If you’re in HR, chances are you played some role in crafting the most recent version of your organization’s mission statement. But now that the words are plastered on your web site and the plaque is hanging in the lobby, do your employees truly understand your mission? Heck, do you even understand it? Here’s practical advice for keeping it real.
Due to the economic slowdown, the IRS expects more taxpayers to file early and claim their refunds sooner. Electronic filing is the quickest way to obtain a refund. Paper returns take four to six weeks to process. In contrast, e-filers can generally expect to receive refunds within 10 days.
Don’t be in a rush to mail or e-file your 2009 tax return. Your haste can come back to haunt you in the form of penalties, interest and missed tax-saving opportunities. According to the tax pros, here are 10 common mistakes that plague individual filers:
The recent economic turmoil has put tremendous pressure on organizations to explore ways to reduce costs across all areas of their business—and IT is no exception
The recent economic turmoil has put tremendous pressure on organizations to explore ways to reduce costs across all areas of their business—and IT is no exception
Do you have employees who clock in before their shift starts, then stand around drinking coffee for a half-hour? How can you cut down on this “on-the-clock-but-standing-around” time? ...
There are many different kinds of direct email marketing
messages that a business can send to subscribers. Emails can be
promotional, informative, and/or inspirational, says Steve Adams, vice
president of marketing for Protus.
The end of the year came and went without formal approval of the “Tax Extenders Act of 2009.” But once enacted, the new law would retroactively extend a bunch of key tax provisions that expired after 2009. Generally, it will preserve these tax benefits for one more year. Here are the main tax winners for individuals and businesses:
According to Steve Adams, vice president of marketing for Protus, the secret to
meeting your goals for a direct email marketing campaign is to try and see things through your customers’ eyes:
A woman on a talk radio show admitted to stealing sugar packets from her local Starbucks. But she expressed no shame. Indeed,
she felt the theft was justified by the outrageous prices Starbucks
charges for a cup of coffee, calling her pilfering a “condiment
subsidy.”
In these uncertain economic times, your business probably has some strong prospects who
have yet to take the next step and become customers. Here are five steps you can
take to nudge them into action, without a significant marketing investment:
Be honest with yourself: Do you have a love/hate relationship with Excel? You know the power it wields, but does Excel end up costing you time and stress? Here are a few tips on how to navigate and maximize your spreadsheets:
When it comes to permission-based email marketing,
offering content of value can significantly boost your open rate. Here
are five more tips to help your opt-in email marketing strategy make an impact:
Help a boss avoid “death by PowerPoint” by stealing presentation tips from the famously charismatic CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs. Jobs is a gifted speaker, not necessarily because he was born with talent, but because he sticks to several strategies. Jobs uses presentation software as a tool to visually complement his stories.
Mission statements can be valuable if they articulate real targets. Otherwise, they sound too much like a corporate Hallmark card. Consider Microsoft’s big goal of “A computer on every desk and in every home, all running Microsoft software.” Or Amazon’s goal for the Kindle: “Every book ever printed, in any language, all available in less than 60 seconds.” Both statements do something crucial: They quantify the goal.
Hold a shorter, more effective meeting by remembering the three purposes for having a meeting in the first place: to inform, to gather input or to ask for approval ... Read faster using this technique developed by reading expert J. Michael Bennett: rhythmic perusal ... Try this remedy for a foul-mouthed boss ...
Here are three great tools for creating to-do lists, collaborating on documents online, and viewing and modifying PDFs: 1. Best for tracking tasks: Doomi. 2. Best for word processing:Zoho Writer. 3. Best for viewing PDFs:Foxit Reader.
I’m old enough to remember the guys who used to come on The Ed Sullivan Show to spin plates. It was an amazing act. The fast music would start and the guy would get about five bowls spinning on top of sticks and have another eight plates spinning between the sticks. He would be running back and forth spinning one plate while looking out the corner of his eye for the next plate that needed a spin. Just about the time one was ready to crash, he’d give it a spin. That was some great TV. As Ed used to say, “A really big show.” (For a really fun three minute example of what I’m talking about, click on this authorized You Tube link of plate spinner Erich Brenn on the Sullivan show in 1969.)
Plate spinning came to mind earlier this week when I had lunch with a friend and former client who recently took a senior technology executive role with a well known global company. I asked him how it was going and he said, “Remember when I used to talk about my job being like plate spinning? Well, in this job there are enough plates to keep me spinning for years so I’ve decided I’m only going to be spinning about three plates at a time.”
Because his company recently moved their headquarters, my friend and his senior colleagues are building teams of people to take over roles in which the predecessors didn’t make the move. So, it’s almost like a start-up situation and there’s just way more to do than can possibly be done in a given time frame. His situation is not much different than a lot of leaders these days. Most everyone is leading in a do more with less environment. That’s certainly how things were in 2009 and 2010 likely won’t be much different.
So, how do you, as a leader, keep your plates spinning this year? Here are some tips from my expert plate spinning friend:
Good note taking is essential, whether in a meeting, a training session or a seminar. The mental concentration will keep you focused, and the very act of writing will help you remember what the group decides. Here’s how to do it better:
Employees who complain about discrimination can win retaliation cases even if it turns out their underlying complaint didn’t amount to discrimination. That’s why it’s so important to review all post-complaint discipline—to make sure it’s fair, justified and not potential retaliation.
You know a presentation is going badly when audience members start tapping on their BlackBerrys. These days, especially, it isn't easy to capture and hold a group's attention. Keep your presentation clear and effective with these PowerPoint tips:
Decades ago, there was a terrific restaurant in NYC with no waiters: the Horn & Hardart Automat. All
the food was displayed behind glass windows. To order, you inserted
your bills and coins in a slot, pushed a button, removed your sandwich
or pie, and put it on your tray — no waiting, no being ignored by busy
wait staff, no tipping.
Mindful of his fast rise, Matt Mullenweg has given some thought to leadership. The idiosyncratic 25-year-old founded Automattic, parent company of the blogging tool WordPress, which powers 12 million blogs. Some of his priorities:
Technology is blurring the lines between work and leisure and revealing real tensions between Gen Y, Gen X and baby boomer employees. The generations have very different ideas about what is and isn’t an appropriate use of technology in the office. Here's one simple solution for bridging the gap.
When creating a form letter or other document template, the field code feature in Word versions 97 and higher can come in handy. With dozens of field codes available, you can manage everything from inserting information that is automatically updated to creating drop-down lists that allow users to choose which information to insert.
Overtime is lower at equipment rental chain RentalMax than it has been in a dozen years—and it’s not because of the economy. The Chicago-based firm reduced overtime by 70% by using time-tracking software ...
The California Division of Workers’ Compensation is acting to help small employers that need financial assistance bringing injured employees back to work. Small employers can apply for reimbursement of up to $2,500 for special equipment or other products needed to help accommodate the needs of injured workers returning to the job.
In January 2009, the DOL issued new FMLA regulations that incorporated the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which granted new leave rights to family members of employees in the military. The regulations, for the first time, defined what a “qualifying exigency” is under the law that entitles military families to take leave. Qualified exigencies are divided into seven categories:
I have a question about how to handle software training for our staff. We’re going to be upgrading all the PCs around the office over the next few months, and I’m worried that we’ll have a productivity slump. In particular with Windows 7 coming out, I have concerns that the new operating system and software will have a steep learning curve. We experienced that in spades with Windows Vista, and I don’t want a repeat. We have 18 employees who will be affected. Should we hire a trainer to come in? Send staff for off-site training? Rely on the software documentation and online support? I’d appreciate any advice.—Steve, NE
Halloween may be over, but “ghost work”—the work left behind after colleagues are laid off—still haunts the employees who remain. According to a recent survey by the International Association of Administrative Professionals, admins are hit particularly hard by the spectre. Here are three tips to help you gain control of "ghost work":
You expect colleges and universities to prepare your youngest workers for their new jobs. But are you prepared for them? These digital natives quickly grow impatient with last year’s hardware and software. Hiring them puts more pressure on your organization to keep its technology ahead of the curve.
Blogs are spreading faster than kudzu in the business world, and for a reason: They help build relationships with customers, something every business and boss want to see. Here’s how to write blog posts for your company, without spending too much time, according to Stephanie Lloyd, founder and CEO of Radiant Veracity.
Technology is blurring the lines between work and leisure and revealing real tensions between Gen Y, Gen X and baby boomer employees. A recent LexisNexis survey reveals divergent ideas about what is and isn’t an appropriate use of technology and software in the white-collar workplace:
Add a grain of salt to the conventional wisdom that says web sites with the lowest prices win the battle for online shoppers. To truly prosper online, you need to create trust in your brand name. That's why you shouldn't aim to compete online on price alone. To boost your brand's visibility online, follow these four steps:
A Rhode Island software company has created a system for new ideas that’s as transparent as they could make it. They call it an idea market. CEO Jim Lavoie and President Joe Marino of Rite-Solutions have leveled the playing field so all employees have a shot at putting their ideas on the table.
Imagine typing only about half of what you do now. With typing-expansion software, you can turn words you type often into abbreviations. For example, type “t” for “the,” and “ty” for “thank you.” What shorthand did for handwritten note-taking, this software can do for typing.
Using Web
survey software, a business can gain immediate access to
research, allowing it to quickly address customer issues. Jeffrey Henning, founder of Vovici,
which offers comprehensive survey software, says there are four areas a survey should
take into consideration:
We
are at an unprecedented time in our business history, with four
generations of sales staff selling to four generations of buyers. Helping your sales reps understand the differences among generations
and how to adapt their whole selling approach and style will increase
the pipeline, win more deals and shorten the selling cycle.
Q. One of our employees was issued a company laptop and later corrupted it by downloading games and other nonbusiness software. Can we recover the value of the damaged property from this employee’s next paycheck?
Question: “I work for a rural hospital and struggle every year on the best way to track and file nursing competencies. Does anyone have any ideas on how to track nursing competencies easily by using software such as Excel?” — Tracy Fehd
Question: “I've just learned the mail merge application on Microsoft Office/Word 2003. After the salutation, the software automatically inserts a comma (i.e., Dear Mr. Jones,). I was taught to use a colon rather than a comma. Now that we are in the 21st century has the colon been dropped in favor of the comma? My mail merge will not let me substitute a colon for a comma.” — Anonymous
The so-called “manufacturing deduction” isn’t limited to companies that manufacture products only in the traditional sense. It’s available to a wider range of business operations. Strategy: See whether your company can squeeze through one of the Section 199 loopholes. If you qualify, you are eligible to deduct up to 6% of your qualified production activity income (QPAI) for the year.
Q. I have a small business with 25 employees that rely heavily on email as a communication method with our customers and business partners. We have been struggling with managing our current email system that is running on a server in our office. Should we spend the time and effort to upgrade our server and email software or is a hosted email solution a good alternative? - David B, Philadelphia
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.
One of the last places to embrace big changes in patterns of behaviors and practices is the Sales function. With the changing demographics, where Boomers are retiring and
Millennials are going into sales roles in record numbers, the spotlight
is on how sales staffs are rewarded and its impact on performance. What can you do to be sure you motivate your Millennial sales staff? Here are some recommendations.
Large organizations have long realized that HR interns contribute to the bottom line. They’re inexpensive, productive and eager to impress. Now, with budgets cut to the bone, HR departments can use all the talented, low-cost staffing they can get. That’s especially true for small and midsize HR departments. Here are the best ways to find HR interns:
According to a recent survey, 22% of employees say they use some form of social networking five or more times per week, and 15% admit they access social media while at work for personal reasons. Yet, only 22% of companies have a formal policy that guides employees in how they can use social networking at work. Here are seven key questions to ask when drafting a social networking policy for your workplace.
