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Communication

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

07/15/2008
Only one in 10 employees looks forward to work, and many say the lack of leadership is why. This doesn’t have to happen. According to the author of Fire Them Up!, here are the seven best ways to get across your vision, values and mission to employees …

Good news for less-Than-Perfect workplaces: No need to sweat the small stuff

07/11/2008
Employees sometimes unreasonably expect they will happily toil forever in a perfect workplace, full of harmony. But that simply isn’t going to happen. As long as squabbles and personality conflicts don’t turn into discrimination based on age, race, religion or another protected category, they simply don’t matter …

Discrimination-Free environment required, perfection a bonus

07/09/2008
The workplace has never been nor will it ever be utopia. Managers and supervisors won’t always see eye to eye with employees. Conflict is almost inevitable. Thus, courts don’t expect employers to provide perfect workplaces free of all strife. Judges expect employers to obey discrimination laws, but they also realize that not every slight or inconvenience is evidence of discrimination …

Is there a Minnesota equivalent of the federal WARN Act?

07/08/2008
Q. We are closing one of our offices in Minnesota. The number of employees affected is not sufficient to trigger any notice obligations under the federal WARN Act. Does Minnesota have a state statute that would require us to give the employees advance notice of the restructuring? …

Union-Free and eager to stay that way

07/07/2008
Q. Our company has operated union-free for many years. How can we best protect ourselves against future union-organizing activities? …

Remind employees often and clearly about handbook

07/02/2008
Smart HR pros set up tickler files to remind themselves to make sure everyone has the current version of the employee handbook—and any arbitration agreements you ask employees to sign. That file makes it easier to ensure every employee has an up-to-date copy and gets revisions every time policies change …

Conducting ‘Stay’ interviews: 7 questions to ask

07/01/2008
Don’t wait for employees to exit before you get their input on what your organization is doing right or wrong, says Greg Smith, author of the book 401 Proven Ways to Retain Your Best Employees. Conduct periodic “stay” interviews …