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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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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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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2020 has presented HR professionals (not to mention everyone!) with some unique challenges. Many organizations have had to make changes to employee benefits because of COVID-19. Despite the unknowns around the pandemic as many organizations forge ahead, it’s time to think about coverage decisions for the coming year. Generally, insurers provide health plan costs for the following year in October, which is approaching quickly. Employers continue to protect the health…
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Many people are still working remotely with no set date to return to the office or production site. But companies everywhere are working hard to plan for the return of employees to the workplace. To do so, businesses create risk models to envision certain scenarios, get input from HR teams and management, and rely on employee feedback, in order to create a return to work plan. As we see some…
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Adjusting to a remote workplace is challenging for leaders and employees alike. While close to 25% of the American labor force works from home at least part of the time, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, we’ve never been so separated from each other before. From productivity concerns to family demands, there is no shortage of things to worry about during this time. Even if you love working…
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From hospitality to education, the coronavirus has impacted every industry. Also known as COVID-19, the pandemic has led to more than 100,000 deaths worldwide, and we’re self-isolating for an indefinite period of time to prevent the spread of infection as much as possible. I don’t doubt that COVID-19 has affected your business, and it will continue to do so for at least the near future. It can feel scary not…
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Hi! My name is Katherine Hartvickson of Quantum Ascendance, an HR Consulting & Leadership Development company. We help you develop your People and create sustainable Processes so that you enjoy a Profitable and Winning Culture. This is the third tip in my video series on business communication. (You’ll find the other two videos in the resources section below.) When employees don’t feel heard, it can lead to poor productivity, lack…
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Hi! My name is Katherine Hartvickson of Quantum Ascendance, an HR Consulting & Leadership Development company. We help you develop your People and create sustainable Processes so that you enjoy a Profitable and Winning Culture. This is the second tip in my video series on business communication. If you missed the first tip, watch it here. Effective listening is essential to clear communication and management success. Choosing the right words,…
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