Category: Learning & Development

Employees are valuing career development more than ever—it’s a sign that the company is willing to invest in their future. How are businesses approaching training today? What are their pain points, and what topics are being addressed in training?

3 Vital Things Supervisors Should Say

Last Advisor, we talked about 7 things not to say; today we’ll cover 3 things supervisors should say, and tell you about a new audio conference that will keep you, your supervisors, and your managers from saying “stupid things.” “Gee, I never knew that.” “Where does it say I was supposed to do that?” Aren’t […]

Begging for Lawsuits: 7 Stupid Things Supervisors Say

Supervisors and managers with the best of intentions say the worst possible things. Some are said out of concern and some out of a desire to “act like a manager.” But they’re all dangerous. Here’s a rogues’ gallery of 7 of the most troublesome. 1) I think you’re depressed. Shouldn’t you see somebody? Comments like […]

Retaliation: The Dumbest Thing Managers Do

What, someone filed a complaint about me? No one gets away with that! Whoever it is will be sorry! Sound like any of your managers? Tell them that, whatever it is, get over it! Retaliation is a platinum invitation to a lawsuit. If you haven’t trained your managers to avoid retaliation, it’s likely that one […]

Why Firing Must Be a Group Decision

If termination is necessary, let it be a group decision, say the experts. That approach will hold up strongly against legal challenges. Here’s why: First, specialized input. As we mentioned in yesterday’s Advisor, specialized members of the management team, like the HR manager, are in a better position to judge the appropriate action to take. […]

5 Key Steps to Avoid Termination-Based Lawsuits

There’s nothing like a termination to get the “l’m-going-to-sue!” juices flowing. People want someone to blame, and, guess what? It’s not going to be them. Ill-considered and hasty terminations spell lawsuit time after time. And most of those lawsuits are avoidable—if you know what to do. Yes, you may win the lawsuit. But, unfortunately, once […]

Pick the Audio-Enhanced HR Training Program for Supervisors You Need Most … FREE!

More HR training for supervisors, less cost. That’s BLR’s special holiday season offer on our popular Audio Click ’n Train programs. Choose any 3 from 6 programs available and one of them is free. But you must order by Dec. 31, because when the holidays end, so does the opportunity! Yesterday’s Advisor detailed a highly […]

When Bad Supervisors Happen to Good People: The High Cost of Poor Supervision

Supervisors are the most important factor in a work unit’s performance, says HR trainer Steve Oppermann. They are driving force that brings excellence—or the dragging force that guarantees mediocrity. Are your supervisors driving your organization or putting a drag on it? Even a small supervisory deficiency can result in billions in losses, says Oppermann, an […]

HR and New Supervisors and Managers: Don’t Let Them “Learn by Doing”

The management landscape is littered with HR-related traps for unwary new supervisors or managers, and the stakes are too high to let them “learn by doing.” Here’s a tool to train them with minimal effort on your part and theirs. Last issue we talked about supervisors and managers who tried to be good supervisors, but […]

For New Supervisors or Managers, "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished"

“No good deed goes unpunished.” Nowhere is that more true than when untrained supervisors and managers try to be good bosses. If you’ve got new or recently promoted supervisors or managers, see if any of these situations are familiar: “Do you think you might be depressed?” asks the concerned but untrained boss. “I didn’t,” says […]

Teambuilding: What Supervisors Need to Succeed

Teams can make work more productive, and enjoyable as well, but supervisors need to be trained to lead them. Here’s an affordable tool to do it. Recent surveys, including our own National Employee Attitude Survey, show that teamwork, though a lofty goal in theory and a fact at our overseas competitors, remains elusive in the […]