Training

Train your employees on the cheap: 6 low-cost options

08/01/2006

Don’t write off employee training just because your training budget is somewhere between slim and none. You might think affordable (or free) training is hard to come by, but that’s not true, says Linda Newell, director of learning and development for Policy Studies Inc. …

Teach front-line managers how to be leaders

08/01/2006

Front-line managers are the glue that hold a high-performance organization together. Yet, line managers often feel disconnected because they lack a “big picture” view of the organization.

Cut turnover by teaching managers how to respect staff

07/01/2006

Employees who feel less respected by their superiors are more likely to jump ship. The lesson: Treating workers with respect and dignity is ultracritical to retaining good workers, especially in a hot job market …

Perk up your presentations: 7 tips from Apple’s Steve Jobs

07/01/2006

Dry, rambling HR presentations will cause employees to tune out. To sharpen your presentation techniques, heed these methods of Apple Computer co-founder Steve Jobs, a widely acknowledged presentation master …

Set rules on personal use of company cars

06/01/2006

During his lunch break, an employee at a California car dealership drove a company car on a personal errand. He rear-ended another car and injured the driver, who sued the car dealership and won $277,662 in damages. The dealership’s handbook offered no specifics regarding personal use of company property …

Contain runaway diabetes costs with screening, education

06/01/2006

Employees with diabetes suffer more absenteeism and higher health costs. Sixty-two percent of larger employers have some kind of diabetes management plan, according to Mercer HR consulting …

Learn hotel’s lesson: Don’t require English at all times

05/01/2006

If you have a good business reason, you can require employees to speak English on the job. But don’t go overboard. As a New York City hotel just found out, requiring English be spoken at all times, even in the employee breakroom, can spark an EEOC national-origin claim …

Use online tests to find best customer service staff

05/01/2006

Because customer service employees are on your front lines every day, don’t just rely on a résumé and a good first impression to choose such vital personnel. New low-cost online tests can help you determine who has the right stuff …

Train Supervisors to Avoid Double-Meaning Words

04/01/2006

A federal jury has awarded a Tyson Foods supervisor $1 million, illustrating again that preventing racial discrimination is much cheaper than trying to litigate your way out of a preventable lawsuit. Take this opportunity to remind managers that what they say does matter.

More reason to beef up training: ‘Quit and sue’ becoming the norm