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Communication

Responding to employee rants: 4 do’s and don’ts

03/01/2008
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The fine art of silence: When saying less can be more

03/01/2008
Anyone who has watched the political debates this year has seen a lot more talking going on than listening. The same thing can happen in the workplace. For various reasons—nervousness, ego, control issues—managers sometimes “overexplain” an issue or fill the silence with unnecessary words …

Simple ways to salvage ‘Below-Standard’ employees

02/26/2008
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.

Too hot to handle? Office romances need careful HR TLC

02/12/2008

Cupid’s arrow eventually flies into every workplace. Risks: Office romances can be disruptive and, even worse, open the door to legal problems. Action: Balance your need to reduce legal risks with a realistic view of employees’ lives. Stay away from trendy "love contracts."

The water cooler dies: Office gossip spreads faster online

02/05/2008

Gossip and nonwork chatter that spread via e-mail, instant messages (IMs) or texting can easily be captured and saved, possibly for a jury to see someday. The solution: Don’t let workplace-related gossip spread unfettered. Establish a reputation as an open-door HR department, and become a “news creator” rather than constantly responding with damage control to squash rumors …

Praise Your Way to Success: 6 Steps to Effective Employee Recognition

02/05/2008

Many managers can muster up praise for their workers only during annual reviews … if at all. That’s why you need to teach supervisors how to give employee recognition and give them the tools to make it easier. Here are the six steps …

HR pros: Do you know what your supervisors are saying?

02/01/2008

It’s easy to become isolated in the HR office, especially if you are physically separated from the shop floor or other work locations. So it should come as no surprise that some things that go on outside your limited view may mean trouble. That’s why you need to keep open lines of communication between HR and the field. Make sure all employees know how and where to report sexually or racially hostile language or actions …

4 simple ways to encourage employee loyalty

02/01/2008

More cash and benefits are great, but a new book, Empowering Employees, says these four incentives go further to win employees’ hearts …

6 ways to help employees do their best each day

01/16/2008
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How to counsel employees with attitude problems

01/15/2008

With some employees, the problem isn’t a matter of ability, it’s a matter of attitude. This can manifest itself in everything from quiet disobedience to outright insubordination. How should you respond?