Among the goals of any manager is to create and maintain a high-performance organization. That means you have created a machine that operates at top efficiency, and your employees are engaged. Some organizations don’t believe this really applies to them. Research has suggested that only 25 percent of the typical workforce is engaged. This means that only a fraction of your … [Read more...] about Use your high performers to engage the rest of the team
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EEOC issues COVID-19 vaccine guidance
By Mike O'Brien bio On Dec. 16, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its COVID-19 guidance to include a section devoted to vaccinations. The EEOC’s guidance answers these and other COVID-19 vaccine questions: “Is asking or requiring an employee to show proof of receipt of a COVID-19 vaccination a disability-related inquiry?” “If an employer … [Read more...] about EEOC issues COVID-19 vaccine guidance
What I really wanted for Christmas
By Lynne Curry bio “What I really wanted for Christmas,” the woman said, “Wasn’t a turkey or a ham. It’s communication. The management around here keeps us in the dark, but then expects us to carry out their last minute orders without knowing the full story.” Have you thought about how you could have wished your employees happy holidays this year? Did you throw them an … [Read more...] about What I really wanted for Christmas
5 people problems and how to solve them
By Lynne Curry bio We can’t guess all the challenges facing us as office managers in this new year, but we can assume that we will be dealing with an old one: people and their personalities. Whether working together virtually or in-person, chances are good you will be dealing with people problems. Here are five common problems and strategies for dealing with them. Stopping … [Read more...] about 5 people problems and how to solve them
Professionals working remotely clock long and weekend hours
A new study by global staffing firm Robert Half shows employees are working around the clock while at home. More than half (55 per cent) of professionals who transitioned to a remote setup as a result of the pandemic said they work on the weekend. In addition, one-third (34 per cent) of remote employees reported regularly putting in more than eight hours a day. “Despite the … [Read more...] about Professionals working remotely clock long and weekend hours
Expect a change of course under Biden for retirement accounts and immigration
By Mike O'Brien bio Experts predict that the Biden administration will differ from Trump’s in several respects. Mr. Biden supports ending upfront tax breaks for contributing to traditional 401(k) plans and replacing them with flat-tax credits. Current tax benefits for retirement savings provide "upper-income families with a much stronger tax break for saving and a limited … [Read more...] about Expect a change of course under Biden for retirement accounts and immigration
Does your law office owe employees paid sick leave when they self-quarantine?
By Lynne Curry bio Question: After I spent a weekend bar hopping, I felt remorseful, and self-quarantined so I wouldn’t bring COVID into my workplace and make others ill. I also took a COVID-19 test and luckily tested negative. Since my law office employer had moved everyone back on-site, I couldn’t work remotely and labeled my time off as sick leave. I just got my paycheck … [Read more...] about Does your law office owe employees paid sick leave when they self-quarantine?
Technical issues and too many participants are biggest virtual meeting pet peeves
Have you had about enough of video meetings? If so, you're not alone. A new study by global staffing firm Robert Half shows video calls may be wearing on workers. Almost three-quarters of professionals surveyed (72 per cent) said they participate in virtual meetings. Those respondents reported spending about a quarter of their workday (24 per cent) on camera with business … [Read more...] about Technical issues and too many participants are biggest virtual meeting pet peeves
Disinformation endangers your company, not just democracy
By Doug Striker bio Did you hear about the rumor that COVID-19 was spread by mobile devices using the 5G network? It sounds so insane and far-fetched that no one would believe it, right? I mean, how in the world would a virus travel through a cell phone frequency band, into a cell phone or tablet, and then out of the device into a person’s body? But thanks to social media, … [Read more...] about Disinformation endangers your company, not just democracy
Renting out extra space? Set up protective walls to avoid risk
With more law firm employees working from home in the last few years, a firm may find itself living in too much space—and paying too much rent. One solution is to bring in a tenant. Usually the renter is a solo practitioner or a small firm, and the arrangement is good for everybody, because the firm collects the rent and the renter gets the amenities as well as the appearance … [Read more...] about Renting out extra space? Set up protective walls to avoid risk