Productivity / Performance

Train managers to build resilient teams that can respond to change

09/20/2016

The team members all understand what’s expected of them. But the group isn’t home free yet. There’s one more piece of the puzzle left: responding to change.

When you can’t give a bonus

09/09/2016

Your star employee just learned that she won’t be getting a bonus this year, and she is furious. Here’s what to do and say to mitigate the damage.

For employees to get ahead, learning beats burning the midnight oil

09/05/2016

Are those employees who come in early, stay late and work superhuman hours charting the quickest path to an illustrious career?

Can a manager ask, ‘Is everything OK at home?’

09/02/2016

Q. If an employee makes four mistakes in a short period of time, can the employer ask, ‘Is everything OK at home?’ This person does office work, not factory, so it’s not a safety issue.

What to do when older workers start to coast

08/23/2016

When employees approach retirement, they sometimes go on autopilot. They may think there’s no way their employer will fire them at their age, assuming management will fear an age discrimination lawsuit. Such sudden drops in productivity can frustrate everyone involved, including co-workers and supervisors.

Spot warning signs of chronic absenteeism

08/21/2016

Chronic absenteeism is a chronic drain on the bottom line. Typically, the direct and indirect costs associated with absenteeism eat up 5% to 17% of an organization’s total payroll. Top brass is probably looking at HR for solutions.

Pokémon Go away! Get gamers back to work

08/16/2016

If you don’t have a policy that governs workplace gaming, now is a good time to establish one.

Rosy reviews: 99% of bureaucrats are good at their jobs!

08/12/2016

A new U.S. Government Accountability Office study of performance reviews found that 99% of federal government employees were rated as being good at their jobs, and almost two-thirds do “outstanding” work.

Remind bosses: Genuine constructive criticism doesn’t create a hostile work environment

08/05/2016

Some employees are difficult to manage. Maybe they have talent, but they’re not amendable to constructive criticism. Tell managers and supervisors that shouldn’t make them shy away from offering suggestions on how employee performance might improve.

Keep workers’ stress under control