HR in Brief April 2015

What a Messy Desk Says About You

Is your desk a mess? Do you wonder if that sends a message to your co-workers? Having a cluttered desk may not be a bad thing, a survey from OfficeTeam suggests. While nearly one-third of those surveyed would question the employee’s job effectiveness, a majority of human resources managers said messy desks are OK (and some even think it’s a sign of creativity). 

HR managers were asked, “Which one of the following statements most closely describes your perception of someone at work who has a messy desk?” Their responses:

• It’s perfectly fine to have a messy desk. It’s a sign of a creative person! – 9%
• It’s OK to have a messy desk. No judgment here! –59%
• It’s not OK to have a messy desk. I question that person’s organizational skills and effectiveness on the job. –32%
• Don’t know. – 1%

“Although not everyone cares about how your desk looks, having a messy workspace could lead others to question your professionalism,” says Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam.

OfficeTeam identifies seven desk organization mistakes:

1. Creating a pileup. Recycle or shred unnecessary paperwork and file or scan everything else.
2. Failing to contain yourself. Use pencil cups, drawer and file organizers, and trays to keep items in their place.
3. Hoarding. If you haven’t touched something in a year, it probably shouldn’t be on your desk. Keep supplies you access most often within reach, and the rest out of sight. 
4. Not being tech-savvy. Going paperless can help you reduce clutter and find information more quickly, especially if you use a digital filing system or organizational app to keep track of everything.
5. Over-accessorizing. It’s OK to show some personality but leave your teddy bear collection and gigantic cat posters at home.
6. Being “crumb”y. Clear your desk of food wrappers, empty coffee cups and dirty plates. Wipe off your work surface after eating.
7. Cleaning just once or twice a year. Spend a few minutes at the end of each day straightening up your workspace so you can get a quick start in the morning.

Companies Target Market Median for Base Pay

Five years since the Great Recession, the “Compensation Programs and Practices” survey from WorldatWork shows the majority of organizations determine the value of employee jobs based on the market-pricing approach. The organization conducted similar compensation practices surveys in 2012, 2010 and 2003.

“Eighty-five percent of the respondents indicated they target employee base salary at the 50th percentile. Employers tend to largely assess the market value of jobs on an annual basis and address current market conditions on an as-needed basis. Currently, the market isn’t compelling employers to accelerate wage growth in any significant way,” says Kerry Chou, WorldatWork senior practice leader.

“Another issue compensation professionals continue to struggle with is communication. This year’s data shows us that while nearly all organizations have a compensation philosophy, 45 percent report that most or all of their employees do not understand it.”

Using data from the CUES Employee Salary Survey, here are the median base salaries for a few key credit union positions as of December 2014 (find data for more positions, run detailed reports and participate by adding your credit union’s compensation information at cues.org/ess):

• branch manager: $54,724
• call center manager: $61,701
• call center representative: $15.55 per hour
• consumer loan officer: $41,725
• teller: $12.23 per hour

few additional highlights from the 2014 WorldatWork survey:

• 92 percent of companies have a compensation philosophy, with 65 percent having a written policy and 27 percent having an unwritten policy.
• 28 percent of respondents indicate that most or all of their employees understand the company’s compensation philosophy.
• 82 percent of organizations use bonuses, which is the most frequently used variable pay plan for some or all employees.
• A majority (59 percent) of base salary structures for employees are still adjusted once a year, with 14 percent of companies adjusting their structures once every two years, which has increased by 5 percentage points from the previous two surveys.
• In 2014, as in 2012 and 2010, moderate variation­—meaning top performers receive 1.5 times the average increase—is the most typical variation in salary increase between average and top performers.
• Most (52 percent) indicated that salary structures are defined by geographic regions. Job category/role ranked second at 44 percent, which is a notable increase from 23 percent in 2012.