Law Office Manager

General

Two quick tips from a cybersecurity expert

By John W. Simek  bio 1. You are the product: default settings to “steal” your privacy data It amazes me that nobody seems to read the terms of service or the permission settings when installing software or configuring devices. In this day of instant gratification it seems as though the normal actions are click, click, click on the “I accept” button. That seems to be what … [Read more...] about Two quick tips from a cybersecurity expert

Try this “win-win” solution to stop personal Internet use by staff

The manager of a Mississippi professional office relies on a basic management practice when she presents any new policy. “I make it a win-win situation,” says Beth C. Pharr. “I tell staff ‘this why it’s necessary, and this is how it benefits you.’” Such was the case when she set a policy to solve a problem common to almost every … [Read more...] about Try this “win-win” solution to stop personal Internet use by staff

Are you violating state “time off” requirements for employees who are parents?

Although back-to-school season rolls around every year, it always seems to bring a level of stress for working parents. And is it any wonder? A new schedule and new commitments require finding ways to meet all the demands of daily life. For households with two working parents, it can be extremely difficult; and for single-parent households, even more so. It's easy for employers … [Read more...] about Are you violating state “time off” requirements for employees who are parents?

Colorado practice cuts costs by hiring IT staffer

Manager Arlene Zimmerman had an IT cost awakening when the computer went down. She called in the vendor's tech support and paid $100 to find out the computer was simply unplugged. "I told myself 'never again!'" says Zimmerman, who manages a professional office in Colorado. So she started on a path of building up as much IT support as possible in-house—and getting the training … [Read more...] about Colorado practice cuts costs by hiring IT staffer

Is your coworker like one of the family or is one of the family?

By Steve M. Cohen  bio Let me preface this blog on nepotism by stating there is clearly a place for family businesses and organizations where related people work together for the good of the family cause and the good of the organization. That said, there are also organizations where familial relationships exist that are not always for the good of the cause. Often, … [Read more...] about Is your coworker like one of the family or is one of the family?

Handling the complaints

This is one of those practical solutions that come from years of experience dealing with people: It's how to handle one staffer's complaint about another. A manager gets all sorts of complaints, says office administrator Patricia Board. Some are serious "and some are petty." It may be that Staffer A is always visiting instead of working or that Staffer B is doing something … [Read more...] about Handling the complaints

3 proven ways to make firing easier on everyone

1 Do it Friday afternoon While some human resources experts say firing is best done in the middle of the week, most recommend doing it on Friday afternoon. That time is best for the office, because it lessens the possibility that the person will set up a support group in the hours immediately following. It also eliminates the possibility that the person will stay around and … [Read more...] about 3 proven ways to make firing easier on everyone