Innovation never rests, despite the down economy. Designing applications for mobile phones is the latest way to make money hand over fist. Consider the Bloomberg app, which tracks finances. Consider Mint and Wesabe, which track your finances. Consider Ocarina, which lets you play your phone like a flute.
A New Jersey court has held that e-mails employees send to their attorneys via work computers are not protected by the attorney-client privilege. The court’s willingness to rule that an employer’s right to control how employees use its computer equipment trumps attorney-client privilege is significant. The decision makes it clearer than ever that employers should carefully consider the language they use in their employee handbooks.
Just in the last few weeks there have been a slew of articles in the business press about recruiting. All have a common theme: prepare for the deluge…of candidates.
Create an organizational chart for your office using a new wiki from Forbes ... Find templates, photos, animation effects and more ... Don’t waste time tracking down government and legal forms or creating your own form letters.
Using PowerPoint visuals that only Einstein could decipher doesn't make the presenter look smarter. Complicated visuals will cause an audience to focus less on what the presenter is saying and more on trying to figure out the images. Here are seven rules for keeping visuals clear and powerful:
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 gives small business owners a second chance at a “one-time” tax-saving opportunity. It revives the enhanced Section 179 deduction and “bonus depreciation” tax breaks that officially expired after 2008. These two tax goodies can be combined so that your small business can write off most, if not all, of the cost of new assets placed in service this year.
What does an Oreo cookie cream filling have in common with administrative professionals? Everything! Without that cream, there’s no magic center that holds it together. You’re left with two chocolate disks sitting there waiting for something special to happen. The special ingredient: you.
Thanks to Google’s policy of allowing employees time each week to work on pet projects, the company is forever unleashing new tools to improve your googleability. These four new tools could make you more fluent, more efficient and better-informed.
You’re already printing on both sides of paper and recycling. Now, what can you do to inspire your less-green co-workers? Tips from Tim Sanders, author of Saving the World at Work:
If filing your taxes this spring made you realize that you need a better way to keep track of all your receipts, turn to one of these nifty services for cataloging, organizing and accessing receipts.
Odds are your desk is a hub of organization. If that’s the case, you’re in the ideal position to create more value for your company by coaching others on ROO, or Return on Organization. Your task: Identify a few valuable tips, then share your expertise with others by offering a Lunch ‘n’ Learn on the topic, writing an article in the company newsletter or posting tips through e-mail.
You’re already doing your part to be “green” at the office by printing on both sides of paper, recycling and steering clear of bottled water. Now, what can you do to inspire your less-green co-workers? Tips from Tim Sanders, author of Saving the World at Work:
Add another big company to the list of those accused of shorting employees for overtime pay. A sales representative who worked for anti-virus software publisher McAfee recently filed suit claiming it violated the FLSA by failing to pay him overtime.
When we think of class-action lawsuits, we usually think big. Such lawsuits can involve thousands of employees and millions of dollars. But they can also involve just a handful of employees, as a federal judge just ruled.
Good news when it comes to disciplining disabled employees for breaking behavioral or dress code rules: You can and should hold the disabled to those rules, along with everyone else.
By now, you have probably adjusted your payroll software and hourly wage information to reflect the new Ohio minimum wage of $7.30 per hour, which took effect Jan. 1.
By now, you have probably adjusted your payroll software and hourly wage information to reflect the new Florida minimum wage of $7.21 per hour, which was effective on Jan. 1 ...
When two workers complained to two co-workers that their employer wasn’t providing protective gear while they installed insulation, it started a chain of events that led to their firings.
Rather than wait for your company to foot the bill for a class or conference, turn to online sources, such as eHow.com and good-tutorials.com, or the instruction manuals shelved in your IT department.
My monthly e-zine, including copy and layout, takes me just an hour or two per issue to complete from start to finish. I want to share the formula with you, so you can
produce an effective e-zine of your own.
If the worrisome economy is keeping your employees up at night, offering them a place to nap during the afternoon could help them get their work done. Nearly 30% of employees admit they have fallen asleep on the job, and 12% say fatigue has made them late for work, according to a National Sleep Foundation poll.
Why does one ad make a lasting impression and sell merchandise, while another falls flat and doesn’t generate enough revenue to pay its own cost? Virtually all persuasive copy contains the eight elements described in this article.
Two companies headquartered in North Carolina have made Fortune magazine’s 2009 “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. The two, both headquartered in Cary, are engineering firm Kimley-Horn & Associates and software giant SAS.
Perhaps the oldest — and most widely embraced — rule for writing direct response copy is, “Stress benefits, not features.” But even this sacred commandment doesn’t always hold true.
Short letters — one or two pages — usually work best. Executives don’t have time to wade through a lengthy sales pitch. Exceptions: subscriptions, seminars, and some other mail-order offers.
Attention, filing procrastinators: The IRS is opening up free e-filing to all individual taxpayers on 2008 returns. Should you do it? Our advice: Weigh the pros and cons. While filing electronically certainly has advantages, there are drawbacks, too. It’s not for everyone.
With direct mail response rates continuing to decline, telemarketing impeded by the Do Not Call list, and CAN-SPAM controlling e-mail marketing, direct marketers are constantly exploring channels to find the magic formula that will work for them.
When prospects get your e-mail marketing message, they make a decision to open or delete it based largely on the subject line. Given the glut of promotional e-mail, how can you convince them that your message is worthy of attention?
More than half of employees who lost or left their jobs in 2008 took company data with them, according to a study conducted by Ponemon Institute and cyber-security software maker Symantec. A shocking 59% of respondents claimed they had copied or e-mailed company data.
Foster more connections among employees by playing “switch-a-seat” ... Become known as a more inventive leader by using the future-leaning word “will” more often ... Never waste a crisis ... Stay tuned to market and cultural trends ...
Asked if he could write an effective direct mail package on a
complex electronic control system, a well-known copywriter replied, “It doesn’t matter what the product
is. You are selling to people. And people are pretty much the same.” Wrong.
Although a blog is easy to create and maintain, many marketers wonder
if the return on investment can be measured. Yes, contends Caroline
Melberg, president and CEO of Small Business Mavericks.
When you need an answer to a burning question (How do I use this new software? How do I remove ink marks from a white shirt? Can my iPod be fixed?), turn to these eight how-to sites on the web, rated the best by PC World.
A New Jersey appeals court has held for the first time that an employee has no reasonable expectation that personal information stored on work computers is private—even if the employee has created a separate password to protect the information. Employers have the right to search work computers.
Raise your skepticism a few notches. Résumé fudging is on the rise again. Fueling the trend: recent layoffs and the tanking economy. Applicants who feel more desperate tend to add that extra punch to their résumés.
I was asked to comment on an article on business writing two authors had submitted
for publication. The article's premise was
that, even in our technological era, writing skills are more important
than ever. Here was the reply I gave:
“What’s the most effective length for a business-to-business sales letter?” a reader asked me the other day. Let me see if I can give some sensible guidelines to answer this common question.
The best way to get ideas for headlines when you are stuck is to keep a swipe file of successful headlines, and consult it for inspiration. Here’s a partial collection of such headlines from my swipe file, organized by category.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is actively encouraging employers to use computerized versions of the federal I-9 employment eligibility verification form. Is it time for you to ditch your paper I-9s? These pros and cons will help you decide.
Ten years ago, one of Adobe System’s co-founders, Charles M. Geschke, noticed that the company had changed. It no longer ran according to the principles he’d envisioned. Being nimble was a good thing for Adobe; after all, it’s a software company. But Geschke wanted a consistent set of business principles.
Corporate innovation requires seamless collaboration across departments. Unfortunately, at many companies, silo mentality resists cross-functional cooperation. That’s one reason Sony can’t catch up with Apple in delivering supercool gadgets.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that will eliminate overtime pay for certain computer professionals. Assembly Bill 10 creates an overtime exemption for computer professionals working in California who are engaged in “intellectual or creative” work ...
The Kaiser Foundation Health Plan has agreed to settle a class-action wage-and-hour lawsuit brought by 770 California employees. Under the terms of the settlement, Kaiser agreed to pay $5.4 million, $3.7 million of which will go directly to the class members who claimed they were misclassified ...
Question: “I would like some additional training in report presentation and graphic design/layout. I type audit reports (Word and Excel), and I produce two newsletters (Microsoft Publisher). I would like to assist my bosses in better preparation and presentation of their audit reports (PowerPoint), as well as improve the look of the newsletters. Has anyone taken the career track graphic design/layout seminar or any other seminar? Any special software you can recommend?” — Diana Chase
Several people in my office—line employees and managers alike—have expressed interest in establishing a 360-degree feedback system for evaluating individual job performance. That sounds great, but it also sounds like a lot more work for HR and everyone else. How can I structure such a system to make it easy to administer? Is there software that does this? What kinds of training will we need to conduct?—Virginia, N.H.
With so many Web sites crowding the Internet, you need to make an extra effort to get noticed. One way is to make your site search-engine-friendly. There are two key steps that can help you do this.
HR Law 101: Employees who want to take FMLA leave must give their employer 30-day advance notice when the need for leave is foreseeable. Employers should respond in writing within five business days to their leave requests ...
Try to track the details of a complex project on a whiteboard, and you may quickly run out of white space. Here are five project-tracking software tools that can come to the rescue.
When it’s time to reinvigorate your company, what do you do? Whose ideas do you listen to? How do you know whether your customers will stick with you through change? Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is in the process of using customers’ advice to update his recently battered brand ...
Here are a few rules of thumb that can help you select the right format — traditional letter package, self-mailer, or postcard — for your next
mailing:
Since 2004,
employers have been authorized to use computerized versions of the
federal Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Now U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is actively encouraging the
practice. Should you ditch paper I-9s and switch to
electronic completion, filing and storage of workers’ employment
eligibility information? For most employers, the answer is yes. Here’s a rundown of the pros and cons.
The use of white papers as a marketing tool has skyrocketed in recent years — not only for selling information technology (IT), but also to promote a wide range of products and services beyond hardware and software.
If your organization hasn’t moved beyond “reply all” e-mails as its sole means of online employee interaction, promote any of these three options to spark more interaction and productivity ...
J.K. Rowling, author of the best-selling Harry Potter book series, is the richest woman in Britain. Rowling revealed in a recent interview she had written the final chapter to book seven more than 15 years ago, before she had a publisher...
Question: “I work in a health and safety department and need to purchase a software package that will track training and annual due dates, etc. Can anyone recommend a good one?" — Anonymous
These days, most small businesses rely—either somewhat or heavily—on software applications. According to a new report by PC World magazine, here are 15 of the best free and low-cost software tools for powering any small or midsize business.
Nobody’s perfect, but any mistakes you make on your tax return can come back to haunt you in penalties, interest and missed opportunities. What are the 10 most common errors? Here’s what the tax pros say.
Whether or not you’re actively looking for a job, it pays to ratchet up your professional image outside your office. (After all, you never know who might google your name.) For that, the e-portfolio can be your most powerful tool.
It’s common knowledge that “free” is the most powerful word — and the most irresistible offer — in direct marketing. But can you guess the second-most powerful word or phrase — and the second most irresistible offer? It’s “one dollar.”
Internet direct mail typically generates a response rate between 1 and 20 percent. The copy in your e-mail plays a big role in whether your e-marketing message ends up at the bottom or the top of that range. Here are 15 proven techniques...
As we rapidly gain experience and test results from Internet direct mail, we are learning more every day about what works in this new medium. Here are some techniques that seem to be successful in increasing click-throughs and conversions.
Many marketers believe that offering a “free seminar” to their prospects will boost sagging direct mail response rates and make their company stand out from the crowd. But beware. The free seminar strategy is not as easy as it appears.
Coming up with good story ideas is one of the toughest tasks in publishing a company newsletter. Here's a checklist of story sources to stimulate editorial thinking and help identify topics with high reader interest that help to promote the company.
From surveys of employees' lifelong dreams to alumni reunions to baby showers for moms-to-be, here's a rundown of seven innovative benefits practices employers are using to reward and retain the staff they need. They're compiled from the popular "What's Working" pages of HR Specialist's Compensation & Benefits newsletter.
To succeed in the corporate world, technical types have to learn to live with — even serve — nontechies. This article gives tips to help you get along with — and maybe even learn to like — people, whether the same as us or different.
Your boss's desk stands awash in paper and her bookcase is bursting, but she may not even realize that the clutter is distracting her. Help a messy boss declutter her office—and boost your productivity—with these simple tools.
Thanks to flashy tools, you can compose and distribute business slide shows online in novel ways. You may have heard about Google’s web-based presentation tool, where several collaborators can work on a slide deck simultaneously in real time. Here are other ways to give your bullet points added impact.
Here's a New Year’s resolution that's productive and easy to keep: Once and for all, take control of your e-mail! These five tips will help you stay organized, free up time and server space—and keep you from committing career suicide.
What are the best online tools to help you get things done smarter and faster? Gina Trapani, lead blogger for Lifehacker.com and author of Upgrade Your Life, is an expert at helping people master modern technology. Here’s how everyday Joes and Janes can be like master geeks, she says.
Like a mother who has just given birth, the parent who adopts a child needs time to bond and adjust to a household that’s been turned upside down by the arrival of a new family member. According to Hewitt Associates, that’s the consensus of the approximately 45% of U.S. companies that offer money or paid time off to adoptive parents. Here are six ways to make the most of an adoption benefit for your employees ...
The proper tracking of any businesses finances is critical. Without a
good system in place, a firm can miss billable hours, misdirect fees or
unnecessarily perpetuate a frustrating and time-consuming daily
experience. Fortunately, quality accounting software programs exist to specifically
assist small to mid-sized businesses in day-to-day accounting matters.
Small business owners can quickly become buried under paperwork and “to-do” lists if they’re not organized. Technology can help … if you know how to use it.
Online advertising is no longer a sideshow of the marketing
industry. Brands rise and fall on marketers’ ability to manage the
virtual space. One of the more promising Internet advertising techniques
is the microsite, a variation on a traditional Web site. While the
mission of a Web site is to provide a wide range of information and
services, a microsite has a more focused mission.
To do your job well, you probably need to remember a gazillion things —and the same goes for the others on your team. Wouldn’t you love to share all that knowledge and expertise? One idea: an e-mail newsletter just for your admin team.
The latest buzzword in expense-minded corporate boardrooms is "off-shoring." It is quickly replacing "outsourcing" as the way to cut fat out of the budget.
What are the best online tools to help you get things done smarter and faster? Gina Trapani, lead blogger for Lifehacker.com and author of Upgrade Your Life, is an expert at helping people master modern technology. Here’s how everyday Joes and Janes can be like master geeks, she says ...
Say your CEO tasks you with cutting HR department costs. You know technology can help slay that cost dragon, but you have no idea where to start. Instead of combing through hundreds of vendor web sites, use these nonbiased resources to search for the right HR tech products.
Do you have employees who live and work in another state, but whose jobs sometimes bring them to California? Then you may be making a big overtime mistake if you pay them as if they were working in their home states.
Who says you can't get something for nothing? With free online software
Zoho, you can collaborate with others online whether
they’re in the same office or across the nation.
Team building is a core value at DAXKO in Birmingham, Ala., where each employee gets $50 per quarter to participate in a group activity with co-workers. Teams have gone white-water rafting, wine tasting or horseback riding ...
Haven't figured out yet what all the Web 2.0 tools can do for you? Here are two tools that, when used together, can direct you to better information—not just more information—on the web.
If editors want their content to be found and read
online, they must learn to partner with Google. That means being aware
of the words people type in when searching for content or producing
content geared specifically to those search terms. It’s not easy, but
it is necessary for online success. Here is an eight-point checklist to
consider when writing content:
More than half (56%) of corporate IT employees report that, in a typical month, they have to troubleshoot an employee’s food-related computer mishap, according to a Sunrise Software survey ...
As baby boomers prepare to retire, offices are left to figure out: “How do we make sure all their know-how and institutional memory are left behind?” Here are a few tips for capturing admin knowledge before it walks out the door, and making sure it sticks with younger generations ...
The average worker spends about two hours every day dealing with unnecessary interruptions, which cost businesses $590 billion a year in lost productivity. HR professionals can help solve this problem. In fact, it could be the latest work/life benefit: time to pay attention.
The economic stimulus law creates a tax incentive to buy business equipment this year. Under the new law, your business can claim “bonus depreciation” for qualified new (not used) business assets placed in service before 2009. But you may not derive any tax benefit from year-end purchases if you expect a loss this year ...
As an HR pro, you may have had to guide managers through tough decisions about which functions, jobs and people must be preserved as your organization digs in to survive tough economic times. Don’t neglect your own department!
"I’m looking for a cost-effective Human Resource Information System (HRIS). I’m looking for software that does applicant tracking, performance review management, education & pay increase tracking, etc. Any suggestions?"—Hilda, Florida
Raise your skepticism a few notches. Résumé fudging is on the rise again.The percentage of applicants who falsify their educational credentials and job experience typically goes up when the economy heads south. Here are six ways to root out résumé fraud.
Exercise extreme caution when terminating employees with knowledge of your IT systems. More than eight in 10 IT security professionals admitted that, if laid off tomorrow, they’d take valuable and sensitive company information with them, according to a new Cyber-Ark Software survey.
Do you have employees who live and work in your home state, but whose jobs sometimes take them to California? Then you may be making a big overtime mistake if you pay them as as usual. A federal court has just issued a key ruling on California's generous OT law.
Seating arrangements become the top priority when planning a successful off-site meeting. Here’s how to set up the room—no matter what the meeting’s size—to make sure attendees can see, hear and be heard.
"My company has 200 employees. I want to replace our manual time clocks and punch cards with a computerized system. I have been looking for a vendor or a software package that can do that. Does anyone have any suggestions on who or what to choose? How much should I plan on spending? Is it difficult to get such a system up and running?"—Clyde W.
A down economy leaves no room for wasted expenses and diverse
organizational efforts. To survive — and even thrive — all your energy
must be applied to those few activities that matter most. So says Bill Birnbaum, a veteran strategic communications consultant and author of Strategic Thinking: A Four Piece Puzzle.
To
break through in a media-cluttered world, your strategic communications
must be sharp and persuasive, not wordy, confusing, or misdirected.
Here are five surefire ways to improve the effectiveness of your
copywriting in print and online.
Catching undeliverable direct mail
before it leaves your door is one of the easiest and most effective
ways to save on postage and production costs and also help reduce the
negative impact on the environment. As you coordinate your next direct
mail marketing effort, consider these three simple address management
steps, courtesy of Greg Brown, marketing director at Melissa Data.
On-site scuba lessons, desks on wheels, employee shopping sprees and unlimited time off are just a few of the ways innovative employers recruit, reward, retain and refresh workers. See if any of these best practices—some simple, some extravagant—inspire you to take a fresh look at your company’s perks.
Mobile commerce, once a faint buzz among cell phone users, is making
serious noise. Rueben Braham, associate vice
president of marketing and business development at Comverse, a software provider in Wakefield,
Mass., offers his thoughts on the burgeoning mobile channel.
Seth Godin, author of several best-selling business
books and an advocate for permission-based marketing, says, “In a world where consumers can do whatever they want, you need
to say, ‘I value your attention. I want to borrow your attention and
amaze you enough that you will let me borrow your attention the next
time too.’” Consider
these tips:
More than 60% of all job seekers rely on web sites to learn about employment opportunities. Yet the career pages on too many employers’ sites remain hard to use, uninformative and so frustrating that many potential applicants simply give up and go looking elsewhere. If only there were some good examples of how to do career sites right! Good news: Here are links to the nation's 25 best.
Although the concept of search engine optimization can be somewhat complex, there are a number of basic
techniques you can use to improve your organic search results. Keep the
following in mind when trying to achieve top rankings for your Web site
as part of a niche marketing plan.
For the boss whose drawers and briefcase are whitened with business cards and receipts, it might be time for this tech solution: Neat Receipts (www.neatreceipts.com).
Catching undeliverable direct mail before it leaves your door is one
of the easiest and most effective ways to save on postage and
production costs and also help reduce the impact on the environment.
Before your next mailing, follow these three simple address management
steps, courtesy of Greg Brown, marketing director at Melissa Data:
There’s no such thing as a completely objective performance evaluation. It’s impossible to totally eliminate manager subjectivity. That can become a legal problem when, for example, a poorly rated employee is promoted over a minority. Increased subjectivity is one of the main reasons employers should consider turning to performance evaluation software ...
I thought we’d all learned our lessons from misguided politicians
and CEOs to quit exchanging e-mails that are loaded with evidence of
discrimination. Apparently for some, the lesson isn’t over until it’s
learned the hard way …
A new Kelton Research survey shows that people worldwide depend heavily on their to-do lists. That’s especially true in the United States, where 76% of people keep at least one to-do list running ...
A simple Google search for “HR software” will return a mind-numbing half million results. Some systems live up to the hype, and some don’t. To select the right vendor and software for your organization, arm yourself with these nine questions to narrow your search ...
Your boss knows that you’re the grease that keeps everything running.
But how can you gain the attention of your boss’s boss and other
higher-up execs?
Many managers can muster up praise for their workers only during annual reviews ... if at all. That's why you need to teach supervisors how to give employee recognition and give them the tools to make it easier. Here are the six steps ...
Thanks to flashy new tools, you can compose and distribute business slide shows online in novel ways. You may have heard about Google’s new web-based presentation tool. Here are other ways to give your bullet-point training more impact ...
Lisa carries herself like a true professional, unless she’s in the
presence of the new VP. She can hardly squeeze out a sentence before he
dashes away.
Forgetting a good friend’s name or losing your glasses is one thing at
age 25. But when it happens at age 50, many people begin to worry about
their mental decline. Research has shown that the brain’s plasticity allows it to be exercised back into shape (to a certain extent).
The Container Store has an entirely paperless payroll department. The transition to a paperless system began five years ago when the Texas-based company adopted new payroll software that allows employees to change their information online ...
Even if your HR department has only two or three employees, it can still incorporate some of the best approaches to HR management used in the country’s top HR departments. “You don’t have to be well-funded to focus on what’s good for your employees or the right thing for your business,” says Charles Tharp, co-director of the HR management department at Rutgers University ...
Invoice management and chasing down late payers is a time-consuming and
frustrating aspect of running a small or medium-size business. A team of collection agency professionals has designed a new billing and debt collection software application that aims to solve this headache ...
Choosing a new accounting software package for your business is not a decision to take
lightly. Here are the steps to take in your decision-making process—and how to involve your accountant ...
The boss commends a co-worker for coming up with a brilliant way to do something. Trouble is, it’s your idea, the one you told your co-worker weeks ago.
Whether or not you’re actively job hunting, it pays to ratchet up your professional image outside your office. (After all, you never know who might google your name.) For that, the e-portfolio can be your most powerful tool ...
