On a sliding scale of workplace pleasantness, few—if any—professional circumstances manage to rank below employee termination. Having to fire or lay off an employee is generally not on a manager’s wish list, and rare is the employee who relishes being…
“What happened?” you ask. HR screened the résumés and gave you the best of the stack. You checked for education, work experience, and skills, and they were all there. You interviewed her and she sounded bright and enthusiastic—a real go-getter….
If you’re a small business owner starting out and need a loan, where would you go? Both credit unions and community banks are possible lenders. That wasn’t always the case with credit unions. “Historically, many credit unions didn’t lend to…
When people think of disasters, they generally envision tornados, hurricanes, floods, or other catastrophic events that devastate entire communities. But for a business—and particularly a small business—a disaster can be something as seemingly trivial as a failed server, a telephone…
Once upon a time, you decided to take a few months away from your career to spend time with your new baby or tend to a sick relative or start your own business. Perhaps those months turned into years, and…
In the commonwealth, the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration covers most private-sector employers. Workers at state and local government agencies—i.e., cities, counties, boroughs, townships, public school districts, and the State System of Higher Education—are not covered. Nor are the…
A supervisor makes sexually suggestive comments to an employee regarding the employee’s clothing and how the employee’s body looks in the chosen clothing. Or the supervisor suggests that the two should have engaged in a sexual relationship and that if…
I’ll tell you what, if there’s one word that everyone loves, it’s “compliance.” More and more businesses that operate online are becoming aware that the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to their Web-based activities and wondering what ADA website compliance…
Effective communication nurtures relationships, increases our career-advancement opportunities, enhances our self-esteem, and helps us manage stress. When we communicate effectively and feel understood, work—and life—are satisfying. We feel in control, valued, trusted, and respected. When communication breaks down, career advancement…
Exact statistics are hard to come by, but it seems a large percentage of American businesses use contingency workers. What are “contingency workers”? They include temporary workers but also independent contractors, freelancers, and part-time workers. If your business uses contingency…