Do you know whether or not your firm's associates are content or if there is a mass exodus in your future? Find out with a well-crafted survey. Your firm's greatest asset is its associates, yet associate satisfaction is often overlooked. To keep those associates happy, you need to find out what's making them unhappy, and do that with frequent and focused surveys. … [Read more...] about Measure your associates’ satisfaction to keep them on board
Managing the office
Break down barriers with peer-to-peer training
The best staff training, says a Missouri manager, is the training staff give one another. And at her office, her staff of 25 do just that. They hold training sessions for one another on a "when-needed, what's-needed, and who-needs-it" basis. There's no set routine. The manager simply schedules an in-service whenever she sees a problem in the workflow. Perhaps the billing … [Read more...] about Break down barriers with peer-to-peer training
Is the honeymoon over at work?
For many professionals, that first year in a new job can be a "honeymoon period," full of new and exciting challenges. But a study from Robert Half and Happiness Works shows that professionals with between one and two years on the job are less happy, less interested in their work and more stressed than those still in their first year. After three years or more on the job, … [Read more...] about Is the honeymoon over at work?
How one California law firm regained its corporate culture and improved business
How do you grow your firm and still maintain a close-knit team? Jason Pink, Administrator of Gianelli & Associates in Modesto, California, tells how their firm handled it. We're a small, but busy, 9-attorney law firm. When we outgrew the 6,500 square foot building we were in, we added an annex at the next door building. We moved three attorneys and a few staff over there. … [Read more...] about How one California law firm regained its corporate culture and improved business
Three weekly meetings to keep everybody updated
In its annual management performance review, an Illinois firm asked everybody, "What is the main thing that bothers you that could be improved?" Up and down the line, the answer was communication. The problem was not a new one. For almost 20 years, lack of communication had been a problem, says the administrator of the firm. Everyone felt it, from staff to partners. … [Read more...] about Three weekly meetings to keep everybody updated
3 bonus formulas that boost staff productivity
What bonuses should the office give, and how can it design the bonuses to increase productivity? As to the amount to give, a few consultants recommend setting aside as much as 17 per cent to 21 per cent of the monthly profits for staff bonuses. Most, however, recommend less. Whatever amount the office opts to allow, here are some ways to mete it out. Formula 1 The traditional … [Read more...] about 3 bonus formulas that boost staff productivity
Louisiana firm sets up four sure-pay systems
A Louisiana firm has added a handful of measures to its billing and collections work that, while simple, have generated significant benefit. There's a procedure to ensure the client contact information stays accurate, a soft-touch collections process, electronic client billing and paying, and a billing schedule that ensures a steady cash flow throughout the month. As a … [Read more...] about Louisiana firm sets up four sure-pay systems
How to deliver a great presentation on any topic
To grow in the job, a manager has to communicate ideas and visions and recommendations. And the presentation of them counts. "It doesn't matter how good the idea or how brilliant the insight, if it isn't well-articulated, it fails," says Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE, a San Francisco executive speech coach. Worse, the manager's career can fail right along with it. Here are the … [Read more...] about How to deliver a great presentation on any topic
How to investigate an employment-related complaint from a staffer
Got a complaint from an employee? Investigate it. If that complaint turns into a legal claim, part of the allegation of wrongdoing may well be that the office "didn't take it seriously and failed to investigate," says employment law attorney Ingrid Culp of Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis. The law doesn't require that an employer investigate a claim, she says. But it is … [Read more...] about How to investigate an employment-related complaint from a staffer
Wish you’d never said that? Here’s how to save the day and perhaps your job
When you're working in a high-stress environment, it's not uncommon for tempers to flare and words said that shouldn't be. It's unfortunate and, often, unprofessional. And it needs to be corrected as soon as possible. If you've directed an outburst at the boss or made a hurtful remark to your staff, damage control is in order. Mostly, that means an apology—either for what … [Read more...] about Wish you’d never said that? Here’s how to save the day and perhaps your job