It’s the 3 o’clock lull, a universal experience in the stereotypical office environment. You can see it in the “yawn wave,” as cubicle after cubicle emits a restless sigh or groan. Tired, distracted employees move in their chairs aimlessly. Paper shuffling declines, while keyboard tapping grows faint, and an occasional snore is heard coming from […]
Management
How to Handle Employee Insubordination
Dealing with employees who don’t take your advice or listen to instructions Most managers and business owners have had the displeasure of dealing with an employee who failed to follow instructions, but even people who are experienced at the task still encounter difficulty with determining how to handle employee insubordination. It is necessary to address […]
Should You Work More Than 40 Hours a Week?
Maximize efficiency and productivity at work by limiting yourself to reasonable hours. How long is your work week? Fifty hours? Sixty? Seventy? If you consistently work more than 40 hours a week (or are the manager of employees that do), it’s probably time for you to make a change. Overwhelming evidence suggests that work weeks […]
Holding Employees Accountable for Performance
Employee performance in the workplace is a subject that can be evaluated from a multitude of different standpoints, one of which is the importance of setting employee performance standards. Establishing standards for measuring employees’ performance allows you as the business manager to evaluate employees’ achievements and effectiveness and make the adjustments necessary to encourage an […]
Creating a Positive Partnership Experience
Partnerships between businesses have the potential to be remarkably effective business ventures. However, if conditions aren’t right for a partnership, the agreement could not only fail to be mutually beneficial, but could also develop into something mutually destructive. There are some characteristics that are common among most successful partnerships, though, so if you’re considering a […]
Tips for Managers on Giving Feedback to Employees
Giving employee feedback is considered by many managers to be one of the most difficult parts of their job, and many managers struggle with nearly every aspect of employee feedback, including when to give it, what types of activities warrant inclusion, how to deliver their message, and other specifics of the task. Because of this, […]
Developing a Policy for Employee Texting at Work
Years ago, employers’ biggest concern about communication during work hours involved employees using the business’s phone line to make expensive long distance phone calls on company time and with company money. However, the days of paying for long distance phone service have mostly gone the way of dial up internet connections and Facebook as solely […]
When Is the Best Time to Conduct Meetings and Important Business?
From an efficiency perspective, time is everything. Businesses often attempt tasks or meetings when their employees are least productive, therefore wasting time and money. This article will look at some of the main areas that businesses need to increase efficiency by planning the most appropriate times. The Best Day to Efficiently Conduct a Meeting: When […]
5 Ways to Create a Motivating Work Environment
What is most likely to motivate your employees on a day to day basis? Is it the paycheck at the end of the week? Or, is it the possible profit sharing or bonuses? Is it the occasional rewards or company picnics? While all of these factors may motivate an employee to perform exceptionally well over […]
Handling Personal Calls and Texting at Work
There has always been great debate over whether employees should take personal calls while working. It is understandable that a friend or family member would need to get in touch with you in the event of an emergency or for a number of reasons. While each company has their own policy on personal calls, cell […]