Productivity / Performance

Suggesting ways to improve isn’t discrimination

09/10/2012

Some employees are hypersensitive to any criticism, even if it is constructive. That won’t turn a weak discrimination lawsuit into a winner. For example, if the employee receives a largely positive performance review that lists some areas in need of improvement, chances are the court will toss the case fast.

Past reviews don’t prove today’s performance

09/03/2012

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has concluded that just because an employee who has been demoted received good reviews in the past doesn’t mean that she is still meeting her employer’s legitimate expectations.

Fired employee reinstated? That doesn’t excuse more misbehavior or poor performance

09/01/2012

Take heart if you have ever decided to reinstate an employee or rescind discipline because the employee threatened litigation. Doing so won’t wipe clean his disciplinary record or imply that you admitted he’s living up to your expectations.

Complaint + sudden criticism = retaliation

09/01/2012

Juries like simple cases. If an employee complains about discrimination and management does nothing, that’s one thing. But if suddenly the employee is criticized, placed on a performance improvement plan and then fired, jurors may see retaliation.

Supervising Introverts: 5 Tips for Managers

08/29/2012

Introverts may be less noisy, but they actually outnumber extroverts in the workplace. But in today’s extroverted business world, introverts can sometimes feel overlooked, excluded and misunderstood. Jennifer Kahnweiler, author of the groundbreaking book, The Introverted Leader, suggests managers follow these five tips for supervising their introverted employees …

The case for managers: Hierarchy boosts productivity

07/20/2012

While it’s trendy for companies to tear down the corporate walls and declare all employees equal, new research in the journal Psychological Science says teams with built-in hierarchy are more productive than teams in which all people hold an equal amount of power.

Make sure rigorous performance expectations don’t drive employees to work off the clock

07/16/2012

You may be tempting fate—and a Fair Labor Standards Act class-action lawsuit—if you demand so much productivity from employees that they can’t reasonably get everything done within the time you allow. The problem: Employees may feel compelled to work off the clock.

Can volunteerism be part of job review criteria?

07/10/2012

Q. Our evaluation process includes commitment to the community. We give all employees “points” for volunteering. The points become part of their numerical rating and could affect their rating (satisfactory or unsatisfactory) and raise potential. We don’t pay for volunteering time. Are we violating the law?

Turning underachievers into overachievers: How to spark the turnaround

07/03/2012

Every manager has employees who perform below standard. They’re not terrible employees, but they’re not achieving the quality or quantity of work they’re capable of. Try these tips for letting underachieving employees know what’s expected and get them moving in the right direction.

OK to discipline, even after harassment claim

07/01/2012

When employees face progressive discipline and think they might be fired, they sometimes suddenly start complaining about alleged sexual harassment. The underlying reason may be legitimate—or it may just be a ploy to stop discipline. It doesn’t mean all discipline has to be put on hold.