By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio The problem lands in your lap. One of your best trial litigators is an office bully. As office manager, you're expected to handle this. But how? The lawyer is truly effective, brings in a large share of revenue, and is a partner – well above your pay scale. Is there a way to get him to bully outside the office, with opposing … [Read more...] about How to make your top trial litigator stop being a bully at the office
Managing staff
Managing the multi-generational law office staff
What's with all the bickering in the office? People, people, can't we all just get along? Although you may never totally eliminate office conflict, managing with attention to generational differences can go a long way toward creating a more harmonious and more productive workplace. By the numbers Cut-off dates for generations differ, but Neil Howe and William Strauss, who … [Read more...] about Managing the multi-generational law office staff
Protect your firm from costly EEOC claims with these three layers of protection
To avoid the risks of employment law claims, an office needs three layers of protection, advises employment law attorney Peter T. Mavrick of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. They are: A handbook, A procedure for progressive discipline, and Candid reviews. With those three elements in place, the office is safe from just about any type of EEOC claims. Here's what each … [Read more...] about Protect your firm from costly EEOC claims with these three layers of protection
Is your firm’s sensitive data being sold on eBay?
Ecommerce sites are reselling used electronics without permanently erasing data from them, according to The Leftovers: A Data Recovery Study recently released by Blancco Technology Group. Based on an analysis of 200 second-hand hard disk drives and solid state drives purchased from eBay and Craigslist in the first quarter of 2016, 67 percent of the used drives contained … [Read more...] about Is your firm’s sensitive data being sold on eBay?
Like a Boss: Girl power in management
By Michelle Spencer bio As I reviewed information and then conceived of this series, the statistics on female managers stood out to me. Knowing that increased diversity is important to most law firms and with more women choosing to attend law school, I thought these statistics were important to include as part of the Like a Boss series. Female bosses are slightly … [Read more...] about Like a Boss: Girl power in management
Survey: Hiring increases in legal field predicted
An increase in hiring is predicted for the legal field with nearly one-third (31 percent) of lawyers interviewed by Robert Half Legal anticipating their law firms or companies will add legal jobs in the second half of 2016. This compares to 24 percent six months ago and 29 percent one year ago. Fifty-one percent of lawyers said they expect to only fill vacant posts, while … [Read more...] about Survey: Hiring increases in legal field predicted
SHRM looks at 20 years of employee benefits trends in the United States
Over the past 20 years, employers have increased and decreased benefits strategically in response to the needs of the workplace and employees as well as to economic and technological changes, according to the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM's) 2016 Employee Benefits Survey report recently released. Employers are responding to workers'—especially … [Read more...] about SHRM looks at 20 years of employee benefits trends in the United States
Five dangers in dealing with harassment complaints
As with firing, the rules are well known, yet employers still fall into the common violations that spawn claims of sexual harassment, says management consultant Joseph Godwin of F&H Solutions Group in Asheville, NC. Here are five areas that warrant attention. 1. No, it's not sour grapes Don't dismiss any complaint, particularly one from a fired or demoted employee, as sour … [Read more...] about Five dangers in dealing with harassment complaints
Understanding value systems to get in sync with your employees
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio You and your employees don't see eye to eye. You expect that work means work. But one of your employees, otherwise talented and hard-working, texts throughout the day, insisting it takes less than five minutes total time and "isn't she allowed a break?" Meanwhile your new IT manager, although doing a good job, keeps his eye on Craigslist. When … [Read more...] about Understanding value systems to get in sync with your employees
Turn staff from critters into smart thinkers with ownership in their jobs
The brain has two states. One is the "critter state." That's the point at which a person responds like a raccoon or a skunk or any other critter. The focus is survival. It's fright-freeze-fight-flight thinking. The other is the "smart state." And that's the point where a person is a human being – innovative, creative, collaborative, and emotionally engaged. In the critter … [Read more...] about Turn staff from critters into smart thinkers with ownership in their jobs