Question: “What user-friendly database software can connect to Quicken Books? The nonprofit I currently support has MS Access, but I don't know if that's the answer. Is there a program that’s more user-friendly?” — Anonymous
Employees who allege EPA violations must show that they receive lower pay than a comparable employee of the opposite sex. That comparable employee must perform substantially equal work in the same establishment as the employee charging discrimination. Under those terms, employees who switch workloads as needed and share supervision are probably comparable employees ...
Question: “I have been tasked with finding scheduling software for our company. Sounds easy but I need software that will allow us to schedule different people, in different countries, on different schedules. We need to schedule it so we know who can work in what country and what skill sets they have .The shifts are 12 – 21 days (varies by country) and we’d like to prepare reports so that we know who has worked where and for how long and, how much time off they have had (to meet individual country requirements). In my dream world, it would also alert us when we have double scheduled or when we have a mismatched pair or have missed a scheduling slot. Since this isn’t your normal work week scheduling I haven’t found a software package that will allow us to track everything we need. Has anyone found a software package that might work for us?” — Pam Cashwell
Perhaps because controlling Internet access to pornographic images isn’t technically difficult, and because word tends to get around pretty quickly if a co-worker is showing porn to co-workers, courts now are clamping down more on employers that don’t do enough to make sure the workplace is not a sexual cesspool ...
Question: “What is the best career path that an administrative assistant can take
in the admin or facilities field, and what would the duties be?” —
Sreekumari K
Perhaps because controlling Internet access to pornographic images isn’t technically difficult, and because word tends to get around pretty quickly if a co-worker is showing porn to co-workers, courts now are clamping down more on employers that don’t do enough to make sure the workplace is not a sexual cesspool ...
The ADA requires employers to reasonably accommodate disabled applicants and employees within a tight set of parameters. But an employer only has to offer reasonable accommodations that allow a disabled employee to perform the essential functions of a job. Employers don’t have to create new jobs or restructure jobs to such an extent that essential functions are dropped ...
Q. We maintain employee personnel information in an HR software program. We have discovered that a former employee hacked into the database and copied 100 employees’ first and last names, addresses, Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers. Do we have to notify the employees? Some of them live and work in Ohio ...
Two employees at North Carolina Central University and one at North Carolina State University have been fired for downloading pornography. The workers also downloaded movies, music, games and software. One of the workers allowed a friend to use his university-owned computer to download music ...
You expect colleges and universities to prepare your youngest workers for their new jobs. But are you prepared for them? Twentysomething employees expect the workplace to greet them with technology that is no less cutting edge than the tools they use in their personal lives and on campus. Here are seven ways to use technology to retain Gen Y’ers ...
Plaintiffs’ lawyers are using a new tactic to search for incriminating e-mail messages in corporate e-mail archives—software that seeks out “worry words” in e-mails that could show your company was aware of potential liability earlier than it admits ...
Question: “One of our employees persists in e-mailing what I consider offensive
jokes and chain letters to staff members. These often contain racial
slurs and comments that are intolerant of immigrants and practitioners
of some religions. Her boss counseled her not to spread these
viewpoints on the job, so she has taken to sending them after hours,
from her home computer. I’m not sure we have (or even want) a legal leg
to stand on here, but I want to put a stop to this. Any suggestions?” — A.M., Florida
Donna Gamble, of Marietta, a former Georgia Tech employee assigned to the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, pleaded guilty to charging $316,000 of personal items on her Georgia Tech credit card ...
Eric Perteet, of Conyers, was living a lie, and now he’s been arrested on charges of fraud, after allegedly pretending to be an emergency room doctor at Piedmont Hospital for two months ...
Question: "We’re in the process of looking for human resource information systems
(HRIS) software. We need to track training, salary increases, EEOC data
and performance evaluations among other things. Any suggestions on what
to look for? What type of HRIS software do you use? Would you recommend
it? What about cost? Is off-the-shelf software adequate, or is it
better to have it customized?"—Hilda, Florida
Before making a final decision on a reorganization or series of RIF terminations, take a close look at any characteristics the employees losing their jobs might share. A set of terminations that affects only members of a protected class is sure to attract attention ...
When deciding on whether an employee is exempt or hourly, be prepared to justify why you classified an employee into the category you did. If you have any doubts about classification, seek out professional help. Getting it wrong can get very expensive, especially if you have incorrectly classified an entire group, and a court allows a class- or collective-action claim ...
Question: “We are trying to put together a handbook for our administrative
assistant staff. From your experience, what should we include in it?” —
Cindy Miltgen
Hanjuan Jin, a former software engineer for a suburban Chicago telecommunications firm identified as “Company A” for security reasons, has been indicted on charges of stealing business trade secrets and attempting to take them to China ...
Q. We employ computer programmers who write sophisticated custom software programs for clients. We bill their services by the hour and pay them by the hour, based on their experience and the work involved. The hourly rates we pay range from $30 to $80 per hour. Sometimes, there is a rush on a project and the programmers have to work overtime. Do we have to pay time and a half the hourly rate if the programmers work over 40 hours per week? ....
A traveling mammogram van visits software maker Intuit’s Tucson, Ariz., campus once a year, while a mobile dental office stops at the company’s Mountain View, Calif., campus every week. Each of the company’s major campuses features different perks, depending on “what’s the most meaningful for that particular population,” says Jim Grenier ...
Employment decisions don’t have to be perfect—they just have to be based on good faith. That’s good news because it’s a fact that supervisors and managers will make mistakes. What that means: Just because an employee can prove management did something wrong doesn’t guarantee she will win a lawsuit ...
Question: “I admit to being a nit-picker when it comes to grammar, punctuation
and spelling. I also know from personal experience that it’s not easy
to accurately proofread my own work products because my mind reads what
I intended to write rather than what I actually wrote. I’m a little
concerned that, from what I read in the responses to this Forum, either
we’re not proofing our work prior to hitting the “send” button, or as a
community we don’t have a very good handle on our grammar, punctuation
and spelling. We are usually the ones responsible for proofing the
work of others, so I’d like to know – are we just not worrying about
traditional standards these days? If you do try and maintain high
standards, what tricks do you use to proof your own work before it goes
out? (I read the work product out loud, which forces me to see what is
really written.)” — Kathy
Question: “I would like to explore the possibility of working as a virtual
assistant on a part- time basis. Has anyone had experience with this
type of work? What resources (skills and/or equipment) will I need?” —
Anonymous
It may not be a knife or a gun, but a computer is often a choice weapon when an employee decides to commit a crime. Employers that do not have—or consistently enforce—a computer-use policy may face unintended liability ...
Q. Our IT manager wants to install software onto our company computer system that will allow us to monitor Internet and e-mail usage on company equipment. Our employee handbook prohibits the use of company equipment or the Internet to surf inappropriate web sites, but does not specifically warn staff that management may monitor their use. Do we need to amend our computer-use policy before installing the monitoring software? ...
Question: “I was offered a promotion seven months ago to a newly created position
with new responsibilities and a salary increase. Originally, five
people did the job, and now it is just me. One area is very fast-paced
and involves registering patients and answering a constantly ringing
telephone with people wanting appointments. The second area involves
faxing patient documents. The third area involves detailed billing
responsibilities. I can accomplish all three roles, but I’m not doing
it efficiently. I recently received a good evaluation and another
salary increase.
I feel overwhelmed and that I am never completely
done. I have spoken to my supervisor about the magnitude of the job.
The response was ‘I understand and I will see what I can do.’ How
should I handle this? Should I move on? Am I not giving myself enough
time?”— LEW in crisis
Question: “I’m a long-time admin, and I need to update myself on correct business
and correspondence practices. I also need to train our receptionist to
use Word and how to do admin-type work. What business reference and
training material would you recommend?” — Linda Smith
Can a boss hire or promote people simply because he has a religious
obligation to “help his own?” Can managers incorporate their religious
beliefs when making employment decisions?
California workers who earn the minimum wage will see their pay increase to $8 per hour starting Jan. 1, 2008. California and Massachusetts have the nation’s highest state minimum wages ...
Question: “We’re updating our employee handbook. Does anyone have advice on
setting a policy regulating employees’ personal use of our electronic
equipment and resources, such as PCs and the Internet?”—David, NY
(Feel free to post policy language if it’s relatively brief. Web
links to your handbook are welcome too—if your own policies permit it.)
Your organization could be missing out on some top talent if you shrug off the new high-tech applications and résumé tools that could someday make paper résumés obsolete. Here are some of the more popular high-tech methods that candidates (especially young ones) are using to market themselves, plus some of the advantages and disadvantages of welcoming them ...
Question: “How can I get a promotion if I am an administrative assistant and work
in manufacturing? I have been at the same position 15 years. Could I
propose a new one? What do you suggest?” — Rose Gonzalez
Starting salaries for administrative positions will inch up slightly in
2008, led by starting salaries for senior executive assistants, human
resources assistants and “presentation specialists.”
Question: “I am looking for easy to use software for maintaining address lists
for a church office. Ideally, it would differentiate members and
"friends," list names, phone numbers, birth and anniversary dates.
What do you use? How easy is it? And most important, how much does it
cost?” — Anonymous
Complaints from employees, customers and competitors are nothing new in the business world. Until recently, if complaints crossed the line from mere opinions to false statements—that is, downright lies—companies could threaten a defamation lawsuit. Often, the mere threat of litigation will cause a disgruntled critic to back off. Today, however, companies face a more insidious and growing problem: Internet libel, commonly known as “cyber-slander.”
The federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) requires employers to reinstate employees who take military-related leave. It also prohibits job discrimination against military or ex-military personnel. But a lesser-known USERRA provision deals with how employers must handle soldiers who return from active duty with injuries or other disabilities. USERRA is similar to the ADA ...
Corporate HR offices across the country began receiving e-mails last month that appeared to be from the EEOC but were actually bogus—and potentially dangerous ...
Florida’s minimum wage rises to $6.79 per hour on Jan. 1, 2008. Florida law requires the Agency for Workforce Innovation to adjust the minimum wage annually to reflect changes in the U.S. Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers in the South. The index rose 1.85% in the year ending Sept. 1, 2007 ...
Although your business doesn’t have quite the same flexibility at year-end as individual filers, you still can reduce your 2007 tax bill. Here are eight top techniques usually available to small business owners.
Issue: Employees too often see their base salary as their bottom-line compensation. Risk: Without a clear view of their total compensation package, employees become disillusioned and seek greener ...
Q. Our company recently offered a job to a highly skilled software designer. Upon offering the worker a position, she informed us that she had accepted a similar position with one of our competitors. However, she told us that she would rather take our offer. What should we do? ...
Yung-Hsun “Andy” Lin, a former systems administrator at Medco Health Solutions, pleaded guilty to planting a “logic bomb” on the company’s computer network because he suspected he was about to be laid off. The malicious software, a string of coding that would have wreaked havoc on the company’s systems, was set to detonate on Lin’s birthday ...
The Family and Medical Leave Act entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for their own “serious health condition,” care of a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition, or for childbirth or adoption.The U.S. Labor Department recently collected 15,000 public comments about the pros and cons of the law. The department may use those comments to help develop regulations that clarify the confusing parts of the law, but no regulations are imminent ...
Question: I’m searching for either a software program or service that will allow
our company to send and receive faxes through e-mail, using our current
fax number. We are a small office (8 people), but occasionally we need
to send and receive large faxes and our fax machine frequently has
line-quality problems. Does anyone have any recommendations? What are
some factors to consider? — Atlanta
Bonus-depreciation deductions are a thing of the past. But that doesn’t mean you can’t pump up deductions for business assets this year. Take advantage of enhanced Section 179 provisions.
Question: “This question is about the Stationery feature for e-mails in Windows.
