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Management Matters is also a New Article
series dealing with the issues that arise when managing
personnel and how to optimize your current staff in a
company.
:: Management Matters Featured Articles ::
Conducting an Effective Employee Interview
February 1st, 2010
Many people view the interview process as a stressful task for only the interviewee, when in reality it can be a difficult situation for both sides. Although it is important for the individual being interviewed to make a positive impression on the potential employer, it is also important for the interviewer to do the same. The interviewer is also making an impression on the candidate as a representative of the hiring company, and it is important for the interviewer to realize that the candidate might have other job opportunities. So in this sense, the interviewer is competing for each and every candidate against other potential opportunities that each candidate might have.
Read More "Conducting an Effective Employee Interview" »
Dealing with Conflicts in the Workplace
January 1st, 2010
Conflicts are common place in life and the workplace is no exception. It is very difficult to deal with problems in the workplace, especially when specific individuals do not get along very well, but that makes it even more important. We assume that most people spend a minimum of 8 hours a day working and another 8 hours a day sleeping, so the time that an individual spends at work is about 50 percent of the time that he/she is awake. Without a proper plan for conflict resolution, some employees could be spending about half of their waking hours dealing with disagreements. This has a real good possibility of affecting morale and productivity in the working environment. So many people are asking how these conflicts can be avoided, and if they cannot, how can they be resolved?
Read More "Dealing with Conflicts in the Workplace" »
The Age of Social Media
December 1st, 2009
Imagine life without the internet. Many of us cannot even remember a time without the unlimited resources of the World Wide Web. What began as a program created by the United States Department of Defense quickly transformed into a social environment where kids could get in touch with friends via online chat rooms. Although many people still use the internet for the same things that they did about ten years ago, it has grown to include a much larger demographic of users. As a result of the high level of traffic seen online many of the companies, that are worth their weight in gold, have a well established website that will allow their customers to access the company from home. With the new age of social networking websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, many other opportunities are arising for companies to reach a whole new demographic of consumers.
Read More "The Age of Social Media" »
Staying on top of your game
November 1st, 2009
While most of our “Management Matters” articles have been geared toward what you can do as a manager, this article provides guidance for what to do after you’ve managed. World unemployment is still on the rise and it is clear that workers from every level and every industry have been hit. While most of the major layoffs waves have been entry to mid-level workers, there is no reason why those in a management position should feel safe, or rather, should not be prepared. So whether you have been laid off from your management position or not, there are steps to take to ensure that if the dreadful time ever does arrive, you will be fully equipped to get back in the working world.
Read More "Staying on top of your game" »
To Layoff, or not to Layoff?
October 1st, 2009
Unemployment rates are rising and many unlucky workers are becoming statistics daily. While lay-offs have occurred in all types of organizations across the board, according to about.com, managers may want to reconsider before their organization joins the rest of the pack.
Read More "To Layoff, or not to Layoff?" »
Avoiding Hiring Mistakes
September 1st, 2009
Although the slump of the economy has created a hiring freeze for most companies, once the market picks back up many open positions will need to be filled. At this time, there will be an over-abundance of applicants and many great executives to choose from. We have been told what to do when interviewing, but listed below are three common mistakes that must be avoided during the hiring process.
Read More "Avoiding Hiring Mistakes" »
Keeping your employees engaged
August 1st, 2009
Over the past two years we have been inundated with reports on how the workplace is filled with four different generations for the first time in history. While these reports and their findings are valuable, as a leader it is important to know what you can do to ensure that your workplace is functioning at its highest, even with generational differences. A recent article on GoliathJobs.com featured a best practices article for “Managing the Aging Workforce.”
Read More "Keeping your employees engaged" »
Tips on How to Effectively Lead a Multigenerational Workforce
July 1st, 2009
Over the past two years we have been inundated with reports on how the workplace is filled with four different generations for the first time in history. While these reports and their findings are valuable, as a leader it is important to know what you can do to ensure that your workplace is functioning at its highest, even with generational differences. A recent article on GoliathJobs.com featured a best practices article for “Managing the Aging Workforce.”
Read More "Tips on How to Effectively Lead a Multigenerational Workforce" »
Layoffs: Are you discriminating?
June 1st, 2009
As many companies are being forced to make layoffs due to budget cuts, HR Managers may be unintentionally discriminating against employees during the decision-making process of who should stay and who will go. When managers are required to make cost-effective layoffs, multiple factors must be considered when making the best decision. However, managers will often make the mistake of reflecting on the employee’s personal life and obligations during the decision-making process, which will blur the line between boss and friend.
Read More "Layoffs: Are you discriminating?" »
Leadership Styles
May 1st, 2009
Common leadership characteristics are widely known, but are there specific leadership styles that are more effective in different environments? Daniel Goleman believes so. In his book, Primal Leadership, he describes six leadership styles: ‘Visionary, Coaching, Affiliative, Democratic, Pacesetting, and Commanding.’ A good leader is a persuader, motivator, and cognizant of employee morale. Successful leaders are flexible in guiding teams based on members and external circumstances.
Read More "Leadership Styles" »
The Value of On-Boarding
April 1st, 2009
How can you increase employee retention rate, employee morale, and employee productivity? It all starts from the first day of employment. Studies have shown that the first few days on the job are critical for building a new employee’s loyalty to the company by building relationships with co-workers and managers, putting new hires to work immediately amidst the action, and growing his or her interest in the job position.
Read More "The Value of On-Boarding" »
Creating a Learning Environment in the Office
March 1st, 2009
Although the working day may already be packed with conference calls, emails, meetings, overtime, training, and much more, many employees may feel there is no time left in the day to participate in learning activities. Employees who are growing their minds are growing their productivity. Learning enhances brain activity and promotes problem-solving skills, which is beneficial to all areas of life. Managers who create an environment that promotes lifelong learning will reap the rewards as employees are up to date with local market trends, industry inside information, and are expected to think about problems and strategy progressively. Management teams can intentionally promote an environment where learning is available and encouraged.
Read More "Creating a learning environment in the office" »
Redefining Compensation
February 1st, 2009
Management teams are beginning to restructure compensation packages in order to entice top candidates for positions that may appear as high risk during this economic downturn. Management is utilizing extra amenities catered towards employee retention incentives now that employee stocks in the company are no longer that enticing to the prospective candidate. Prospering companies are looking to retain their top employees who may be burdened with extra responsibilities due to lay offs, or to allure prospective employees looking for a secure job in unstable circumstances. Top employees who are the most valuable for the company may be feeling inadequately compensated if the majority of their compensation is invested in the company stock options. Businesses are being forced to reevaluate their regulations and management procedures in order to retain their top talent and stay competitive in compensation packages amidst the current economic situation.
Read More "Redefining Compensation" »
Talent Management
January 1st, 2009
In Claudia Lacy Kelly’s article “What Directors Should Ask about Talent Management,” she discusses the impact of the retiring baby boomer generation to the corporate world. Due to the recent drop of investments in retirement accounts, the baby boomer generation may remain in the work force longer, maybe. Nevertheless, it presents an excellent opportunity for organizations to explore the question of how they are going to manage their talent through proper succession planning. Kelly states that, “there are seven key questions directors should be asking about the companies they govern:
Read More "Talent Management" »
Training: How to make it stick...
December 1st, 2008
Training can seem like an easy answer for managers looking to increase employee productivity. However, many managers complain that the training session did not produce any long term effects or that the training participants did not make any changes in their performance. Why is it that companies spend thousands of dollars on training, and yet employees do not seem to benefit from it?
Read More "Training: How to make it stick... " »
How to build Company Morale
November 1st, 2008
In a time when company layoffs are prevalent due to the economic state of our country, how do managers increase company morale with their current employees? Positive affirmation is an easy and quick way to boost your employees’ sense of value in your company. A simple recognition of a job well done or a pat on the back can give assurance to your employees who may be concerned about their current state of employment.
Read More "How to build Company Morale" »
How to Manage a Project
October 1st, 2008
With Project Managers heading up our own executive search processes, we know the essential role the Project Manager plays in determining the outcome of a project. The Project Manager is ultimately responsible for the project and held accountable for the outcome. A Project Manager needs to be organized, clear, knowledgeable, and progressive.
Read More "Effective Management Tools" »
Effective Management Tools
September 1st, 2008
No matter how effective you are as a manger, if your employees are not happy then your productivity is not at its highest. Employee satisfaction with their job, manager, and environment are all essential for optimal employee performance. A manager is only as good as his or her team. Therefore, it is crucial for the manager to gain the respect of their employees.
In Ted Pollock’s article, “Effective Managers Do These Things,” he provides 10 ways for management to improve employee morale:
Read More "Effective Management Tools" »
How to Make Effective Decisions
August 1st, 2008
As the hiring manager of your company, have you ever been on the edge about whether or not to hire a potential new employee? How do you make the right decision? When making crucial decisions it is important to look at the whole picture. It would be beneficial to know how much it costs per new hire at your company, which will help you evaluate the pros and cons of your decision. Will the new hire be worth the money it will cost to hire him or her? As the hiring manager, you need to look at what the new hire will add to the company. Also look at where your company stands as a whole. Can you afford to take a risk right now? Here are four steps to guide you in the decision making process:
Read More "How to Make Effective Decisions" »
New Management Checklist
July 1st, 2008
The move up the corporate ladder has many perils, including
when you are the new boss for your former peers. The
move may seem easy, but career coach and author Sherri
Thomas warns executives of some pitfalls:
1. Beware the two extremes. New managers often fall
into one of two categories: Overbearing and power-happy
or unable to step up to the plate and manage even the
simplest projects. Your former friends can easily turn
on you if you adopt either persona.
Read More "New Management Checklist" »
Interview Questions To Avoid
March 1st, 2008
Most managers have a list of questions they prepare
for those interviewing for positions at a corporation.
However, there’s also a list of questions that
interviewers cannot ask of potential employees, according
to AllBusiness.com.
1. “How old are you?” and other age-related
questions. State and federal laws prevent discrimination
against people over 40. For this reason, you shouldn’t
ask any question designed to discover directly or indirectly
a person’s age.
Read More "Interview Questions To Avoid" »
Managing Long Term Growth
February 1st, 2008
Careful consideration, planning and research are as
essential to long-term business growth, as it was to
the development of the business, according to AllBusiness.com.
AllBusiness.com has developed the “60-Second Guide
to Managing Growth Over the Long Haul,” which it
advises will maintain an investment in research and analysis.
Read More "Managing Long Term Growth" »
Reducing Workers Compensation Costs
January 1st, 2008
Workers’ Compensation Claims are a costly business
expense, and have risen 27 percent in the last four years,
according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Dealing with
workers’ comp claims and reducing their occurrence
and their cost can help cut business expenses and strengthen
the bottom line.
Businesses spend an average of $26.86 per hour for each
employee on salary, benefit expenses such as health insurance,
vacation time and workers’ compensation benefits,
according to the Labor Department’s 2006 Bureau
of Labor Statistics report. Of an employee’s hourly
compensation, about 1.8 percent (.14 cents) goes toward
workers’ compensation. Those costs vary depending
on an employee’s classification, among other factors.
Read More "Reducing Workers Compensation Costs" »
Training Sales Force In Business Etiquette
December 1st, 2007
Making a lucrative deal can involve a number of business
factors, put improper business etiquette can also damage
a deal. Training a sales staff in proper etiquette is
as important as their sales training, according to Judith
P. Bowman, founder of Protocol Consultants International,
a training and consulting firm, and author of “Don’t
Take the Last Donut: New Rules of Business Etiquette.”
Teach sales professionals to shake hands
“Even salespeople with the best people skills make
mistakes, and showing them how to make that all-important
first impression is a powerful training tool,” Bowman
says.
Read More "Training Sales Force In Business Etiquette" »
Employee Critiques
November 1st, 2007
There is a right way and a wrong way to critique an
employee’s performance. The right way will lead
to positive growth for the employee and the company;
the wrong way can lead to a disgruntled employee whose
work performance will suffer.
In “6 Habits of Highly Effective Bosses,” executive
coaches Stephen Kohn and Vincent O’Connell offer
five strategies for delivering effective critiques:
Read More "Employee Critiques" »
Avoiding Age Discrimination While Hiring
October 1st, 2007
Executives need to be aware of shifts in the workplace
and the labor pool that makes age discrimination claims
an important management issue.
“Shifts in demographic trends and judicial reasoning
have combined to set the stage for a rapid rise in the
risks posed by unsuccessful job candidates who fall within
the protected class of workers age 40 and older under
the Age Discrimination in Employment Act,” states
Fay Hansen, a contributing editor for Workforce Management
magazine.
Read More "Avoiding Age Discrimination While Hiring" »
Sales Executive Must Knows
September 1st, 2007
Sales executives across all markets and products need
to have a basic knowledge set according to an executive
at Empliant, Inc. With this knowledge set, executives
can effectively train their sales force to increase profits.
According to Mike Owen, vice president of HR, sales,
marketing, and business development for Empliant, there
are “Four Knows” every executive should instill
in their sales force.
Read More "Sales Executive Must Knows" »
Delegating Tasks Is Essential
August 1st, 2007
Delegating tasks to employees can be as an essential
part of an executive’s duties as handling multi-million
dollar deals.
“You want to foster employee involvement and employee
empowerment to enable your team members to contribute
their best effort at work,” said human resources
expert Susan M. Heathfield. “These tips for successful
delegation of authority will help you help your reporting
staff members succeed when they are most empowered.”
When delegating work, give employees a whole task to
complete when possible. If you can’t give the employee
a whole task, make sure they understand the overall purpose
of the project or task. Staff members contribute most
effectively when they are aware of the big picture.
Read More "Delegating Tasks Is Essential" »
Employee Morale Dictates Profits
July 1st, 2007
Employee morale is linked to higher levels of customer
satisfaction which, in turn, is linked to higher profits,
according to an industry survey.
Cross-functional teams have proven to the most effective
method - at 60 percent - to engage employees in the corporate
environment, according to the “Organizational Strategies
for Raising Employee Morale,” conducted by Best
Practices, LLC’s Business Excellence Board.
The study found that, in general, large companies increase
morale through communication and rewards programs compared
to smaller companies, which affect morale by offering
flexible career assignments and holding recognition events.
Learning about employees’ families and personal
lives are highly effective in maintaining high employee
morale, noted nearly half of the best-in-class companies
in the study.
Read More "Employee Morale Dictates Profits" »
Global Skill Sets
June 1st, 2007
With an increasingly more globalized business community,
industry must look to extend its reach in new ways.
Tom Travis, author of “Doing Business Anywhere:
The Essential Guide to Going Global,” provides
six principles he says can “guarantee” success
in the global market:
- Thing outside the border: Understand trade agreements
and programs that will impact business deals.
- Protect the brand at all costs: Protect the company’s
image, and its intellectual property. Be concerned
not only with piracy and counterfeit goods, but also
on human rights and environmental practices to attract
the best foreign business partners.
Read More "Global Skill Sets" »
Whose Needs Matter More
May 1st, 2007
Executives face a daunting challenge balancing the needs
of individual employees against the needs of the corporation.
Training and developing an employee’s skills can
be a value to both the individual and the company when
balanced, according to Rana Sinha, a human resources
development expert.
Two questions must be addressed: What is required of
the employee in order to maintain his/her employability?
And, what practical steps does it require of the employer?
In addressing these issues, Sinha advises that executives
focus on the skills development of technical expertise
vital to their position, then focus on personal skills
such as community, dealing with stress, and time management
skills.
