Q: I was selected for a management training program for a retailer based on my professional background and my interest in working for the company. I made it clear in the interview that my long-term goal was to be in...
Note: Albany.com is not responsible for posts and comments written by non-staff members.
No Sick Time – Come In to Work Sick?
Q: My new job doesn't grant any sick time. What am I supposed to do, just come in to work sick?A: As a relative put it so eloquently, "Are you expecting to be sick?" Sometimes the perception of not having...
Ramifications of Management Favoritism – HR in Baseball
I harped on ad nauseam with my friends the way Joe Torre played favorites with Bernie Williams on the Yankees and how (to me) it appeared to affect morale on the team and the relationship with other players.In 2004, when...
Dealing with Lateness
Lack of timeliness on the job (both from the employer and employee view) causes lapses in productivity, stress, and in some cases severance of employment.From an employee point of view, the excuses I heard often were "my commute is too...
HR and Baseball – The Pitcher/Catcher Relationship
Our national pastime is rich with memories and parallels to everyday life. A friend of mine knows how much I love baseball, and I told her that I had been thinking about writing a baseball column relating to HR. She...
Negotiating a New Contract
Q: I'm working on a contract with my company for a promotion, but they are unwilling to meet my salary demands. I want to continue to work for them, but I feel the compensation package they are offering is not...
Working with Someone Who Takes All the Credit
Q: My boss takes all the credit for the hard work I do, but I don't complain. However, it has created some great stresses on the organization because of his mistakes. Thankfully, other members of the organization are aware that...
Mental Health Days
Q: What are your thoughts on "mental health days"? What should employers do about people who want to take these?A: Mental health days are a great way to keep sharp and utilize benefit time for reasons other than illness....
“Sometimes, you’ve gotta fire the customer.”
Q: We have a few verbally abusive customers who regularly come in and intimidate our employees. They are larger accounts, so we really don't want to lose their business. How do we handle this?A: Unfortunately, "the customer is always right"...
Fearless vs. Thoughtless Feedback
"It is not advisable, James, to venture unsolicited opinions. You should spare yourself the embarrassing discovery of their exact value to your listener." from Atlas Shrugged.Some of the best feedback in an organization that I have seen is of the...