Tag Archives: Management

How to Comfort Grieving Employees

testUP blog - tragedy pic

When personal tragedy occurs, everything else happening in one’s life seems to lose significance. It’s only rational that when something tragic occurs in the life of one of your employees, his ability to concentrate on work is going to be affected for some time. People deal with tragedy in very different ways – some may prefer being in solitude while others prefer the company of friends. So showing the appropriate signs of compassion for a grieving individual may not be easy but it’s important to show that you care in some way. Here are some pieces of advice to help you console an employee recently affected by tragedy.

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*Unique* ice breaker activities for meetings

ID-10066543Everyone gathers in the conference room, but no one knows each other. This could either be just another day in the office or that awkward moment you’ve been dreading. Ice breakers in the professional workplace may seem a bit cliché and silly but having fun and meeting new coworkers can be beneficial, ease tension, and even help with professional networking! Below are five unique ideas to break the ice in the office without boring your audience!

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5 Apps to Help Run Your Business in 2013

App - CiscoWebEx

Business-on-the-go will become even more popular in 2013 due to the advancements of business applications for your smartphones, tablets, and iPads. Depending on the company, executives, sales reps, or marketers may frequently be outside the office conducting their business. An executive in New York may be making the long flight to China for an important business meeting or a marketer might be out on the streets in Denver passing out flyers for the next big launch. No matter where your people are, it is important that they stay connected with the business at all times.

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Reducing Absenteeism

Empty Chairs-bmp

There are many positive qualities that a manager expects from employees, and some negative behaviors that need to be dealt with as well. One of the least desirable and hardest to combat is absenteeism and tardiness. Whether an employee is late or doesn’t show up at all, it’s a clear signal they are prioritizing other responsibilities above work. Once every now and then is acceptable, but when there’s a recurrent pattern with people not showing up to work, there’s a very serious problem that needs to be addressed.

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5 Ways to Increase Productivity this Holiday Season

holiday ornament

The holiday season is one of the most wonderful times of year. But employees can struggle to stay focused as they try to juggle work responsibilities with their increased personal activities and stresses. According to The National Retail Federation, online shopping is set to reach nearly $96 billion dollars this year! With the almost-constant internet access available at most workplaces, as well as the proliferation of smart phones, the temptation to accomplish this online shopping during work hours (when gift recipients won’t be looking over their shoulder!) is often hard for some employees to resist.

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Top Management Myths Explored: Avoiding Costly Leadership Mistakes

stick figures - managerWhen you’re a manager, you have a lot of work on your plate, since in addition to all of the tasks and assignments that you have to do, you have to manage other employers as well, and their work becomes your work. It can often feel like it accumulates, as all of their stresses and duties get piled onto your own. Managing everyone in the workplace effectively is no easy task, but it is attainable, and doing so vastly increases the productivity of your company when your team runs smoothly. There are a lot of do’s and dont’s to being a manager in the business, and while some of them are based in basic leadership skills and techniques, some others are steeped only in myth. Here are some of the top myths on leadership after landing a management job, and how to avoid them to effectively motivate your employees and be the leader that everyone respects and admires.

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