Archive | Managing Employees

The boss doesn’t want to see your: underwear

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 5, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees

When I wrote Magnus’ policies and procedures manual in 1994, prior to hiring any employees, I put a lot of thought into all of it, including the part pertaining to our dress code. Prior to co-owning Magnus, I had worked for a variety of employers, all of whom had strict dress codes, including a few […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 5, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees

Talk about some awkward conversations.  Because my role in this partnership is the business side, that includes human resources.  When these new challenges “revealed” themselves (pun intended) it fell to me to “handle.”  The easy part was to add a few lines to the employee manual prohibiting “visible underwear,” and the best way I could […]

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Bad Employees

One of the inspirations for this blog, as has been noted previously, was the 2011 movie starring Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis. It was a comedy about an oppressive boss and work environment that I quite enjoyed. But, I have to say, when I first heard the title, it was at a time […]

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I have been working since I was 15 years old.  In the years since I have been working, I have had my fair share of bad bosses, bad co-workers, bad subordinates, and bad employees (not to mention bad clients and bad assistants of clients).  David and I rarely forget the bad experiences we have had […]

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If you know an employee is drinking on job, tell the boss!

Many years ago we had a secretary working for us who had a secret; let’s call her “Polly.” And, the secret manifested itself in a strange way. For the first few months of her employment we had no issues. Then we started noticing that she performed okay in the morning, but not as well in […]

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Drinking alcohol on the job is never a good idea (unless one is a professional wine taster or something similar).  I have worked with many, many people over the years who were intoxicated on the job or who were experiencing the ill effects of intoxicants they consumed prior to reporting for work.  I have also […]

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Help the boss – it is why you have a job

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 17, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Over the years we have had a few employees who failed to comprehend that Job # 1 was helping the bosses help the clients. Regardless of what we as bosses are doing, we need the employees to be “support staff.” More than 1 employee has been fixated on a task to the point that we […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 17, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

I have never understood why some employees fail to realize their only purpose is to work for their employer.  And further, I do not understand why some employees fail to realize that working for their employer means performing job duties requested by their employer.  For me, the only point of going to work is to […]

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Not your first gig; Not your first day on job

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 10, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Everyone who works had a first day on the job. A first time to interact with customers, a first sale, a first something. For my partner and me, when new employees are hired, they are trained and they ultimately participate on their first jury research project. New employees cannot be expected to know enough from […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 10, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Magnus Research Consultants has employed many people who are working in their first professional job following their graduation from college.  Some of our employees have worked during high school and college, while others have never been employed prior to working for Magnus.  David and I have spent considerable time over the years coaching these eager, […]

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Make ‘em look good

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 3, 2016

Category: Business Relationships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

One aspect of our work as trial consultants is to evaluate cases so that our attorney clients learn how their case will be perceived by jurors, judges, arbitrators, or mediators. We always learn things that the attorneys and our other clients did not know or did not anticipate. The truth is, we may not have […]

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There are many ways an employee can help his/her boss look good.  In the days when I worked for a large corporation and did not perform administrative tasks, I had a secretary.  (I actually had a series of secretaries in the early days of my career, which dates back to the time when being a […]

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It’s obvious to you, it’s your company

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 25, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees

In our posts we have often written about things some of our employees have said, without thinking first. Or, maybe in some instances they didn’t think enough. One such utterance was this: “It’s obvious to you; you own the company…” said in defense of an employee’s mistake when she attempted to deflect blame from herself […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 25, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees

A lot of things are obvious to me when they are not obvious to other people.  There are several fundamental differences between many people and me.  Most people spend too much time: (1) being self absorbed; (2) not paying attention to their surroundings; (3) using only one of their five senses, to the exclusion of […]

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Dun & Bradstreet: Part 2

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 18, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

As I have come up with topics for this blog I have found that often a brief title triggers multiple thoughts. Dun & Bradstreet was the subject of a prior blog which related my distaste for fear based marketing. But, it is because Dun & Bradstreet has a well known name that it can engage […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 18, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

Sometimes, despite our best efforts in preventing disasters, disaster strikes, usually, without warning.  The Dun & Bradstreet / Dun and brad street debacle was, at the time it was perpetuated on Magnus, well known within the computer industry, to the point that Magnus’ long time computer consultant held a special meeting with David, me, and […]

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Help people

I have received a lot of help from people over the years, mostly from my two “big” brothers. As the only daughter of my parents and one considerably younger than my two dear brothers, I have turned to each of them on countless occasions for all kinds of help, including financial, advice on how to […]

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I grew up with parents who were always willing to help others.  They would quickly invite my friends to visit, or come to dinner, including a near ritual Sunday night pizza feast that usually included several friends.  In an open and non judgmental way, they were always willing to include an array of friends.  My […]

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Grab your consultant only when the lights are out

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 2, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Trial Consulting

Unfortunately, for many women in all sorts of occupations, sexual harassment is a prevalent part of the work environment. I, like many women in my age cohort, have been sexually harassed by a variety of men (and a few women) in various contexts: bosses, co-workers, professors (when I was a student), fellow students, my students […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 2, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Trial Consulting

Many jobs and job functions put opposite, or even same, gender co-workers in awkward settings.  A dark observation room was certainly one of those for Melissa.  And, because she is quick to defend herself, against this indefensible behavior, a worse problem was averted.  The fact that she had a boss who backed her up was […]

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