As a business coach I know the process of letting an employee go is uncomfortable and upsetting. However there are a few guidelines that can help soften the blow called the five W's - who, what, when, where and why:

Start with who - think about the employee and what you know about them. Be sure to empathise with their personality: this helps you to feel secure, as well as putting your employee at ease and making them feel less like a disposable entity.  Read More

Training your employees appropriately and frequently is indeed an investment - and one with a powerful return. When your employees are nurtured with the necessary staples they will make better decisions, their relationships will improve and their opinions will show deeper insight. Read More

When a valued employee decides to move on, take the opportunity to get some insight into your operations. Your employee won’t have anything to lose because they are leaving anyway. Listening to criticism can be difficult, but also very valuable.

Don’t waste the opportunity. Read More

Your bookkeeper calls in one morning to say her son is sick and can’t go to school. She will have to stay home and look after him.

In some businesses that would mean writing off the productivity of that employee for the day with possible knock-on effects for meetings, projects or appointments. What if the employee could still contribute at least half a day to get crucial work completed? Or they might want to avoid using up a day of leave?  Read More

A hallmark of the industrial revolution was the punch card system. Factory workers clocked on and off by getting their cards stamped by a clerk or later by machine. The manager knew exactly how much time each of their staff had spent on the job by looking at their stamped times.

Some modern workplaces feel like they are operating under a similar framework. The boss sits there watching the clock in the morning and noting down when every employee dawdles in. Read More

Imagine you had a choice of hiring one of two candidates for your business. The first had years of experience, was highly qualified and boasted a strong track record. The second was a junior player, ambitious yet untested. Many businesses wouldn’t hesitate in choosing the former. But what if the older candidate was so sure of himself that he refused to listen to his superiors, mocked the mistakes of others and proved to be otherwise prickly and uncooperative? Read More

One of the biggest challenges faced by most businesses is sourcing help in a reliable, timely and affordable way.  It’s neither practical nor desirable – and often not even possible – to employ people with the expertise in all the areas your business needs.  At the same time you need to operate in a professional way.  Read More

There’s been quite a bit of talk amongst business managers and owners about the way new employees behave, largely it must be said, negative - too much entitlement, not enough loyalty, no work ethic, only interested in themselves, and so on.

Well, there’s a saying going around – ‘build a bridge, get over it!’ In other words, things will run more smoothly, and your company will thrive if you just accept it as being a different era, and tailor your workplace and management style to meet the needs of the upcoming workforce. Read More

There are some common mistakes that managers make which disempower team members and make them seem moody and unresponsive.  It can happen with baby boomer managers and Gen Y or Gen X staff, but it’s not confined to generationally different workers by any means. Here’s how to turn a terrific team member into a frustrated poor performer.  Read More

Christmas parties are notorious for turning into scenes of excess or embarrassment as staff unwind and sometimes let their guard down. It is important to remember that although alcohol is being served, it is still a work event and any mishaps will follow them into the workplace the following day. Instead of holding your Christmas party in the evening it might be wiser to celebrate during daylight with a long lunch, and those that want to continue can do so on their own time. Read More