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Housing pressures cool luxury home market

Michael J. Berens Construction & Building Materials

Many of the same factors that are dampening the housing market overall finally caught up with the luxury home sector during the second half of 2018. Prices and inventories have begun to drop, and sales have slowed. Luxury properties were being snapped up at a near-record rate in the second quarter. While that brisk pace actually accelerated somewhat in the third quarter, the total volume of sales declined, according to Redfin’s latest luxury home report.

Workplace dress code: Necessary or outdated?

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In 2016, Nicola Thorpe, a London-based temporary receptionist at one of the Big Four accounting firms, gained international attention when she was sent home from work for violating dress code, which required women to wear heels between 2 to 4 inches high. Thorpe started a petition in the U.K., which led to a fierce debate. The dress code came from Thorpe’s temporary employment agency, not the accounting firm. And, the temp agency’s dress code also included other stipulations. This policy was rather extreme, but is it necessary to even have a dress policy?

How to survive a bear market

Patrick Gleeson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

When a bear market begins, get rid of everything and move into cash! No, that’s not what I’m recommending. In fact, it’s probably about the worst injury you can inflict on your retirement account. But during the years I spent as a Registered Investment Advisor, whenever a bear market approached worried clients would begin calling, wondering if they shouldn’t weather the coming storm by doing just that — selling everything and moving into cash.

Negotiating commercial leases: Get a document review

Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield Retail

For many commercial tenants, negotiating a good lease or lease renewal against an experienced agent or landlord can be a challenge. While an entrepreneur focuses on marketing and managing, savvy real estate agents and brokers are specialized salespeople. Their job is to sell tenants on leasing their location at the highest possible rental rate. Whether you are leasing a new location for the first time or negotiating a lease renewal for your business, here are two money-saving tips.

A new year means a clean slate for governance

Robert C. Harris Association Management

Happy New Year! For some associations the governance-year begins in January. A new board and new year are opportunities for a fresh start. Ideally the legacy of the prior board can be built upon for continued progress. However, the previous board’s reputation might not be so stellar. Dysfunctions may have entered into board processes. Directors might have pushed personal agendas. According to Sam Kuhnert, founder at NubAbility Athletics Foundation, "The New Year is full of opportunity. Don't fear the processes of governance but embrace the chance to improve the organization and its impact in 2019."

A mentor is good — now you need a sponsor

Patrick Gleeson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In corporate America, it’s long been recognized that for high-potential employees, finding a mentor and maintaining a relationship with that mentor is one of the keys to career success. According to a study of over 1,000 corporate professionals, this holds particularly true for women and minorities, more than 75 percent of whom described the mentoring relationship as either "very important or extremely important to their career development." Unfortunately, mentoring alone, although it has a positive effect on the careers of all corporate professionals who develop a mentor-mentee relationship, doesn’t close the gender/diversity gap.

Over half of employees are uncomfortable asking for time off during the…

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

"It’s the most wonderful time of the year," and yet, many employees don’t feel they can fully enjoy the holiday season because of work demands. In fact, a West Monroe Partners study found that 51 percent of employees are uncomfortable — or at least somewhat uncomfortable — asking for time off during the holidays. The results are no surprise to veteran HR expert Tim Sackett, president at HRU Technical Resources, and author of "The Talent Fix: A Leader’s Guide to Recruiting Great Talent."

Repeating the past to propel progress

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

As humans, we tend to acknowledge the time in which we exist as unprecedented; yet, from extreme political turmoil to amazing technological advancements, the news of today repeats the news of previous generations. While it may seem this tendency to repeat ourselves stifles our progress, instead it provides amazing freedom from our limiting perspectives. This is because when each generation recognizes the previous generation has embraced similar perspectives, we can use that knowledge to advance our thinking.

‘Look the part’ and the new year will be your best year

Fred Berns Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

This is the time of year that companies in most every industry, in most every market set goals for the year ahead. And no matter if those firms are big or small, they often have a similar ambition: to get bigger jobs from better clients. It’s a worthy goal, to be sure, but a difficult one to achieve. So many companies work so hard to attract major projects from luxury-level clients, yet so few succeed. Why? Most don’t attract high-caliber clients because they don’t look like high-caliber companies.

Make sure your employee harassment policies are strong enough

Lisa Mulcahy Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In today's workplace, managers can't be too careful when it comes to issues regarding employee harassment. It is key that you protect your company against internal legal claims, and you certainly don't want your staff members to feel uncomfortable, or worse, afraid when they are trying to do their jobs on a daily basis. Researchers have been looking into which company policies are the most effective in terms of shielding both your workers both physically and emotionally from various forms of co-worker or supervisor abuse. Use what they've learned through the following tips to make sure your policies offer the proper protection, and make changes where they're needed.

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