Archive | Managing Employees

Employee pilfering

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 23, 2014

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

I have to say, with our current employees, pilfering has not been a big issue.  But, as a business owner “minding the store” is a full time job in itself.  We have experienced so many variations on this theme that it is difficult to imagine, looking back, at all of the ways, often little ways, […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 23, 2014

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

One of my brothers says I am a “black and white” person; that is, for me, things are either right or wrong, with little gray area in between. This being said, I equate employee pilfering to stealing; to me, there is absolutely no difference. Stealing, misappropriating, pilfering, borrowing without permission, and other similar behaviors are, […]

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Monday is my favorite day of the week

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 21, 2014

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

I have supervised countless employees over the years and I have noticed a general tendency for them to dread Mondays. There have been many, many Mondays when I arrive at the office, only to be greeted with yawns, hung over expressions, and other indications that the employees’ weekend was short lived. I constantly remind my […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 21, 2014

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

It would be interesting to poll other entrepreneurs and business owners to find out if Monday is their favorite day too; I suspect it would be so. I agree with Melissa, if one owns a business, one had better be recharged after a weekend and ready to go at it again. The challenges of small […]

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Job Quitting Employees are like flat tires

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 17, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

We have all had them, flat tires that is, and too often, at the most inopportune times.  Not that there is a good time to have a flat tire, but there are some bad times.  Usually when one is in a hurry, or on the highway, or late at night – all very bad.  Not […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 17, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

My least favorite job duties are those pertaining to supervising and managing employees. I wish I could be self contained and do everything that needs to be done for my clients myself, however, that has never been the case. Every time an employee resigns, I wistfully daydream about not having to replace him or her, […]

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When neighbor kid grows up into employee

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 7, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees

My spouse/business partner and I lived in the same house for over 20 years. We watched the neighbors come and go, pass away, and grow from children into adults. We have had one of the most positive experiences of our lives with a neighbor, whom we met soon after she was born, who began taking […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 7, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees

When I was in my teens and early 20s I was told, one way or another, by “older” people (probably they were younger then than I am now) that they saw something in me that was different in their experience from other people my age. A few of these comments pertained to my being too […]

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Hiring friends – don’t

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 23, 2014

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

My husband/business partner and I made a serious mistake early in our company in hiring one of our friends. Several people told us not to do this and several people told our friend not to take the job. Alas, hindsight truly is 20/20; hiring a friend is truly one of those things no one should […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 23, 2014

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

My comments on this are not as strong as Melissa’s because in our experience the person/friend in question was more her friend than mine. So, while I will never say never to hiring a friend, doing so again would only be done under exceptional circumstances. In a demanding working environment, flaws or mistakes made by […]

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Force Feeding Employees

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 18, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Litigation Tips, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Workplace Technology

Force feeding certainly has a negative connotation and perhaps isn’t the best connotation in a work environment.  But, sometimes you have to really push employees to do things and to do them in a way you, their boss, want them done.  In recent years, one of the things I have had to force has been […]

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The older I get, and the more experience I have as a social psychologist, the younger and more inexperienced my employees appear to me. Work tasks they are completing for the first time are often tasks I have been performing for decades. Things that are second nature to me are sometimes difficult for them. Because […]

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Rules – when to bend them

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 9, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees

Some people say I am a “goody goody,” then they get to know me! Overall, however, I usually follow the rules of the particular game I am playing, especially when I am playing the game of life. There are times to follow the rules and there are times when the rules can be bent, just […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 9, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees

I would add that sometimes one has to remember the reason behind the rules and decide if they still apply and/or make sense in a given situation. In the workplace we often have rules to ensure uniformity in performance and to reinforce the ways to work toward a common objective. If you, like us, are […]

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NO CURSING AT WORK

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 25, 2014

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

I have never been in the Navy, or the Coast Guard for that matter, but I run a tight ship. And, in the ship that is my corporation, cursing has absolutely no place during work hours. This prohibition against cursing includes the times when we are working in the office as well as the times […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 25, 2014

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

Professional decorum is an important part of the image of a company and this is one of the reasons for our policy against foul language. But, the tone set in environments where such language is common is also damaging beyond the corporate image – it damages employee morale. The hostility of workplaces where such language […]

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If you say you are detailed oriented, don’t have a typo in your cover letter!

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 12, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees

Concerning the “how to get hired” topic, I’ll add this obvious post. Our job in the trial consulting world requires a high level of conscientiousness, a very detailed orientation. As I explain to applicants and new hires, our clients are attorneys. They are paid to find mistakes; we don’t give them any freebies. Undoubtedly, there […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 12, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees

In the most recent round of searching for a new Research Associate, we also received a resume` from someone who, in an attempt to stand out among all of the other job applicants, intentionally built in a typo and noted it with a joking comment. Trust me, this applicant got noticed, but not in a […]

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Celebrate (often)

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 6, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

As the Rare Earth song says, “I just want to celebrate another day of living.” Life presents many opportunities to celebrate and I believe it is important to participate in as many celebrations as possible. When someone leads as busy and fast paced life as my spouse/business partner and I do, it is important to […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 6, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

We have enjoyed many celebrations and I believe this practice has had many positive benefits for us personally and professionally. There are many challenges to running a small business, or a large one for that matter, and finding ways to reward ourselves, and sometimes our employees, with celebrations of various achievements is a good way […]

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