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The prior post provided some food for thought on how to keep employees invested despite stressful changes in the workplace. Conveying honesty and transparency, as well as being accessible and responsive, are key factors for keeping employees positive, motivated, and productive.

An article in The Wall Street Journal, How to Motivate Workers in Tough Times, offers further insight into the reasons why it’s so crucial to pay attention to your employees during economic crunch time. Though written in November, 2008—before the strongest recession winds were felt by some—the article highlights an interview with Jim Harter, a researcher of workers’ commitment to their jobs for Gallup.

Set Expectations, Communicate and Build Relationships

For one, Harter points out that when you’re “doing more with less,” it’s paramount to “understand each employee individually” so you can reposition people and teams in a productive fashion.

Harter also says that during shaky economic times, many companies don’t set clear expectations; this has a strong impact on employee morale and motivation. According to Harter, “Only a little over half the people in the workforces that we’ve surveyed over the years clearly know what’s expected of them in their job.” Understanding expectations is even more important during a recession when many employees feel overwhelmed by an increased workload, fewer perks, and more pressure to perform.

Harter also encourages managers to communicate to employees about the big picture—and how they fit into it. This notion coincides with caring for people on an individual level. Harter asserts, “The great managers know how important it is to build relationships all the time and have fun at work.”  

Examples of Employee Motivators

An article on BNET, Recession-Friendly Employee Perks, offers three general tactics for treating employees as the valuable asset they are.

• “Give Gifts That Mean Something”: The article sites the brewery Fat Tire, which gives their employees a custom bicycle for their one-year anniversary. The gift is something employees look forward to, plus it holds significance within the company. Fat Tire also encourages biking to work and so the gift is helping employees achieve an environmental milestone.
• “When You Can’t Give Money, Give Time”: A Los Angeles based public relations firm, JS Communications, started giving employees two “I Don’t Want to Get Out of Bed Days.” Without having to make excuses or contemplate if they want to use a sick day to go and run those much-needed errands, employees appreciate their bonus days off—and are probably more productive all those other days they’re in the office.
• “Make Incentives Memorable and Incremental”: The Harbor Court Hotel in San Francisco gives employees poker chips, worth $2 a piece, for small accomplishments. Employees save up the chips and trade them in for gift cards. Of course once they’ve earned one chip, they’re eager to earn more.

For a more in-depth example of how to motivate employees during the recession, read The Issue: Maintaining Employee Engagement, an interactive case study from BusinessWeek that elucidates how the CEO of MGM Grand in Las Vegas keeps business profitable and employees content.

Budgets are cut, org charts are realigned, and costs have been culled. If your company is like most, frugality and cost-efficiency are on your mind. And of course if you’ve been listening to the news, picking up a paper (or checking it online for cities like Seattle), or flipping through Time, you might feel like you’re playing bingo with a card that’s full of synonyms for cutback.

Regardless of the economic climate though, holding on to the employees who are of value to your company is still crucial—perhaps even more so than before.  

Here are some suggestions for keeping those talented folks on your side without the need to stretch an already tenuous budget even further. By adopting these attitudes and putting them into practice, you’ll help employees maintain their productivity, brand advocacy, and morale.

• Honesty and Transparency: Employees will feel more secure—and more likely to trust executive decisions—when honesty and transparency are displayed at all levels throughout the company.
• Accessibility and Responsiveness: Company execs and managers should be accessible to employees, responsive to questions, and quick to quell negative rumors or fears.
• Validation: Recognize the extra efforts employees are making and validate their contribution. Let them know that they’re valuable to the company as a whole and their efforts are not taken for granted.
• Be Inquisitive: Talk to employees about their long-term goals and create an action plan to help them accomplish those goals. Figure out how to shift their responsibilities so they’re doing something they’re passionate about.  
• Provide Training: Additional training is invaluable to an employee who’s ambitious and eager to learn and shows your long-term investment in that person. Offer training opportunities onsite or compensate employees for taking outside classes and workshops.
• Be Flexible: Consider allowing employees to telecommute once a week, or allow them to modify their schedule.
• Provide Outlets: Plan parties, happy hours, or a bowling game for your employees. Provide an outlet for employees to let loose, hang out, and feel appreciated. 
• Give Unexpected Rewards: Whether it’s an iTunes card or a gift certificate to the coffeehouse around the corner, use unexpected rewards to show employees their contribution is valued.
• Set Realistic Goals: Set the bar too high and employees may feel set up for failure. Segment large company-wide goals into reasonable milestones that feel attainable. Celebrate accomplishments.
• Contribute to a Cause: Perform a survey or somehow find out what causes employees are most passionate about, and then organize a fundraising drive or a volunteer day. Looking at the big picture and exercising some empathy—as well as working together as a team—can help employees feel motivated in their present position.

