Our world has changed. In 2021, that’s certainly an understatement. And perhaps nowhere is this more visible than in the workplace. If you’ve noticed that office talk has gotten a lot more political recently, you’re not alone. If you’re wondering about your rights as an employee or responsibilities as an employer or manager, keep reading. Talking Politics At Work There’s no doubt we’ve seen a big shift in how we…
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It’s an all-too-common problem for team leaders and managers: dealing with an employee who isn’t performing well. Maybe they’re always showing up late or calling in sick. They require constant supervision and don’t seem to care about their job, turning in sloppy work. And remote working during the pandemic may be exacerbating the problem. This difficult employee isn’t only a problem for you. It’s a problem for your best employees,…
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When you’re the owner of a small or medium-sized business, you’re often also the accountant, HR person, marketing director and office manager! I’ve worked with so many business owners who struggle with the same problem: there’s not enough of them to go around and you are having to do things that you really have no business messing with! It’s admirable that you roll up your sleeves and get into the…
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Communication in the workplace can make or break your organization. If your employees are communicating effectively at work, your company is going to be much more successful. When your employees are communicating effectively at work, it: Strengthens the company culture Increases productivity and quality Avoids confusion and duplication of work Keeps everyone accountable and on-track with their tasks However, if your people are snapping at one another out of stress…
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A new $900 billion coronavirus relief bill is now law. The question of whether or not the federal Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and Emergency Family and Medical Leave (EFMLA) will be extended has been answered: yes. However, as part of the new $900 billion coronavirus relief bill that recently became law, an employee will no longer be entitled by law to take EPSL or EFMLA—even if they have a…
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It’s just three letters, but they’re critical ones. If you haven’t heard the acronym SOP (often referred to as SOPs), it stands for standard operating procedures. SOPs are the documented processes that help employees effectively and safely perform their jobs. Every single employee in your organization needs to understand, complete and follow these step-by-step desk procedures—especially right now. I like to use the example of the fast-food chain McDonald’s: Regardless…
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When business owners think about employee health and safety, their thoughts are generally focused on the physical. Things like avoiding hazards that could cause a staff member or customer to slip and fall. Understanding the laws around testing for COVID-19 in the workplace. However, keeping your workforce safe and healthy includes prioritizing employee mental health. As your workers are coping with the pandemic, they’re under a great deal of stress—even…
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It’s nearly the end of 2020, and what a year it’s been. The entire world has changed the way we interact with friends and family, work, play, shop…and so on. For many business owners, this global shift has made 2020 a year of reactivity rather than productivity. It’s been hard for many employers to look beyond maintaining their cash flow, dealing with fewer staff and customers. Plus, they have to…
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You may have noticed I’ve been very focused on this topic in the past few months. It’s because I’m really concerned for small and medium-sized business owners. Each day I’m seeing articles like “A ‘tidal wave’ of Covid-related workplace lawsuits could be on the way” and noticing the numbers going up on Littler’s COVID-19 Labor & Employment Litigation Tracker. According to Littler, an international employment law firm, since March 12…
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Thinking back to pre-COVID-19 times, how did you manage your employees’ performance? I’m sure it was much easier when you were in the same room as your staff, providing feedback or answering questions when you could make “real” eye contact and read their body language. But when your workforce is at home, things get trickier. Managing and evaluating performance isn’t so straightforward anymore. Here are a few reasons why it’s…
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