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Communication

Help create a more transparent workplace

04/29/2014

One upside of the turbulent, post-recession world of work: More employers have committed to operating transparently, sharing business metrics and strategic plans with employees. Knowing how the company is doing and where it’s going helps build worker engagement. Here’s how HR can help keep staff informed.

10 things your employees are dying to hear you say

04/25/2014

Only about a third of employees these days say they are “engaged” in their jobs. But in the midst of everyday chaos, it’s hard for managers to think about big-picture issues like employee morale and motivation. Here are 10 phrases or questions you can use with employees to build respect, gratitude and trust, according to a new book by Todd Patkin, Finding Happiness.

Teach bosses to support staff at crunch time

03/24/2014

Every organization runs into time crunches—sometimes predictable, sometimes sudden emergencies. Whenever your crazy time is, you could lose some of your best employees if they feel taken for granted. Encourage supervisors to follow these four steps to support employees during those times.

Adapt ‘management by walking around’ for the HR world

03/10/2014
As Yogi Berra noted, “You can observe a lot by watching.” The time-honored management-by-walking-around concept is based on this theory. It’s an effective way to discover employment problems no one would normally tell you about.

Win by losing: 7 bad communication habits to shed

03/05/2014
The quickest way for managers to improve their professional image is to improve their communication skills. And the simplest way to improve those skills is to stop doing things that repeatedly get you in trouble.

Foster friendship to achieve results at work

02/25/2014
While vigilant HR pros might bristle at the notion of “work friends” and office romances, cubicle camaraderie can be awfully good for morale—and, it turns out, the bottom line.

Discrimination hotline won’t protect against lawsuit

02/20/2014
Merely creating a hotline for reporting discrimination isn’t enough to protect an employer against harassment and discrimination claims.

A 10-step ‘prescription’ to create a happier workforce

02/17/2014
Most employees feel stressed, doubtful about job security and less invested in their companies and careers. You can and should do something about it.

Remind supervisors about the importance of praise

02/12/2014
“As business leaders, we do a really good job of telling people what they do wrong, and a really bad job at telling them what they do right,” says Bill Sims, author of the new book Green Beans & Ice Cream.

Changing employee behavior: 8 simple steps for ‘the talk’

02/11/2014

Smart business people know it’s more profitable to keep existing customers than constantly having to find new ones. That’s because the costs of acquiring new customers are so high. The same principle applies to employees.