In Windows XP, Outlook Express, I was able to set up many stationery
options. But I now have Windows Vista, Windows Mail, and I have been
unable to set up the stationery feature for my e-mails. Does anyone
know how to do this successfully?” -- Robbie
The U.S. Labor Department has ordered Technologies500, of Iselin, to pay $537,189 in back wages to 36 computer programmers it hired under the H-1B visa program. The software company, also known as Cybersoftec.com, failed to pay the workers prevailing wages from January 2004 to November 2005. The department also levied fines of $162,750 ...
Question: "I keep a 'master calendar' for my boss that I want to be shared with
her at all times. We currently use Microsoft Explorer to do this. Does
anyone have any suggestion for software that would allow this?" --
Susan Marvin
CA Inc., a software company in Islandia, has filed a $200 million lawsuit against rival Rocket Software of Newton, MA, alleging Rocket stole computer source codes and other trade secrets from CA and used the information to develop almost identical products ...
It’s a perennial HR challenge: Determining whether an employee is exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. We make the job easier with HR Specialist's free checklist, as well as a free white paper detailing how to comply with the law.
When publisher Ziff Davis encouraged its employees to communicate about
shared projects on internal blogs rather than e-mail, the results were
astonishing.
If you're lucky enough to spend a few days at a convention, networking,
learning and developing new skills, make sure you squeeze the most out
of the experience.
The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) protects many independent contractors. The court said the law covers “any individual who performs services for and under the direction of an employer for wages or other remuneration” ...
Question: We have 100 employees who switch workdays, take vacation leave,
training, etc., and we’re having a hard time tracking them. Currently,
we use a sign in sheet to update the record. We’d like to track
employee leave via the computer and have everyone access it from his or
her workstation. Can anyone suggest a good software program? — Jennifer
Sparrow
Question: With the new fiscal year right around the corner, I need suggestions
for three goals that I can accomplish in the coming year. I have
already cleaned and updated my filing system; held quarterly
secretarial meetings, brought in outside speakers; held travel training
sessions; and arranged for field trips. I'm looking for new ideas that
I can turn into goals for the coming year. - Anonymous
Demand for Michigan information technology analysts and engineers will grow faster than any other career for the next five years, according to statistics compiled by the Michigan Works! Association. Here are the state’s 25 hottest jobs, along with projected demand growth rates ...
Question: I have been tasked with project coordination for my boss’s home
renovation, which is quite extensive. I am looking for a user-friendly
project-software program. Has anyone used a project-software program
that you can recommend? - Karen Kosmoski
Question: Our small law firm has several administrative staff members nearing the
top of the pay scale (both in our organization and for similar jobs in
our region). We're not in a position to raise their salaries
indefinitely, but we need to keep them energized and excited. Any
suggestions? - Barbara DeClemente
The bad news: You don't earn as much as your male counterparts. And no one wants to hear you ask for a raise. The good news: You can reinforce "Brand You" by writing a personal annual report. Here's a six-question template ...
Question: A
co-worker and I are using Print Shop Deluxe to create a newsletter. But
we’re having difficulties saving it in the format the printer needs.
The printer requests a minimum 300 dpi. Print Shop properties show 600
dpi, but when the print shop receives it, it shows up at 96 dpi. The
printer also requests the file as .pdf .eps or .tif. I can’t seem to
find those options.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Are other programs more compatible when using outside printers, such
as Quark, Adobe, etc.? And do they have the capability to print
newsletters? - Tanya in Denver
The new federal minimum wage of $5.85 per hour means you need to put up new posters – even if your state's minimum wage is higher. We're making it easy to comply. You can download and print official U.S. Labor Department posters – for FREE – directly from the HR Specialist web site.
Under California law, employees are entitled to overtime payments unless the law exempts them from protection. But It’s up to employers to justify each exemption they claim ...
When the U.S. Senate failed to pass comprehensive immigration-reform legislation last month, the problem didn’t go away. Now states are stepping in to craft local solutions to problems related to undocumented immigrants. Employers are likely to bear the enforcement burden.
The first phase of the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act came online July 1, when public employers and government contractors with 500 or more employees were required to begin conducting work-eligibility checks on their employees ...
Sure, it’s risky to hire defiant outsiders and give them the authority
to challenge the “trolls,” “traditionalists” or “sacred cow protectors”
sustaining your ingrained practices. But weigh that risk against the
possibility of slowly losing your edge, your revenues, your power and
your organization.
If you process customers’ credit cards, beware: A slew of recent lawsuits have hit retailers and restaurants charging noncompliance with a federal law that requires businesses to print only a truncated (partial) credit-card number on receipts.
Because of a quirk in the way the Equal Pay Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act have been amended over the years, female workers classified as exempt computer professionals under the FLSA can’t sue their employers for EPA violations ...
Question: I am looking at setting up a record-retention policy, and I’m wondering
how many companies have one in place. Also, do you know a good,
reliable source where I could find such a policy? I did some research
and found different retention years for the same document. We are
private non-profit agency located in Minnesota. - Jasmine
HR can waste lots of time and energy hounding supervisors to complete their performance reviews. Choose the best mix of incentives and penalties to inspire managers to do reviews right and on time ...
Should your organization buy a computer, pay for Internet access and maintain the equipment that your teleworkers use in their home offices? The federal government recently authorized its agencies do all of that for their teleworkers. And that may be the smart play for your organization, too ...
More than half (52 percent) of 1,000 college students surveyed said they believe it's OK, even in the workplace, to download or swap illegal software or files, according to a Business Software Alliance report ...
Each year, several respected organizations rate the top HR technology, software and Web-based products. But it's difficult to know which products are best because no two rating systems are the same, and they're often contradictory ...
Two-thirds of people responding to a Vault.com survey said they've taken office supplies from work, and a majority said they don't consider it stealing ...
Web-based surveys let you collect employee feedback on everything from benefits to where to hold the holiday party. Online surveys are cheaper and easy to administer. Here are some of the best online survey sites ...
Three quarters of employers responding to a new American Management Association survey said they monitor how employees spend their time online at work ...
The immigration reforms being debated in the U.S. Senate could burden employers and HR professionals with an unwieldy and complex worker-verification system, say HR advocacy groups. Here are their specific concerns, plus how the legislation could affect you ...
When it comes to evidence presented to win or defend against civil lawsuits, employers no longer can play a game of hide-and-seek. The new game in town is 1-2-3 Show M’e-discovery ...
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) recently announced that the agency has recovered nearly $1.8 million in unpaid unemployment insurance taxes from employers ...
Question: I need to update all our procedures
and policies in a consistent format that the entire department can
access with read-only capabilities.
I need a program that people
can search by one word or the complete title. What works the best,
Excel or Access? Are there other programs that work better? We are a
large company and a large department. -- JG
Ouch for Employers! The Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission’s Chair Naomi Earp has just said that EEOC attorneys now work as if they are
part of a national law firm. Instead of simply handling a complaint
in the geographic region it was filed in, this new model allows EEOC
attorneys to strategically scrutinize the employment practices of big
companies with multiple sites nationwide and to effectively select the
best venue to litigate in.
Question: I want
to learn more about contract management processes, from the perspective
of maintaining files and records. Can someone direct me to a Web site,
a book or an online course that would help? -- Marie
HR Law 101: Under the ADA, a "reasonable accommodation" enables a qualified individual with a disability to perform the job's essential functions. But an accommodation is considered unreasonable when it causes the employer an undue hardship ...
Question: I have a boss who is very “hands on.” As a result, I lack the skills necessary
for advancement. Can someone tell me a quick and easy way to become a
PowerPoint expert? Is there a Web site that I can use for tutoring? -- Anonymous
HR Law 101: The EEOC has taken a proactive approach to enforcing the ADA's protections for disabled workers. In addition to issuing enforcement guidelines, the agency has settled many cases for substantial sums.
HR Law 101: 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 ...
HR Law 101: There are two important reasons you need to protect your company’s trade secrets: (1) You make it less likely that confidential information will be misappropriated. (2) It will be easier for you to seek relief in court if your secrets are stolen ...
Q. We terminated an employee after we caught him downloading software and movies onto his own CDs and DVDs. After he left, we found discs that contained copied movies in his desk. Now he's asking for his belongings back. Are we required to return the discs? —D.V.
Q. About a year ago, our company replaced manual time clocks and punch cards with a computerized system, so each employee would punch in and out on the computer. The information is downloaded directly to the payroll department. Despite numerous reminders, from stickers to manager meetings, we still have a chronic problem of employees failing to clock in or out of work. Any suggestions? —M.M., Minnesota
Q. Some of our employees have been getting a lot of spam e-mail that advertises porn sites. I'm concerned that an employee will consider this junk as creating a hostile work environment. What can we do to protect ourselves? —M.C., Minnesota
This coming holiday season, the state of Florida has a gift planned for workers. Effective Jan. 1, 2007, the Florida minimum wage is set to increase in accordance with the state constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2004 ...
Don't write off employee training just because your training budget is somewhere between slim and none. You might think affordable (or free) training is hard to come by, but that's not true, says Linda Newell, director of learning and development for Policy Studies Inc. ...
While the Fair Labor Standards Act says certain computer professionals are exempt employees, be ultra-cautious about applying this exemption.Courts are littered with cases of employers being punished for wrongly applying exempt status to lower-level IT workers, such as help-desk staff (aka “IT support specialists”) ...
Some of your organization’s employees may be eligible for a larger tax refund without knowing it. You can do them a huge favor (and earn some good will) by introducing them to those tax savings ...
The community relations department at Texas-based National Instruments organizes volunteer opportunities for the company’s 2,200 U.S. employees and has 40 staffers engaging workers in volunteer efforts. But that’s just the beginning. ...
The U.S. Labor Department revamped the FLSA regulations in 2004 to help employers and employees understand the rules better. But, so far, the HR world has only seen more overtime lawsuits, not less ...
Courts have consistently ruled that deaf employees are entitled to sign language interpreters during training sessions.... They may also need specialized equipment or software to perform their jobs. But do you need to provide an interpreter or specialized equipment during a disciplinary meeting? ...
When employees use their work computers for inappropriate purposes, such as scouring the Internet for pornography, interacting with minors for sexual purposes or transmitting pornographic images, they violate the law and put their employers at risk ...
Both federal and New Jersey state statutes hold perpetrators criminally liable for the possession or viewing of child pornography. But a recent New Jersey Appellate Division decision opens the door for employers to be held civilly liable for failing to prevent these acts ...
If you’ve been filing paper tax returns for years or you simply let your accountant handle the whole thing, preparing and filing your return online this year may intrigue you. Should you do it?
Question: I am the HR manager for a company that
had 35 employees. Recently, our company merged with a sister company,
and now we have 85 employees. We feel it’s time to get some HR
software, but we don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on it. Can
anyone recommend a good, economical software package that tracks
attendance, PTO, raises, benefits, appraisals, discipline measures, etc? -- Ann
HR Law 101: When a new hire comes on board, you must determine whether to classify him or her as exempt or nonexempt under the FLSA. The key consideration: Exempt workers aren’t eligible for overtime pay. Rather, they’re paid for the job they do, not the hours they keep ...
HR Law 101: To be considered exempt from overtime, an employee must generally be paid on a salary basis and his or her job duties must meet the Labor Department’s standards for one of the six exemption categories. Use this self-audit to test whether you’re properly classifying your workers as exempt under the FLSA ...
HR Law 101: Your contract with an independent contractor establishes payment rates and methods, the nature of the work to be completed, the deadline for completing the job and performance standards. No matter how casual the relationship or how well you know the contractor, you should always have a signed contract describing the work to be done ...
