Recent Articles
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7 lessons for the new manager or supervisor
Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementBeing a first-time manager or supervisor can be a very scary time. The confidence you had in performing every facet of the job as one of the team now seems to abandon you as you ready yourself for your first day as the new supervisor. A little pep talk with yourself in the car on the way to work settles things a bit. But now, as you enter the department, it seems as if every eye is on you. You smile and warmly greet your team, though your mouth feels as dry as a cotton ball. You think, "What have I gotten myself into?"
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How to effectively onboard new remote employees
Sunny Dhami Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementRemote work has all but become standard as the world continues to navigate the COVID-19 crisis and its upcoming aftereffects. Of course, this means many teams will be welcoming new members without getting to meet them in person. These remote employees will have a completely different onboarding experience than many of their teammates did. The importance of doing a good job in this area can’t be overstated; the majority of employees are more likely to keep working for a company that provides them with an excellent onboarding experience. This article will take a look at the most effective tips for onboarding new remote employees.
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Adjourning on time: Promise or pressure?
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementSome board members are eager to depart before the meeting is adjourned. Is the promise of ending on time too much pressure? Directors must realize they are fiduciaries making decisions on behalf of the membership. They have to be present to fulfill their duties. To complete the work, a meeting should be well-organized, strategic, and have each person’s time valued. There are ways to stay on track and end in a timely manner.
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Why is it important to raise awareness about saving the bee population?
Jane Stevens Waste Management & EnvironmentalThe value of protecting our bees was brought to the world's attention in 2009. Greenpeace spearheaded the effort, and the effects of losing these little buddies were made public. However, interest in this important cause has recently waned. According to Google Trends, saving the bees has been the least prominent search word in the last five years out of all the environmental problems affecting our world. We have to keep saving the bees.
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Why competition is good for you — and your legacy
Alan Weiss Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWe all compete. And we do it much more frequently than we believe or admit to. We've all witnessed the bedlam that breaks loose when a plane lands and reaches the gate. The pilot signals with a bell that we can rise, and everyone leaps to their feet to access the overhead luggage. Our competition can reach cringeworthy levels. But not all of it is bad. When competition is overt, unabashed, unashamed, and focused, it can be good for your health, good for your soul, and good for the legacy you create daily. In effect, competition gives our lives meaning in six distinct ways.
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Outdoor learning improves engagement and mental health
Sheilamary Koch EducationUnder tall mango trees between a dry riverbed and two large warehouses, kids ranging between three and 12 years old gather midday for story time. They sit on stumps spaced in a circle. A few interact with some ants and each other. After they introduce themselves in big outdoor voices, Nicole Majewski reads a story interjecting commentary and inviting response as she goes along. Since the beginning of the school year, Majewski, education director at EntreAmigos, a nonprofit in San Pancho, Nayarit, Mexico, and other educators have been bringing activities like watercolor painting, mud play and treasure hunts to kids outdoors.
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COVID-19 accelerated change. How do you stay ahead moving forward?
Philip Burns and William Putsis Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe COVID-19 pandemic was a catalyst that accelerated change in almost every industry. What used to take some companies five years to accomplish remarkably took them only five months during the pandemic. From at-home grocery retailing to working at home virtually, companies digitized their businesses and changed how they delivered services at unprecedented rates. While some companies were better positioned to deal with the challenges the pandemic presented, others struggled. Given this, consider three relevant questions for all business leaders in the context of their own organization and industry.
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A look at how the restaurant business has shifted during the pandemic
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageIt has been a whole year of pandemic craziness, bringing a wave of deaths, health issues, and unprecedented economic loss. While most industries suffered heavily, restaurants perhaps got the very worst of it. One major area of revenue for restaurants came from office workers during lunch or happy hours. Restaurants that cater to the office crowd have gone through a harrowing year. With many of their clienteles working from home for the past year, a significant portion of their business vanished into thin air. As fewer people go to a physical workplace now and in the future, some will have to rethink their entire business strategy.
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Infographic: Understanding eminent domain
Brian Wallace Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityOne of the basic understandings of the American dream is having a house and land. What if the government then came along and tried to take your land? If you own land, you need to know your rights when it pertains to eminent domain. This is happening across the nation. Eminent domain has roots based on the Fifth Amendment, and grants the government the rights to seize private property without the owner's consent — with two main points: as long as the government provides just compensation and claims for public use, it is permissible. Find out more with this visual deep dive.
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5 helpful hints for teaching business ESL
Douglas Magrath EducationBusiness ESL falls under English for specific purposes as learners make the transition from general language to the specific varieties necessary in their future lines of work. The language taught in ESL classes needs to be relevant to the students’ interests. For business students, they need to get hands-on experience with the various aspects of the field and go beyond mere textbook examples. Here are some ideas that current teachers can use to help second language learners with business writing.