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Talent management with online org charting solution orginio

How to discover hidden talents

12. February 2016/by Theresa

Talent Management is the main topic in many companies

What happens if talent information remains hidden? Everything is possible: Molly from the production department is a talented singer in a band. The colleague Linda from the secretariat didn’t know this and has now booked an expensive entertainer for the company event. Or: Andrew has organizational talent for orders from East Asian countries. The colleague Thomas from the neighboring department didn’t know this and compiled the purchasing lists alone through tedious research.

Talents are of no help if they are not put to use and nobody knows about them. Nobody will walk through the canteen hallway proclaiming their strong points, of course. One or the other talent might come to light during the employee review – but it will still not become known throughout the company.

Why not display the talents in the organization chart?

In this way, everyone can see what the colleague from next door is capable of. And to be honest: Who wouldn’t find it flattering to find their strong points in the company organization chart?

Thank you for your confidence!

12. December 2015/by Theresa

Happy holiday season and a successful new year 2016!

The year is drawing to an end. We are happy that our new product orginio has been well received and thank you for your confidence!
Of course, in 2016 we will make progress with orginio’s further development and inform you about the latest HR trends in our HR blog.

By then, we wish you a happy holiday season and a successful new year 2016!

5 Tips: How to use your HR data optimally

8. December 2015/by Theresa

Let us show you how to use your HR data optimally with very little effort

Unstructured data accumulates in every company. The companies only recognize how much potential is contained within this data when it is structured. Unfortunately, this is often not done, however. True to the motto: data potential available – data utilization missed.

1. Benefit from already existing data

An initial inventory will help further. Get an overview of already existing HR data in your company. The variety of data sources can be vast and ranges from databases to simple Excel lists. However, even social networks, which are increasingly becoming the current trend among employees, can bring added value to your HR department.

2. Get an overview of your organization structure

Once you know your data sources, you should also utilize these. Get an overview of your organization structure with the HR data. The organization structure can be replicated in an organization chart (see Fig.1). This allows you to represent information about departments, positions and employees.

Fig.1: Organization chart in orginio

It can also be an advantage to replicate important information and key figures within the organization chart that match your corporate objectives. An example: You want to find talented employees in your organization. Include the talent information and skills of individual employees in the organization chart (see Fig. 2).

Fig.2: Displaying talent information in the employee box

3. Reproduce the information using the appropriate software

With the aid of the appropriate software you can generate the company organization chart automatically. This saves you a great deal of time, because you do not have to draw the structure manually. When choosing the software, make sure that this can be connected to the existing data sources. Only in this way can you benefit from the existing HR data.

Bear in mind the retrievability of information. With the aid of search features you should also be able to find all information within your organization structure (see Fig. 3: Searching for a specific employee).

Fig.3: Example – Finding colleagues in the organization chart

The availability of the information is extremely important. If you want to retrieve the data anytime and anywhere, a SaaS application is an advantage. In this case, the data is stored externally in a data center and can be retrieved via the Internet (secured by means of login). Make sure that the SaaS provider is reputable, guards your data around the clock and has ISO certifications or seals of approval such as TÜV or DCSA. Alternatively, the local installation of the software can be on your computer, for example. In all cases it is important to ensure that sensitive data is protected by means of access authorization. Not every employee should be able to access sensitive data such as salaries, budgets or rates of absence.

4. Pay attention to flexibility and user comfort

It is important that you remain flexible when using your HR data. In the fast-paced world of work, changes and restructuring within the organization is quite common. This will also affect your organization chart. Make sure that you can adapt it quickly and easily. A drag & drop function is very convenient here, so that you can move departments, jobs or employees to the appropriate position in the organization chart.

5. Maintain your HR data in an orderly manner

The most beautiful organization chart will not help you much if it is not up-to-date and accurate. Only use high-quality data that is up-to-date, complete and correct. In addition to the data quality, the data availability and security already mentioned play an important role. You should be able to access the data easily and at any time. If you store your data on the Cloud, make sure that the external data center is reputable.

Summary

Already within a few steps you can get a good overview of your organization and make optimum use of HR data. The first thing you should do here is to get a clear overview of already existing data. Most people gather data that they only want structured and analyzed. With the appropriate software you can get the data in shape. To maintain a perspective on the organization structure, an organization chart with HR relevant key figures and information can be helpful. There are already free and low-cost software versions on the market.

