Employee leave continues to undergo change and become increasingly complex. Although several regulations, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Americans with Disabilities Act and Amendments Act (ADA/AA), have been in place for several years, legal interpretation and application are subject to ongoing clarification. Meanwhile, regulatory initiatives under the … [Read more...] about Changes to watch for in disability and absence management
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5 quick and easy ways to show recognition for employees’ good performance
By Catherine Jones bio Happy Administrative Professionals Week (April 24-30). It's that time of year when many members of the office support team will receive special acknowledgment for their contributions. But opinions are divided between employers and their staff on what constitutes effective employee recognition, says an OfficeTeam survey. Nearly nine in 10 (89 percent) … [Read more...] about 5 quick and easy ways to show recognition for employees’ good performance
Top 10 oddball interview questions
Job candidates must be prepared for anything during an interview, according to Glassdoor, the transparent jobs and recruiting marketplace. The company therefore combed through hundreds of thousands of interview questions shared by job candidates over the past year to compile its annual list of the Top 10 Oddball Interview Questions. Here are the questions selected. … [Read more...] about Top 10 oddball interview questions
Buried by paper? Time to crawl out and go digital
In a report dated August 9, 2012, Linda A. Halliday, the Assistant Inspector General for Audits and Evaluations of the Department of Veterans Affairs, called for immediate action to address the “Risks Associated with Veterans Claims Folder Storage, Building Integrity, and Employee Safety at the Winston-Salem VA Regional Office.” In her report, Ms. Halliday described thousands … [Read more...] about Buried by paper? Time to crawl out and go digital
Good communication speeds up the billing
What's the secret to good collections? "It's all about communicating," says Mary Howe of the New York City office of Hughes Hubbard & Reed. And the communicating extends to the attorneys, and clients' billing staffs. When Howe came to the firm, she took on the new position of director of billing and collections. And one of the firm's first directives was to review the … [Read more...] about Good communication speeds up the billing
Managing the Gen X/Y employee
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio If you heard a male employee say "Yo, dude!" to a female employee you'd think the comment (check your choice): Inappropriate; Insulting; Affectionate. Please complete the following sentences: Patience is a ______. Good things come to _____ ___ ____. If you checked "inappropriate" or "insulting" or … [Read more...] about Managing the Gen X/Y employee
Survey: Employees waste 80 hours a year on IT issues
Your employees could be losing more than two work weeks each year trying to get their computer equipment to work. According to a new survey of office workers by Robert Half Technology, employees waste an average of 19 minutes each day, dealing with IT-related issues. For someone who works five eight-hour days for 50 weeks of the year, that translates into a loss of nearly 80 … [Read more...] about Survey: Employees waste 80 hours a year on IT issues
How to get poor performers to commit to improved behavior—without confrontation
Perhaps the most difficult part of being a manager is talking to an employee about poor performance. No manager enjoys the confrontation. But poor performance will continue and likely worsen if left unaddressed. Here's an outline of how to take on that most unpleasant job. It's explained by JoAn Majors, a speaker on people skills. Majors is also author of the book, "Encourage … [Read more...] about How to get poor performers to commit to improved behavior—without confrontation
Like a Boss: Talent and playing to your strengths
By Michelle Spencer bio This is the second in my infographics series to help illustrate why good leadership is so important to law firms and how you can create strong leaders on your team. In my earlier infographic, I highlighted the costs of bad management and the important role a boss plays in employee satisfaction. For this infographic, I collected … [Read more...] about Like a Boss: Talent and playing to your strengths
Are you managing your staff or are you mentoring them?
Good managers manage. If this seems like an obvious statement, consider the many areas of the practice you manage: client scheduling, billing and collections, purchasing and leasing, office technology, and others. You also manage a staff. If this, too, seems obvious, ask yourself a question: Have you ever taken the time to think about what "managing a staff" means? Ideally, … [Read more...] about Are you managing your staff or are you mentoring them?