Questions & Answers

Let’s first be clear that employee engagement is not equal to employee happiness or employee satisfaction. Engagement is an emotional commitment to organizational goals. Engaged employee’s performance leads to better business outcomes. Engaged employees are involved emotionally and they actually feel passion for the work they do. Drivers of engagement are varied and unique to each…

One of life’s fundamental truths is that change is inevitable. That goes for our business lives as well as our personal lives. People generally don’t like it. They fear it, resist it, and complain about it. Sometimes they become despondent or physically ill over it. But change happens nonetheless. President John Kennedy said, “Change is…

Payroll represents a huge amount of a company’s outlay. Those resources should play a significant role in guiding employees toward performing duties and encouraging behavior that contributes toward the company’s success. Otherwise, the money is ill spent.  To that end, a total rewards plan, which includes cash compensation plus benefits, can be developed that continually…

Organizations, like people, have personalities some more pleasant than others. The culture of an organization establishes the environment in which all work and transactions are done. More specifically, organizational culture affects how: Policies are written and enforced, Decisions are made, Employee actions are handled, Employee communications are conducted, Trust is established. Many companies, recognizing the…

According to Wikipedia, “performance management is a process of ensuring that a set of activities and outputs meets an organization’s goals in an effective and efficient manner.”  Traditionally, performance management is the process by which employee performance is documented by and shared at some frequency — typically annually. The employee evaluation also involves setting personal…

Unacceptable behavior should not be ignored and requires prompt corrective action. Unacceptable behavior, which should be documented in the employee handbook or HR policies, may include: Bullying Lack of civility Anger Bad manners Disrespectful behaviors toward peers, subordinates, or superiors     Horseplay Dishonesty Failure to follow safety procedures Poor attendance or tardiness Immediate action: Document the…

The human resource function, more than other any other area of the company, affects the operation and execution of all other business functions. Major HR functions: Talent acquisition, Performance management, Compensation and benefits, Employment Legal compliance, Employee retention and engagement, Training and development, Employee safety and security. Each of those functions, if not aligned with…

Dysfunctional management at any organizational level, including members of the top leadership team is not uncommon. Warning Signs. Poor management can manifest itself in a variety of ways, including: Communication breakdowns, Lack of transparency and trust, Lack of shared vision, Lack of follow-up, Unresolved conflict, Abuse of power, Poor decision-making,. Consequences. Obviously dysfunctional management can…

Always take the complaint seriously and initiate prompt action. These kinds of cases can result in a lawsuit if not handled judiciously. Conduct interviews of witnesses and any other relevant personnel. Gather other relevant evidence such as e-mails, notes from meetings, time cards and schedules.  Document and date each step of the investigation. ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:…

You must not ignore objectionable behavior of difficult people. People who are disruptive, antagonistic, condescending or just generally hard to get along with are not going to change, or leave without supervisory intervention. As with any employee action begin with the development of documentation outlining the nature of the difficult behavior, the impact on the…