Master Builders of Iowa

The workforce of today and tomorrow is growing with increasing size and talent from the female gender. The female often times has the challenge of changing roles in a flash. One minute she is a mother getting lunches ready, dealing with sick children, dealing with household jobs . . . the next she is an employee and often times a significant factor in a company.

Recent news articles about drugs in Iowa drive home a growing concern with the level of drug use in our pastoral little state. Who would have thought you would read about a college president growing his own pot in his garage, his family distributing pot in local high schools, and his family has a “potluck” dinner every week? Who would have thought that HBO would develop a film on meth use and its growing impact and use Iowans as the examples of the problem?

While President Obama and John McCain were slugging it out on TV at town meetings and on Leno and Letterman, the Democratic congress gave us a taste of what is ahead. With little debate or fanfare, they gutted the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and various Supreme Court and Federal cases. Congress was quickly in justifying these actions by stating “we did not like what the courts have done to the intent of the Act.”

This article is for HR personnel in a non-union environment or union companies who have elected to limit their collective bargaining obligations to a select building trade union(s). One of the goals of the HR person is to recognize this goal, how it differs from a union environment and how to make the best of the culture of your company. Remember, one of the tests of life is how to play the cards you are dealt. Many times companies cross their fingers and stick their heads in the ground hoping that because of their history or location, they can stay non-union. As declining employment puts more people on the street, unions will look for more targets that got help and dues. Do you want to remain in the ostrich position during these times? The following are a few recommendations you can consider using without announcing you are in a union-prevention mode.

Each person has his or her own style of communicating and leading. As a leader in your company and a person versed in HR skills you need to know about styles and the impact of those styles on different worker personalities.  Do you know your communication style? There are a lot of tests to determine style of communication, and if you are to be an effective leader you cannot miss this chance for some real insight.