Phillip M. PerryPhillip M. Perry is a New York-based writer and consultant.ManagementHow Laughter Can Improve Your WorkplaceCheck out these books to find out more about how humor has its place in your business operations.May 31, 2005Legal AdviceDealing With New Overtime Rules• For a complete copy of the new regulations, go to the special FairPay section of the U.S. Department of Labor's Web site at www.dol.gov/fairpay. Click on "Regulations", then the hyperlink for either Web-view or PDF versions of the law. This site also offers online video seminars and fact sheets. For clarification of the regulations, employers can find fact sheets listed either by type of exemption or by occupation type.January 31, 2005ManagementHSAs can Provide Control Over Rising Health Care Costs• For the most comprehensive information about Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), visit the U.S. Department of the Treasury Web site at www.treas.gov/offices/public-affairs/hsa/.September 30, 2004ManagementUse These Tips for a Great Performance ReviewDiscussing salary increases in the same meeting as a performance review is a big mistake. "You want to avoid a situation in which the employee is interested only in the last 30 seconds of the meeting and keeps wondering 'How much am I going to get?'" says Don Schackne, president of Personnel Management and Administration Associates in Delaware, Ohio.When setting goals for the coming year with your employees, take care to challenge their capabilities without getting so ambitious as to set them up for discouraging failures. To do this, make sure each goal meets the SMART standard:July 31, 2004ManagementThe Happiness Quotient: Achieving a Positive Mental Attitude at WorkDemanding customers … tough competitors … mounting expenses: what an array of challenges in a typical workweek.Are you working in a negative environment? Most of us at some time have either found ourselves in a toxic workplace or confronted with occasional negative factors that seem beyond our control. To get beyond this, start with yourself. “As a single person you can’t change your organization, but you can begin to change your own thoughts and ideas,” says Sid Smith, president of Achieve Coaching in Portland, Ore. Here are some examples:As a manager, you have an enormous impact on your workplace. You can start promoting a positive mental attitude for the best employee performance by developing a genuine interest in people. “Positive attitude is not about just saying ‘We can do this,’” says Sid Smith, president of Achieve Coaching in Portland, Ore. “It’s about really caring and having a genuine concern for the people who work at your business.March 31, 2004Legal AdviceLimit Damage from Customer BankruptcyA comprehensive Web-based source of bankruptcy information is available at the Bankruptcy Lawfinder at www.swiggartagin.com/lawfind. You’ll find links to relevant legal resources such as statutes, regulations and court cases, government agencies, and answers to frequently askedquestions.When you first get wind of a customer’s bankruptcy filing, you will need to contact a lawyer to protect your business interests. Which attorney to select? Here are some things to look for, according to Warren E. Agin, a partner at Swiggart & Agin in Boston:September 30, 2003ManagementHow to Stop Employee Benefits From Biting Your Bottom LineYour goal is to select the most affordable quality plans, and then administer them as cost effectively as possible. Technology can help. “A number of new Web-based services offer plans and quote prices, so certain choices can be made over the Internet,” says Tim Harrington, a principal with William M. Mercer, a Chicago-based consulting firm that has tracked benefits costs for more than 25 years. The automation inherent in the Internet allows Web-based services to offer comparison-shopping of products from a broad range of carriers. They also can reduce the overhead involved in processing employee claims, educate new employees on your benefits plans and answer common questions. “In many cases these services allow employees to access information on the plans without having to call their human resources departments,” says Vincent Gandolfo, senior managing director of Frank Crystal & Co., a national insurance brokerage firm based in New York City. This can save timeand money in HR departments because it allows employees to view plan procedures and complete claim forms online.March 31, 2003ManagementFive Steps to Hiring the Right Computer HelpSystems integrator: Specializes in getting off-the-shelf software to work together on your hardware. Writes only modest customization.November 30, 2002Legal AdviceAvoiding Lawsuits for Wrongful DischargeAlthough this article combines them, there are really two types of lawsuits that discharged employees may bring.September 30, 2002ManagementUse These 5 Vital Tools for a Happier WorkplaceFor more guidance on how to reinvigorate your work life, pick up the following books:May 31, 2002Previous PagePage 6 of 7Next PageTop StoriesContractingBlending Personality With Practicality: See the Winners of the 2025 WFB Truck and Van ContestGet ready to rev your engines and roll into the world of wood flooring pros’ work vehicles. The WFB Truck & Van Contest celebrates pros' trucks and vans with categories for Best Exterior Graphics, Most Organized Interior, Most Unusual Work Vehicle and Biggest Disaster.DesignAnimator’s Studio is Transformed With a Herringbone Pencil FloorSubfloor PrepSelf-Leveler 101: How We Do It Before Installing Wood FlooringParquetTransformative Flooring Design Illuminates HomeSponsor ContentA Complicated Challenge: Refinishing the Tavern on the Green
