Workplace Communication

With dreaded tasks hanging over your head, you’ll feel more drained and uneasy than if you just tackle them, says author Gretchen Rubin. Next time you don’t feel like making that phone call or going to the gym, try these strategies:

Online social networking sites provide a variety of benefits to organizations. They can help you collect industry-based knowledge, reach new customers, build your brand and publicize your company’s name and reputation. But those benefits come with their fair share of legal risks. You need a comprehensive social media policy to guide employees on your expectations about their online behavior.

Fear of flying is common; as many as one in five people suffer from some form of aviophobia. If you or your boss must fly for business, this news should help calm your fears:

Fear of flying is common; as many as one in five people suffer from some form of aviophobia. If you or your boss must fly for business, this news should help calm your fears:

As unemployment continues to hover near 10%, the temptation to stretch the truth on a résumé is becoming harder for desperate job-seekers to resist. That’s why experts say job applicants are doing more “creative writing” on their résumés these days. And hiring managers need to be more vigilant.

Interviewing for a job? Ask whether this is a new position or whether you are replacing someone ... Avoid misunderstandings by asking others to repeat what they heard ... Trade in old electronics for cash or discounts ... Humanize interoffice communication by relaxing some of the grammar rules you grew up with ...

Frenemies aren't just found on reality TV shows. They're everywhere. Even Apple has one: Google. If you have "frenemies" — colleagues with whom you have unproductive relationships — they can suck the energy right out of you. But don't give up! Identify and deactivate these most challenging, difficult people at work:

Looking to build a culture that appeals to baby boomers, Gen X, Gen Y and young “Millennials”? Think it’s time to ramp up benefits that serve the needs of executives, production workers, full-timers and part-timers alike? Want yours to be known as a cool place to work? Choose from these six strategies uncovered by the Best Companies Group and Outside magazine in the process of compiling Outside’s 2010 “Best Places to Work” list.

One important way to judge your success as a manager is by the success of your employees. The best managers aren’t just the ones who can extract the most productivity from their people, but the ones who produce great future managers. How can you be sure that your best people will someday be top-notch leaders themselves? Start with the following basic yet effective tips for developing managerial skills among your employees.

When you’re promoted to a position where you must manage former peers—or current friends—it’s only natural to want them to like you. But at the same time, as a manager, you need to demonstrate fairness. Earn the respect of the team and build trust with these tips: