Posts Tagged ‘productivity tips’
The most important line in your job descriptions
There’s one sentence in your job description that matters the most. If you were only allowed to share one line from your job description, this would be the line to share. It’s the line that tells people what to do. And it goes like this: “The purpose of this role is…” A job adds value…
Read MoreThe 4 stages of a new hire (but only use 3)
Congratulations: you hired someone new! And of course, they are the right person. Probably. Almost definitely. But, still, we need to have a conversation. New hire journey First of all: of course you do. It will take everyone time to learn the job, the business, the culture, and even what to do when the coffee…
Read More3 simple ways to destroy your work life balance
“40 hours is enough”. So Jason Fried tells us when he is telling us about a work week. 40 hours of work each week is enough. Because your life is not just work. Your life is also life, and everything that goes into it. It’s important to make time for other activities and responsibilities so…
Read MoreHow to give the people what they want: hr edition
“Organizations… are nothing more than the collective goodwill and aspirations of the people involved”. – Sergio Marchionne As a business owner, you are responsible for the collective goodwill, you are the vehicle for people to achieve those aspirations. You are, in short, responsible for a positive working environment. The workforce solutions company ManpowerGroup did the…
Read MoreThe single best business tool you can ever use
Adapt tools to your needs, not your needs to the tools. When you turn to the tools, start with the best one. The one tool that will solve problems and get you started on every project. The tool from which any other tool can be built. A list. Why lists are the single best business…
Read MoreHire the right person the first time
Hiring is difficult. It’s complicated, and confusing, and will take a long time. Here’s one way to simplify your hiring: start with essential skills. What are essential skills? Essential skills are the skills you need for the job but don’t have time to teach. You can teach somebody how to use a hammer to hang…
Read MoreDid your employees mess up? It’s probably your fault.
Raise your hand if you ever had a roommate. Keep your hand up if you ever tried to pour yourself a glass of milk only to discover there were only 8 drops left. So you tell your roommate to please add milk to the shopping list when they finish it, and your roommate answers: “I…
Read MoreThe workflow checklist: make it work for you
Knowing what to do is half the battle. The other half is doing it well. Consider cooking a new recipe. You have to know what the ingredients are, how they should be prepped, and then each step in the cooking process and how to tell when it is time for the next ingredient. That takes…
Read MoreThe three pillars of a sustainable business
When you search for images of an ancient Greek temple, most of what you see will have at least a foundation and columns remaining. This image springs to mind when I think of a sustainable business. The foundation is the mission. The columns are the business pillars of happy employees, loyal clients, and business goals. …
Read MoreThe one question that will transform your performance reviews
You can throw company happy hours, host team dinners, buy pinball machines and eliminate job titles all you want. But once you put an employee in a performance review, there is a strict hierarchy of who reports to whom. And that hierarchy is what makes it challenging to get good feedback: the employee knows you…
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