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Productivity / Performance

10 ways Generation Y will change the workplace

12/08/2008

There’s no doubt Generation Y will fundamentally change corporate America. It’s already started. Managing Gen Y is a hot topic among consultants, HR executives and talent management professionals. For a Gen Y’er like me, this is great news. We’re primed to change the workplace for the better. Here’s how we’ll do it.

California firm adds autism to health insurance coverage

12/08/2008

After data management company NetApp added coverage for autistic children to its health plan in 2006, 31 of the organization’s 5,000 employees used the benefit the first year. A total of 43 have tapped it so far …

Execs lose their lunch

12/08/2008

Executives are spending seven fewer minutes eating lunch than they did five years ago, according to a survey by staffing service OfficeTeam. The average executive lunch break is 35 minutes.

‘Business necessity’ may become new ADA focus

12/05/2008

Beginning this month, the new amendments to the ADA take effect. Among those rules is one that says employees are disabled even if they can mitigate the effects of that disability with medication or other aids …

Track attitude if it’s a performance criterion

12/04/2008

Before you use attitude as one of the reasons for rewarding one employee over another, consider how you will defend that decision if another employee thinks it was based on discrimination. Here’s how to use attitude as a decision factor.

Log performance problems and deficiencies … just in case

12/04/2008

You never know which employee is going to sue you over a lost promotion, poor evaluation or other perceived slight. That’s why you should always keep careful track of all work deficiencies and document what role they played in every employment decision.

What’s this I’ve heard about employers doing away with performance evaluations?

12/04/2008

Q. Is it becoming a practice among employers to quit conducting employee evaluations?

Prepare for change when ADA Amendments Act takes effect next month

12/04/2008

The ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2009, is designed to restore protections for the broad range of individuals with disabilities, as originally envisioned by Congress. The amendments were also meant to reverse several U.S. Supreme Court decisions that limited the ability of individuals to qualify as disabled …

Stress test: 9 questions to find out if you’re a victim or a master

12/02/2008

Everyone’s stressed these days—whether from financial worries or just the looming holidays. Some thrive on stress, but for others it’s an emotional and productivity drain. Here’s a simple self-assessment you can do to gauge your stress level—and do something about it.

How to coach ‘problem’ employees: A 4-step plan for managers

12/02/2008
When faced with a poor-performing or disruptive employee, it’s easy for supervisors to play the wait-and-see game and simply hope the situation will improve. But problems rarely solve themselves. And that’s especially true with problem employees. The best method? Meet with employees right when you spot problem behavior or performance—don’t wait.