Supervisors can boost employee productivity and performance by
improving their interpersonal communication with their employees. Topics
covered include: motivating employees, coaching, developing teamwork, conducting
performance reviews, negotiating salary and improving other communication
skills. You’ll also find advice on project management, presentations, capital
budgeting, handling personnel records and avoiding personal liability as a
supervisor.
The two biggest comp and benefits myths about Generation Y employees—your youngest workers—are that they don’t care about money … and that they care only about money. They want more than that. In fact, they want way more. Use their demands as a negotiating tool, and watch the productivity of these young, tech-savvy go-getters soar in response.
It’s important to create a cohesive values system people believe in. Donna Vandiver, CEO of her own marketing firm, believes in the values statement, particularly as a way to get her team excited about company goals.
Major railroads announced more furloughs of employees in recent days as they try to decide between getting rid of workers completely or keeping them on retainer in hope the economy will improve soon.
Imagine you’re faced with a choice: Either tell the truth and potentially damage your company, or hide the evidence and hope for the best. Most people who make the right, ethical choice don’t do it alone. They have an organization behind them that makes it easier to tell the truth.
When hiring a new leader for your team, it’s essential to interview his or her direct reports so you can smoke out any nasty surprises. People learn what they want in a leader by finding out what they don’t want. If you encounter any of these responses, probe around:
The recession has plenty of employees distracted and anxious—about their jobs, their 401(k)s and their monthly bills. That’s not good news at a time when you need to squeeze every ounce of productivity from your employees. These 14 tips can motivate shell-shocked employees.
Given the economic crisis, do a quick audit of the financial people working for you to see who are best equipped to operate in a pressure-cooker. Consider their disposition toward others and their ability to lead, not just their proficiency with spreadsheets.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry last week signed a safety law long sought by unions to protect train crews who are transported by vans between job sites. The law requires contract carriers to screen van drivers for drug and alcohol use and to maintain at least $1.5 million in liability insurance.
While you may not have been partying much at the office lately, some employers see summer as an ideal time for an all-staff get-together. Instead of spending a lot on flowers and glassware rentals, get creative with these summertime themes.
Consider questions in your workplace as a way to think about things differently and explore options, rather than as an annoyance that needs instant resolution. Your employees will feel recognized if their suggestions are taken seriously, and you may uncover some valuable ideas.
Anybody can lead people who are hardworking, pleasant, thoughtful, respectful and fun. The true challenge is whether you can handle PITAs, which stands for either Pains In The Ass or Professionals Increasing Their Awareness, depending on how kind you are. Here are a few types of PITAs and how best to lead them.
When you’re giving feedback, neither constant praise nor endless criticism is any good. Many leaders fall silent when something is done right. Even worse, unrelenting criticism undercuts morale and kicks up anxiety, killing any joy that people take in their work.
If you’re a manager, spawn more golden nugget moments for your team by creating informal learning opportunities: mentoring, on-the-job training, brainstorming and good, old-fashioned trial-and-error. Encourage employees to tap into blogs, discussion forums and wikis.
Surveys of U.S. workers consistently show that employees want more than a paycheck from their jobs—they want to feel safe, secure and appreciated at work. Here are eight guidelines for recognizing and rewarding employees, according to an Adecco management report.
Ask your employees to focus on razor-thin, challenging targets, and they might fail or do something unethical. Instead, use this 10-point checklist when setting performance goals for others:
Pulled from the pages of HR Specialist newsletters, here are five practical, workplace-proven tips for you to try. From management advice to hiring innovations, they'll help you work smarter and more productively.
A federal appeals court in Washington has upheld a government rule that requires railroad and other transportation workers who have been treated for drug abuse to be observed while they urinate for drug tests. Any workers who refuse to be watched by a same-sex observer could lose their jobs.
During a workplace investigation, you, as an HR investigator, can take a number of practical steps to improve the reliability and objectivity of your witness credibility assessments. Four factors are critical to assessing witness credibility: demeanor, consistency, chronology, and past history and motivations.
Employees are coming into work sick more often than managers realize, according to a recent OfficeTeam survey. Unfortunately, people make more mistakes when they come to work feeling ill. Some tips for managers and team leaders:
Online shoe retailer Zappos has gotten a lot of attention lately for its knockout customer service. But Tony Hsieh, founder of the billion-dollar company, says his secret of success is really about his employees. “Our belief is that if you get the company culture right, most of the other stuff, like great customer service, will just happen,” he says.

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