Why you need this notice: Holiday and other office parties often include alcohol, and excessive alcohol consumption poses risks for employees. How this notice helps you: By letting employees know about your concerns for their safety, and providing recommendations for safe behavior, you are acting responsibly. How to use this notice: Modify this notice for your firm. … [Read more...] about Model Notice: Alcohol consumption at firm’s party
Managing the office
Holiday season dos and don’ts for the law office
The holiday season is an ideal time of year to show goodwill toward all, including your staff. Here are some dos and don’ts to help make your workplace holiday-friendly. Do Try to be flexible when it comes to time off during the holiday season. Yes, employees should have saved their vacation time. And yes, maybe seniority should prevail when it comes to the days off everyone … [Read more...] about Holiday season dos and don’ts for the law office
Major holidays and your staff’s productivity
Here's a holiday bonus for managers: Some of your employees may be pushing the pedal on their productivity over the next few weeks, suggests a new survey from Accountemps. Thirty-two percent of workers polled said they become more productive the week before a major holiday. That's the good news. The bad news? Twenty-two percent of professionals reported that their output … [Read more...] about Major holidays and your staff’s productivity
6 ways to save time at the office so you can focus on what’s important
By Catherine Jones bio We're all strapped for time and usually the first activities sacrificed are those which are personally important to us. For example, according to DOMO, 42% of college graduates have never read another book after college 67% of parents say they don't have enough time to spend with their children 60% of employees feel they … [Read more...] about 6 ways to save time at the office so you can focus on what’s important
When are your employees likely to be happiest?
What's the happiest day of the year? Hint: It's coming up! According to data from Gallup, the happiest day in 2013 was Thanksgiving Day: 70% of Americans felt a lot of happiness and enjoyment with little stress or worry that day. It's not surprising that happiness levels typically increase on Fridays and through the weekend and then decrease during the workweek, with many of … [Read more...] about When are your employees likely to be happiest?
5 ways to turn your staff into a team of professionals
How can an administrator turn staff into professionals? Focus on attitude, says Cynthia R. Grosso, founder of the Charleston School of Protocol and Etiquette in Charleston, SC, and a speaker on corporate etiquette and professional success. People think professionalism is action. It's not, says Grosso. "It's an attitude." And mostly it's an attitude of self-respect. A … [Read more...] about 5 ways to turn your staff into a team of professionals
How one firm handles its marketing with just one letter a year
A California general practice firm does all its marketing with just one annual letter to clients and business contacts. The letter goes out on the firm's anniversary, says the manager of the five-attorney firm, and carries a simple message—a thank-you for past business and an outline of the firm's other services. And it's only one page long. But it's effective to the point … [Read more...] about How one firm handles its marketing with just one letter a year
How to handle the “bully lawyer” without losing your temper or your job
A growing concern in all types of professional offices is the bully boss. "Bullying is the issue for this decade that sexual harassment was in the 1980s," says Rachel Schaming, a business and leadership coach and certified conflicts mediator in Tucson, AZ. In a law firm, the issue is especially difficult, because the bully may be a senior lawyer. As a result, staff don't want … [Read more...] about How to handle the “bully lawyer” without losing your temper or your job
Easy answers to 5 tough questions managers often face
Here are the answers to five individual questions managers often encounter. They are outlined by attorney Shari L. Lane of Northwest Employment Law in Portland, OR. Changing the face of the job 1. Can the office require an employee to take on a different work schedule or move to another location? What if it affects the employee's child care or family responsibility … [Read more...] about Easy answers to 5 tough questions managers often face
Cyber security report uncovers why most corporate network breaches occur on Monday morning, and more
CYREN, a cyber security platform, recently announced the release of its latest CYREN Cyber Threat Report that examines trends surrounding malware, phishing, spam and other online threats. Friday malware spike results in busy Mondays for IT security professionals In the report, CYREN research confirms long-held suspicions that criminals are purposely intensifying their … [Read more...] about Cyber security report uncovers why most corporate network breaches occur on Monday morning, and more