An employee with a history of documented performance issues claimed they were in a car accident that rendered their vehicle inoperable. The employee began missing work first due to their lack of transportation, then for various medical appointments, though they refused or were unable to provide a proper doctor’s note to justify their prolonged absence. The employer was … [Read more...] about Dealing with the runaround when an employee stalls about coming back to work
Managing staff
Use all four stages of effective communication
By Doug Thorpe Managers face a constant struggle to improve communication within their work teams. Besides being able to accurately articulate any technical aspects about the work (every industry has its key phrases, terms, and buzz words), business leaders have to be ever-mindful of some very basic principles of effective communication. We usually think about communication … [Read more...] about Use all four stages of effective communication
Adopt these four best practices for successful staff onboarding
A structured onboarding process can lead to a better start for your employees, resulting in better retention and productivity. That's the word from Paul Edwards, CEO and founder of Cedr Solutions, a provider of custom employee handbooks, management software and HR support. He suggests these four best practices to add to your process. 1. Begin onboarding before your … [Read more...] about Adopt these four best practices for successful staff onboarding
How to stay afloat when the office pessimist tries to drag you under
By Lynne Curry Pessimists come at you with negative words such as “you’re wasting your time” or “that will never work.” If you’re not careful, this onslaught can snuff out your enthusiasm, leading you to give up on ideas, adventures or opportunities that might power your career or work life forward. Here’s how to avoid letting a pessimist’s negativity drain your … [Read more...] about How to stay afloat when the office pessimist tries to drag you under
Gen Z: Avoid crucial mistakes when managing them
By Lynne Curry Question: We’re hiring a group of young office interns this summer for a special project and are trying to figure out the best team member to supervise them. We’re thinking someone as close in age to them as possible. Your thoughts? Answer: You’re hiring Gen Z workers, individuals born after 1995. The oldest Gen Z workers are 27, and while similar to Gen Y … [Read more...] about Gen Z: Avoid crucial mistakes when managing them
Zoom hiders: Camera shy or disengaged?
By Lynne Curry Question: For our mandatory manager meetings, I show up on time so my attendance is noted, and then get through the meetings by multi-tasking. It’s easy enough to hear what’s said as I get other work done. I cover this up by always making a positive comment on at least one of the manager’s proposals. I leave my video off, though, and when the manager … [Read more...] about Zoom hiders: Camera shy or disengaged?
Roe v. Wade wars in the workplace
By Lynne Curry Question: Our office employs an interesting mix of personalities. In the past, this made for intense discussions about politics and world events, until last week when the U.S. Supreme Court’s potential overturn of Roe v. Wade leaked. The discussion became hateful and resulted in personal attacks. The manager stopped it, but not soon enough. HR then interviewed … [Read more...] about Roe v. Wade wars in the workplace
Negative staff: Is the problem you?
By Lynne Curry The manager called me, completely frustrated with his team. He told me his employees were negative, blamed each other for problems, didn’t communicate with him or take accountability and didn’t buy in to important initiatives. He asked me to talk with his key employees and tell me how to fix them. When I met with him afterwards, I asked, “How honest do you … [Read more...] about Negative staff: Is the problem you?
10 tips to turn toxic management into teamwork
By Daryll Esposito You know how valuable your employees are. The question is, do they know you know it? The working world is changing fast, and so are the demands of leadership. Successful law offices must nurture an environment that is not only productive but also provides flexibility, opportunity, and job satisfaction. Almost two-thirds of small to midsized companies report … [Read more...] about 10 tips to turn toxic management into teamwork
Resignations: It’s not the pay, it’s people problems
By Lynne Curry It’s not the money driving the Great Resignation, in which 4.3 million employees quit their jobs in January, followed by another 4.4 million in February.1, 2 A major research project completed a couple of months ago makes this clear. The MITSloan Management Review researched 600 companies that had higher quit rates than their sector benchmark and assessed vast … [Read more...] about Resignations: It’s not the pay, it’s people problems