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A Survival Guide to Working with Mercurial CEOs

In any business, success hinges on the energy of internal relationships, which not only shape an organization but set the emotional tone for its culture. Specifically, the boss-to-leadership dynamic isn’t just influential. It’s a game-changer. If you often question whether your boss will greet you as Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde, or if you frequently […]

Big No-No: Questioning Employees about Their Retirement Plans

Q We have an employee who is about to turn 65. He has been with the company about 10 years. He is very negative about the organization and has created the same negativity in his two direct reports. In all honesty, we would like him to retire because of the toxic attitude. May we ask […]

Feedback

Workplace Feedback—Punishment, Puzzle, or Gift?

By William Taylor People want and need to know how they’re doing in their jobs. Feedback is important to employees, and it’s also an important management tool for improving performance. The thing is that feedback is not always done well, and it is also not always received well. Why? What can companies do to make […]

interruptions

The Problem of Interruptions at Work

When most of us were children, we probably didn’t dream about having a solid block of 8, 4, or even 2 hours to sit down and really focus on some work. But in today’s modern workplace, such uninterrupted work time truly is a luxury for many people.

How AI Can Support Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

In today’s increasingly globalized world, diversity and inclusion (D&I) have emerged as critical components of successful companies. Particularly when enticing Gen Z members of the workforce, it would behoove companies to emphasize these efforts to create a workplace that doesn’t just do good by its customers but also does the right thing for its employees. […]

Supervisor’s Bottom Line: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

The old maxim “No good deed goes unpunished” is rarely as applicable as when untrained supervisors and managers try to be good bosses. If you have new, or recently promoted, supervisors or managers, see if any of these situations are familiar: “Do you think you might be depressed?” asks the concerned, but untrained, boss. “I […]

Keeping policies legal: Don’t ban employees from talking about pay

It’s tempting for employers to put rules in the company handbook informing employees that they are prohibited from discussing wages and benefits with coworkers. Such policies often warn employees that violators will be subject to discipline up to and including termination.  But who’s really in trouble because of that kind of policy? The employee polling […]

Valuing Multilingual Employees

Communication and connection are at the core of being human. Interacting with others and the world around us is critical not only for collaboration and progress but also for inclusion and belonging. It’s ironic, then, that something as universal as language can be so limiting. Language differences significantly impact people’s ability to connect with one […]