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Employees Flyin’ High for Going ‘Above and Beyond’

Ten US Airways employees are flyin’ high this holiday season—and no, it’s not from imbibing at the company party. These employees went “above and beyond” delivering outstanding service to not only the airline’s customers, but to fellow colleagues—and some took home $10,000! According to a press release, the Above and Beyond (A&B) program allows US […]

Recognize those who made your company what it is today

by Dan Oswald This past Memorial Day, a day reserved to remember and honor those who have died in service of the United States of America, my youngest child graduated from high school. So this Memorial Day also became a day to honor and celebrate his accomplishments. This all got me thinking a bit about […]

Banning electronic cigarettes in the workplace

by Reggie Gay Electronic cigarette companies like to say that users of their products can “Smoke anywhere!” According to the recent Businessweek article “E-Cigarettes Want Your Attention Now (Before the FDA Steps In),” electronic cigarettes are “expected to top $1 billion in annual sales in the next few years.” As the industry grows exponentially, employers […]

Great California Workplaces: California Pacific Medical Center Invests in Its Employees; Winning Strategies

California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) in San Francisco is this year’s winner of our 2007 Great California Workplaces Award in the nonprofit category. Like most hospitals, it faces a difficult challenge of attracting and retaining qualified employees: Healthcare professionals—especially nurses—have many options in today’s job market, and they’ll go where they can best utilize their […]

Catching Life, Business Lessons from Legendary Fishing Guide

I read a fascinating article about a fishing guide by the name of Steve Huff. Huff has been a fishing guide for 43 years and is considered one of the best in his profession. Last year, he was inducted into the International Game Fish Association’s Hall of Fame and, the editor and publisher of one […]

‘Tis the season: resolutions for the new year

by Leslie Bakken Oliver It’s that time again, when many of us take inventory of the past year and make resolutions for the coming year—for example, to do better, work smarter, become more efficient, or waste less time. For some of you, focusing on aspirations for the coming year may be part of a formalized […]

So You Think You Can Dance?

Litigation Value:  $250,000 The “Café Disco” episode of The Office might as well have been called “The Hostile Work Environment.” Or “The No Work Environment.” Dunder Mifflin Scranton turned into a coffee house dance bar at the expense of any corporate productivity. A hostile work environment exists when an employee experiences workplace harassment and fears […]

Lessons from the Duck Blind

This past weekend, my son and I went duck hunting. Despite growing up in a rural area in the Midwest where hunting was a way of life, I never cared for it when I was young. Among the reasons was that it was brutally cold in Iowa in the winter. But, my 15-year-old son has […]

Slow It Down … Hurrying Can Result in a Bad Hire!

It’s undeniable that the caliber of the people in your organization—their integrity, intelligence, experience, and commitment—is critical to your success. Give great people the opportunity to do meaningful work, and there’s no telling what they can achieve. So, if the people in your organization are the most critical factor in your success, do you spend […]