HOUSTON - (Business Wire) What do you get when you place a highly competitive and assertive Gen Y employee in the same office with a baby boomer who
’s relaxed and evades stressful situations?
Answer: Two employees who probably can’t talk to each other.
Helping employees effectively communicate with their coworkers has never been an easy task. Regardless of generational differences regarding modes of communication - differences in communication styles naturally occur among individuals regardless of generational nexus. Generational differences can cause tension, but miscommunication can also occur between employees with clashing personality traits or styles — anything from text messaging to chatting by the water cooler.
But some companies have found a way to connect their workforce, which in turn, can boost employee productivity and job satisfaction. They administer The Birkman Method®, an online personality, social perception and occupational interest assessment developed by Houston-based Birkman International.
Unlike other assessment tools, The Birkman Method can assist managers in building highly functional teams, workgroups or departments by helping employees understand how others receive and process information. The assessment measures five key personality dimensions: usual behavior, underlying needs and motivation, stress behaviors, areas of interest and organizational focus.
“It breaks down communication barriers because it offers powerful insight as to how your peers think and act,” says Richard Goldman, Birkman’s chief operating officer. “Once you understand what drives people, you can be more effective in relaying new ideas, solving problems, or persuading them to change old practices.”
The assessment is so successful because it’s non-judgmental. It provides employees with a common language that neutralizes assumptions and judgements that people often make about each other. It helps them create a foundation for reliable communication, trust and collaboration.
But some companies also use it as recruitment tool since it helps them understand how job candidates will interact and communicate with other employees and clients in everyday life situations.
By using the Birkman Method, companies have transformed employees into more effective communicators, enabling them to better manage their personal and work life and prevent stressful encounters that can damage relationships and occupational effectiveness.
“It’s really a very comprehensive, multi-dimensional assessment tool,” adds Goldman. “By promoting self-discovery and an awareness of how others think, employees can develop strong bonds with people both at work and home.”
The Birkman Method® has been in use for over 50 years and has been used by over 2 million people and 5,000 organizations worldwide. The assessment accurately measures social behaviors, underlying expectations of interpersonal and task actions, potential stress reactions to unmet expectations, occupational preferences and organizational strengths. For more information: www.birkman.com or 1-800-215-2760.
For Birkman International
Suzy Ginsburg, 713-721-4774
suzy@gcomworks.com