To read more on the importance of employee motivation during a recession and how to maintain it, see the next part of this blog, Maintaining Employee Motivation and Engagement During a Recession, Part II.  

Ever play that game Balderdash where you get to make up absurd definitions for unheard of words? The Addictionary from Marketing Profs is a bit like Balderdash. People throw their fabricated marketing buzzwords—or conversely a concept that deserves its own lingo—on the site (which operates somewhat like a wiki) and the community puts their best linguistic foot forward, even pitting multiple terms against each other to determine the champ.

Here’s a sampling of the verbal gymnastics:

Twitterpated (adjective): So distracted by twitter you forgot what you were supposed to be working on.

Connectile Disfunction (noun): What do you call a sudden loss of internet access?

Giverattie (plural noun): People (or the verisimilitude thereof) who join Twitter with the sole purpose of "giving" you a "free laptop" or some other amazing product, even though we all know there's a huge catch hiding somewhere.

Mistweet (noun): A mistaken tweet, posted the way it was not intended to be.

Digicrat (noun): A member of that lucrative market segment who is an early adopter of new technology. (The guy with the latest and coolest phone, laptop, and wireless headset, you know?)

Wannapreneur (noun): Someone who claims to be an entrepreneur but doesn't actually own any businesses.

So maybe you won’t use twitsophrenic or intwitnito in your next white paper or presentation, but it’s at least good for a laugh (and for brushing up on your Greek and Latin, too). Got anything to add to Addictionary?

One of the many reasons I love perusing art galleries and museums is to experience that moment of escape—the moment where the shoes on my feet, the persistent message flashing on my cell phone, the list of deadlines scrolling through my head all dissolve.

Of course, the problem is I don’t spend nearly as much time exploring art—in the flesh—as I’d really like to. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) must have read my mind, and that of many other busy would-be gallery goers.

SFMOMA’s website offers a great interactive feature, ArtScope, which enables users to scroll through over 3,500 artworks from their collection. Almost like navigating city streets on a map, users select a section of tiny images from a large grid where they can then zoom in and out and traverse through the collections. There’s also a search functionality to help plot a course through the virtual gallery. A search for photography unveils Parisian streets and lunarscapes. A query for sculptures returns Venetian balustrades and stoneware busts. And masters such as Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Vasily Kandinsky, and Henri Matisse can be unearthed from the trails of contemporary creations.

Though there’s nothing like standing face to face with a work of art, SFMOMA’s ArtScope offers an entirely unique experience in its range of works and intuitive, user-friendly interface. Take a virtual stroll through the aisles of ArtScope.

Surely when you glance at the garbage you don’t envision an undeveloped work of art. But then again, maybe you do.

Clever designers are finding ingenious ways to turn one person’s trash into another’s treasure. (And if you saw WALL-E, you know we’d better find something to do with all that stuff.)

A blog from WebEcoist shows 15 different lights and lamps created from recycled materials. Though I’m not likely to hang the Chiquita Banana Chandelier in my humble (but not that humble) apartment, many of the other examples have quite a bit of appeal not only as an exercise in eco-conscious metamorphosis, but as unique, usable furnishings too.

The glass bottle lights emit a contemporary glow and the blender lamp brings new vigor to vintage. Like an illuminated bouquet, the hanging teacup lamp dangles delicately from the ceiling, making a great conversation piece. And the light bulb lamp from Bulbs Unlimited arranges those old energy-eating bulbs into a sleek and modern matrix.

Applying the guiding principles of the 3 r’s—reduce, reuse, recycle—to design holds unlimited possibilities for both stretching the imagination and lessening the burden of landfills. Plus, a reincarnated piece of art has such a better story to tell. 

Call it charity, philanthropy, good karma, or whatever you will, but a recession is a ripe time to shrug off the czar of capitalism and lend your talents to the greater good. If you’re a freelancer whose project list is looking a bit slimmer than usual, now’s a great opportunity to seek out some pro bono work. Whether it’s contributing to a national nonprofit or finally sketching those poster designs for your Aunt Zoey’s pie shop, the economic lull is an ideal time to fill in the gaps with projects that may not pay in green, but offer some long-term ROI.

Trade in the Cash for a Cause: The Benefits of Working Pro Bono

Donating your time and skill to a project not only promises the reward of fulfillment and the satisfaction of connecting to a cause; there are numerous professional benefits too. The advantages of adding some pro bono work to your project list include:

• The opportunity to tap into a new market or niche
• The opportunity to grow and improve your portfolio
• Exposure to new organizations and professionals who may become a great referral source or provide you with positive testimonials
• Networking opportunities outside your usual comfort zone
• The thrill of variety and the possibility of taking your creative work in a different direction
• The opportunity to learn and gain insight from insiders and other professionals
• The opportunity to generate some PR buzz 
• A demonstration of your commitment not only to your work, but to the community
• The prospect of future paying work from the client 

Guidelines for Pro Bono Work

Keep in mind, even though you’re not negotiating an hourly rate, you’re still working with a client. It’s crucial to understand the organization’s goals and to have a mutual recognition of the scope of the work. And even though you’re not getting paid, a deadline’s still a deadline, so set reasonable expectations when outlining the project timeframe.

Seattle’s School of Visual Concepts (SVC) recommends that you present a creative brief for the assignment and have it signed off by those who will ultimately approve your work. SVC also suggests that creatives pursuing pro bono work track their time and expenses on the project and send an “invoice” (without any fees, of course) to show the value of their contribution and to help the organization tally their in-kind donations.

Before you go gung-ho on the pro bono track (though by all means, you should), read the rest of SVC’s guidelines for negotiating the tight-rope before, during, and after a pro bono project. Dynamic Graphics + Create Magazine also offers some insight for both volunteers and organizations seeking pro bono contributors.

Get Going with Pro Bono Projects

When you’re ready to dive in, idealist.org is a great resource for both seeking opportunities and finding people to provide services; they frequently match web-gurus and designers with projects as part of their Pro Bono Design Services (in conjunction with the Art Directors Club).

The Taproot Foundation, which provides millions of dollars worth of pro bono marketing, HR, IT, and strategy management consulting services each year to nonprofit organizations, is another avenue for finding pro bono work. The Taproot Foundation assembles teams that typically collaborate virtually on a project.  

Design for the World is an international humanitarian organization whose objective is to match the skills and commitment of volunteer designers with the needs expressed by disadvantaged populations and the organizations that serve them worldwide. Design for the World unites graphic designers, industrial designers and interior and architectural designers around one common idea: voluntary design for people in need.

Finally, doing some research on topics that you’re passionate about—be it the environment, poverty, education, or animal protection—will no doubt produce a multitude of options for doing pro bono work that you’ll feel inspired by and proud of. And of course, don’t overlook local resources too such as schools in your community, start-ups, and even friends and family members.

Though uncertainty and apprehension go hand in hand with the economic downturn, donating your time, professional skills, and creativity is a great way to not only boost your own brand or business, but make a powerful and positive impact as well.

And hey, building your creative momentum sure beats just spinning your wheels while waiting for the economic storm to blow over.  

Know of any other resources for pro bono work for creatives? We’d love to hear your comments.

This has been a rough couple of weeks here at Filter.  As everyone now knows, Microsoft mandated an across-the-board 10% cut in bill rates.  After agonizing over the decision, we decided to pass through part of this cut in the form of a 10% pay rate cut to contractors on assignment at Microsoft.  Because the bill rates are higher than the pay rates, this only passes through about 70% of the rate reduction, with the remainder being absorbed by Filter and reductions in payroll-related taxes paid to the government.  Additionally, Microsoft has set a goal of reducing bill rates on new assignments by an additional 5% -- a total of 15% below where we were just a few weeks ago.

