Employee Relations

Stifle that yawn! Everyone else is bored at work, too

10/24/2017

If you’ve ever had a case of the blahs at work, you’re not alone. According to a new survey from staffing firm OfficeTeam, the average professional is bored in the office 10.5 hours per week.

Being rude isn’t a protected ethnic trait

10/18/2017

Here’s a reminder to stick with solid explanations when documenting discipline. If you have facts to back up your decision, an employee’s spurious claim of some sort of discrimination likely will be dismissed.

Turnover increasing in today’s hot economy

10/17/2017

The typical American worker stayed at their job just over five years last year, down slightly from a record high set in 2014, according to new research by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Make sure your good records are dated, too

10/12/2017

When it comes to litigation, employers that keep meticulous performance records and can pinpoint exactly when they made important employment decisions typically fare better than those who keep sloppy records.

Carefully document sudden performance slide

10/11/2017

Sometimes an excellent employee who has received great reviews and consistent raises exhibits a sudden performance decline. When that happens, be sure to carefully document the changes in his or her work.

How to question a witness about a workplace incident

10/11/2017

In questioning someone, you suddenly gain power over that person … and it’s incredibly easy for that to go wrong.

Ensure people respond to emails

09/27/2017

No doubt it’s frustrating when people won’t return your emails. Follow these tips to garner a response without damaging the work relationship.

… You need to enforce the rules

09/27/2017

No matter how “casual” or “creative” your people and workplace are, you’ll eventually need to enforce some basic work rules. Here’s how to lay down the law without turning into an ogre or demotivating your team.

Use your ‘poker face’ when hearing complaints

09/14/2017

When listening to employee complaints of potential discrimination or harassment, your brain may be thinking “You’ve got to be kidding me!” but your face and voice need to say, “I hear your complaint and will investigate it fully.”

Are you obligated to investigate before firing? For at-will employees, you have discretion

09/12/2017

What kind of investigation, if any, is required before an employer can fire a worker for what it believes is some kind of misconduct?