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Employee Relations

Former superstars aren’t immune from scrutiny

05/19/2014
The best approach to dealing with declining performance is careful and meticulous record-keeping showing expectations and how the employee isn’t meeting them. Objective facts trump the employee’s feelings that she is being discriminated against for some reason.

Choose words carefully when criticizing

05/16/2014
If you have good but temperamental people working for you, you know the problem: Your constructive criticism is often taken as a personal attack. Here’s how to offer suggestions to keep your workplace running smoothly.

Worker acting strangely? Request evaluation

05/15/2014
If you think a worker could benefit from psychological help and fear that he may pose a danger to himself or others, you can require an evaluation.

How to keep trouble-makers from ruining your meetings

05/15/2014
You’ve prepared the meeting agenda and presentation materials and secured all the necessary participants. But how do you keep the meeting on track when a few bad apples threaten to derail the gathering? Here is how to swiftly and professionally handle disruptive meeting attendees.

Your best bet for preventing lawsuits: Prompt action, unimpeachable fairness

05/12/2014
Prompt, fair resolution of harassment complaints is the best way to prevent litigation—and defend yourself if a lawsuit happens anyway.

Outrageous behavior? Don’t fear fast discipline

05/12/2014
Some workplace behavior is so outrageous that employers must take immediate action. While a complete and thorough investigation is ideal, don’t be afraid to act fast when necessary.

Spot signs of ‘checked out’ employees

05/12/2014
With the economy improving, your employees have more options to jump ship. The warning signs that someone is about to leave aren’t always what you’d expect.

What to do when a rock star leaves

05/08/2014

The hole left when an outstanding worker departs can seem big enough to swallow up the productivity of your whole department. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Follow 6 steps to set up alternative dispute resolution process

05/07/2014
So, you’re thinking about creating a program to help settle employee conflicts in-house. That’s smart. A successful alternative dispute-resolution (ADR) program lets you identify and address problems while they’re still manageable and before they land in court. Here’s a six-step process for establishing an ADR program.

Survive most lawsuits by being able to cite solid, documented reasons for termination

05/07/2014

Courts like to see that ­employers pause before firing an employee accused of breaking a rule and then document their investigation carefully. Interviewing the employee should be routine in most disciplinary cases. Temporarily suspending an employee before making a final decision also shows the court that the process was fair.