Write a To-Do List That Works

If you’r like most people, you’ve got some tasks on your to-do list that you just dread tackling. If tasks seem overwhelming, it’s usually because you’re looking at them as whole projects, rather than individual tasks. To create an approachable to-do list, break each project down into bite-size, easy-to-complete actions.

For example, planning a launch meeting consists of small tasks like emailing participants and reserving a meeting room. if you write all those small tasks on your to-do list rather than the daunting “plan the launch meeting”, you’ll find them much easier to take care of because each one won’t require much thought or time. Complete enough of these small tasks and your big project will soon be done.

Four Tips to Improve Your Team’s Performance

Managing your team’s performance is a challenge no matter what the environment. Take the extra time and effort to help your team successd in what will likely be a tough year for all.

  • Give your team much-needed perspective. Relive pressure by encouraging them to have fun, and remind them work is not the only thing in their lives.
  • Spend time with all your team members, not just the stars. It’s easy to focus on A+ performers, but success relies on everyone doing his or her job well.
  • When something doesn’t go as planned, acknowledge the setback and move on.
  • Focus on team sucess. Celebrate what you have accomplished together, rather than individual achievements.

Top Five Advantages Of Using A Temp Staffing Agency

Today’s internet-driven, split-second business environments demand organizations be: v  Nimble v  Efficient v Strategic. 

All while living up to the mantra of “faster, better, cheaper”, with stakeholders all expecting more to be done with less. Juggling these demands puts enormous pressure on a company’s ability to effectively staff to meet dynamically changing needs. The best-laid staffing plans can quickly go awry with an unanticipated big new project or a sudden surge in business.

Many organizations rely on temporary workers to help smooth out the peaks and valleys in constantly fluctuating staffing needs. Temporary employees can not only help with a wide variety of operational and business tasks, companies are also attracted to partnering with proven temporary staffing agencies for numerous other benefits. Read more about Temp Staffing Agency

 

Build A Better Workplace By Engaging Driven-Employees

Common thinking is that employees need to be controlled, managed, and monitored to ensure productivity. Smart small-business owners are adopting the employee-driven workplace philosophy that translates into dramatically lower turnover rates and training costs, high customer satisfaction, and greater profits. What are the ingredients for an employee-driven workplace?

1. Give up control.

Many workplace decisions are made backwards, driven first by financial considerations. Just as no product is launched without “user” input, employees are best suited to make many work environment decisions. Open up financial and operational information and give employees the task of achieving innovative efficiencies.

2. Listen more.

Talk with—not at—employees through interactive communications, rather than one-way updates. Then track employee engagement and satisfaction. More important, act on the findings. Avoid benefits and policies that aren’t based on research.

3. Accentuate the positive.

Are your office policies built on a philosophy of restricting, controlling, and stopping behavior, or do they invest in ways to promote good behavior that drives business objectives?

4. Keep it real.

The employee-driven workplace cannot be dictated or e-mailed into being. Many organizations have a culture that reads well on paper, but doesn’t perform in reality. Posters about teamwork mean nothing if teams aren’t rewarded and recognized.

The transition to an employee-driven workplace requires time, patience, and—yes, even money. Companies both small and large have done it. Remember, your brand is defined most strongly not by what you say, but by what your employees say and do. Without the support of employees, your brand will fail to deliver. With their support, not only will you deliver on your brand promise, but you will achieve strong financial success.

How to Manage Employee Issues

Steps of Progressive Discipline

A primary objective of every supervisor and manager should be to establish a work environment where employees are productive, treated fairly, allowed to communicate openly with management and understand what is expected of them in the performance of their job. It is also a supervisor’s responsibility to recognize a potential performance issue early, and to take the necessary steps to assist the employee with correcting the problem. If, however, the problem is not corrected, supervisors and managers are expected to take appropriate disciplinary action.

Dealing With Poor Work Habits

Your success as a supervisor depends on your ability to maintain team work within your work unit. Employees with poor work habits decrease productivity, may create friction among employees and damage the entire group’s morale. Several different types of poor work habits may affect your work.

They may be work habits that, affect the employee’s output, affect the output of other employees, violate College policies and procedures, or become too annoying or offensive to overlook.

As a supervisor, you need to:

  • Discuss the problem with your employee in a positive way, while maintaining the employee’s self esteem;

  • Solicit the employee’s feedback and cooperation in solving the problem;

  • Try to make the employee understand that the problem as well as the solution belongs to him/her;

  • Offer your guidance by clearly and specifically stating what the employee must do in order to improve his/her performance, and set time lines to correct the problem;

  • Monitor the employee’s progress; and

  • Plan a disciplinary approach if the situation is not remedied.

It is important employees fully understand that, with the exception of certain specific offenses, they will receive counseling, coaching and adequate warning before the supervisor takes disciplinary action. When used properly, progressive discipline can benefit both the employee and management.