Display team structures online with orginio

Teamwork is not: “I Team, You Work!”

23. November 2015/by Theresa

Teamwork! A strong term that is popular. Popular among staff, managers – employees? Unfortunately, it is often not the case that everyone pulls together in reality. Then, the motto is: “I team, you work!“ A shame as well.

In fact, teamwork should not only be a fad and part of a buzzword bingo. Teamwork is extremely important and the key to success. According to the Dalai Lama “If we do not work together, we will not find a solution to our problems”. Problems are solved together. Everyone is responsible and has respect for the other. This creates trust and a better working atmosphere.

But what does the team structure even look like? Who is responsible for which tasks? An organization chart will help. All employees of a team and their contact information can be displayed in it. Tip: Display the most important tasks of each employee in the organization chart (see Fig.). This provides your team with a good overview and clarity – which helps to prevent any cause for discussion and misunderstandings.

Create transparent org charts with orginio

Multiple positions

22. September 2015/by Theresa

Trending: Multiple positions

More and more organizations are deciding to place one employee in several departments – kind of like a butterfly that visits numerous different flowers. So how does this happen? One employee holds multiple positions, wherever possible in multiple departments. As an example: the employee devotes 50% of his time to Sales, 30% to Marketing and 20% to Event Management.

Why multiple positions?

Everyone knows – personnel resources and the expertise of each and every employee must be exploited to optimum effect. Deployment planning must be optimized. The personnel costs for an employee must be kept at a manageable level.

The risk?

Have you ever tried to follow a butterfly’s path in a flower meadow? A flower meadow around which umpteen butterflies are flying and a colorful sea of flowers is blossoming. Following this one butterfly is no easy feat. This is precisely the risk with multiple positions when an organization lacks transparency and the overview is lost. In which departments does the employee hold positions and how much of his time does he devote to each? Where are these departments located? What are the employee’s contact details? To maintain the overview, you need to depict your organization structure in a clear, transparent manner. All key information on the employee and the multiple positions he holds should be traceable in the organization chart.

Multiple positions in the organization Chart

Detail view of the position in the organization chart

Reorganizations of company structures with orginio

Organization metamorphosis

11. September 2015/by Theresa

From a caterpillar to a butterfly – from an org charting beginner to an expert

Everyone knows about metamorphosis. The ugly caterpillar transforms into the beautiful, colorful butterfly. The ugly caterpillar – rather like gridlocked structures, unproductiveness and unequal division of labor. These are just some of the urgent reasons for an organization restructure.

How do we transform the ugly caterpillar into the beautiful butterfly? How do we brighten up the organization? It’s all about bundling expertise, increasing productivity, optimizing workflows and improving social structures. This requires departments to be amalgamated or split up, new teams to be built and new managers to be appointed wherever possible. A difficult process that needs careful consideration.

The end result is a new organization structure. Yet the process continues to evolve, even when the new organization structure is in place. The first step is to notify all those affected. If major structural changes are made, all employees should then be informed. It is important to ensure, though, that the employees do not encounter confusion or misunderstandings.

Reorganization of your org structure via Drag&Drop

The catchword is transparency. The new structures can be depicted in the company organization chart. It helps if all employees are able to view the organization chart in the Intranet. It is then soon apparent who is working in which department and what the newly amalgamated XY department looks like. Being able to simply adapt the old organization chart via Drag&Drop is a great advantage. This saves chart building time. But how can all this work? Watch the video now

Maintain an overview of open positions with orginio

Recruiting: No more big pond

3. September 2015/by Theresa

A few years ago, searching for candidates was just like fishing in a big pond. Skilled labor was plentiful. There were many well-qualified applicants for one position. It didn’t take too long to find the right candidate.

Things are different today! The big pond leads into a fast-flowing river. Although there are plenty of candidates – finding the perfect one is not easy. The shortage of skilled labor isn’t the only challenge. Competition is fierce too. A goldfish might swim past and end up within the net of a rival.

What to do? Fishing should start at home. Is there still spare capacity, or does a new position have to be created? Which org units are already stretched to capacity and clearly need new employees? Which positions are unoccupied? A glance at the organization chart will help: Watch the video now

Use orginio to find colleagues with the same interests or hobbies

Work-life-balance: Where is the happy medium?

