The cost of your company’s bad hiring decisions can be staggering. To calculate this cost, I tell my clients to add the first-year turnover rate to the percentage of people who the company wouldn’t rehire. This number is your company’s Bad Hiring Rate (BHR). Next, I ask them to multiply the BHR...
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Managers, Think Twice Before You Send That 2 a.m. Email
Here are three helpful ways to keep your team productive and relaxed by emailing with consideration and timeliness. First off, follow inbox decorum rules yourself. As millions of people navigate workdays that blend video meetings, homeschooling, pet sitting, and cooking, setting up boundaries is...
How the Crisis Will Change the Way We Manage Forever
The implications of the coronavirus pandemic are and will be profound for individuals, organizations, and society at large. One of the casualties few will shed a tear for will be the demise of what can only be described as old-school management practices. In his fabulous video from a few years...
Your Sick Policy Could Make the Corona Outbreak Worse. Here’s What It Should Look Like
By not giving your employees the sick days they need, you're part of the problem. "I can't use more than three 'unscheduled absences' in six months, or it's a disciplinary ding. I used up my unscheduled days on sick kids, so when I got sick, I had to wear a mask and come in anyway. I ended up...
Understanding What Really Matters to Help Make a Small Business Successful. Eight Guiding Principles
Growing up in a marketing agency working for clients, I added exactly how a business makes money to my knowledge base. I leaned in to really learn how to sell something for above market value, to comprehend product or service gross margin, what business expenses you easily see and those which are...
Managing Remote Workers: It Takes More Than the Latest Apps
Nicolas Vandenberghe’s company has 42 staffers scattered among 36 cities in 15 countries. As technology makes it possible for people to be in constant touch while working remotely, businesses like Chili Piper are becoming the norm. “We have Zoom, Slack, and a myriad of other collaborative tools —...
Why Constant Feedback Beats Annual Performance Reviews
I can remember my first job like it was yesterday (and not more than 25 years ago). They gave me an assignment that they said would take 3 months. I finished it in 2 weeks. What’s next? Every assignment they gave me took far less time than they estimated and soon I became a key part of the team I...
5 Steps to Take When That Lawsuit Comes Through the Door
Getting sued is irritating and frustrating, to say the least. You literally have, in most cases, 21 days from the time you are served to make many of the most critical decisions about the case. Is there any merit? Do you settle it? If needed, who do you hire for defense counsel? Do you have to...
Is it Time to Retire the Title of Manager?
In an era of endless disruption, the word feels increasingly dated. Every year, the professional wordsmiths and gatekeepers of various dictionaries announce their lists of new words deemed to be in sufficiently wide use as to warrant their blessing and inclusion. Among Merriam-Webster’s new...
How Do I Manage Remote Workers?
In last week’s article, I wrote about how automation will come into its own in 2020. We will learn more about the ways automation could make us better managers and how it might affect jobs held by humans like you and me. This week’s topic is an offshoot of the automation/tech theme, and it’s on...
What to Do When Terminating an Employee
If you’ve decided it’s time to part ways with an employee, how do you execute that decision? For many small employers, this is an issue you’ve rarely faced. Follow these five critical tips to make the termination (and its potential aftermath) go more smoothly. 1. Have All Documents In Order...
The One-On-One Meeting Template for Your End of the Year Review
What should you do for your end-of-the-year review with an employee? Use this one-on-one meeting template. With December upon us (already!), many managers have been asking me if I have a one-on-one meeting template for their end-of-the year review with a direct report. Yes, I do have one. 🙂 The...