QUESTION: During a few recent exit interviews with departing staff, it has been suggested that improving our company’s onboarding process would make a positive impact on the employee’s overall work experience. We have a process called ‘orientation,’ but I’m worried it doesn’t include everything it should. How is onboarding different from orientation and what would […]
QUESTION: Over the previous six months, we have lost five employees. For a company our size, that is a lot. While one departure was welcomed, the other four were surprise resignations. This is causing extreme stress as we try to maintain a full client schedule while trying to fill big holes in staffing. I’m not […]
QUESTION: Every year I throw a year-end holiday party at my home for my staff, their families, a few vendors and external partners. I provide everything, all the food and beverages – including adult beverages. Last year, my newly hired assistant was totally trashed by the end of the evening. Her husband had to carry […]
QUESTION: With the national election coming up, I’ve had several staff ask about flexing their time in order to vote in person. We have a busy company, and we can’t always be flexible, however, voting is important and I want to support them. Also, this particular election has become contentious, and I don’t want differences […]
QUESTION: We don’t typically talk about how much we pay each employee. We don’t share our salary ranges or hourly rates in job postings, and we work individually with candidates and employees to negotiate their base pay. We’ve recently had some questions from staff questioning their hourly rate as compared with their co-workers. I don’t […]
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: 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: 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 […]
QUESTION: When I interview a potential candidate, I ask them how well they take criticism. I have never had anyone say that they do not take it well. Yet in reality, I find that when I criticize a staff member, they often get upset and some actually cry. They make the changes I suggest, but […]