In past elections, our front yards, T-shirts, car bumpers and water cooler conversations proudly campaigned for the presidential candidate of our choice. In 2016, most were afraid to utter the name of the person they planned to vote for on November 8. Research by Joseph Grenny and David Maxfield, cofounders of VitalSmarts and the authors of the business bestseller Crucial … [Read more...] about How to disagree with your friends about politics and keep them too
Working with lawyers
Resolving the “Going Paperless” dilemma in 3 steps
By Elizabeth M. Miller bio The concept of going paperless seems overwhelming for law firms. This is one of those things where you conjure up in your mind all the added work that it is going to take to go paperless, and you decide that it is more time efficient to keep things just the way they are. The next time you are looking for a file as you are rushing out the … [Read more...] about Resolving the “Going Paperless” dilemma in 3 steps
Why you should include staff at your annual firm retreat this year
While most firms hold an annual retreat for the attorneys, one California firm has expanded the retreat concept to include staff and spouses. According to the administrator, including staff and spouses at the firm’s annual retreat builds a bond between attorneys and staff and creates a positive attitude toward the firm’s goals and values, generating enthusiasm and new … [Read more...] about Why you should include staff at your annual firm retreat this year
Survey: 1 in 4 U.S. employees negatively affected by political talk at work this election season
This year's extraordinary presidential campaign is taking a toll on American workers, some of whom report feeling stressed, argumentative and less productive because of political discussions on the job, according to a survey released today by the American Psychological Association. More than 1 in 4 younger employees reported feeling stressed out because of political … [Read more...] about Survey: 1 in 4 U.S. employees negatively affected by political talk at work this election season
Like a Boss: Rise of the Work Martyr
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
What to do when you suspect substance abuse in the firm
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio He's one of your best litigators, but is he worth the risks he takes that could backfire on the practice—or are there ways to mitigate those risks? Rumors abound fueled by his erratic behavior and the behavior changes that his regular trips to the bathroom create. You suspect substance abuse, but if you tackle these problems, will you … [Read more...] about What to do when you suspect substance abuse in the firm
Are a third of your employees looking for their next jobs?
Known as "Continuous Candidates," more than one-third (37%) of employees across the globe are always looking for their next job opportunity, finds a global study of job seekers conducted by ManpowerGroup Solutions, part of ManpowerGroup. With employee churn becoming increasingly costly for companies, it is more important than ever for employers to step up their efforts to … [Read more...] about Are a third of your employees looking for their next jobs?
Business-user cyber risk more than doubled during Rio Olympic Games
Allot Communications Ltd.—a leading provider of security and monetization solutions that enable service providers to protect and personalize the digital experience—recently released a report on "How the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro Put Mobile Business Users at Risk." The analysis found that business-user sports fans' risk from malware and other online threats more than … [Read more...] about Business-user cyber risk more than doubled during Rio Olympic Games
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
Six ways to reach the highest possible prosperity
It's the bottom line that counts. That's the firm's profitability. And maximizing it calls for more than bringing in new business. The keys are several—a plan to follow, a strong managing partner to enforce it, a shrewd client acceptance process, partner compensation that rewards cash in hand, lots of leveraging, and culling out the deadwood clients. Those items are outlined … [Read more...] about Six ways to reach the highest possible prosperity