Got productivity paranoia?

There’s an old, old saying: it’s not paranoia if someone really is after you. And hybrid or fully remote work is definitely causing some companies to “come after” their employees with monitoring tools that track what those employees are doing. As one website proclaims, “Employee monitoring software is an essential tool for business owners who want to verify that employees …

Want a toaster with that?

Okay, so I just dated myself with that headline – but – do you remember the days when banks would offer a toaster (no, really: a toaster) if you opened a new account? And more seriously, have you ever been a loyal customer of a brand or business – and then felt betrayed and overlooked when that brand or business …

Doing your job = quitting?!

Let’s start here: I’m a card-carrying “people pleaser in recovery.” It’s attributable to plenty of factors, from childhood experiences through various work situations and onward in personal relationships. I won’t bore you with the details, but I suspect at least some of you can relate. And professionally, it led to a lot of extra time at work. Moving on: I …

Anyone remember martini lunches?

Remember the martini lunch? Or have I just dated myself? Mind you, I don’t actually like martinis. But back in the very, very early days of my career, I did participate in lunches at which everyone ordered a drink. Up until the pandemic, employees connected with each other in the office. They went to lunch together (generally without a martini), they …

Re-excitement!

Performance reviews. Ugh, right? (And probably not what you were expecting to read about under the headline Re-excitement!) Everyone pretty much dreads the annual review cycle. I know I did as an employee – and I know I did as an executive and leader. I won’t enumerate all the reasons why we dread the process. And if you’re part of …

Can remote work – work?

There’s a whole host of stories, studies, and opinions on productivity and team collaboration in our pandemic era. Some people are convinced that there’s no way collaboration and innovation can be effective in a remote or hybrid workplace. Other people point to studies showing that many teams and companies are reporting higher productivity and greater trust. What to believe? What to …

The hybrid dilemma

Is the sky falling? Will all your employees quit if you don’t offer a hybrid work solution? Do you absolutely need your people in the office? Are you concerned about productivity if people work from home? What about if they work in the office? Can you trust your employees to do what’s right? There. That last question. That’s the real question. …

A simple preventive for employee turnover

Want to prevent employee turnover? Keep your best employees engaged? Avoid the really high cost of hiring replacements? Say “Thank you.” According to Eric Mosley of WorkHuman, as heard in an interview on Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead podcast, just five thank-yous  in a year reduces the likelihood of turnover by a bit more than half, from 15% to 7%. …

Down with Mandatory Fun!

What in the world will we do about the holiday party?! Let’s just start right here: no Zoom parties, please. Everyone is Zoomed out with meetings. And getting together on Zoom to raise a glass and pretend we’re all together is not going to cut it.  In fact, Mandatory Fun has never been actual fun for everyone. Undoubtedly some people enjoy the …

Who needs help?

Someone on your team needs help. Maybe it’s one of your colleagues. Or someone on your leadership team. Or one of your first-line or middle managers. Maybe you’re the one who needs help. People in your organization need help. They’re overwhelmed with a project deadline. They’re trying to figure out how to manage from home. They’ve offered to help someone else, …