An employee handbook can be more than a document outlining office procedures and standards. In some cases, the handbook can be seen as an implied contract between the employer and employee. And that implied contract could muddy the waters when it comes to firing an employee. An implied employment contract Most offices operate under employment at will—or think they do. … [Read more...] about Avoid the lawsuit lurking in your employee handbook
Managing the office
Are you the reason your employees quit?
Most companies strive to hire or promote someone with the right skills to do the job. But when hiring a manager, many fail to take the manager's personality, attitude, values, and emotional intelligence into consideration. What they end up with is a highly technically skilled manager with poor people skills, big ego, "my way or the highway" attitude, and blind spots the size … [Read more...] about Are you the reason your employees quit?
Model Policy: Workplace Bullying Policy
Why you need this model policy: Your firm is committed to the goal of ensuring that all of its employees are treated with dignity, civility, and respect in the workplace. Bullying behavior is not compatible with this commitment. How this model policy helps you: This model policy explains what bullying is and helps you communicate to all employees that bullying behavior will … [Read more...] about Model Policy: Workplace Bullying Policy
Good managers must always watch for bad behavior
By Steve M. Cohen bio I'm sure that many office managers sometimes feel like a Kindergarten teacher. Even with the best team, there's always one or two people who rub each other the wrong way or seem to have more than their share of complaints—either complaints about what they do or say, or what others do or say to them. Ultimately, no one can promise you much more than … [Read more...] about Good managers must always watch for bad behavior
Average starting salaries for legal jobs projected to rise 3.1 percent in 2016
Starting salaries for legal professionals in the United States are expected to increase 3.1 percent overall in 2016, according to the just-released Robert Half Legal 2016 Salary Guide. Law firm attorneys with four-plus years of professional experience should see greater-than-average salary gains. Among legal specialists, compliance directors are expected to see the largest … [Read more...] about Average starting salaries for legal jobs projected to rise 3.1 percent in 2016
Communication and productivity are on the rise. But the tools that connect us also distract us
Highfive, the video conferencing system, recently announced the results of its 2015 Workplace Culture and Communication Report, which details how the proliferation of communication tools affects the way people work and engage with their fellow employees. More than 1,200 professionals in traditional office settings across industries and regions completed the survey in August … [Read more...] about Communication and productivity are on the rise. But the tools that connect us also distract us
A manual that covers the entire administration
A Washington, D.C. administrator has set up an operations manual that covers every imaginable item of managing the firm. It holds the basics of everything so that when she is out, the firm “can be on autopilot and keep the trains running on time,” says Jill D. Hirsch, chief operating officer of Slevin & Hart. And, she says, “it’s for me as well as for someone stepping in … [Read more...] about A manual that covers the entire administration
4 ways to keep your cool in the midst of chaos
By Cheryl Toth, MBA bio How well do you think you handle stress at work? I used to think I was pretty good at it, until a few years ago, when I realized I wasn't. I was working for a healthcare technology company that was young and rapidly growing. Every day, my task and responsibility list seemed to grow exponentially. At first it was exciting, but after a while I was … [Read more...] about 4 ways to keep your cool in the midst of chaos
Model Tool: Monthly Attorney Report
Why you need this model tool: No firm can support even an excellent attorney who isn't profitable. Superb skills alone are not enough. Each attorney has to bring in a profit, and the numbers show in plain dollars and cents what profit each attorney is producing. How this model tool helps you: This simple chart tracks the monthly and yearly profitability of each … [Read more...] about Model Tool: Monthly Attorney Report
NY manager gets more done with 15 minute one-on-one meetings
Offices with a limited number of staffers can follow the management lead of a New York office manager who has replaced full-staff meetings with 15-minute individual meetings in which she talks with each person privately. In a group, not everything gets brought out, says the manager, which has just seven staffers. There is no opportunity to listen to each person. What's more, … [Read more...] about NY manager gets more done with 15 minute one-on-one meetings