According to the 2017 Employee Retention Report published by Work Institute, a leader in workforce intelligence, research and consulting, over 75% of…
INSIGHT
Reward good employees by removing bad ones
March 3, 2017 by
By Steve M. Cohen bio
I’m sure you’ve seen advice regarding employee bonuses and incentive systems, including some that are quite…
BLOG
22 questions a manager should ask before firing an employee
December 30, 2016 by
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio
The final revenge of the fired employee: The manager makes an unwitting but critical mistake that unravels the firing decision or results in a…
COMPLIANCE
Five dangers in dealing with harassment complaints
June 24, 2016 by
As with firing, the rules are well known, yet employers still fall into the common violations that spawn claims of sexual harassment, says management consultant Joseph Godwin of F&H Solutions Group in…
INSIGHT
How to hire the right employee for your firm
January 8, 2016 by
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio
According to a Gallup poll, thirty percent or less than one-third of American workers describe themselves as “engaged” in their jobs and committed to their employers. A larger number, 54% percent, describe themselves as “disengaged” at work and not committed to their employers. These employees report feeling trapped in dull jobs and…
RISK MANAGEMENT
How to keep the office safe from employment law claims when a staffer gets fired
October 30, 2015 by
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 sufficient documentation to support it, wait a few weeks or even a few months and gather more…
READER TIPS
A manual that covers the entire administration
October 2, 2015 by
A Washington, D.C. administrator has set up an operations manual that covers every imaginable item of managing the firm.
It holds the basics of everything so that when she is out, the firm “can be on autopilot and keep the trains running on time,” says Jill D. Hirsch, chief operating officer of Slevin & Hart. And, she says, “it’s for me as well as for someone stepping in for me.” No administrator can remember every detail of the office’s operations, so it’s a quick reference whenever a question arises.
The manual covers the daily administrative procedures, the emergency procedures, the accounting controls, the recruiting – everything. There’s also a timeline, so if a partner wants to…
. . . read more
HIRING AND FIRING
5 proven ways to spot and avoid hiring potentially “toxic employees” … and what to do if you already have them
October 2, 2015 by
Got toxins in the office?
Toxins are people who cause dissent. They undermine people. They create an atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion. They kill the camaraderie.
They are toxic because they cause enough misery to force worthwhile staffers to leave.
Law firms are notorious for putting up with toxic people at both the attorney and staff levels.
Professional people are not natural managers. Instead of facing conflict, they tend…
TERMINATIONS
Seven guides for a safe and somewhat pleasant firing
September 18, 2015 by
Firing is the most dangerous action a manager ever takes.
“Yet almost everybody does it poorly,” says Joseph Godwin, a management consultant with F&H Solutions Group, a human resources consulting firm in Asheville, NC.
Any fired employee is depressed and fearful of the future—and not averse to calling an attorney. Every manager needs to know how to fire without asking for trouble.
Godwin provides these seven guides…
INSIGHT
When employees behave stupidly outside of work
August 21, 2015 by
By Steve M. Cohen bio
I often end up addressing some of the sadder aspects of human behavior in and around the workplace.
I have frequently been called by clients to help deal with issues such as sexual harassment and bullying, an employee who uses the n-word at work and someone who gets so drunk after work that they become incredibly obnoxious in public. In all of these situations, and others like them, one of my tasks is showing that person the door to their former place of…