27. August 2015/by gestaltraeume

Striking the happy medium means making compromises. Balancing professional and private life is a challenge:

Looking after children vs. customer support
Family party vs. company celebration
Soccer team match vs. competition war
Guitar lesson vs. training seminar
Walking the dog vs. field service
Doing the laundry vs. tidying the desk
Shopping vs. customer acquisition

Where does all this lead to?

In fact more and more cases of burn-out are down to an imbalance in professional and private life. Many employees are already taking action with flexible working hours, recreation programs and stress management seminars.

We must feel a sense of well-being

However the employee alone cannot be the measure of all things. The WE within the company is important. We must feel a sense of well-being and belonging, work in partnership with our colleagues. A positive working atmosphere moves us one step closer to finding the happy medium.

And if the stress builds up again? Shared interests bring us closer together. Perhaps other colleagues are also members of the soccer team or taking guitar lessons. Colleagues we may have so far encountered only once or twice in the canteen. A glance at the organization chart will help: Watch the video now

5 tips for creating and using an organization chart

11. August 2015/by gestaltraeume

An organization chart is not rocket science. With just a few tips and tricks, you will have your organization structure on your screen in no time. We have summarized the most important points for you.

1. Relevance

The key to any organization chart is current information. The fast pace in companies today is presenting a challenge: new positions, new employees, restructuring initiatives – there are plenty of scenarios where the organization chart has to be adapted.

Making the organization chart available online for all employees or certain ones can be a huge advantage. A SaaS application is quickly ready for use and cost-effective. It is important that data security is guaranteed.

Another key aspect, of course, is data maintenance. You are responsible for the quality and relevance of your data. The SaaS application automatically visualizes the data in an organization chart. All you need is a well-maintained Excel list. It is automatically read out by the software and converted into organization chart format. Plan B? You enter the information in the application yourself. First make sure that the software is intuitive. Videos that show how to handle the software can be useful.

2. Search

How does even the most fantastic organization chart help, if you cannot find certain pieces of information? You are looking for the telephone number of a particular employee, for example, but do not know which department they work in. Or: You know only the last name of an employee, but still want to find them quickly in the organization chart. It is important that the organization chart software has a flexible search function. This means being able to search for all information that has been created or imported.

3. Restructuring

Today’s daily business routines are shaped by constant change. An employee simply moves department or location, and the organization chart has to be adapted. Make sure your software allows you to respond to changes quickly and simply. It is easier to move positions, employees and departments in the organization chart via Drag&Drop than to delete and recreate every single box by hand.

4. Recruiting

The organization chart supports your recruiting process. You can depict which positions are currently vacant and which departments are experiencing bottlenecks. Ideally, use colors to emphasize this information so that it catches the eye straightaway. A fast response is required here, after all!

5. Team

Everyone is talking about employer branding, team building and employee loyalty. Has it ever occurred to you that your organization chart can play a role here too? In the organization chart, you can depict your teams with all employees, job titles and affiliations. Every employee can see where they fit within the company, to which team they belong and which position they hold – all this information is online and can be retrieved at anytime… Another way to strengthen the feeling of belonging and togetherness.

Data quality, data security and data availability for your org chart in orginio

The success of your organization chart

8. May 2013/by gestaltraeume

What is the most important element of your organization chart? Correct – the data! We have listed for you important aspects of data maintenance and the benefits a SaaS solution can bring. The 3 Ds that make your organization chart perfect are:

1. Data quality

An organization chart cannot be useful or meaningful without high-quality data. The devil is in the details. Make sure that the data you create or import into the application for the first time are complete, correct and up-to-date. You can create an Excel list with any number of columns containing information about org units, positions or employees, including location, room number or date of birth for example. Simply save your completed Excel list as a .csv file so that the application can readily import the data. Next step: Select the .csv file in the application and then decide which information are to appear in the organization chart.

2. Data availability

The huge advantage of a SaaS application is, that you can access your data quickly at anytime. The data are stored externally on a server and can be retrieved online. You don’t have to worry about maintenance or updates. This is handled by the external service provider. Ensure that access to data is controlled by an authorization system, so that the organization chart is only available to certain individuals.

3. Data security

Make sure that your data are monitored by the external data center 24 hours a day. Reputable providers are certified to ISO and other quality seals, from TÜV or DCSA for example.