At one law firm, attorneys fill out a one-page feedback form for their secretaries every quarter. It has just three questions for the attorney to answer: -What the attorney wants the secretary to do more of -What the attorney wants the secretary to do less of -And what should stay the same Each attorney discusses the answers one-on-one with the secretary, and the … [Read more...] about Quarterly feedback from attorneys works well
Managing staff
Work stays on desktop
Here is a rule that is valuable but is found in few offices. Staff desks are for storing personal items. All work has to stay on top of the desk. That’s a good way to ensure that nothing gets overlooked. For the manager who questions the wisdom of the rule, take a look in any desk after someone quits. It’s amazing what people find there. And much of it is costly, such as … [Read more...] about Work stays on desktop
From ready dinners to errand helpers, Georgia firm supports families
An Atlanta firm makes work life balance easier with some unusual add-ons for employees. The firm has engaged several companies that provide personal services, often at a discount. One, for example, delivers ready-to-cook meals to the office, which gives employees a quick-fix dinner to take home that isn’t fast food. Errand service There’s also an onsite concierge who is “at … [Read more...] about From ready dinners to errand helpers, Georgia firm supports families
How to write a readable memo
An office memo has only one purpose, and that is to send a message as quickly and as clearly as possible. Here’s how to do just that. • Use wide margins and spaces between the paragraphs. That makes the page easier to look at, and if it’s easy to look at, people will read it. By contrast, picture a page filled top to bottom with type. Nobody wants to wade through that. • If … [Read more...] about How to write a readable memo
Employees fired for social networking offenses
Here are a few examples of cases in which a court or arbitrator upheld the decision to fire an employee for social network abuses. Note that the existence of a clearly written, specific social networking policy was a factor in each of these cases: OK to fire employee for: Why termination upheld: Disparaging Co-Worker in Blog: Nurse makes highly … [Read more...] about Employees fired for social networking offenses
Same-sex marriage brings new employee issues
Though it applies only to states where same-sex marriage is legal, the Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage warrants attention from administrators in all states. For those in Washington, DC, and the 13 states where gay marriage is recognized, there are new employment law requirements. For those in all the other states, the ruling calls for increased emphasis on … [Read more...] about Same-sex marriage brings new employee issues
Paid time off can be anything under the sun, even unlimited vacation
Time off isn't required by law, "but it's so commonplace that employees expect it." And for morale and retention it's a necessity. How the firm sets up its time off policy is its own business, says Vanessa G. Nelson, SPHR, CLRL, president of the human resources consulting firm Expert Human Resources in Flint, MI. But there are a lot of decisions it has to make. The vacation … [Read more...] about Paid time off can be anything under the sun, even unlimited vacation
Two ADA surprises: odd disabilities and legal fees that can hit the sky
First, what the firm may not think is a disability could well be one. Second, the ADA applies to access to public places such as stores and restaurants – and law offices. And while it "has a noble purpose," along the way "it's been hijacked by a subset of plaintiffs who have made it their life's work to target as many public accommodations as possible for monetary gain," says … [Read more...] about Two ADA surprises: odd disabilities and legal fees that can hit the sky
To understand employees, understand their generations
To a great extent, managing staff (and also understanding the partners) depends on recognizing where each person stands in the generational scale. Here’s how the generations from the beginning of the 20th century differ as employees. • The Lost Generation (born 1883-1900). These are the people who fought in World War I. • The Greatest Generation (born 1901-1924). This is the … [Read more...] about To understand employees, understand their generations
To manage staff better, interview at the start of the job, not at the end
Rarely does an employer get useable and accurate information in an exit interview, says Kristine Sexter, president of WorkWise Productions, a Tulsa organization that provides consulting in staff recruiting, development, and retention. When somebody quits a job, it’s often because of a lack of trust in the employer. And rarely will anybody admit that. Ask “why are you leaving?” … [Read more...] about To manage staff better, interview at the start of the job, not at the end