Productivity / Performance

Documenting performance? Better date-stamp and retain

07/07/2025

Whether deleted by accident or because the employer lacks clear rules about what to toss and what to keep, having to admit to a judge that you don’t have a document may mean big fines and penalties, up to and including having the lawsuit become an automatic win for a fired worker.

‘Impossible’ PIP sinks employer’s discharge appeal

07/07/2025

Performance-improvement plans should be challenging enough to let supervisors know the employee is up to performing their essential job functions at an acceptable level. Set reasonable, objective goals that can be achieved with sufficient effort in the time allotted in the PIP.

Refocus on manager engagement to boost team-wide performance

06/30/2025

If your management teams seem more drained lately, the data supports the concern. This isn’t just a leadership issue, but an organizational one. When managers struggle, so do their teams—and it shows in performance.

5 tips to counter the summertime slack-off

06/02/2025

The summer months, when most people take vacations, can be trying times for managers. A number of problems seem to get worse during the summer—absenteeism, tardiness, inattention, horseplay. Smart managers avoid the summertime blues by planning ahead. Offer your organization’s managers these tips to keep employees on schedule, involved and motivated.

9 surefire morale deflators–and how to avoid them

05/09/2025

With everything on your radar during the workday, it’s easy to forget about employee morale. But keeping the team engaged isn’t something that can be ignored or postponed. To keep morale on your radar, be aware of some of the common management mistakes that undermine it. Here are nine main deflators of employee morale, plus tips on avoiding them:

Motivation: 3 questions to get a good worker out of a rut

05/05/2025

When good workers seem to be simply going through the motions, it may be because they’re riding on the career merry-go-round—wanting to try something new, but unable to get away from what they’re already doing. Here are some questions to ask them.

8 steps to becoming the manager your employees need

04/23/2025

In an effort to “empower” their staffs, too many managers take a completely hands-off approach, leaving employees alone unless they really need help. But this can create a rudderless ship, says management expert Bruce Tulgan. That’s not leadership! Here’s how effective managers provide genuine support to their employees.

Demote a staffer? Make it work

04/09/2025

If you decide that demotion is a viable alternative to terminating a particular employee, knowing how to execute the demotion properly is essential to making it work.

Managing people with limited professional experience

03/28/2025

Dealing with employees unfamiliar with workplace norms takes patience. But just as you would help someone lacking technical competencies get up to speed, guiding a worker to a higher level of professionalism proves a worthy endeavor. Here are five strategies to try.

Demotion or termination? How to make the call

03/19/2025

If you’re faced with an employee who isn’t a good fit with his or her current job, is termination the answer or is demotion a better alternative? The answer is, of course, it depends.