Depression at Work
The suicide of actor Robin Williams, who reportedly was suffering from severe depression, is a harsh reminder of how devastating the illness can be. While Williams was certainly a unique individual, his battle with depression was not unique. Indeed, each year about 25 million U.S. adults experience major depressive disorder, according to the National Institute […]
Friendships at Work
“Without friends, no one would want to live, even if he had all other goods.” Aristotle wrote this sentiment, and I couldn’t agree more. For example, I recently met a friend for coffee, and my day was brighter as a result because my friend did what he always does: listened intently to my account of […]
Fashion Rules at Work
“It’s a new era in fashion – there are no rules,” fashion experts have proclaimed. Want to wear white before Memorial Day? Go for it. Want to wear gold and silver jewelry at the same time? You can do that, too. Today it’s all about the individual and his or her personal style. While that’s […]
Breaking up is not so hard to do
Long before the days of cell phones, I had a boyfriend who avoided my announcement that I was breaking up with him by staying away from his house – “can’t break up with me if you can’t find me!” he reasoned. Evidently, teacher Michael Sullivan had a similar thought, and a recent court decision proved […]
Alcoholism and the ADA in Employment
After the firing of USC coach Steve Sarkisian in October, there was some discussion about whether his termination was lawful because he apparently has a drinking problem. Even if you’re not a football fan, the situation provides an excellent opportunity for employers to learn about alcoholism in the workplace.For those of you who are unfamiliar […]
Should you Require Hourly Employees to Punch the Clock?
In the article “Pros & Cons of a Time Clock in the Workplace” on https://smallbusiness.chron.com, the author states, “Employees who are required to punch a time clock are likely to believe that their employers do not trust them to accurately report their hours, and consequently they may feel that they are not sufficiently valued.” Maybe so; […]
Facebook Photo Prompts Firing
The latest Facebook post that got an employee fired was a picture of the employee holding a cat with an arrow through its head along with these words: “My first bow kill lol. The only good feral tomcat is one with an arrow through it’s (sic) head! Vet of the year award…gladly accepted.” Vet of […]
Preventing Sprains and Strains in the Workplace
Did you know that sprains and strains remain the most common workplace injuries in the United States? But that is not all, according to workers’ compensation data; these injuries to muscles and connective tissues are the top accident category for both frequency and severity. That information tells us that sprains and strains are typical in […]
Effectively Handling Angry Customers
In customer service workshops that I conduct, I include information on how to effectively handle an angry customer. I’m knowledgeable about the subject because of research that I’ve done, and because I have at times been an angry customer and I know what did and did not work for those who tried to handle me. […]
Flexibility a Desired Trait in Employers
Perhaps. However, numerous studies indicate that money is not the be-all and end-all for even cash-strapped employees these days. According to a report from the Workplace Flexibility 2010 group at Georgetown Law, “Today, making ends meet is not just about money. It’s also about time.” In her article, What Employees Want More Than a Raise […]
