Consumers are hanging on tightly to every penny. One main cost they’re skimping on: their own health care—a move that experts say will lead to sicker Americans and higher health care costs down the road for U.S. employers. Here are three ways your organization can keep workers focused on their health even as they skimp on other expenses.

What exactly is a tickler file, and what’s the best way to use one? We liked the answer one administrative assistant, Bonnie, gave on our online forum, Admin Pro Forum.

You’ve tried sending out memos, putting up posters and issuing gentle reminders, but nothing keeps employees from leaving their extra papers behind at the copier. You feel like a den mother, constantly cleaning up after everyone. What’s the best way to get people to change their habits? Change their environment.

Chip away at a paper pile by first flipping the stack upside down, so the oldest material is on top. It’s easier to toss out old things. Break down a large pile into one-inch piles. Attack the first one-inch pile by reviewing each piece and asking these four questions:

Make Adobe Reader remember where you left off, as well as your selected zoom and pan settings ... Improve daily planning by being specific on your to-do list ... Expect a VIP visitor at the office? Use this tactic from Darienne Page, receptionist for President Obama’s Oval Office ...

If you develop a reasonable retention policy and follow through by regularly deleting information you don’t need, chances are an employee later won’t be able to say you intentionally interfered with the ability to present a legal case ...

Two online tools to help you manage schedules when everyone isn’t on the same calendar system: Meeting Agent and Shiftboard.

Meetings can be brutally boring. They can be too frequent, too long and too unproductive. You may think you can’t do anything to make a meeting more efficient and results-oriented—you aren’t the person leading it, right? But Amy Henderson, Henderson Training Inc., believes you can do a lot to influence a meeting.

In this troubled economy, it’s especially important to ensure your team remains competitive. An audit can help you determine if you are operating at peak productivity. Begin by asking your employees two questions:

How many times have you come up with a more efficient way to accomplish something and wished you could quickly share it with co-workers? You can with collaborative tech tools, says Richard Laermer, media consultant and author of Punk Marketing.

Since employees began using checklists in Michigan hospitals, the infection rate has gone down by two-thirds. Could a checklist help you reduce errors or streamline a recurring task?

Give those URLs a trim ... Show your e-mail skills by avoiding supersize attachments ... Use the subject line to identify different categories of e-mail ... Feel more rejuvenated after a summer vacation by coming home on a Saturday ...

A recent, independent survey conducted for Hallmark Business Expressions proves sending business greeting cards strengthens relationships with customers, prospects and employees. To implement an effective business greeting card strategy, use the following tips to ensure your company’s goodwill gesture is received in the same spirit it is given.

As many companies cut back on expenses and, in some instances, cut staff, how do you maintain your edge and ask for what your department needs without immediately seeing your request denied? Tell a tale, become a storyteller and see your words make an impact.

It's not unusual to be asked to help pay for celebrations at the office, such as birthdays and baby showers. Avoid asking colleagues for too much too often by keeping in mind these guidelines from OfficeTeam:

Casual. Corporate casual. Business casual. Smart casual. Resort casual. Don't leave meeting attendees baffled about your event's dress code. Explain what you mean by "business casual" or "corporate casual," etc. with examples of appropriate attire.

How can you be assured of enough face time with your boss to ask questions, convey critical information and dazzle her with your smarts—without coming across as a time drain? The key, advises author and workplace columnist Anita Bruzzese, is to be aware of what your boss wants and when and how she wants it.

Violating Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) timekeeping rules can be a costly error, as the hospital in the case above discovered. The FLSA requires employers to keep at least the following ...

If reaching for reference materials in your office requires moving a handful of beads you brought back from Mardi Gras, your personality may be overpowering your professional image. Personalizing our office space is tempting, but everyone should strike a balance.

Catch a second wind by tackling a task on your “Mind Like Mush” list ... Is your boss an ‘allergic-to-details’ type? Keep project files handy that contain details he or she is likely to need ... Find travel deals by booking later ... Spruce up your administrative “portfolio” by adding a dash of visual material.

As part of the Frugal Family Challenge, Food Network Magazine paired Maile Carpenter with a family of four from Hoboken, N.J., to help them spend less on groceries. Here’s how the family is keeping their grocery bill low:

The greatest mystery in many workplaces is what's lurking in the company refrigerator. Go beyond scheduling regular "Use it or lose it" deadlines. Follow these tips:

You've scrupulously avoided office gossip, but that isn't protecting you from being the subject of this week's chitchat. Wanting to jump quickly to your own defense is a normal reaction, but it might exacerbate the situation. Follow these steps to salvage your reputation and stop the gossip.

More than half of senior executives say they’re interrupted about once every 30 minutes, according to a Center for Creative Leadership survey. Here’s where assistants can play a vital role. Stave off interruptions by partnering with your boss, using these tactics.

How often do you start the day with a to-do list? And how often does that list fly out the window by 10 a.m.? The trouble is, says time management coach Patricia Hutchings, we don’t build enough flexibility into our calendars.