Like so many other law offices during the coronavirus pandemic, you may be considering medically screening your employees each day before letting them into the workplace. While screening is highly problematic in normal times, regulators have grudgingly acknowledged that it may be a justified health and safety measure during the pandemic. The operative phrase is “may be,” which … [Read more...] about How to create a legally sound COVID-19 medical screening policy
Workplace Safety
What you need to know when a bully takes you on
By Lynne Curry bio You've met bullies who play a win/lose game, even as you aim for a win/win solution. Guess who loses when they take you on? You do. Would you like to win, or at least not lose? Here's what you need to know: Fail the bully's test We believe or like to believe the best of everyone. When a bully first tests us with a demeaning slam, we often think … [Read more...] about What you need to know when a bully takes you on
Is your office prepared to accommodate an aging population?
Talk of an aging population isn't idle chatter. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2030 will mark a significant turning point in the nation's history. By then, all baby boomers will be older than 65. This means that one in every five residents will be retirement age. An aging population presents challenges from the standpoint of serving clients. Is your practice prepared? … [Read more...] about Is your office prepared to accommodate an aging population?
Compliance perspective: How to keep an employee from damaging your practice on social media
In the cyber age, protecting your practice from the potential threat posed by employee blogging, tweeting, Instagramming, and other social networking is a business imperative. But how? To find out, keep reading. . . It is your business The starting point is recognizing that social networking by employees is not purely a private matter. Over the past decades, courts and … [Read more...] about Compliance perspective: How to keep an employee from damaging your practice on social media
5 blind spots in sexual harassment policies and how to fix them
The past couple of years have witnessed the morphing of workplace sexual harassment prevention from legal requirement to moral imperative. And while the recent fervor is a bit unnerving for employers, to the extent it shatters complacency, it's a positive and even necessary development. Sexual harassment has evolved dramatically in the past two decades—in terms of not just … [Read more...] about 5 blind spots in sexual harassment policies and how to fix them
How employers can help break the stigma of mental health in the workplace?
May is Mental Health Awareness Month! With approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experiencing mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, it is imperative that today's employers focus on breaking the stigma around mental health in the workplace. Why is it important to employers? By addressing this taboo topic, employees can educate themselves and … [Read more...] about How employers can help break the stigma of mental health in the workplace?
How to beat the workplace bully in your law office
Loss of good employees, low morale and communication breakdowns caused by office bullies are costing your law office plenty, says Dr. Lynne Curry, Regional Director of Training and Business Consulting for Avitus, a national firm with offices coast to coast According to Curry, more than 65 million American workers have either been bullied on the job or seen their coworkers … [Read more...] about How to beat the workplace bully in your law office
Easy ways to make your law office healthier
Too often, law offices not only fail to promote staff health and well-being, they might actually detract from it. Why does it matter? A healthy workplace encourages staff engagement and productivity, which has a direct impact on the profitability of the practice. To evaluate your workplace, and make necessary improvements, take a close look at the following. Office … [Read more...] about Easy ways to make your law office healthier
How to avoid taking on second-hand stress
By Elizabeth M. Miller bio I've been working with the legal profession for nearly 40 years and I can assure you it is one of the most stressful work environments ever. The legal profession as a career choice is stressful because of stringent deadlines, including statutes of limitations, which if you miss one of those you have just sunk your own battleship. Other stressful … [Read more...] about How to avoid taking on second-hand stress
Worried about a data breach? Here’s why you should be
Your greatest asset, your employees, can represent your greatest threat—a data breach— according to computer security experts John Simek and Michael Maschke. "If you are worried about a data breach, you should be," says Simek, who is vice-president of Sensei Enterprises Inc., a Fairfax, VA-based digital forensics, IT and cybersecurity company. "If somebody really wants to get … [Read more...] about Worried about a data breach? Here’s why you should be