Question: My boss has
several direct reports that he meets with individually each month.
After each meeting, my boss gives
me his notes and I use them to assign tasks. We are looking for some
software or a system to track when the tasks are assigned and a
reminder when the deadlines have occurred.
We are aware of the “Tasks” feature in Outlook but we don’t
want to connect everyone’s Tasks to his Calendar. He uses that as his
“To Do” list as he tracks his own Tasks. I thought of an Access
database but I can’t get a deadline reminder to pop up. I don’t know
much about MS Project, but I thought that might be an option. I’d
appreciate your suggestions. -- Keisha
The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 extends
a wide variety of tax breaks for both individual and business
taxpayers. In some cases, the tax incentives have improved. Here’s a
quick rundown:
Question: My boss is the head of my company and a genius-engineer type. He must have his contacts in a book
rather than an electronic format. Currently, I use Outlook 2003 and have created
a contact binder with tabs for Home, Personal, Medical, Business, etc.
My boss wants several contacts from the same company to be seen under
one company view (one contact name under the other with phone numbers under the
master company header), instead of several separate views. He also would like to
see the database sorted in different ways, but he wants more configurable views
rather than the several choices of view from Outlook.
In relation to
this, I have several questions to other admins.
Would a skilled Outlook user be
able to change the contact format and contact views into a more easily read
format? If so, where could I get the training/knowledge (i.e., training CDs,
courseware or live training) to do this?
Does anyone know
of any other database program out there for personal contacts that is very
detailed, flexible and configurable? (We've already scrapped
Access.)
2007 is here! Not just the year, but also the software. “2007” is shorthand for 2007 Microsoft Office System, the latest update by Microsoft to its Office suite.
Question: I'm the
HR representative in a small financial-planning firm. We're looking for
a really good executive assistant to support our three principals, but
we're having trouble weeding out the candidates who sound good from the
ones who really are.
Has anyone used a type of skill test to give at an interview, or can you point me in the right direction?
We're not asking for anything more than a very good, competent,
organized person, and I know they're out there. Does anyone have any
advice for this situation? -- jodietz
If you want to win a negotiation, your threats to walk away have to be
credible; making empty threats will only turn your whole team into
losers. Here are five ways to reinforce your credibility while demanding more:
Question: I’m trying to buy a Microsoft Office 2003 exam-preparation CD bundle with
all Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) simulation questions/answers for
Microsoft Certification.
I’ve done a little research and found a few companies that advertise
themselves to be the best in passing the exams, etc. The ones I found
are: Transcender exam practice, Measure Up, Go Certify and Self Test
Software, by Kaplan.
Before I invest, I'd like to ask:
1. Has any one of you used any of these products and, if yes, which one would you recommend and why?
2. How much did you pay for the bundle CD for Office 2003? How many CDs did you get in the pack, and where did you buy it from?
3. Does anyone know of any Web sites that discount any of these products?
4. Can anyone recommend where to buy the exam vouchers? Or do any
Web sites offer discounted or free vouchers with product purchase?
5. Do any government Web sites in Texas offer any prep materials/resources for this kind of certification?
Thank you in advance for your valued information. -- L. Smart, Dallas, Texas
Question: I just was given the job of scheduling parent/teacher conferences and I am
looking at streamlining the process for next year. Currently, the job
is done manually and is very cumbersome. It also has the potential for
errors, as the same information is entered into several different
documents.
I've looked on the Internet and found a number of software companies
that offer parent/teacher conference software. I've noticed that some
software allows the parents to schedule their own meetings on the
Internet. At this time, this portion of software would not be an option
for us to use.
My question is: Does anyone have any suggestions/experience with this type of software?
Thank you in advance for any feedback. -- Cindy, British Columbia
Question: I have worked for my employer -- a large company with more than 1,400
employees -- for eight years now. When I started working here, the
amount of contracts we processed yearly was manageable. More recently,
the number of contracts processed annually has tripled, and keeping
track of them has become a task that isn't really assigned to one
person.
Getting a contract through the process and returned signed and
completed takes constant reminders to the individual responsible for
that particular contract. On average, we have to send four reminders to
an individual for each contract to be reviewed or completed.
The executive assistant to the CEO has been undertaking much of the
responsibility, and I have been pitching in when I have spare time,
which is hardly ever.
Does anyone have an easy process to track contracts when routing for
various signatures or reminding different managers/directors/VPs when a
contract is due for renewal or review and then following up with them
to make sure it was completed? Do you have one person who over sees
this task? What is his or her title? Does he or she have any other job
duties? -- Lindsay Anderson
Question: I
started at my company as a receptionist and was happy for a year. Then,
the VP turned the position into financial assistant. I HATE financials
and am not qualified nor good at them, so I tried to come up with
solutions but was told that, if I wouldn’t do financials, I could
leave.
After a year-long hiatus (during which I found out the VP had been
fired!), the CEO of the company asked me back to become his executive
assistant. This was a huge jump for me ... and him, as well, as he has
never had an assistant and I have never been one. Nor do I have a
bachelor’s degree!
I know that this is a fabulous opportunity, because I know what most
companies require of an executive assistant recruit and I don’t have
the years of experience and degrees.
The CEO is extremely happy with my work, and I love my job! "This doesn't sound like a problem!" you’re probably thinking.
Other than being here when the CEO is here to support him with those
"oh, by the way" moments, I could fit my work into 20 to 30 hours a
week! I’ve tried numerous times to take more responsibilities, ask for
more tasks, get him to hand stuff over. But he's so used to doing
everything on his own that he's consistently doing things that I later
find out about and remind him that I’m HERE FOR THAT! Yet, he continues
to do them.
He’s a great boss -- the best I’ve ever had -- but I feel frustrated
because I don’t know HOW to prove to him that I really AM here to do
EVERYTHING for him!
Right now, creating files, printing documents, arranging his
schedule and taking calls only when he's unavailable is not reaching my
potential nor challenging me! I don’t know what else to DO to get him
to realize that I want to free up his time by doing everything for him.
I can’t even get him coffee half the time, because he jumps up to do it
himself!
I want to be worth my weight and also want to prove that I'm worthy
of a raise (as I am in the lowest 10 percent pay scale because of my
lack of experience). But right now, I feel that my potential is being
stunted because I can’t get across to him that I really want to DO IT
ALL: I want to be a sort of cross between executive assistant and
personal assistant, freeing up his home time as well as his
professional time.
HELP!! Any suggestions, comments or recommendations are greatly
appreciated! So far, all the advice from peers in this field has been
to "Ask him, talk to him, tell him," which I've already done. It’s time
for me to do something MYSELF, but I don’t know what!
I’ve got a stack of 30 books on various subjects (Professional
Secretary, The New Executive Assistant, The Assertive Advantage, The
Valuable Office Professional, etc.) and have tried to do everything
under the sun that I can, and I ALWAYS end my e-mails with "Please let
me know where I can assist you," as well as checking with other
departments.
It’s all the same: They just don’t realize how MUCH they can delegate! Help! -- Liz
Question: I was promoted recently and am responsible for training my replacement, a
transfer from another department. I was the first person to fill this
position, so all of the processes are ones that I created. The
documents handled in this department are very sensitive and become
legal documents.
This person was hired without my input and while the supervisor of
the department was out of the country. We were informed rather than
asked about these changes by upper management.
My replacement has very little Word or PowerPoint experience, and
almost no Excel experience. The position prepares PowerPoint
presentations for the corporate officers and board of directors, as
well as for international branches of the company.
My frustration stems from the fact that she thinks she knows so much
more than she does and doesn’t ask questions; she assumes she knows
what she is doing. I have prepared instruction books and step-by-step
manuals for her to walk her through the processes, but she won’t use
them. I have asked her what I can do to help her; she acknowledges that
she isn’t using the tools she has. I have suggested that, in her slower
time, she play in her software programs and learn them. She has
label-making down pat, and her files are beautiful, but she still
doesn’t know how to work her scanner. (Yes, I have gone over it with
her ... more than once.)
She has been working in this department now for six weeks and is
still making the same mistakes she made the first week. Her supervisor
is out of town frequently, and it's up to me to "teach" her. I've been
keeping a log of things we go over each day and problems that arise and
have gone over this with her supervisor. He is currently back in town
for a while and wants to start throwing things at her to see how she
deals with it. He's still asking me to help him out.
I am very busy in my new department and really don’t have time to do
my job and hers. I'm getting to the point that I just want to watch her
sink on her own but still feel very responsible for the documents that
are being sent out. I don’t feel comfortable going to upper management,
since her supervisor is taking a wait-and-see attitude, but it’s
killing me to see what she's sending out.
Has anyone else dealt with a situation like this? Any advice at all would be appreciated! -- Pam from Oregon
Question: I use Excel to post and track updates on an action-item log that I maintain
for our weekly meetings. It has seven columns and is laid out in
landscape format. Lately, I've run into a problem with the text not
wrapping.
It starts out OK, but if the verbiage gets too long, it stops
wrapping inside the cell. It sometimes looks OK in the spreadsheet, but
cuts off the text on the right-hand side of the cell.
I tried expanding the cell horizontally -- and vertically -- but
nothing helps. It was suggested that I post the updated notes in the
row directly below, but if I do a filter on all closed action items,
the second cell directly below the original doesn't show up.
I'm considering posting my action-item log in another program, i.e.
Word, but I'm wondering if I should consider another software program.
Excel and Word are the only two software programs I have; anything else
would need to be purchased.
I need something that will allow me to add very lengthy verbiage in one cell and still print out, so all can be seen.
Question: I have had MS Access software training in the past but until now had no need
to create a database. Now, I need a quick refresher course on it.
I was sent an Access database already created with the information
that I need. All I need to do is remove the information that I don’t
need and put it into a format that is more conducive to my needs. And
of course, I have a very short period of time to do this.
Question: I have to create a single detailed schedule of several major projects to be
completed over the next several months. What's the best software to
use: Excel? Outlook? -- Novice in Virginia
Good news: The IRS has just expanded the activities qualifying for Section 199 “manufacturing” deductions and liberalized other provisions starting in the 2006 tax year.
The IRS has issued new guidelines clarifying what kind of commercial-building improvements qualify for tax incentives available through the recently enacted Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Good news: The IRS has just expanded the activities qualifying for Section 199 “manufacturing” deductions and liberalized other provisions starting in the 2006 tax year. The changes arrived in much-anticipated final IRS regulations released recently. (IRS Regulation-111578-06)
Question: I am attempting to get information as to how other organizations are
maintaining personnel files, medical files, workman's comp files,
training files, etc. All recommendations and current procedures your
company follows would be greatly appreciated. -- Jennifer
Question: I am in a position where my workload is very low. Sometimes, I have nothing to
do, except maybe a little photocopying or handling the mail.
Sometimes, I have to create work, if I can. But there is only so much work a person can create.
The classes that I took in the past (Excel, PowerPoint) go unused because I’m never asked to work in Excel or PowerPoint.
Because I have been in this department so long, I’m afraid to move
on because my skills have gone down and I’m a bit afraid that I may not
be able to handle the next job. Plus, some bosses don’t treat
assistants well. I would hate to lose my job altogether.
I need some encouragement or advice as to what I should do while I’m here in this position. I’m at a loss. Thank you. -- Anonymous
Question: I'm trying to find an essential tool I use every day and can't find it
anywhere, and am hoping my fellow admins might be able to help me.
I have accumulated well over 600 3" x 5" Rolodex cards over the
years. My problem is, I have room for only 500 on my open "flip"-style
Rolodex. I've had to start rubber-banding the extras together or they
all fall out whenever I need a phone number or address.
