Memos to Managers

Interview questions: What’s legal, what’s not?

09/26/2011

Conducting job interviews is one of the most legally dangerous tasks performed by managers. One misguided question could cause an applicant to think he or she was rejected due to one of the federally protected categories. Take this hiring quiz to see if you know which questions are legal and which are not:

How to manage ‘super-qualified’ employees

08/31/2011

With unemployment still running above 9% nationally, many people are taking jobs that are lateral—or even downward—moves in their careers. As a result, many managers are supervising employees who have far more experience than the job requires. Use the following guidelines to effectively manage overqualified workers and lengthen their stay:

‘Can we talk?’: How to handle requests for secrecy

08/01/2011

Say one of your employees stops by your office with a troubled look on her face. She has a complaint, but wants to speak with you “off the record.” Can you comply with her request for confidentiality? Should you? It all depends on the content and context of the complaint.

Give oral reprimands that serve a purpose

06/30/2011

You already know to scold employees in private. You don’t want to embarrass them at the same time that you’re criticizing some aspect of their performance. But reprimanding in private doesn’t excuse you from speaking diplomatically.

The art of giving positive feedback: 7 simple tips

06/28/2011

Giving feedback is an important legal and practical management task—and certainly not an easy one. Many managers make the mistake of dishing out feedback only when employees do something wrong. But praise can also be an effective motivational tool, if used correctly. Here are seven guidelines to follow:

Top 7 reasons why the wrong people get hired

06/01/2011

Nobody ever sets out to make a bad hire. But it happens, even to the best hiring managers. From managers’ inadequate preparation to misguided hiring criteria to misreading applicants’ credentials, here are the seven biggest reasons for hiring decisions that bomb.

Documenting employee discipline: 3 cardinal rules

05/31/2011

Managers should make documentation of employee performance, behavior and discipline a regular habit. Strong documentation is especially important if an employee or ex-employee ever files a legal complaint saying his or her termination or discipline was based on illegal discrimination.

Micromanaging: 5 signs you’re doing it; 4 ways to stop it

03/28/2011

When it comes to assigning projects, do you spend most of your time telling employees how to do the work? Or do you give them clear goals and guidelines, then get out of the way? Micromanaging is an inefficient use of a manager’s time. It signals distrust of employees and inhibits them from taking initiative. Here are key signs of micromanaging and advice on how to reduce it.

Block inadvertent bias from creeping into reviews

01/31/2011

When drafting performance reviews, every manager aims to be fair and consistent. But research shows that, too often, a concept known as “rater bias” can subtly—and inadvertently—influence a manager’s ratings. Here are the six most common types of bias to be aware of when drafting reviews or other types of feedback:

The 10 best ways managers can build employee trust

01/05/2011

Surveys consistently show that lack of trust in management is one of the main reasons employees disengage from their work and seek jobs elsewhere. Here are 10 ways managers can work to earn trust from their employees: