What to Do When You Really Dislike An Employee No matter the size company you work for, large or small, it’s almost impossible to like everyone. If you find yourself in charge of a person you don't like, it’s tempting to want to treat him/her differently because of your personal feelings. But HR will quickly tell you that’s a big no-no. And if it's a high-performer we're talking about, then you're really going to have to suck it up. Are you wondering how to work with people you don't like? The good news is managing someone you don’t like can be done, and done well. Here’s how: Working Wi... view article details

For the most part, your team is great. You have created a workplace culture where your employees like to collaborate and share ideas, they’re supportive, and they’re (fairly) punctual. But there is one disrespectful employee on your team who is, well, less than stellar. What's worse is she acts that way in front of the other staff members, too. But before you lose your cool—or worse, fire her for insubordination—there are ways to deal with a disrespectful employee. Here’s how. 1. Be Available As much as you would like, you can’t expect the disrespectful employee to change their behavior overni... view article details

Conflicting Personality Styles Could be the Cause of Workplace Strife Research shows that 60-80% of trouble in the workplace is due to strained relationships among employees, not from issues with their skills or motivation. Not surprisingly, as a result, typical managers spend 25-40% of their time dealing with conflicts. No one wants to work in such a contentious environment. But is it possible to change this situation? Yes, when you recognize that many conflicts are due to personality style differences and can be minimized with just a bit of awareness and effort. See which of these camps... view article details

Employers do not owe you a response to your application for a job. Just because you send a company a response to its job ad, you are not entitled to a response. The term ‘resume black hole’ refers to the frustration some people feel when they don’t get a response to a job application. It would be really nice if people told you ‘no’ quickly. But, you know how hard it is to actually say ‘no.’ There is nothing pleasant about telling you that you didn’t get the job. Many employers believe there is a legal risk in telling you ‘no.’ The combination of fear of saying no and fear of making legal err... view article details

Can an Employee Refuse a Raise?  No doubt about it, your team is working hard. But one day, an employee pops into your office and asks for a raise. They're a fairly good worker, but frankly, they haven’t done anything extraordinary to deserve a boost to their own bottom line. You don’t want to offend them—or worse, lose them—by declining their raise request, but you can’t approve it either. Unless there has been major hinting happening around the water cooler, an employee’s request for a raise can come out of left field. Here's how to keep your employee motivated—and on the job—with these tip... view article details

Discouraging predictions of lower salary hikes coupled with a tough job market have increased the already growing number of people returning to school. Numbers have been steadily growing because of increased educational requirements in the job market and the fact that on average a higher level of education translates into a higher annual salary. Salary.com's calculations for 2003 placed bachelor's degree holders at an average salary of $43,000, and master's degree holders at $53,000 (see earnings chart below). Therefore many professionals assume it is logical to go back to school, just as many... view article details

Exceeding your annual performance expectations may seem impossible. But, according to Nick Camelio, Vice President of Human Resources at Salary.com? that doesn’t have to be the case. The key to exceeding your performance expectations is to be an active participant in establishing your goals from the start. By focusing on key objectives and defining a plan that makes sense for you and your employer, you are on your way to meeting and exceeding your performance goals. To help get you started, Camelio offers the following 6 tips:1. Understand your Role The first step ... view article details

Q: I recently hired on to a new company and could use some advice. On my second interview with my new company, I was offered a salary on a yearly basis. I accepted this offer and began work. The paperwork I signed accepting this offer also had the same figure termed as 'annual.'After one month of working, the company was purchased by a leading retailer. They announced this to all the employees and said that we would be a wholesale division of the retailer. When I received my 'Welcome to the team!' letter from this retailer, I was addressed as an hourly employee. This was surprising, to say the... view article details

Benefits can significantly increase the value of the compensation package. The costs for providing benefits such as health insurance, retirement , training, vacation and personal days, and other perks could be a significant percentage of each employee's salary.      Beyond Compensation  Compensation is more than just base pay. It is a total package that should address your overall well-being - financial, physical, emotional, even spiritual. As companies compete for talent in tight labor markets, many are rolling out better benefits to attract and retain the best workers. Companies often strive... view article details

Do you have a boss who frequently flies off the handle? A co-worker who constantly whines? A sabotaging supervisor? Every workplace and every department has them -- difficult people. Whether these people just 'get on your nerves' or are having a serious impact on your success, learning how to deal with challenging people takes skill.You'll meet 10 difficult personalities in Parts I and II of this article and learn some strategies to help you handle them.The Bully Meet Tom Tempestuous. Tom knows that most people dislike conflict and hassle, so his strategy is to throw fits and temper... view article details