I would prefer a rotary metal Rolodex (the metal ones with a knob you twist around to the card you need).
The only 1,000-card Rolodexes I can find are:
1. A rotary one with MUCH smaller cards. (I'm not going to retype all 600 cards just so they fit on the new 2 1/4" x 4" cards!)
2. A 1,000-card "open file" holder like the one I have.
Does anyone know of a rotary-style Rolodex holder that holds 1000-plus 3" x 5" Rolodex cards?
Thanks, in advance, for your help. -- Busy Executive Assistant, Rochester, N.Y.
“Birdman” Tony Hawk became the best skateboarder in the world—with 70
first-place titles and credit for inventing 80 tricks—because he kept
setting higher goals.
Question: My boss, I believe, has a problem with ADHD. Sometimes, he bounces off the
walls and is very difficult to keep up with. I try to keep up with him, but
lately, I am exhausted by mid-afternoon. I am at the point that I am so
frustrated because I am running in circles most of the time.
My boss will tell me he needs to schedule a meeting or various meetings
throughout the day. Then, two minutes after we have met regarding his
files/meeting requests, etc., he asks me if I have set up the meeting regarding
a topic that he never asked me to schedule. So, I continually have to check and
re-check my notes for who the invitees are for meeting A or B; then, I have to
ask him if his question relates to scheduling meeting A or B. His normal reply:
"Oh, no. This is another meeting I am talking about."
Many times, he forgets to give me all of the details.
Are you aware of any books that would help administrative assistants who work
with bosses with ADHD? I would like to know how to set up boundaries with my
boss, who cannot seem to focus.
I have set up color-coded files; I print meetings from his calendar and
attach to the top of a folder for each and every meeting; I arrange files on his
credenza; I keep a large, orange "Please sign" file for signatures; and we meet
daily to plan meetings, plan projects and to follow up regarding unfinished
projects.
I need some help as to how I can become a more efficient assistant to my
boss. Any suggestions? -- Frustrated in Michigan
Sadly, the bonus depreciation rules have expired. That means you’re stuck with regular depreciation deductions under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS), which requires you to write off business equipment over several years. Don’t despair. You still have the Section 179 deduction privilege on your side. And, when used correctly, this not-so-secret tax weapon can help you rescue big current-year write-offs … at least for now.
Real leaders look outward to customers, even though it’s easier to focus on what’s happening in-house. Continuous improvement is difficult but not impossible. Here’s how:
When it comes to your Web site, the number of clicks doesn’t matter … it’s all about the sale. That’s why it’s important to maximize your site’s “conversion rate,” which is the number of Web site visitors who act on an offer (buy a product, etc.) divided by the number of total visitors who see the offer.
Ping Fu’s first 23 years were marked by imprisonment and torture in
China, first as a child and later for dutifully researching, as
assigned, the country’s epidemic of infanticide. Locked for days alone
in utter darkness, she hoped her execution would be quick. Instead, officials exiled her to America.
If you’ve been filing a paper tax return for years or you simply let your accountant handle the whole thing, you may be intrigued by the possibility of completing your entire tax return on your computer and then filing online. Should you do it?
In the waning days of last year, the president inked the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005. This new legislation, following close on the heels of the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act (KETRA), includes various tax measures benefiting victims of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
Each year, Congress and the IRS throw a few new ingredients into the tax-return stew. Here are some key tax-law changes that will affect your 2005 business returns.
Sadly, the bonus depreciation rules have expired. That means you’re stuck with regular depreciation deductions under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS), which requires you to write off business equipment over several years. Don’t despair.
If your small business operates more than one vehicle, chances are that you now (or will eventually) spend too much time managing the related maintenance and paperwork. An increasingly smart solution: Look into fleet-management services, which are no longer just for big businesses thanks to technology advances.
Question: Our office has a custom letterhead template with text boxes at the bottom
for each office location to insert its address, phone and fax numbers.
Each time we open this template, the cursor is automatically positioned
in this text box, no matter where the cursor was in the document the
last time the template was updated and saved. How do we force the
cursor to appear in the addressee line at the top of the template each
time it's opened? -- Ann in Wausau
Problem: Disaster-relief
agencies and the United Nations are flooded with donations to help the
victims of natural disasters, but none has a quick way—an army, say—to
deliver the supplies to where they belong.
Solution: The folks who brought you overnight shipping.
Maybe you can chalk that up to the old “fivefinger” employee discount. Two-thirds of respondents to a Vault.com survey said they’ve taken office supplies from their workplace.
For the first time, U.S. businesses will be able to write off expenses
related to “qualified domestic production activities.” The so-called
“manufacturing deduction” (or Sect. 199 deduction) is available even to
many companies that wouldn’t normally consider themselves
“manufacturers,” maybe even yours.
Question: "Last week, one of our newer employees -- let's call him 'Nat' -- asked me
to show him how to compile a monthly report that I've been doing as
part of my job for years. Nobody had mentioned this to me before 'Nat'
approached me.
"I showed him how to compile the report. He thanked
me and went back to his desk. But now, I'm worried that I'm going to
start losing responsibilities.
"I don't know how to bring it up to my boss.
"How would you approach this situation?" -- Rhoda, Virginia
Question: Has anyone put together a group program for the administrative assistants
at their company to promote communication, education, training, etc? I
have been asked to organize a quarterly meeting and I need a starting
point. If anyone has done this and has suggestions or ideas, I would
greatly appreciate the help! -- Anonymous
Bobby Jindal has a leader’s credentials. At 20, he graduated from Brown
University. At 24, he headed Louisiana’s health department. Now, at 33,
he’s only the second Indian-American ever to be elected to Congress. So, what can you learn from Bobby Jindal? Just this: He gets things done.
THE LAW. You may know that the federal Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) requires employers to reinstate employees who take military-related leave, plus it prohibits job discrimination against ...
Question: Recently, the president of our company asked me to buy self-help and
instructional CDs, along with several iPods, the purpose being to download
materials from the CDs to the iPods and distribute them with our marketing
materials to trainees who pay for training at our for-profit institute. I
explained to my direct supervisor, who is the COO, that this may constitute
copyright infringement, and therefore, could be an illegal activity. She
relayed this to the president of our company, who did not seemed concerned and,
in essence, ordered me to copy these materials. My question: If I do not copy
the materials, am I being insubordinate? -- Anonymous
Question: I recently applied for a position as executive assistant. I
was not selected for the position and one of the reasons was that I did not
provide any examples of my work. The person I interviewed with suggested that I
create a portfolio with various samples of my work using different software
programs.
Has anyone ever create such a portfolio? How would I get
started? -- Karyn, Buffalo, N.Y.
Question: Our company’s administrative assistant team will be creating a company-wide
notification system to remind each department of critical deadlines that could
result in a business penalty if missed. Do you know of a good software or
computer program to use for this notification? -- Anonymous
Issue: How to use rewards and recognition in the best (and most cost-efficient) way to motivate employees. Benefits: By making recognition a companywide effort, you remove a burden from you ...
Issue: Various new technologies allow disabled people to be productive at work. Risk: Courts say employers must provide such adaptive technologies in line with their resources. Action: Here's how ...
Congress often tinkers with the tax code, but rarely does it throw business owners a brand-new deduction. That's why last year's tax law—the American Jobs Creation Act— created such a stir. Starting in 2005, the law authorizes a new write-off for qualified manufacturers that could eventually amount to a 3 percent rate cut.
Question: I read Personal Report for the Administrative Professional every month for
career and work tips. But what other resources are out there for an ambitious
admin who wants to better herself? -- Josie, Virginia
The world of disability accommodation is complex. New adaptive technologies hit the market every day. How can employers keep up? The answer varies depending on your organization's resources. Large companies, ...
Issue: As the economy heats up, employees, yes, even yours, are wandering through the want ads and surfing job boards. Risk: Being caught without an up-to-date retention strategy can disrupt ...
Question: Not really a problem; more of a call for advice. Starting
with the August issue, I’ll be the new editor of Personal Report for the Administrative Professional.
I’d like to hear from you as to what you’d like to see more of — and less
of — in the newsletter each month. What tough issues would you like me to tackle
in the coming months? In the coming year?
Thanks, in advance, for your guidance. -- Alice Bumgarner
The bonus-depreciation deduction was great while it lasted, but it's gone for 2005. Still, you can generate top-dollar deductions this year when buying equipment and other business assets. That's because your not-so-secret weapon—the Section 179 expensing allowance—lets you write off most or all of the cost of most business assets in the very first year of ownership! Here's the lowdown on the rules and four ways to maximize your deductions.
Question: I wanted to know what other companies do for time off. Our company offers 2
weeks' vacation (3 weeks' after 10 years) plus 5 sick days each year, which can
accumulate up to 30 days (sick leave only). I have used all my vacation due to
an emergency with my father-in-law and took a week's vacation. I am short one
day to attend my niece's wedding and was going to take the day off without pay.
Evidently, we are not allowed to due this. If I do decide to take this off,
then it will affect my review. Can you take time off without pay if you
want?
Related question: How does your company offer time off for doctor
appointments? Can you use sick leave by the hour or can you take only in 4- or
8-hour increments (1/2 or full day off)? -- Kenda
Have you joined the millions of taxpayers who use computer software to complete their tax returns? For do-it-yourselfers, it's usually faster and easier than plowing through the paper version, and at a relatively low cost.
Craig Newmark describes himself as a formerly overpaid software
engineer who grew up wearing a plastic pocket protector and thick,
black glasses taped together. One decade ago, he started an e-mail list
of fun events in San Francisco. Craigslist grew and grew. Now, it has 7.6 million users in nearly 100
cities. But early on, Newmark stamped it with his personal code: Don’t
be greedy. Here are three of the conscious decisions that helped make Craigslist what it is today:
If you feel that employees don't appreciate your company's benefit plan, a new study shows why: They grossly underestimate your investment, particularly your contribution to health insurance costs. More than ...
Question: I’ve been trying to think of ways to increase my workload around the office. I
do the usual assignments, but many times, I find myself without enough work to
fill the entire day. Do you have any suggestions? -- Anonymous
Question: I have taken on the task of creating an internal newsletter. We have 14
employees (4 professional engineers, 7 consultants and 3 admin staff) located in
7 different states. Our internal communication is very weak due to workload and
the geographical distance. Our company consisted of 5 employees in the same
office until 2 years ago. I feel that an e-mailed newsletter would be a good
way to communicate with everyone.
I created the first newsletter in Dec 2004. The content varied, with Christmas funnies, a
calendar of coming events, family information, a note from the president and a
few other things along this line. There wasn't much response. However, the
response I did receive was negative: "The newsletter was not informative." I
spent approximately 3 weeks (on/off) developing the newsletter in Microsoft
Publisher. I'm not giving up yet but would appreciate any advise from someone
who performs this task. -- Tressie Escamilla, Richardson, Tex.
If employees waste a lot of work time filling out expense reports from a bundle of receipts, check out a new NeatReceipts software and scanner package that captures images of receipts ...
Issue: Companies that lack any kind of security system run a 4.5 times higher risk of burglary and vandalism. Benefit: Small-scale security systems have become more affordable and easier to ...
Issue: Can you terminate, or refuse to hire, people based on their impact to your health plan? Risk: Employees have two paths to sue you for such cost-trimming employment actions. ...
Issue: Many HR departments can't afford e-training and education programs. Benefit: Using basic, inexpensive do-it-yourself training tools, you can cut costs and earn praise for your big-picture thinking. Action: ...
Issue: U.S. employers lose nearly $60 billion each year due to trade-secret theft, but many still often overlook this risk.
