08/30/2010
If you manage a team that’s stuck in a rut or not working up to its full potential, it may have nothing to do with the drive and talent of the participants. They all may want to succeed and be giving 100% effort, but the results can still disappoint. The problem could be conflict—not too much, but too little.
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08/24/2010
Most organizations believe they do pay for performance. They don’t. Here's how to get real about a compensation system that truly pays employees according to what they contribute to organizational success.
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07/29/2010
While making the right benefits choices and completing the necessary paperwork is ultimately the employee’s responsibility, HR can give a kick in the pants by providing a checklist like this one.
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07/28/2010
Stock options and stocked kitchens aren’t the only reason employee turnover is so low at Google. While the online giant is legendary for its financial and “comfort” perks, you need to look beyond these to see its real retention tools. Shannon Deegan, Google’s director of People Operations, explained some of these at last month’s SHRM conference in San Diego:
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07/06/2010
Many lawsuits result from relatively small, manageable disputes that weren’t dealt with directly, often because HR simply didn’t know what to do or feared making it worse. Here are my favorite strategies for dealing with disruptive conflict, based on the book Resolving Conflicts at Work by Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith.
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06/28/2010
People are just not satisfied with their jobs today. The Conference Board found in January that only 45% of Americans are satisfied with their jobs. Just 51% find their work interesting. One of the study’s authors concluded that workers “have to figure out what they should be doing to be the most engaged in their jobs and the most productive.” I say managers need to help them.
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06/25/2010
In the workplace and the sporting world, teams that buy into their coach’s vision have a much better chance of success. How can you get your team all working toward the same goal—your goal? Start by following these four steps to build support:
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06/22/2010
When times get tough, tough organizations get transparent. The more connected employees are with the financial big picture, the better they can generate revenue-boosting ideas. Is your C-suite boss seeking new ways to engage front-line employees by keeping them informed? Here’s how you can support his efforts.
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06/16/2010
Talking to a group of employees about their complaints can be uncomfortable, but it’s part of being a good manager. Allowing grievances to go unaddressed can hurt employee morale and productivity. Here are guidelines to planning and conducting group meetings for employees to express their concerns openly without fear of repercussions.
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05/26/2010
If you want your organization’s employees to work more productively, pay more attention to them. During the economic crisis of 2009, the most effective business strategy turned out to be increased supervision and management of employees. Research by RainmakerThinking shows that organizations that combined three effective strategies during the recession had better financial results than others:
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05/21/2010
For too many employers, “benefits education” consists of dropping an annual benefits statement in front of the workers and saying, “See you next year.” However, a new Hewitt Associates survey says U.S. workers’ biggest complaint about their employee benefits isn’t cost or access—it’s that employees don’t understand the benefits they already have. Here are inexpensive ways HR can educate employees year-round:
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05/18/2010
How's that new hire fitting in? To find out, have managers meet with their new employees within the first 60 days. The goal: Discover what new hires like and dislike about the job and environment, see if the job meets their expectations and nip potential problems in the bud. These 15 questions can steer the conversation.
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05/14/2010
Inspiring leader … Quiet problem-solver … Compassionate mentor. Different employees crave different things from their managers. Unless you’re a mind reader, it’s impossible to know exactly what your staff wants from you. But a survey of 500 U.S. employees—published in the book, What People Want, by Terry Bacon—reveals what matters most to workers.
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05/11/2010
Employers have any number of legitimate reasons to monitor employees’ e-mail and Internet usage. Beyond personal productivity issues, you risk significant loss should an employee download a virus or other damaging software or engage in illegal activity conducted on company computers. Here's a discussion of the risks, plus a sample policy ...
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05/04/2010
With the summer season approaching, the potential for employment law problems heats up in the workplace. From short-staffing to sexual harassment to child labor issues, there's plenty to make HR pros sweat. Here's a five-point to-do list to help you weather the season.
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