Joanne Kaldy

Your top performers are a great source of pride, but they also may be overcommitted and headed for stress and exhaustion. However, you can help them regain control of their workloads with five tips. These can help go-getters continue their productivity without burning out. First, encourage them to capture all commitments, responsibilities, and assignments in an external place, instead of just in their heads. Then they should conduct a “commitment audit” to get everything on one page; then they can prioritize projects and reassign or delegate them as appropriate and necessary. Urge them to take one action at a time and not get overwhelmed by a list of activities or tasks. Encourage them to reflect about how to best use their time. Finally, have them set a weekly meeting with themselves to resync, review accomplishments, check priorities, and plan ahead. [Read more...] about (3/7) 5 Tips to Protect Your Productivity and Your Performance

According to a new report, 73% of employees are dealing with a caregiving responsibility. This is in contrast to the 20% who self-identify as caregivers. Study authors attributed the disparity to how people view themselves and their role in the family, noting that they see themselves just as being a good daughter, wife, or husband. The report determined that the more than 43 million Americans caring for a relative face many challenges, especially related to medical issues, cognitive impairment, nutrition, finances, behavioral issues, stress and anxiety, and family dynamics. As an HR professional, you are perfectly positioned to contribute to the dialogue and commit to more meaningful supports for employees struggling with caregiving issues. Do so by expanding your corporate caregiving culture, reviewing company policies to ensure they support caregivers, and seeking honest input from workers about their caregiving challenges and concerns. [Read more...] about (3/6) The Caregivers Among You Need Help

According to one survey, lack of recognition is a big reason companies lose good employees. One expert says that recognition is one area where management often falls short. It should be easy, he says, but it isn’t. One challenge is that many managers aren’t good communicators, and others are hesitant to praise employees. Perhaps they are unsure what is too much or too little praise, so they say nothing. However, HR can help managers understand that meaningful recognition is basically just simple, direct, honest, and personalized; and it is delivered in a timely fashion. Read the full article. … [Read more...] about (3/5) 36% of Employees Say Lack of Recognition Is Top Reason to Leave Their Job

To track employee health and encourage changes takes more than looking at sick days and claims data. Start by monitoring how employees are using preventive services. If they’re not taking advantage of these, you need to determine why. Do you offer health club discounts, but the gym is too far away? Employees may know what health benefits they have, but do they know the value? Take the time to understand what employees want and need and communicate how their healthcare benefits can help them. Don’t forget to individualize healthcare benefits, preferably with a personalized gateway. Make it easy for employees to complete tasks such as choosing a new physician, finding a specialist, understanding costs associated with care, and weighing the benefits of treatment options. Reassure employees that their privacy is paramount. Finally, don’t forget to measure results and use data to implement new practices. [Read more...] about (3/4) 4 Ways Data Can Help Benefit Leaders Improve Employee Health

Enabling and empowering employees to manage conflict is essential to morale and productivity. Ideally, it is best to address and resolve issues before they escalate into full-blown conflicts. But when problems do arise, they are more likely to be solved quickly if employees have conflict resolution capabilities. To prepare workers to prevent and resolve conflicts, arm them with skills including listening, problem-solving, negotiation, emotional intelligence, communication, empathy, reducing bias, and managing stress. Of course, you want to encourage employees to come to you with conflict-related concerns, and no conflict should be dismissed or minimized. However, employees feel more empowered and trusted if they have the opportunity to work out differences among themselves when appropriate and possible. Read the full article. … [Read more...] about (3/1) Helping Employees Manage Conflict