Now’s a great time to consider that since it’s a new year, there’s a new paycheck.  That means this may be the best time to encourage staff to look at their pay statements to ensure deductions are what they expect. Many companies have benefits change with the new year, so it’s great to remind your staff to see that they’re being charged what they thought they signed up for, and it’s also a good time to check the alphabet soup of savings deductions: FSA’s, HSA’s, 401k, ESA’s a

Most managers want to encourage productivity in staff, but what are they doing about it? First, do you know what the means—do you have productivity measures or is it just a gut feel?  If you do have measures, do the staff know what they are and are you reinforcing them? Are they tied to performance reviews and/or compensation? We all want to be productive and have productive staff, but sometimes the effort to get there feels overwhelming.  If we don’t really comprehend what p

There has been some publicity lately that hasn’t reflected positively on Human Resources as a profession.  There have been allegations of discrimination, HR leadership issues, and discussion of HR being replaced by AI among other things. Having been in HR for many years now, I’ve seen the looks I get when I tell people I’m in HR (the slight backing away, the quick panic of wanting to change conversations, etc.) and I understand where that comes from.  Unfortunately, I’ve seen

It’s the time of year when we often reflect on where we are and what we’ve accomplished, but have you expressed being thankful for your staff?  It’s easy to take things for granted but we all like expressions of appreciation periodically. When staff make extra efforts, do you make note?  Have you acknowledged their work? If asked, would they say you appreciate them?  When is the last time you made the effort to show your gratitude? If you have staff who are not doing their jo

Here’s some creative thinking—why don’t we make meetings productive?  How many times have you had that thought as you sat through a meeting, reflecting on how you could be better using your time? But what have you done about it?  Have you taken any action to make meetings more productive or taught your staff how to make them count? If you already come to every meeting with an agenda, a clear purpose, a current and future action plan that ends with a list of specific accountab

It seems like a natural progression to promote a star employee to be a supervisor in their career.  After all, don’t we want all employees to be stars, and who better to show the way than someone who’s proven themselves? The problem with this practice is that we end up putting someone in a management role who may be great in production or some other aspect of the workforce, but they can't manage people. And rarely do we have the time or resources to provide the training and p

We recently celebrated HSA Day, and it suggested reminding staff about financial benefits. We tend to discuss benefits like retirement savings, Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) annually, but is that enough? Companies provide benefits as a way of attracting and retaining staff, but they're often discussed during the time of lots of choices where attention may be divided.  Additionally, it’s not unusual to see an employee’s eye cross when discu

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and we need to remember to address this in our workplace.  As domestic violence is increasingly common, chances are someone within your organization is or has been affected.  Providing resources and helping management understand ways to help can make a difference in someone’s life. Most companies have employee assistance programs; make sure that information is posted and that each manager has the information to provide staff.  Relo

Is your staff financially aware?  Have you ever talked about budgets and expenses?  Do they understand your company or departmental...

What is free speech for employees?  Should it be defined and discussed?  Does it matter if the speech is made at work or outside of work?...

What does it mean to consider your team’s purpose in the organization? Businesses are established for various reasons, offering products...

Many of us have at least dabbled in the use of Artificial Intelligence, but have you created or thought about a policy on the use of AI...

Job descriptions are vital in today’s business to help employees and managers ensure they’re on the same page.  They lay out the primary...

Many of us have heard of quiet quitting but what is ghost working and how does that compare? Quiet quitting consists of employees who do...

With mental health concerns, stressors in daily news, and strife seemingly everywhere, how can we promote civility in the workforce? ...

Most managers have heard of exit interviews, but what are stay interviews and can they be helpful? Stay interviews are conducted with...

Unfortunately, these days protecting your company from spam must be top of mind.  Have you provided your staff with the tools/reminders...

It used to be that office etiquette seemed inherently understood: you don’t microwave fish; you greet each other with a smile; you listen...

In working with employees, we look for specific skills sets in hiring, but what are soft skills and why do they matter? Soft skills are...

Some managers and/or staff may ask what exactly is HR and why do I need it in my organization?  First, consider HR as Human...