Employee Relations

6 communication gaffes even smart people make

06/02/2025

Here are six common communication mistakes that can undercut HR professionals’ credibility in the workplace, according to communications consultant Colette Carlson (colettecarlson.com).

5 tips to counter the summertime slack-off

06/02/2025

The summer months, when most people take vacations, can be trying times for managers. A number of problems seem to get worse during the summer—absenteeism, tardiness, inattention, horseplay. Smart managers avoid the summertime blues by planning ahead. Offer your organization’s managers these tips to keep employees on schedule, involved and motivated.

10 ways to overcome ‘negative vibes’ among your staff

05/23/2025

Every manager must deal with a certain amount of pessimistic, hostile or uncooperative behavior at times. But a hard-core negative attitude that starts with just one employee can infect an entire department (or a whole company) if the manager doesn’t rein it in quickly.

9 surefire morale deflators–and how to avoid them

05/09/2025

With everything on your radar during the workday, it’s easy to forget about employee morale. But keeping the team engaged isn’t something that can be ignored or postponed. To keep morale on your radar, be aware of some of the common management mistakes that undermine it. Here are nine main deflators of employee morale, plus tips on avoiding them:

Motivation: 3 questions to get a good worker out of a rut

05/05/2025

When good workers seem to be simply going through the motions, it may be because they’re riding on the career merry-go-round—wanting to try something new, but unable to get away from what they’re already doing. Here are some questions to ask them.

Be better! Anti-harassment training, half-hearted investigations aren’t enough

05/02/2025

Why aren’t anti-harassment policies more effective at preventing harassment? The answer may lie in ineffective training and the failure of employers to follow their own policies.

Discipline consistently to avoid reverse-discrimination lawsuits

04/25/2025

There’s a simple way to avoid many kinds of reverse-discrimination lawsuits: Treat everyone alike. That means making sure supervisors apply work rules impartially and without exception unless there is an objective reason discipline should differ.

8 steps to becoming the manager your employees need

04/23/2025

In an effort to “empower” their staffs, too many managers take a completely hands-off approach, leaving employees alone unless they really need help. But this can create a rudderless ship, says management expert Bruce Tulgan. That’s not leadership! Here’s how effective managers provide genuine support to their employees.

7 situations you should document every time

04/11/2025

Thorough and accurate HR documentation is what wins lawsuits.

Demote a staffer? Make it work

04/09/2025

If you decide that demotion is a viable alternative to terminating a particular employee, knowing how to execute the demotion properly is essential to making it work.