By Michelle Spencer bio I learned a couple of disturbing new terms recently: "work martyr" and "vacation shaming." Like many of you, I have known for some time that many Americans no longer use all of their allotted days off from work, and I have certainly worked with work martyrs in my career. I could deal with that. However, the idea of vacation shaming is … [Read more...] about Like a Boss: Rise of the Work Martyr
Your career
Avoid these tricky ADA pitfalls when hiring staff
Every manager is aware of the wider doorways, lever handles, curb cuts and so on required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). And every manager is aware of providing accommodations for employees. But not every manager is aware of the less obvious ADA requirements that apply to electronic job applications, says Beth Loy, PhD, principal consultant with the Job … [Read more...] about Avoid these tricky ADA pitfalls when hiring staff
Like a Boss: Benefits and perks
By Michelle Spencer bio One way for any law office to keep its employees engaged is to offer them competitive benefits and perks. Did you know that 4 in 5 employees would rather have new benefits over a pay raise? That statistic surprised me, too. As you'll see in this installment of the Like a Boss infographic series, something much less surprising is that … [Read more...] about Like a Boss: Benefits and perks
Doesn’t work well with others: Study finds ‘team avoiders’ may have valid concerns
When a company advertises for an open position, it's not uncommon to see the words "must be a team player." "Team player" is a hot HR term, even in jobs where employees actually spend most of their time working alone with only a smattering of group projects. Unfortunately, the need for team players has sometimes also become a lazy justification for choosing not to hire … [Read more...] about Doesn’t work well with others: Study finds ‘team avoiders’ may have valid concerns
How to avoid talking politics with your boss and coworkers
Many people agree in theory that it's wise to avoid talking politics with your colleagues. And yet during this contentious election season, it seems almost impossible to escape from distracting, annoying, and sometimes upsetting political commentary—even at work. So what do you do when the topic comes up? Beverly Jones, executive coach and author of the book, "Think Like an … [Read more...] about How to avoid talking politics with your boss and coworkers
How to make your top trial litigator stop being a bully at the office
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio The problem lands in your lap. One of your best trial litigators is an office bully. As office manager, you're expected to handle this. But how? The lawyer is truly effective, brings in a large share of revenue, and is a partner – well above your pay scale. Is there a way to get him to bully outside the office, with opposing … [Read more...] about How to make your top trial litigator stop being a bully at the office
Protect your firm from costly EEOC claims with these three layers of protection
To avoid the risks of employment law claims, an office needs three layers of protection, advises employment law attorney Peter T. Mavrick of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. They are: A handbook, A procedure for progressive discipline, and Candid reviews. With those three elements in place, the office is safe from just about any type of EEOC claims. Here's what each … [Read more...] about Protect your firm from costly EEOC claims with these three layers of protection
Like a Boss: Girl power in management
By Michelle Spencer bio As I reviewed information and then conceived of this series, the statistics on female managers stood out to me. Knowing that increased diversity is important to most law firms and with more women choosing to attend law school, I thought these statistics were important to include as part of the Like a Boss series. Female bosses are slightly … [Read more...] about Like a Boss: Girl power in management
Do you have ‘fatal’ thinking flaws?
In a 10-year study, involving hundreds of interactive creative problem-solving sessions, business strategist and innovation coach Matthew E. May gave over 100,000 professionals a thought challenge far less complex than their routine business problems. Results? Not only did less than 5 percent arrive at the best and most elegant solution, but the solutions given were … [Read more...] about Do you have ‘fatal’ thinking flaws?
10 essential tips for new managers
New managers face a number of challenges, but which challenge is the most daunting? According to a recent survey, the most difficult part of becoming a manager is balancing individual responsibilities with time spent overseeing staff. Supervising friends or former peers ranked as the second greatest concern. The survey was developed by Robert Half Management Resources and … [Read more...] about 10 essential tips for new managers