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New tooth sheriff in town: ADA names new president

Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental Healthcare

The American Dental Association (ADA) recently installed its 156th president. The position was awarded to Dr. Chad P. Gehani of Queens, New York. During his first address to the association's House of Delegates, Dr. Gehani told members it is his "responsibility to ensure that the ADA remains the guardian of your lifetime commitment to the profession — and I am not just talking about your dues dollars. The ADA must be a responsible custodian of your time as volunteers and of your talents as clinicians, researchers and educators. The ADA must be relevant to all of us," he concluded.

Is too much excitement killing your business?

Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

I used to work for a CEO who got terribly excited every time someone presented a new idea. He’d say things like, "That’s great! Let’s give it a try." Or, "That’s a terrific idea. Can you move this forward by Monday?" His enthusiasm was contagious, which meant that his direct reports did the same thing. You can imagine the chaos that resulted. We’d all scurry like mice to work on the next potentially game-changing idea. As you might have guessed, eventually we tired. In a nutshell, we were exhausted. We had no focus.

10 ways to measure employee happiness and belonging at your organization

Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk Management

During the last 25 years, I’ve spoken to thousands of employees and leaders in organizations about what makes them happy and able to do their best work. It’s not uncommon for people in leadership to be disconnected from their employees and not really know what makes them happy and able to do their best work. What are some of the indicators that employees are happy, invested and like coming to work? Based on research, observation and hundreds of interviews and focus groups, here are 10 observable dynamics amongst employees.

The open door policy

Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Now, I’m not talking about a literal or figurative open door to the boss’ office that purports to encourage employee-employer communication. I am referring to doors of opportunity. Sometimes you don’t even recognize that it’s a door; you’re just plugging along, wondering why, putting one step in front of the other and not sure of your path, and suddenly you realize that you’ve walked through what you didn’t recognize as a door to future possibilities. Such a thing happened to me recently.

Why doing everything right away is not always a best practice

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

As an avid follower of the Getting Things Done system, I am a big fan of doing something right away if it takes two minutes or less. However, I have found sometimes where, counterintuitively, it seems best to wait a bit before playing whack-a-mole with issues as they arise. Here are a few examples of when doing things right away may not always be a best practice.

Fixing the bugs in activity-based work environments

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Companies with high concentrations of knowledge workers have been gravitating toward activity-based work (ABW) environments in recent years to address employees’ complaints about the shortcomings of open-plan office spaces. Although employee response has been generally favorable, recent research indicates that ABWs can present their own set of problems if not carefully designed. In lieu of a single, dedicated office or cubicle, ABWs offer employees a wide variety of space types in which to work, each designed to support different types of work and interpersonal activities.

How to build a culture of trust

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Toxic employees can infect other staff and bring down morale. The negative cultures they create can bring down the organization. But short of firing everyone and starting again, how do you build a team that trusts each other? Here are three steps to repairing the damage and building a culture of trust.

Should you relocate to take a new job?

Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In America, just under 15% of the population relocates each year. Some relocation is local and regional, although a good portion (at least 20%) is relocation outside the region. Unless you are relocating outside the area as part of a job transfer or retirement, chances are high that you’ll need to find employment in your new city. So, how do you go about conducting a remote job search? Here are five things a relocating job seeker could do, most of which require just a bit of planning to do them effectively.

How to make exit interviews count

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Exit interviews are usually perfunctory and meaningless for two reasons: departing employees don’t really care to provide insight to a company they’re leaving, and organizations tend to brush off these remarks. According to a 2018 survey by HR Bartender, most employees leave for better compensation and benefits, increased opportunities for advancement, more supportive managers, and flexible work schedules. However, if companies take the approach that they can’t increase wages, create additional opportunities for advancement, or let employees work from home three days a week, they may consider exit interviews a waste of time.

Should employers provide food at work?

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Work trends in Silicon Valley tend to get broadcast as the new standard, even when the space, budget and intent surrounding them are unrealistic or out of line for most companies. The good thing is, by the time those ideas make it to us on Main Street, they have been filtered through reality. As businesses look more at ways to attract and retain employees in a competitive market, food can seem like a no-brainer. Whether you have a fully stocked breakroom or a lonely coffee pot, here are a few things to consider about providing food at work.

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