By Brenda Barnes bio Great businesses are built with great people. In today's competitive employment market, it's hard enough to recruit those great people, but the real challenge is getting them to stay. Traditional retention strategies haven't worked so it's time to take a fresh look at how to keep the best people you have. Benefits vs. retention We often confuse … [Read more...] about Emotional retention: New strategies to retain top talent
Your career
A dozen cybersecurity tips for mobile device users
The vast majority of Americans—95%—now owns a cellphone of some kind, and the percentage of Americans with smartphones has risen to 77%. Navigating the waters of security in the wake of this expansive usage of mobile devices presents serious challenges for families and businesses alike. In recognition of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the Illinois Bankers Association, … [Read more...] about A dozen cybersecurity tips for mobile device users
Why your career depends upon building respect from your staff
Whether you are a new administrator or an old one, don't expect to keep the job for long without the respect of staff. Respect is not something that comes with a job title or a business card. It has to be earned. And for the most part, that means treating the employees as well as or better than the clients are treated. With me, not for me Leadership starts with respect, and … [Read more...] about Why your career depends upon building respect from your staff
Should you ‘Friend’ your co-workers on social media?
Do you "like" the idea of office friendships crossing over into social media? More than seven in 10 professionals (71 percent) polled by staffing firm OfficeTeam said it's appropriate to connect with colleagues on Facebook. Slightly fewer feel it's OK to follow co-workers on Twitter (61 percent), Instagram (56 percent) and Snapchat (44 percent). In contrast, less than half of … [Read more...] about Should you ‘Friend’ your co-workers on social media?
How to build your practice when you’re busy
By Sue-Ella Prodonovich bio 'How can I possibly work on business development? I'm flat out doing client work.' It's something I heard at a recent Practice Reboot seminar. And it's something I hear all the time from busy professionals. So, if you're struggling to find the time to build your practice, here are six tips to make it happen. 1. Eat the elephant How do you … [Read more...] about How to build your practice when you’re busy
‘I Quit! And now I regret it’
There are no regrets in life, they say, just lessons learned. But does that adage ring true when it comes to your career? In a recent survey from staffing firm Accountemps, 23 percent of workers polled said they have regrets about leaving their former job. Biggest regrets include leaving friends and colleagues (28 percent), departing for the wrong reasons (27 percent), and … [Read more...] about ‘I Quit! And now I regret it’
Follow these best practices of top performers and become more valuable to your firm
It's no surprise that managers rate top performers as their most valuable employees. But what might not be as obvious is the massive impact a top performer has on the organization. A new study by VitalSmarts revealed employees rated by their managers as Nines and Tens on a ten-point performance scale are three times more valuable to the organization than the average … [Read more...] about Follow these best practices of top performers and become more valuable to your firm
What most people would rather do than ask for a raise
Public speaking has long been thought of as a recipe for anxiety, but there's one conversation that makes workers feel even less sure of themselves: Asking the boss for a raise. According to the Confidence Matters study from Robert Half, slightly fewer than half of professionals (49 percent) feel confident when asking for a pay increase, compared to 57 percent who feel … [Read more...] about What most people would rather do than ask for a raise
Employment Law Update for HR Managers
By Mike O’Brien bio This is my periodic update prepared for interested HR professionals trying to deal with the complex American employment laws. Federal Appeals Court says sexual orientation bias is illegal: A federal appeals court (covering Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana) has ruled, for the first time, that existing law prohibiting discrimination based on sex … [Read more...] about Employment Law Update for HR Managers
How to end 3 costly kinds of office conflict
One of the most unpleasant – if not dreaded – facets of management is dealing with conflicts. In a law office, they come in one of three forms: conflicts between staffers, between staffer and manager, and between lawyer and manager. And each gets handled in a different way. 1 Staffer versus staffer Staffer and staffer conflict becomes apparent a number of ways. One side … [Read more...] about How to end 3 costly kinds of office conflict