Risk: Your organization can be ruined if competitors gain access ...
Question: “I don’t
want to be the office computer expert for the nonprofit organization
where I work. I’m tired of helping people who don’t have computer
skills. This is a small office, and none of the people asking for help
is in my department or in any way associated with what I do. “Most of
the time the questions aren’t related to work. They want me to show
them how to download pictures of their grandchild from an e-mail or how
to rotate an image. They also want me to show them the advanced
features of Word, such as mail merge. “I’ve paid my own money to take
computer classes. I also obtained an office automation certificate
while I was unemployed. I buy books on computer topics and read several
magazines. These people don’t do any of these things. “Since I won’t
share my computer skills, they’ve tried a slow down. If I need
something, they delay or try to ignore my request. What should I do?” -- Anonymous
Issue: Are you sabotaging your own career by making the following easily avoidable mistakes? Risk: Too much "tunnel vision" (focusing on your own department, your own goals, etc.) makes you ...
Last month, California software firm Hyperion began offering its employees $5,000 toward the purchase of gas/electric hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius or Honda Insight. The 1,500-employee company budgeted ...
Las Vegas—The most negative opinions you hear at work may be coming from—surprise!—you. Listen closely to what you tell yourself and others, and then slash the negative attitudes that hold you back.
What seems impossible is often no more than preconceived notions and “mental models” distorting what we see. Don’t believe it? Check out these examples:
Issue: Performing an HR department audit to gauge your organization's compliance and lawsuit risks. Benefit: Head off legal action, streamline your HR processes and earn kudos from the boss for ...
Issue: Many HR professionals run one-person departments that struggle to handle up to 150 employees or more. Benefit: By managing a solo operation well, you illustrate expertise that's attractive to ...
With health insurance costs soaring, employers may be tempted to make hiring/firing decisions based on whether a person is a drain on the organization's health costs. Our advice: Don't even think ...
If you’re hoping to hire top talent, you’ve probably thought about recruiting one of a competitor’s brightest and the best: someone with proven skills and achievements. Maybe you should think again.
THE LAW. Today's definition of trade secrets encompasses any information, technical or nontechnical, that your organization has reasonably protected and is valuable enough to give you an actual or potential ...
Intuit founder Scott Cook’s first rule: “Be humble about your importance, about how many answers you know and about how much you don’t know (which is always more than you think).”
Issue Employees wrongly assume their e-mail musings are private, privileged communications. Risk: If you don't eliminate that belief, you'll open your organization to disputes and lawsuits. Action: Require employees ...
Under the new overtime rules, white-collar employees who earn less than $455 per week ($23,660 annually) are automatically eligible for overtime. Those who earn more than $100,000 and perform just one ...
Issue: If your organization offers a retirement plan, it has a legal responsibility for those accounts. Risk: A rash of financial and employee benefit scandals has sparked new legal and ...
Issue: The recording industry is increasing the legal heat on illegal downloads, and the businesses that allow it to occur at work. Risks: Musicians can sue for up to $150,000 ...
What is RFID? If you don't know, you'd better learn. It may not be long before a large business customer asks you to start implementing it into your inventory for easier logistics management.
Even in the Internet age, consumers still have a love affair with coupons. And now may be a good time to jump into the growing trend of electronically delivered coupons.
At some point, you’ll have to prove that the way you believe in doing things is right. And until you can prove it, you’ll have to rely on people’s perception that things are headed in the right direction.
Issue: The Labor Department has finalized rules that redefine which employees are eligible for overtime pay. Benefit/risks: Clearer rules should cut your misclassification risks, but you face a steep learning ...
If spending time figuring out how to reset your computer features seems like too much trouble, Microsoft makes it easier with "Tips for the Awkward Age of Computing," at www.microsoft.com/enable/aging.
It's a fact that many employers are just now coming to realize: Hip-hopping employees downloading tunes from the Internet can expose your organization to legal problems, not to mention sapping your ...
A well-written job-offer letter can clear up miscommunication about the compensation and job duties, plus it gives candidates a sense of security when resigning from their current job to join your company.
THE LAW. Don't believe employees' claims about their desktop privacy. Current laws give your organization wide latitude to monitor and restrict employees' use of e-mail, the Internet and other computer ...
Employees won't sue you for snooping in their e-mail if you make it clear (early and often) that it's not their e-mail. It's your property, and you hold the right to ...
Issue: Choose the software that best suits your organization's needs. Benefits: Involving managers in the evaluation process not only helps you find the most appropriate software, it prompts them to ...
Issue: What you don't say in a job-offer letter may be just as important as what you do say. Risk: Fired employees may try to use poorly written job-offer letters ...
You know that some employees cruise the Web at work. But did you know that many sites actively encourage it and even give users ways to deceive their bosses? Sites such ...
Thanks to the recent Bush tax acts, you can deduct on your 2003 tax return either 30 percent or 50 percent of the cost of qualifying new assets that you bought and placed in service last year. The remaining amount is then depreciated using standard tax rules.
You know that some employees slack off at work by cruising the Web. But did you know that some Web sites actively encourage it—and give users ways to deceive their bosses?
If you make, sell or even use security equipment that can help guard against terrorism, tap into the federal government's protection against lawsuits resulting from terrorist attacks.
Linus Torvalds makes an unlikely leader. The inventor of Linux, the open-source operating system now used by more than 18 million people, is disorganized and absent-minded.
Just one hip-hopping employee downloading tunes can sap your computer resources, expose you to legal problems and kill productivity. Advice: Make sure your computer-use policy prohibits music downloads and outlines punishments. ...
Just one hip-hopping employee downloading tunes all day can sap your computer resources and expose you to legal problems, not to mention kill that worker's productivity.
The reviews are in. Here's the verdict: Upgrade to Microsoft's new Office 2003 version only if you handle large volumes of e-mail, use a network and plan to install Microsoft's server ...
Making a sale is worthless if you never receive payment. Many companies make the fatal mistake in their collection process of either letting debtors off too easily or turning them off for good.
THE LAW. The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 makes it your responsibility to hire only people who can legally work in the United States. That includes U.S. ...
Organizations that employ foreign workers on H-1B visas must now take an extra step when terminating them: notifying the federal government. Example: A software company hired a programmer on a ...
Warning: Your former workers just got the OK to blitz your employees at work with e-mails, including those that criticize your employment practices, thanks to a much-anticipated ruling from the California ...
Issue: A new court ruling makes it more difficult to stop former employees from blitzing your workplace with e-mail messages, including those that criticize ...
Issue: Programs that scan rÃ??sumÃ??s and applications can speed the hiring process but open you to bias lawsuits. Risk: Your system could, unknowingly, reject a disproportionate number of applicants from ...
Unsolicited e-mail ("spam") wastes employee time, slows your network and creates legal liabilities. Here are five resources to help you block it out: Spam calculator, www.cmsconnect.com/ marketing/spamcalc.htm, lets you calculate spam's ...
Don't be bullied by a disabled employee who says you must let her work from home as an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation. It's true that a reasonable ...
Woodbridge Corp., a manufacturer of foam padding, used a wrist test to help identify job applicants who might be susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome. If applicants' test results were abnormal, Woodbridge ...
A Boston-based consultant, Smythe Dorward Lambert, asks its clients’
employees to evaluate management’s performance. A constant comment: The company says one thing and does another.
Raise your skepticism a few notches. RÃ?sumÃ? fudging is on the rise again. The so-called Liar's Index, the percentage of applicants who falsify their educational credentials, has risen steadily ...
Your boss asks you to head a prestigious project, and you can’t wait to
accept. You know that as leader of a high-impact initiative, you can
gain visibility and play an increasingly greater role. Just don’t overlook the downside.
That was one of the secrets of success for Novell Inc. chairman of the
board Eric Schmidt when he took over the troubled networking software
company in 1997.
Lynn Heaser blamed the air quality in her office at Toro for her health problems, which were diagnosed as everything from allergies to chemical sensitivities. She asked to work from ...
There’s nothing more embarrassing than trying to make sense of reams of
numbers while your boss waits for your brilliant insights. It’s moments
like this when you need keen data-analysis skills.
The Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime exemption for computer professionals is narrower than some employers assume, and high-tech employee groups are spreading the word. To be exempt from overtime pay ...
New York Life forbade employees to use their corporate American Express cards for personal items. But Phyllis Meloff says she got permission to use the card for her commuting costs as ...
One of the best reasons to stay put is if you’re learning, growing and gaining skills. Dull training seminars don’t count: Of all the material taught in training sessions and business books, videos and audiotapes, about 95 percent is not applied.
You don’t want your employees downloading porn, scanning job boards or playing solitaire on company-owned PCs while at work. So you write a policy requiring that workers access the Internet for business purposes only. You’re in the clear, right? Think again.
No employer wants to explain to a court why jokes like "Why beer is better than women" are bouncing around the company e-mail system. But that's the position more companies are ...
Three-quarters of employees observed violations of the law or company standards in the previous 12 months, according to a June 2000 survey by KPMG, an international consulting firm.
You may manage people well but how about information? American companies lose about $25 billion annually to corporate espionage. Here’s how to tighten the lid on proprietary information.
Q. I’ve had the same
boss for seven years. It has been a decent relationship, but lately he’s acting
weird. He snaps more easily, finds fault with my work and nags me relentlessly.
What should I do?
If you're confused about how to comply with a federal safety regulation, or even whether it applies to your company, check out the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's online, interactive advisers. ...
Protecting your company's trade secrets is important for two reasons: You'll make it less likely that confidential information will be misappropriated. It will be easier for you to ...
If you use a personal digital assistant, such as a PalmPilot
Professional or IBM WorkPad, you may not pay much attention to backing
up your files. That’s a big risk.
Some employees think like scientists. They process information by testing it. They like to graph data and diagram their theories. Hunches or unfounded assertions don’t hold water with them.
Are you networking to advance your career? Don’t just rely on setting up informational interviews, mingling at professional mixers and attending trade shows.
Q. I work at a software firm in San Francisco. It’s supposedly a hip
company, but I’m fed up. I was promised a performance review every six
months, but after 14 months I’m still waiting. And when I asked for
leave to be with my wife when she had a baby, the company’s personnel
person said, “We may have to dock your pay. I’ll get back to you.” She
never did. The company’s CEO keeps saying that we’re in an industry
with no accepted business model. But is that an excuse for running a
sloppy business?
As the boss, you figure some of your staff will covet your position. Maybe so. But it’s also surprisingly common for managers to envy an employee who possesses certain strengths or charisma that they lack.
When your company earns fat profits and spreads the wealth among employees, it’s easy to motivate them. But during a retrenchment, when layoffs or setbacks make it hard for employees to care about work, everything gets tougher. Without a budget for bonuses or room for promotions, you’re left without some standard motivational tools.
If you experience a jolt of stress whenever you log onto your PC and
gaze at all those icons on your screen, then simplify your life. Try
the Brain 1.5, a software program by Natrificial Software Technologies
(http://www.thebrain.com).
If you’re worried about someone stealing your computer, then we have a
solution. Like a transmitter placed in your car, you can install
software that “calls” a monitoring center when a thief logs on to the
Internet or a phone line.
An interview with Douglas Engelbart, inventor or the computer mouse, on-screen windows, groupware, videoconferencing, and the hypertext software that lefts Web surfers jump from link to link with ease
You have little or no background in technology. But you must still
manage a range of projects that involve significant investments in
computers and related high-tech tools. Don’t fret.
If
you’re selling yourself as a new hire (and it's a seller's market), you can put a gentle squeeze on
employers to grant you the financial package you want.