There's good information to be had from a staffer who's leaving. People who have resigned "don't have a hidden agenda." They tend to be candid and forthcoming, and the manager can get valuable feedback from them, says Marcia W. Wasserman of Comprehensive Management Solutions, Inc., a practice management consulting firm in Northridge, CA. Here are a few rules to follow and a … [Read more...] about “Why are you leaving us?” and other key questions to ask staffers who resign
Managing staff
Creating a peaceful office environment
Law firms are usually hired to handle contentious issues, but that doesn't mean the workplace itself needs to be fraught with conflict. If you're wishing for peace in the firm, there are a few things you can do that can have a significant impact. It goes without saying that office conflict, poor attitudes, and negative staffers undermine peace and tranquility. But any bad … [Read more...] about Creating a peaceful office environment
How technology is going to affect HR in 2016
Imagine software that runs on your phone, delivers on-the-job skills training via video, and integrates with a learning management system that shows a manager how well you have mastered new skills. This is just one example of the innovations emerging to help employees improve their productivity at work, according to Josh Bersin, principal, Bersin by Deloitte, Deloitte … [Read more...] about How technology is going to affect HR in 2016
Improve your office operations with a few easy changes
By Steve M. Cohen bio I'm sure you've seen one of Hollywood's "political" movies. You know the kind: drama unfolds between a candidate and (fill in the blank), while his or her selfless team of volunteers labor furiously in the background, assuring that the candidate still wins, despite spending all of his or her time dealing with the drama. Hollywood fantasy, … [Read more...] about Improve your office operations with a few easy changes
How to keep the office safe from employment law claims when a staffer gets fired
Terminations are what spark the vast majority of today's employment law claims, says employment defense attorney Shari Lane. That's one area where managers can't afford to make mistakes. Step back before pulling the trigger Safety starts with two obvious precautions, Lane says. First, review the record. Make sure it explains what has led to the decision. If there's not … [Read more...] about How to keep the office safe from employment law claims when a staffer gets fired
Assigning secretaries to case types improves litigation work flow
A Tulsa administrator had serious secretarial problems. Work flow was stymied, productivity was down, client service was suffering, and morale was low. The cure, however, was simple. It was nothing more than a secretary reassignment strategy. Now the secretaries still work for specific attorneys but at the same time, each secretary is assigned to handle all the work in a … [Read more...] about Assigning secretaries to case types improves litigation work flow
An easy way to do those dreaded staff job descriptions
It’s not fair to hire someone without fully explaining the requirements of the job—from the very large to the very small. Neither is it fair to evaluate someone without fully explaining what performance and behaviors the office expects to see—again, from the very large to the very small. Many employers don’t have job descriptions at all, and many more have … [Read more...] about An easy way to do those dreaded staff job descriptions
A little stress can be good, but a lot can be disastrous
By Steve M. Cohen bio There's a big issue that I think is overlooked too often in many offices: job related stress and anxiety. Some stress is good. A certain tension, including awareness of deadlines and the feeling of meeting challenges, is a good thing in any workplace. But too much stress, or stress for too long a time, will overload people. Some handle it … [Read more...] about A little stress can be good, but a lot can be disastrous
5 tricks to surviving and thriving in a highly political office
A law office is filled with many different personalities and many different dynamics. With those differences come office politics. And with the politics the manager can become a casualty. Here are the solutions to five situations where politics and personalities come into play. They are outlined by Margaret Hintz, SPHR, manager of HR services for Insperity, an Atlanta human … [Read more...] about 5 tricks to surviving and thriving in a highly political office
Are you the reason your employees quit?
Most companies strive to hire or promote someone with the right skills to do the job. But when hiring a manager, many fail to take the manager's personality, attitude, values, and emotional intelligence into consideration. What they end up with is a highly technically skilled manager with poor people skills, big ego, "my way or the highway" attitude, and blind spots the size … [Read more...] about Are you the reason your employees quit?