Read More "Whose Needs Matter More" »
Minimize Wasted Time
April 1st, 2007
Every manager knows that employees are going to spend
a little bit of the work day dealing with a personal
issue. But a recent study found that workers spend an
average of 3 hours each week handling personal business.
The survey, conducted by OfficeTeam, found that employees
average about 36 minutes per day on personal tasks – adding
up to 3 hours each week of non-work activities.
While managers may look the other way when employees
make a few phone calls during the day, the privilege
needs to be closely monitored to avoid it being abused,
recommends Diane Domeyer, OfficeTeam executive director.
Read More "Minimize Wasted Time" »
Employee Turnover
February 15th, 2007
Executives can directly control turnover in their departments
by evaluating their own leadership ability, according
to a communications expert.
According to Florida State University study, many employees
city their company managers and executives as the main
reason for leaving a job, particularly if they are poor
communicators.
Read More "Employee Turnover" »
Managing The Meeting
February 1st, 2007
How much time do you spend (waste) in unproductive meetings
each week?
Put a stop to the black hole of meetings by establishing
a clear set of guidelines for yourself, other managers,
and employees about how a productive meeting should be
run.
Phil Grisolia, an accredited Certified Business Communicator,
offers six simple steps to manage meetings:
Read More "Managing The Meeting" »
Business Is Personal
January 1st, 2007
Harnessing emotions can influence the effective management
of a department, according to a recent article in The
Wall Street Journal online.
“Managers often think they should be impassive
and unemotional, and encourage their employees to be
the same. But emotions drive performance, and bosses
who don’t acknowledge their own and others’ temperaments
can't inspire the best work from their staffs – or
even motivate themselves,” advises the article
by Carol Hymowitz.
Read More "Business Is Personal" »
Strategic Planning Requires Planning
December 1st, 2006
Strategic planning is a popular catch phrase for developing
long-term strategies to deal with a corporation’s
growth and development – particularly for increasing
profit margins.
However, a recent survey found that many executives
are unsatisfied with their own company’s so-called
strategic plans. If fact, many reported that their companies
needed to develop more effective methods for developing
a strategy and for implementing those plans, according
to The McKinsey Quarterly, which conducted the survey.
Read More "Inspiration Equals Success" »
Inspiration Equals Success
November 1st, 2006
Inspiration is the wellspring of innovation, both in
the corporate world and in life. But, how do you become
inspired?
Mike Hugos, author of “Essentials of Supply Chain
Management”, recommends that executives look for
inspiration in the same manner in which an artist does:
Read More "Inspiration Equals Success" »
Aiming for Success
October 1st, 2006
A successful manager is only as good as the people that
work for them. Training employees, fostering working relationships, and completing
projects that have the greatest ROI all fall squarely on the shoulders of those
in management.
Read More "Aiming for Success" »
Teach Ethics from The Top Down
September 1st, 2006
Unethical corporate behavior is linked to pressure from
upper management to meet unrealistic business objectives and deadlines, according
to an American Management Association and Human Resource Institute survey.
Read More "Teach Ethics from The Top Down" »
Avoid Meeting Overload
August 1st, 2006
Business meetings are too often long, boring and senseless.
However, meetings are also a useful way of giving department
heads and employees a forum in which to provide their input.
Read More "Avoid Meeting Overload" »
Climbing the Management Ladder
July 1st, 2006
Developing new skills to help climb the ladder to success
should be an ongoing process in any executive’s
career, regardless of their level of management.
Read More "Climbing the Management Ladder" »
Dealing with Discrimination
June 1st, 2006
Dealing effectively with discrimination is a twofold
process. First, become knowledgeable with regard to
antidiscrimination laws. Then, pay close attention to
what’s happening in your company.
Read More "Dealing with Discrimination" »
10 Tips To Create Stronger Teams
May 1st, 2006
Management Matters - 10 Tips To Create Stronger Teams
Positive office dynamics add great strength to a business,
while strained ones create strife, according to AllBusiness.com.
Read More "10 Tips To Create Stronger Teams" »
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