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
Insight
Understanding value systems to get in sync with your employees
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio You and your employees don't see eye to eye. You expect that work means work. But one of your employees, otherwise talented and hard-working, texts throughout the day, insisting it takes less than five minutes total time and "isn't she allowed a break?" Meanwhile your new IT manager, although doing a good job, keeps his eye on Craigslist. When … [Read more...] about Understanding value systems to get in sync with your employees
Are you prepared for the most costly claim your law firm could face? Do you even know what it is?
By Sharron Bauer bio What do you think is the most costly claim your law firm could face? A malpractice claim? Nope. A slip and fall? Wrong again. Give up? A data breach! I can hear you now: Are you kidding me? Yes, that's right. The most costly claim your firm faces is probably NOT going to be: a grievance filed or a claim against your Lawyers Professional Liability (or … [Read more...] about Are you prepared for the most costly claim your law firm could face? Do you even know what it is?
How the FLSA’s updated rules regarding overtime affects your firm
By Sandra Hoyle-Smith, SPHR bio President Obama and Secretary Perez recently announced the publication of the Department of Labor's final rule updating the overtime regulations, which will automatically extend overtime pay protections to over 4 million workers within the first year of implementation. What does this mean for you? Between now and December 1st, you will … [Read more...] about How the FLSA’s updated rules regarding overtime affects your firm
How to help a grieving employee
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio How do you, as a manager, best help an employee who loses a loved one? This is one hot potato that few law office managers feel equipped to handle. When tragedy befalls an employee, most of us don't know what to say. As a result, we often say nothing. This creates a complete disconnect between the individual for whom everything has … [Read more...] about How to help a grieving employee
Like a Boss: Increasing employee engagement
By Michelle Spencer bio So far, my infographics have illustrated (1) the cost of bad management and (2) the natural talents needed to be good leaders. Now let's look at the fundamentals necessary to increase employee engagement and a few benefits that firms will reap as a result of having engaged employees. As we've seen, the most important driver of employee … [Read more...] about Like a Boss: Increasing employee engagement
Supervising and Surviving Virtual Teams
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio As a manager, how can I supervise employees at remote locations—particularly when I never see them? If I work remotely, how do I make sure I stay on my supervisor's radar for promotional opportunities? Which employees thrive in virtual team situations? If you manage a virtual team If you manage employees you never meet … [Read more...] about Supervising and Surviving Virtual Teams
Who’s your favorite administrative professional on TV?
By Catherine Jones bio We've all worked with some real characters, but which TV character portraying an administrative professional would most people want at their company? More than a quarter (29 percent) of workers surveyed by staffing firm OfficeTeam said they'd choose Pam Halpert from "The Office," followed by Waylon Smithers from "The Simpsons" (17 percent). … [Read more...] about Who’s your favorite administrative professional on TV?
5 quick and easy ways to show recognition for employees’ good performance
By Catherine Jones bio Happy Administrative Professionals Week (April 24-30). It's that time of year when many members of the office support team will receive special acknowledgment for their contributions. But opinions are divided between employers and their staff on what constitutes effective employee recognition, says an OfficeTeam survey. Nearly nine in 10 (89 percent) … [Read more...] about 5 quick and easy ways to show recognition for employees’ good performance
Managing the Gen X/Y employee
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio If you heard a male employee say "Yo, dude!" to a female employee you'd think the comment (check your choice): Inappropriate; Insulting; Affectionate. Please complete the following sentences: Patience is a ______. Good things come to _____ ___ ____. If you checked "inappropriate" or "insulting" or … [Read more...] about Managing the Gen X/Y employee