copies of any software onto (Company/Agency)machines. (Company/Agency) employees are not permitted to copy software from(Company/Agency’s) computers and install it on home or any other computers.


(Company/Agency) employees, learning ofany misuse of software or related documentation within the company, shall notifythe Manager of Computer Systems or other appropriate person. According to theU.S. and Canadian copyright law, unauthorized reproduction of software is afederal offense. Offenders can be subject to civil damages of as much as U.S.$100,000 per title copied, and criminal penalties, including fines (up to U.S.$250,000 per work copied, CN $1,000,000) and imprisonment (up to 5 years pertitle copied).


Any (Company/Agency) employee whoknowingly makes, acquires, or uses unauthorized copies of computer softwarelicensed to (Company/Agency) or who places or uses unauthorized software on(Company/Agency) premises or equipment shall be subject to immediate terminationof employment.


(Company/Agency) does not condone andspecifically forbids the unauthorized duplication of software.


I am fully aware of the softwareprotection policies of (Company/Agent) and agree to uphold those policies.


_______________________
Employee Signature


_______________________
Date


SOURCE: Software & InformationIndustry Association (SIIA), SPA Anti-Piracy Division.


Reprinted with permission of E-PolicyHandbook: How to Develop Computer, E-mil, and Internet Guidelines to ProtectYour Company and its Assets by Nancy L. Flynn, published by AMACON Books. Allrights reserved.. Flynn, published by AMACON Books. All rights reserved.

The information contained here is intended toprovide useful information on the topic covered, but should not beconstrued as legal advice or a legal opinion.
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Dear Workforce What Constitutes An Appropriate Relocation Package Today

QDear Workforce:


    Our Montana-basedcompany is opening an East Coast office and is trying to convince some of ouremployees to relocate to Virginia. We also will be hiring some people inVirginia who will need to train for six months in Montana. Therefore we need todevelop both permanent and temporary relocation packages. The average pay forthe employees relocating will be about 60K. In this day and age, whatconstitutes an appropriate package?


– Lucy, Human Resources Manager,liability protection company, Missoula, MT


Dear Lucy:


    For executive-levelemployees it is not uncommon to spend in excess of $45,000. Gross-up calculationwould probably add another $15,000 or so to that number, depending on criteria.Interim living, home finding and day(s) of move are generally handled in a lumpsum.


    Typical calculationsinclude 30 days of interim living for homeowners with a seven-day house huntingtrip and two days for final move and 15 days of interim living, a three-dayhouse hunting trip and two days of move for renters. This figure is calculatedby taking an average of the mid- to higher-range hotel/apartment costs in theproposed destination – probably somewhere around $90 per night in Virginia.


    Meals are calculatedon a per diem of $25 per day per person. During house hunting and day(s) ofmove, meals’ per diem would expand to include the number of people affected.Generally included in the lump sum is 10 days of car rental at approximately $44per day for homeowners and five days for renters. Transportation costs for househunting, interim living trips home and day(s) of move should be paid separatelyfrom the lump sum because airfares fluctuate and would make it impossible to befair to the employee or the company. All expenses associated with interimliving, house hunting and day(s) of move are considered taxable income to theemployee and must be grossed-up.


    Household-goodsshipment will vary depending on the size of the home and also should be handledseparately. This is not considered taxable income to the employee and will notaffect gross-up.


    It is probablyunnecessary to include Guaranteed Purchase Offers on employee’s homes. Thecurrent trend is to require employees to sell their homes on the open market.The homes will then be closed as Amended Value Sales, which will eliminate anygross-up since payment of closing costs no longer would be considered taxableincome to the employee.


    Finally, for the toptier, it is customary to include one month’s salary as a miscellaneousrelocation allowance to be used at the employee’s discretion in the newlocation. This is typically taxed at time of payment and, therefore, does notrequire gross-up.


SOURCE: Linzi Eisemann of Directmoving,St. Petersburg, Fla., and Margaret McCurdy of AmeriCorpGlobal Relocation, Dallas, Texas, Feb. 7.


The information contained within this article is intended to provide useful information on the topic covered, but should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion. Also, remember that state law may differ from federal law.

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Guidelines for Organizational Software Use

A sample policy covering a range ofcompany software issues.


Guidelines for Organization SoftwareUse


General Statement of Policy


It is the policy of (organization) torespect all computer software copyrights and to adhere to the terms of allsoftware licenses to which (organization) is a party. (Organization) will takeall steps necessary to prohibit users from duplicating any licensed software orrelated documentation for use either on (organization) premises or elsewhereunless (organization) is expressly authorized to do so by agreement with thelicenser. Unauthorized duplication of software may subject user and/or(organization) to both civil and criminal penalties under the United StatesCopyright Act. (Organization) must not permit any employee to use software inany manner inconsistent with the applicable license agreement, including givingor receiving software or fonts from clients, contractors, customers and others.


User Education


(Organization) must provide and requirea software education program for all its software users (to be crafted by thesoftware manager). Upon completion of the education program, users are requiredto sign the (organization’s) Employee Personal Computer Software UsageGuidelines. New users will be provided the same education program within ten(10) days of the commencement date of their employment.


