TM - March 2008 - (Page 38)

recruitment & retention assessment & evaluation compensation & benefits performance management learning & development succession planning [performance management]by Kellye Whitney Downtime Management: Surfing May Not Be Slacking We’ve all seen it: Employees yacking on personal calls, engaging in protracted personal e-mail sessions or indulging in a string of instant messaging. All of which seem to shout: Slacker! But these seemingly nonwork related activities may be an important piece of a productive employee’s workday. The speed and scope of modern business have made issues such as cognitive health and stress management necessary topics for talent managers. New conditions such as Blackberry thumb, attention deficit trait and worries over energy depletion also are making the rounds as research surfaces to indicate downtime and play actually have value to adults — they promote high performance and stimulate brain power and creativity. Still, it’s natural for the average talent manager to raise an eyebrow when an employee is giving rapt attention to streaming online video or music downloads instead of assigned work tasks. But that may be an outdated view. As long as the employee consistently performs well, meets deadlines and adheres to the melange of other criteria that mark a high performer as such, the occasional break might be needed stress relief to ensure said high performer continues to produce at expected levels. Present vs. Engaged, Activity vs. Accomplishment Managing employee downtime may not require much physical work. Instead, talent managers may want to adapt their attitudes about non-work related activity to suit the changing nature of work and the modern business environment. The first step is to determine how to treat certain behaviors and decide what exactly productive and unproductive downtime are. For example, in some organizations, such as those with significant research and development functions, what 38 March 2008 talent management magazine www.TalentMgt.com http://www.TalentMgt.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of TM - March 2008

TM - March 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Human Performance - The Paradoxically Gifted Leading Edge - Reverse Engineering: Shifting Focus to HR's Cause Learning Connection - Sharing Talent On the Hunt for Talent Unlock Employee Motivation Through Personality Testing HR Crucial to Executive Compensation Process Downtown Management: Surfing May Not Be Slacking Think Tanks Aid Government in Talent Management Creating Consistency: Enterprise-Wide Succession Plans Battle Retention Deficits With On-Boarding Sunbelt Rentals: A Mid-Level View of HR From the Trenches Butterball: No Chicken When It Comes to Talent Management Advertisers' Index Editorial Resources Full Potential - Choosing Change

TM - March 2008

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