QUESTION: We have several employees, primarily mothers, who are parenting younger children. Are there strategies we should consider for recruiting, retaining and better supporting these employees? We notice that some of them struggle to balance child care, school and work schedules. ANSWER: According to data collected by Harvard University, approximately 73% of all employees […]
QUESTION: We are really struggling to retain our administrative staff. Not only is it challenging to find qualified people, but those that we have hired end up not working out for a variety of reasons. These roles are so important to help our busy company run smoothly. Are there other strategies we should try to […]
QUESTION: I know I am supposed to conduct employee evaluations on a regular basis. I understand why they are important, and I have the best intentions of doing them each year. However, I struggle to complete them. In fact, I dread it! Do you have any tips to make this process less painful and more […]
QUESTION: I hired a woman with very little experience as my Office Manager. She retired from the corporate world and understands management better than anyone I know. She has cleaned up the office and we no longer have excessive absenteeism and tardiness; people are working together and productivity is up. She had to do this […]
QUESTION: I have a small business with only three employees. With such a small company, why do I need an employee handbook and what are the minimum policies I can get away with? ANSWER: If you have one employee or 20 employees, you need an employee handbook. This is the best tool to communicate […]
QUESTION: Like many employers in this job market, we are struggling to recruit new staff. We have many positions unfilled at all levels of the company. What are some new strategies we might try to stand out from our competitors and attract qualified candidates? ANSWER: You are right. It is a tight labor market […]
QUESTION: We have an employee that supports several of our staff and her communication style and approach can sometimes be abrasive. As a result, her co-workers either avoid interaction all together or they disagree, sometimes by arguing in the office. Neither of these responses are productive and are negatively impacting employees, and more concerning, are […]
QUESTION: We have an employee who gained access to confidential employee information. How should we respond to the employee and prevent this from happening again? ANSWER: When thinking about data security, we often think about protecting customer or patient data, including adhering to HIPAA or FERPA regulations, depending on the industry. Businesses sometimes don’t […]
QUESTION: I am trying to fill a position and am not having a lot of luck. When I talk to my colleagues, it seems I am not alone in my recruiting struggle. While I’m trying to work every angle, the clock is ticking. My team is doing more with less and I can see the […]
QUESTION: I am at a loss for how to celebrate the holidays with my remote staff. I used to invite the team over to my house for dinner, drinks, and some holiday cheer. It’s something we all looked forward to, but now we have several remote staff who live far away. Do you have any […]