Budgeting for Software


When acquiring computer hardware,software, and training, (organization) must budget accordingly to meet the costat the time of acquisition. When purchasing software for existing computers(organization) must charge the purchases to the department’s budget forinformation technology or an appropriate budget set aside for tracking softwarepurchases.


Acquisition of Software


All software acquired by (organization)must be purchased through the (MIS, purchasing, or other appropriate designated)department. Software may not be purchased through user corporate credit cards,petty cash, travel, or entertainment budgets. Software acquisition channels arerestricted to ensure that (organization) has a complete record of all softwarethat has been purchased for (organization) computers and can register, support,and upgrade such software accordingly. This includes software that may bedownloaded and/or purchased from the Internet.


Registration of Software


When (organization) receives thesoftware, the designated department (MIS, purchasing, etc.) must receive thesoftware first to complete registration and inventory requirements beforeinstallation. In the event the software is shrink-wrapped, the designateddepartment is responsible for completing the registration card and returning itto the software publisher. Software must be registered in the name of(organization) and the department in which it will be used. Due to personnelturnover, software never will be registered in the name of the individual user.The designated department maintains a register of all (organization’s) softwareand will keep a library of software licenses. The register must contain:

  1. title and publisher of the software;

  2. date and source of softwareacquisition;

  3. location of each installation aswell as the serial number of the hardware on which each copy of the softwareis installed;

  4. existence and location of backupcopies; and

  5. the software product’s serialnumber.

Installation of Software


After the registration requirementsabove have been met, the software manager will install the software. Onceinstalled, the original media will be kept in a safe storage area maintained bythe designated department. User manuals, if provided, will reside either withthe user or the software manager.


Home Computers


(Organization’s) computers areorganization-owned assets and must be kept both software legal and virus free.Only software purchased through the procedures outlined above may be used on(organization’s) machines. Users are not permitted to bring software from homeand load it onto (organization’s) computers. Generally, organization-ownedsoftware cannot be taken home and loaded on a user’s home computer if it alsoresides on (organization’s) computer. If a user is to use software at home,(organization) will purchase a separate software package and record it as anorganization-owned asset in the software register. However, some softwarecompanies provide in their license agreements that home use is permitted undercertain circumstances. If a user needs to use software at home, he/she shouldconsult with the software manager or designated department to determine ifappropriate licenses permit home use.


Shareware


Shareware software is copyrightedsoftware that is distributed via the Internet. It is the policy of(organization) to pay shareware authors the fee that they specify for use oftheir product. Under this policy, acquisition and registration of sharewareproducts will be handled the same as commercial software products.


Quarterly Audits


The software manager or designateddepartment will conduct a quarterly audit of all (organization’s) PCs andservers, including portables, to ensure that (organization) is in compliancewith all software licenses. Surprise audits may be conducted as well. Auditswill be conducted using an auditing software product. Also, during the quarterlyaudit, (organization) will search for computer viruses and eliminate any thatare found. The full cooperation of all users is required during audits.


Penalties and Reprimands


According to the U.S. Copyright Act,illegal reproduction of software is subject to civil damages of as much as U.S.$100,000 per title infringed, and criminal penalties, including fines of as muchas U.S. $250,000 per title infringed, and imprisonment of up to five years. An(organization) user who makes, acquires, or uses unauthorized copies of softwarewill be disciplined as appropriate under the circumstances. Such discipline mayinclude termination of employment. (Organization) does not condone the illegalduplication of software and will not tolerate it.


I have read (organization’s)anti-piracy statement and agree to bind the (organization) accordingly. Iunderstand that violation of any above policies may result in both civilliability and criminal penalties for the (organization) and/or its employees.


______________________
Signature


______________________
Title


______________________
Date


 


SOURCE: Software &Information Industry Association (SIIA), SPA Anti-Piracy Division.


Reprinted with permission of E-PolicyHandbook: How to Develop Computer, E-mail, and Internet Guidelines to ProtectYour Company and its Assets by Nancy L. Flynn, published by AMACONBooks. All rights reserved.

The information contained here is intended toprovide useful information on the topic covered, but should not beconstrued as legal advice or a legal opinion.
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Short Sample Policy for Employee Software Usage

Use the guidelines below to preventunauthorized uses of software including duplication and sharing.


Guidelines for Employee Software Use


Software will be used only inaccordance with its license agreement. Unless otherwise provided in the license,any duplication of copyrighted software, except for backup and archival purposesby the software manager or designated department, is a violation of copyrightlaw. In addition to violating copyright law, unauthorized duplication ofsoftware is contrary to (organization’s) standards of conduct. The followingpoints are to be followed to comply with software license agreements:

  1. All users must use all software inaccordance with license agreements and the (organization’s) software policy.All users acknowledge that they do not own this software or its relateddocumentation, and, that unless expressly authorized by the softwarepublisher, may not make additional copies except for archival purposes.

  2. (Organization) will not tolerate theuse of any unauthorized copies of software or fonts in our organization. Anyperson illegally reproducing software can be subject to civil and criminalpenalties including fines and imprisonment. Users must not condone illegalcopying of software under any circumstances. Anyone who makes, uses, orotherwise acquires unauthorized software will be appropriately disciplined.

  3. No user will give software or fontsto any outsiders, including clients, customers, and others. Under nocircumstances will (organization) use software that has been brought in fromany unauthorized location under (organization’s) policy, including, but notlimited to, the Internet, home, friends, and colleagues.

  4. Any user who determines that theremay be a misuse of software within the organization will notify theCertified Software Manager, department manager, or legal counsel.

  5. All software used by (organization)on (organization)-owned computers will be purchased through appropriateprocedures.

I have read (organization’s) softwarecode of ethics. I am fully aware of our software compliance policies and agreeto abide by them. I understand that violation of any above policies may resultin my termination.


___________________________________
Employee Signature


___________________________________
Date


 


SOURCE: Software &Information Industry Association (SIIA), SPA Anti-Piracy Division.


Reprinted with permission of E-PolicyHandbook: How to Develop Computer, E-mil, and Internet Guidelines to ProtectYour Company and its Assets by Nancy L. Flynn, published by AMACONBooks. All rights reserved.

The information contained here is intended toprovide useful information on the topic covered, but should not beconstrued as legal advice or a legal opinion.
Posted on

Five Steps for Surviving Internet Speed

In an increasingly accelerated workplace, you must take control of technology:

  • Adopt technology that streamlines or simplifies. In many cases, it’sbetter to consolidate several processes or systems into one rather than embarkon the latest and greatest technology offering. Not only can that help a companymanage hardware and systems more effectively, but it also makes it easier forworkers to adapt and flourish. Yet certain types of projects, such as portalsand collaboration tools, can provide the biggest gains.

  • Never underestimate the ability of workers to embrace technology. Too often, companies assume that workers lag in the field oftechnology, when they’re often out in front, says Jacques Leger, managing consultant at Watson WyattWorldwide, San Francisco. “As employees become more technologically adeptat home, they’re transferring the knowledge to work.” By making thetechnology leaders at a company your allies, it’s possible to spread enthusiasmand acceptance.

  • Create policies and etiquette for using e-mail, voice mail, and othercollaborative systems. Employees should know, for example, when to mark amessage urgent, an acceptable time frame for replying orcalling back, and what’s not allowed in e-mail, including sensitive HR data,jokes and chain letters, and banal comments.

  • Offer employees time-management training and provide work-life programs.Unfortunately, at many companies there’s plenty of lip service about helpingemployees cope, but little action. Many employees who feel overwhelmed lack thetime-management and organizational skills required to function in the high-techworld. They allow themselves to be continually interrupted and suffer fromdecreased productivity.


    Most employees also benefit from job-sharing, telecommuting, flextime, and sabbatical programs. It’s crucial to prevent work from becominginvasive, and to allow employees time to recharge. “Acompany has to create boundaries, or burnout ensues,” says J. LeeWhittington, human resources management program director at the University ofDallas Graduate School of Management.

  • Create a management structure that can support a high-speed environment.If employees feel hindered by a bureaucratic and unwieldy management structure,they’re likely to grow disillusioned, and many of the best workers experienceburnout or seek work elsewhere. It’s particularly vital for fast-movingdepartments, divisions, and dot-com branches of a company to present proposalsto management for quicker and more responsive decision-making. As Leger pointsout, “If you wait for senior executives, it might never happen.”

Workforce, April 2001, p. 40SubscribeNow!

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Making Technology Work

From a business perspective, keeping up with Internet speed is daunting.Employees certainly have their fair share of issues, but so do companies tryingto stay current with technology and remain competitive.


    Paul Sparks, associate professor of education technology at PepperdineUniversity in Malibu, California, says that organizations and HR professionalsneed to keep an eye on the big picture. While it’s a good idea to adoptleading-edge tools, it’s not wise to venture off the edge. “There’s oftenan advantage to waiting a bit, and understanding which technology is beneficialand which creates a treadmill effect for employees.”


    He believes that one of the most valuable tools today is collaborationsoftware-electronic zones where employees can share applications, files, andthoughts. Programs from companies like WebEx, Lotus, Astound, and Microsoftcreate virtual work spaces that allow real-time collaboration.


    Sparks says that managers need to engage in team building. “Much of thelearning and knowledge exchange that goes on at a company takes placeunofficially-in hallways,” not classrooms.


    Watson Wyatt’s Leger notes that every organization “has people who aretech savvy and get excited about new projects.” At most companies, adoptionand acceptance of technology require a fundamental change in the mindset of aworkforce. A company can increase the odds of success byproviding news about a project, and convincing key managers to sell employeeson the advantages. “If you create powerful alliances you can drive rapidadoption and acceptance.”


    In the end, there’s no one way to succeed. However, companies that devisea well-planned strategy for integrating and adoptingtechnology are far more likely to boost productivity and success.


Workforce, April 2001, p. 40 SubscribeNow!