Even with this pass-through, Filter will probably make little or no profit on our Microsoft business for the foreseeable future.  This is because we have significant overhead dedicated to serving the account.  It is not easy fulfilling Microsoft’s hiring needs.  They retain our services for a reason – it is difficult to source and hire the top design talent, and we have a number of full-time staff devoted to serving only Microsoft.  We have implemented some FTE headcount reductions of our own this last week.

Microsoft bill rates for Filter have not increased for nearly the last five years, and now they’ve been reduced by 15% with one stroke.  During this time, Filter has absorbed wave after wave of pay rate increases to our contractors and newly-hired candidates, while simultaneously upgrading our health and other fringe benefits.  Over the years, we have provided continuous feedback to Microsoft that they would eventually find it increasingly difficult to hire or retain the top talent, because the pay rates simply could not match the market rates.  This got especially bad during 2007 and the first part of 2008 because of the strong economy and shortage for talent.  But now the tides have shifted, and we have less leverage on pay rates than we had with clients during the boom times.

Is Microsoft making the right decision by reducing the bill rates at this time?  We can’t know.  But we are confident that they understand the risks in what they are doing.  We also respect the fact that they have opted to reduce rates across the board rather than, for example, reducing headcount by 10%.  That affords the chance for more contractors to retain their jobs as we try to ride out these slow times.  This is more than can be said for the 5,000 FTE cuts that Microsoft implemented earlier in the year.  I am confident that Microsoft understands that they may lose some contractors who opt not to accept the pay cuts, and that they are comfortable with that risk.

We understand that our business is contingent staffing and that during slow times like this, some of our clients will opt to reduce their contingent staff in an effort to save the jobs of their FTE staff.  This is one of the reasons that the staffing industry came into being.  It provides financial flexibility to businesses.  We know that our contractors understand this when they accept work through Filter.  Most of our contractors are drawn to contract work because the contracting lifestyle provides some personal freedom and flexibility that a regular job often does not.  During the good times, everyone can benefit from this way of working.  During the slower times, we all suffer, and contractors are no exception.

So, while this is not a pleasant time for any of us, our mission remains the same – to stay connected with all of the best talent and all of the best companies in our market.  In Puget Sound, Microsoft is just one of more than 150 companies that we work with.  While we could have opted to walk away from our Microsoft relationship over this financial hardship, we have no intention of doing so because we want to stay connected with the top employer in the marketplace so that we can offer career opportunities for top talent at Microsoft over the coming years.  And, as we follow our contractors from company to company throughout their careers, we can serve them best by not closing any doors on any of the top brands in Puget Sound.

It’s not a perfect model, but I believe it has served many in the creative community well over the years – a number of our contractors have ultimately become hiring managers at our clients and have a crystal clear understanding of how the contracting model through Filter can benefit their companies.  And our contractors have had the opportunity to work on, and have made significant contributions to, some of the leading global brands during these years. 

For those contractors inclined to walk away from Microsoft, I’d just point out that this problem is larger than Microsoft.  Rather, Microsoft’s actions are a reflection of the pressures in the global marketplace for economic prudence and caution.  I can assure you that the overall job market has shifted significantly in the last six months, and you may want to apply your own form of prudence and caution before giving up your current assignment.  At a minimum, check in with your Filter contact to assess what other opportunities might be available that would be a good fit for you.

We look forward to powering through these challenging times and coming out the other end stronger and more efficient than ever.  We are trying to provide a compelling service to all of our clients and contractors, and flexibility during these times will be a key to our success.

Max Thelen, President

March’s trendwatching report doesn’t look at the down side of the downturn, but rather at the green side, making the astute observation that regardless of the recession consumers still expect brands to uphold environmentally sustainable and responsible practices.

And while consumers’ expectations are high, many of them are still willing to hold up their end of the bargain as well. The report provides a poignant statistic from Reuters: “Four out of five people say they are still buying green products and services today--which sometimes cost more--even in the midst of a US recession.”  

