Company chalk talk: human resources practitioners foster productivity and creativity.

• Author: Shelley, Barb

Children's sidewalk chalk isn't the first thing that comes to mind when executives are facing a workforce crisis--but it was the creative use of jumbo sidewalk chalk that helped one human resources professional resolve a tricky problem that had been sabotaging productivity.

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Human resources professionals are charged with fomenting productivity and creativity in the workplace for the overall success of the organization. With budget cutbacks, today's human resource practitioners must rely on inventive and downright ingenious methods to reach the goal.

Deborah Stone runs Evolutionary HR, a one-person management, training and consulting business based in Salt Lake City. Recently, she was inspired toward an HR solution by her own children's chalk drawings on the family patio.

Stone was consulting with a Utah-based company that had purchased several smaller companies. The executives were especially thrilled with the purchase of a company known for its productivity. Unfortunately, although corporate leaders wanted the productivity, they were having a hard time integrating the smaller company's culture. The acquired company's supervisors and employees didn't feel their concerns were being heard. Instead, they used covert actions to make their feelings known--purposefully slowing productivity and ensuring that mistakes and excuse-making became the norm.

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The situation stymied the executives, who had hoped an improved benefits package would be enough motivation for the employees to be highly productive. As part of the benefits package, the executives had enthusiastically launched and continually promoted a wellness program encouraging exercise and healthy eating. The emphasis on exercise was a sticking point with the employees since exercise wasn't part of their culture prior to the acquisition.

Stone formulated a new initiative, a creative take on the traditional suggestion box. She convinced executives that there was a correlation between reduced productivity and the employees feeling that no one was listening to them; then, she made a trip to the store for a tub of giant chalk.

On the sidewalk leading to the executives' offices, she wrote, "We are here to work, not to work out!" It was an eye-opener for the executives, who responded by no longer promoting the wellness program so vigorously. Word spread through the employee grapevine that the chalk message had been effective. Soon, after work hours, late...