Management Training

I keep warning readers about the “new” EEOC and how it’s getting much more aggressive. The agency is keeping more cases, rather than issuing “right to sue” letters. It’s securing smaller settlements, but in greater volume. Now, a new court ruling just gave the EEOC even more powerful ammunition to use against your company if it’s accused of discrimination …

Question:  “I sit near a human resources employee who talks very loudly on the phone. She gossips about confidential personnel matters, such as the amount of someone’s bonus check or which employees are being pursued by collection agencies. Everyone in the group can hear her, even if we try not to listen. We are all afraid to go to her boss, because they are good friends. What can we do?” —Concerned

Q. In a recent article, you said that you must report depreciation as taxable income on a home sale, even if you didn’t claim it. Is this correct?

When you're not on top of your e-mail, you feel out of control. It can also torpedo your career, since people associate responsiveness with competence. It is possible to clear out your e-mail inbox—and keep it clear—daily. But you must be willing to change your behavior. Here are four steps ...

When McDonald’s was hit with the news that its Shrek-themed drinking glasses were laced with dangerous levels of cadmium, the result could have been disastrous. In response, McDonald’s issued a swift recall—and offered every consumer who returned a glass a $3 refund—for an item that cost $2.49 as a stand-alone purchase. Lesson: Responsive leaders can turn a crisis into a value proposition.

As FMLA administration grows more complex, more employers are using software to track it. Most of the time that works fine. But as one employer recently found out, FMLA apps don't always tell the whole story. Lesson learned: There's no substitute for doing a hands-on review of employee records.

Hiring managers spend too much time interviewing candidates—and asking them the wrong questions. Then they’re often surprised to have to fire those same candidates a few months later after discovering that good interview skills don’t necessarily signal a great job fit. The problem: Employers often hire for hard skills but fire for soft skills, says Karl Ahlrichs of Hiring Smart, an Indiana firm specializing in employee selection. Instead, says Ahlrichs, “Our new slogan should be, ‘Fire them before we hire them.’” ...

An unexpected visit from an OSHA inspector is often unwelcome—and unsettling, too. But if you’ve taken the time to prepare, it need not be traumatic. Planning ahead will smooth the inspection process—and put you in control of it. Plus, being prepared may make a good impression on the inspector, which could lead to being cited for fewer violations.

Hard-driving, “results-at-all-costs” executives actually diminish the bottom line, while self-aware leaders with strong interpersonal skills deliver better financial performance. So says a recent study by organizational consulting firm Green Peak Partners in collaboration with researchers at Cornell University.

Establishing an office recycling initiative could reduce the carbon footprint and save your business money. In the average workplace, 80% to 90% of solid waste is recyclable, according to the EPA. How to begin one at work: