Job descriptions provide a way of communicating about the organization, performance expectations, and job requirements. When they’re done well, they’re useful tools to engage applicants, inform employees, and help guide employment decisions. They provide valuable information about your organizational culture. But how often do you read a job description that leaves you saying, “Huh?” Don’t […]
Corporate retreats: money wasted or well spent?
Early in my career I was part of a team responsible for putting on an annual employee event. It was huge; thousands of employees from around the United States attended. Our team was small and the workload—especially during the week of the event—was overwhelming. A few weeks after the event, our senior leader invited us […]
3 lessons we can learn from David Bowie
This week the world mourned the loss of an amazing artist: David Bowie. As news of his death spread, social media and news channels were flooded with stories, memories, and tributes to Bowie and the creative works he leaves behind. It’s easy to look at Bowie’s success, and the outpouring of grief, as separate from […]
The power of the open org
I love nothing more than a good story. During his closing keynote at the HR Technology Conference, Jim Whitehurst (CEO of RedHat) shared a powerful story from his days working at Delta Airlines. As I wrote in this post, those days weren’t so great: “You’ve just announced that Delta Airlines is filing for bankruptcy. For […]
What to Consider with Employee Appreciation
I am a big proponent of employee appreciation. I’ve seen the positive impact — in my own attitude at work and in the attitudes of my colleagues. But I’ve also seen employee appreciation gone bad. My post at O.C. Tanner, Employee Appreciation: Think Twice Before Going Big, explores this issue and makes the case for […]
How Employees Affect Your Brand
We’ve all had customer services experiences that aren’t great. And hopefully we’ve all had some amazing customer service experiences, too. In my post, How Do Employees Affect Your Brand, I share a personal example of how the employees at the pediatric clinic where we take our sons make all the difference in the world in […]