By Paul Edwards “Quick question…” Those two words have become increasingly popular as our near-constant attachment to communication devices blurs the line between work and personal time. Whether by phone, laptop, or tablet—via Slack, WhatsApp, or Google Chat—it’s easier than ever for teams to stay in contact after the workday is done. But employers need to be cautious … [Read more...] about Clocked out or connected: What you need to know about after-hours group chats
Managing staff
Own your piece of the action
By Lynne Curry “It wasn’t my fault. I blew up because I had the worst day.” “Anyone would have reacted the way I did.” When you lose your temper, shut down, or behave badly in other ways, you may feel tempted to rationalize your behavior. It can feel right to pin responsibility for your reactions on the other person or to attribute them to the situation. When you do, you … [Read more...] about Own your piece of the action
How to handle employee hotheads
By Lynne Curry Question: “Eric” loves one-upping other employees in meetings. While he sometimes does this to me, by loudly posing contrary opinions, this morning he slammed another employee, also a hothead, who argued back. I told employees to stop. Neither did. Eric, however, raised his voice. I felt forced to raise my voice and didn’t like the person I became. It was a … [Read more...] about How to handle employee hotheads
Is it poor performance or a personal crisis?
By Paul Edwards Those in the healthcare industry are bound to be ahead of the curve in understanding that mental illness is not a character defect and can be a serious health condition that requires intervention. Despite having a good comprehension of the importance of good mental health hygiene, healthcare professionals tend to fare badly in terms of psychological … [Read more...] about Is it poor performance or a personal crisis?
6 things to do when remote workers want to move to another state
By Mike O’Brien Is it a problem for a medical office suddenly to have an unplanned, unexpected, and perhaps undesired branch office when an employee moves to another state? Yes! The United States has a national government, state governments, and local governments. They each have powers over employers and make laws that typically apply to and protect people subject to the … [Read more...] about 6 things to do when remote workers want to move to another state
Losing employees? Toxic workplace? Create a turnaround game plan
By Lynne Curry Productivity cratered many months ago. When you ask managers, “How’s it going?” you hear, “It’s going.” New resignation letters land on your desk every several weeks, with some employees leaving before finishing out their two weeks’ notice. You can’t avoid the truth. You need a turnaround plan, fast, before you lose more employees. Here’s what to know and … [Read more...] about Losing employees? Toxic workplace? Create a turnaround game plan
You knew she was depressed, but suicidal? Now what?
By Lynne Curry You knew your coworker felt depressed, squeezed by the financial hit she and her husband took when laid off, and the overwhelming pressure when her kids hated school by Zoom. Now, she worries every day that sending her kids to school exposes them to danger. Throughout the pandemic, she made off-hand comments that concerned you, but what she said this morning … [Read more...] about You knew she was depressed, but suicidal? Now what?
How to improve employee experience and organizational culture as COVID-19 takes toll on staff
The pandemic dramatically changed how, when, and where work gets done. And while a majority of businesses reported that productivity increased as employees settled into working remotely, for many, it came at the expense of the employee experience. Employee burnout, time spent in meetings, and the number of employees with mental health problems increased, while work-life … [Read more...] about How to improve employee experience and organizational culture as COVID-19 takes toll on staff
Making hybrid work: Charting a new playbook for a future-ready workplace
By Lynne Curry Employers thought employees would want to come back to their offices, where they had easy access to equipment, coworkers, and managers. They were wrong. COVID-19 untethered us from our traditional workplaces and many employees don’t want to return. Employees enjoyed the flexibility and freedom, sometimes from micro-managing supervisors, they had when working … [Read more...] about Making hybrid work: Charting a new playbook for a future-ready workplace
Embrace on-job learning and listen to employees for more resilient teams
Leaders who encourage their employees to learn on the job and speak up with ideas and suggestions for change have teams that are more effective and resilient in the face of unexpected situations, according to new research from Rice University and the University of Windsor. “A Resource Model of Team Resilience Capacity and Learning” will appear in a special issue of Group … [Read more...] about Embrace on-job learning and listen to employees for more resilient teams