By Cheryl Toth, MBA bio Ever finished reading a well-written report, article, or white paper and say to yourself, "I wish I could write like that." Well, with a little fine-tuning and practice, you can. You don't have to be a professional wordsmith to produce strong business prose. Add power your documents using these straightforward techniques. 1. Use active … [Read more...] about 3 tricks that make your business writing stronger
Managing staff
What to do when the winter blues hits your workplace
Winter gets a frigid reception at many workplaces around the country. According to research from staffing firm Accountemps, 38% of professionals said winter weather has a negative impact on their mood at work. About one-quarter (26%) cited January as the least happy month. Employees in Pittsburgh, Detroit and Cleveland felt bluest in the wintertime. In contrast, professionals … [Read more...] about What to do when the winter blues hits your workplace
What you don’t know about your managers and why you should find out
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D., SPHR bio What are your mid-level managers doing that will cost you good employees in the next year? Are your professional staff getting the results you need them to? If not, what's getting in their way and how can you convince them to make needed changes? A 360-degree review provides you and your mid-level managers and professional staff … [Read more...] about What you don’t know about your managers and why you should find out
Gender diversity at US Health Care companies: A prescription for progress
Three out of every four employees at US health care companies are women, far more than in most other industries, yet women are still scarce in the industry's leadership ranks, according to a new report, Women Dominate Health Care—Just Not in the Executive Suite, recently released by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Health care companies clearly have a large pipeline of talented … [Read more...] about Gender diversity at US Health Care companies: A prescription for progress
The top 10 regulatory issues for employers in 2019
To help employers plan for the year ahead, Paychex, Inc. (a provider of integrated human capital management solutions for payroll, benefits, human resources, and insurance services) recently released a list of the top 10 regulatory issues that employers should be aware of in 2019. The list outlines the current, most impactful laws and regulations, and the anticipated changes … [Read more...] about The top 10 regulatory issues for employers in 2019
How to be a strong manager even when dealing with over-controlling physicians
The sad truth about working in a medical office is that a manager often has no real job description and not much authority either. Here are examples of situations that come as a result. They are outlined by Ana McGary of PeopleFirst Enterprises, a human resource management consulting firm in Powder Springs, GA. The doctors never seem to agree on my role as manager. Many times … [Read more...] about How to be a strong manager even when dealing with over-controlling physicians
Employment Law Update: The New Year’s Resolutions Edition
By Mike O'Brien bio A lawyer and doctor were talking together at a New Year's party when the doctor complained about how people always asked her for free medical advice. She said to the lawyer, "People probably always ask you for free legal advice…as a fellow professional, how do you deal with it?" The lawyer thought about it, and then said, "I always answer their … [Read more...] about Employment Law Update: The New Year’s Resolutions Edition
Employee handbook compliance 101
An employee handbook is a living, active guide that your medical practice looks to and points to when your employees have questions about their employment. It is also a vital document that backs you up when you are making your management decisions. And most importantly, on the legal side, a properly crafted employee handbook is a litigation-avoidance tool, according to Paul … [Read more...] about Employee handbook compliance 101
A half dozen plus one good ideas
A good manager = a good people-problem solver. Here are some solutions readers have told MOM about in the past. They are easy to implement, and they work. • To keep little problems from getting big, name a head staffer for the clinical area, front desk, billing department, and so on. When staff have comments or problems, they have to e-mail them to those … [Read more...] about A half dozen plus one good ideas
For a better new year, ask staff what’s going wrong and right with the office
To be a leader, a manager has to know the satisfaction level and where staff need and want to change – and also where personal changes are in order. And now is the time to find out exactly that, says Andrew Sobel, a New York City management and business development consultant. Addressing issues in January and February “gets people charged up for the year,” he says. It also … [Read more...] about For a better new year, ask staff what’s going wrong and right with the office