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A massive no-no: Hiring to repay a favor, not because someone is the best…
Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementHiring an employee or appointing someone to take charge of an important assignment is a serious endeavor. Ideally, it’s one in which you critically assess the skills and character of the applicant before selecting the most suitable. Ideally. But sometimes such a decision isn’t so much a thoughtful, critical judgment as it is an emotional, visceral response to a perceived sense of obligation.
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Research paper: Small businesses lose big in COVID-19 closures
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementSocial-distancing restrictions have been nothing nice for mom-and-pop shops during the pandemic. In the Journal of Economic Management and Strategy, professor Robert Fairlie takes a deep dive into the harm that COVID-19 unleashed on U.S. small-business owners. "These findings of early-stage losses to small businesses have important policy implications and may portend longer-term ramifications for job losses and economic inequality," he wrote.
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Hydration: One bite at a time
Medical & Allied HealthcareFor months, our attention has been on the pandemic. Though it hasn’t gone away, now is a good time to focus on personal health by simply drinking more water. We have all heard, "drink a gallon of water a day." But placing a gallon jug on your association desk can be daunting. In discussing how hard it can be to chug a gallon, my friend said, "Remember how you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."
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A committee to review committees
Robert C. Harris Association Management"We need a task force to review our committee structure," board members quipped. The issue in this association is the existence of 75 committees. They built up over decades without a review of purpose and effectiveness. Board members explained, "Committee chairs have held their positions for years and will not secede." "We tried to reduce the number of committees, but nobody wanted to give up their turf." "It’s too political to touch."
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The new commercial real estate reality: Office spaces after the pandemic
Adrian Farren Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe effects of the pandemic have created a bleak outlook for the commercial construction sector: nonresidential construction spending in the U.S. fell 1.2% in July and predictions indicate that commercial vacancy rates will rise to 20.2% by 2022. These changes have been caused by new regulations, dictating how we work, shop and exist in public places. With no clear end in sight to the pandemic, all construction stakeholders need to reimagine how office spaces can function in this new commercial real estate reality.
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5 real-world triggers that lead to burnout (and what you can do about them)
Eileen McDargh Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementEver since the World Health Organization (WHO) redefined burnout and added it to the International Classification of Diseases, organizations and individuals have become more open to talking about burnout’s symptoms and potential causes — which, at face value, seem to come solely from the workplace. Don’t kid yourself. While we can all point a finger at unrealistic workplace demands, difficult managers, and the convergence of work and home life into a not-so-neat bundle, burnout isn’t just "a work thing."
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Stay in your lane
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementRoles in an association are distinct. Every effort complements another. When individuals disregard or disrespect their responsibilities, confusion occurs. Evidence of uncertainty is heard in, "Why is a board member telling staff how to do their jobs?" And, "The committee thinks they have authority to speak for the board." Clarity comes from knowing in which lane to work. Lanes are defined as narrow passageways. They are meant to guide forward motion.
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Job insecurity and economic uncertainty: How leaders can ease the emotional…
Anthony Casablanca Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe death of a loved one is not the only type of devastating loss that leads to grief. Your own company’s initiatives can also be emotionally traumatizing to employees. When you understand that any significant change to a person’s current reality can trigger grief, it becomes easier to see how company initiatives can trigger the stages of grief in employees. Cost-cutting and "right-sizing" efforts, from reducing benefits to layoffs, are emotionally traumatizing events for your people. Significant changes in job responsibilities can also be a culprit.
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It’s time for a reset — we need to change the game of business
Jack Stack Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementMillions of Americans are out of work as a result of the pandemic. It’s not their fault. A growing number of small business owners have been forced to close their shops through no fault of their own. The combination of the virus, the ongoing social outcries, protectionism, and trade wars have rocked our great entrepreneurial nation’s very foundation. These shockwaves aren’t expected to subside anytime soon. Now is our opportunity for a reset — we need to change the game.
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Absenteeism costs employers billions of dollars every year
Grace Ferguson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementAbsenteeism is a pervasive phenomenon impacting workplaces globally. In the United States, employers — aggregately — rack up billions of dollars in absenteeism costs per year. Before we nail down the numbers, let's review the concept of absenteeism. According to USLegal.com, "Absenteeism is the term generally used to refer to unscheduled employee absence from the workplace." In other words, absenteeism is when an employee fails to report to work as scheduled.
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