So while the economy may not be growing in girth, it does seem to be growing green. The expectation from consumers for eco-friendly products, sustainable processes, and an environmentally friendly approach to business creates an incredible opportunity for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

Trendwatching takes a closer look at how some global advertising agencies are heralding their green horn. I particularly like the advent of Ecofont, a creative new font that uses 20% less ink than standard fonts while still maintaining readability (and appeal). And better yet, you can download Ecofont for free.

Check out the rest of Trendwatching’s eco-vertising report for some more uplifting ideas.

We’re not talking pixels or picas; we’re talking process.

I suppose tough economic times often divide people into two camps: those who want to play it safe and follow the straight and narrow road, and those who see crisis as a time for ideation and innovation.

A methodology for idea-generating, design thinking characterizes the latter group (whether they’re cognizant of it or not). And whether it’s your job hunt, your business strategy, or global warming you want to change, shifting your process—or your entire organization’s—towards  design thinking is a means of facilitating change and discovering new ideas.

Not a Degree, a Methodology

David Kelley, founder and chairman of IDEO and the man who coined the term “design thinking,” describes design thinkers as people who have “this creative confidence that, when given a difficult problem, we have a methodology that enables us to come up with a solution that nobody has before.” 

Accordingly, the implications of design thinking aren’t contained in the arena of aesthetics alone. Design thinking applies to marketing and sales, philanthropy, conservation efforts, education, business, and everything in between. 

Some Defining Characteristics of Design Thinking

Some people think creativity is purely a gift, a moment of divine inspiration. The notion of design thinking, however, implies that creativity and innovation can be fostered through a process, and as Linda Tischler says in her article on David Kelley, it’s a process not unlike the scientific method.

So what are some characteristics of design thinking, and how can it be applied to your creative vision, business strategy, or organizational processes?

Observation and Redefining the Problem

For one, design thinking isn’t about picking the best lemon out of the bunch and then squeezing it dry. Focusing on true innovation—not just optimization—requires stepping back, restating problems, and allowing some incubation time in the articulation of the problem. Observation is often tied in to this phase as well; problems or processes can’t be improved when the underlying issue has been misidentified.

Divergent Thinking and Lateral Movement

Perhaps design thinking isn’t embraced in more corporations because of the cognitive dissonance it instills; after all, divergent thinking is valued more than convergent thinking in a design mindset, and this can feel like dangerously unknown territory to businesses or clients. The ability to look at seemingly disparate elements, to move laterally, inspires more innovation than taking a linear path. Kelley emphasizes the need for “broad,” not just “deep” thinking.

Empathy

Tim Brown, IDEO’s CEO, adds empathy to the list of innovation-inspiring characteristics. According to Brown, “You can’t just stand in your own shoes; you’ve got to be able to stand in the shoes of others. Empathy allows you to have original insights about the world. It also enables you to build better teams.”

Prototyping (and Going Back to the Drawing Board)

Related to empathy is also the importance of prototyping. But Brown, Kelley and IDEO don’t approach a prototype merely as a reflection of what a finished product or process will be; instead, it’s a means of eliciting more feedback. In Brown’s words, “we build to think.”

Process-Oriented

Finally, another crucial component of design thinking is the willingness to keep rethinking, redesigning, reanalyzing. Again, design thinking epitomizes a process, not a final product.

Investing in New Ideas

Whether you’re crafting an ad campaign, designing an eco-friendly office building, creating an employee motivation program, or streamlining processes within your company to improve your bottom line, design thinking can drive change, energize ideas, and engender innovation on a small and large scale.  

And best of all, design thinking isn’t just for designers.

Hungry for more on design thinking?

Watch BusinessWeek’s Five Questions for Tim Brown

Ideo’s David Kelley on "Design Thinking"

Strategy by Design (by Tim Brown)

The Power of Design

School of Bright Ideas

BRINC (Bel-Red Incubator) and Seattle’s Dorkbot are joining forces to explore ways to create and improve local resources for interdisciplinary artists, designers, technologists and other hybrid thinkers working at the convergence of art, technology, and community.
 
If you live in the Pacific Northwest and you use technology as a creative medium in your projects, BRINC would appreciate your response on a brief and anonymous survey. Your input and time is appreciated!

The survey is available at: http://arttechnorthwest.questionpro.com/