Communication

Face-to-Face talk best bet for helping cope with slump

08/01/2008

CEOs who participated in a recent survey conducted by Vantage Research agreed that an economic downturn isn’t the best time to make bold, sudden business moves. Instead, they advocate “hunkering down and building up the business” in tempestuous fiscal times like these …

What is the ‘Lifetime value’ of your employees?

08/01/2008

Businesses have always understood the value of cultivating lifelong relationships with customers eager to patronize them again and again as their lifestyles change and they need new products or services. Nurturing those same kinds of relationships with employees has just as much value …

Survey on surveys: Act on what you learn

07/25/2008

Roughly 56% of U.S. companies conduct employee surveys, but nearly half fail to act on their employees’ suggestions, according to a survey by the Opinion Research Corporation …

We fix machines, why not staff? 5 ways to retool employees

07/24/2008

All companies have a large investment—time and money—in their human capital. A company would never hesitate to fix a machine, repair a plant or improve a work site, so why not treat human assets the same way? The key to correcting performance problems is a collaborative effort between a supervisor and an employee. It’s not the responsibility of the HR department …

Management Score Card: Rating Your Supervisor

07/22/2008

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15 Questions to Ask Employees in Their First 60 Days

07/21/2008

A good employee who seemed happy quit after just three months. His supervisor never saw it coming. What happened? That unexpected turnover might have been avoided if the boss had checked in to uncover any potential problems. Here are 15 questions supervisors or HR should ask all new employees in their first 60 days on the job.

Should we limit political talk at work?

07/18/2008

Q. With the upcoming presidential election, our employees have spent more time talking politics and debating candidates and their positions. Do we have an obligation to limit or prevent such conversations in the workplace? …

Lend an ear to help solve employee issues

07/16/2008

Issue: Don’t always rush in to solve employee problems; sometimes, just listening is the best course. Benefit: Effective listening casts you in the role of coach.

Simplify Employee Self-Reviews: A 3-Question Template

07/15/2008

An important—but often overlooked—step in performance appraisals is to ask employees to grade themselves. But don’t just give them the same appraisal form used by supervisors. Instead, use a separate form that allows them to recap their achievements, identify shortcomings and initiate discussions regarding their development. A good self-evaluation form asks these three core questions …

The 7 Best Ways to Motivate and Inspire