Managing People at Work (Page 9)

Managing People at Work

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8 ways to keep employees motivated during slow periods

Many businesses experience times of lower activity during the year, often due to seasonal influences. While employees may relish the lighter load, they can also get antsy or bored. Plus, many managers dislike the thought of workers sitting around on the company’s dime. How can your team make good us

Consider these work rules employees wish were ‘law’

Every workplace has its unspoken “rules”—the ones employees whisper to each other but never see in writing. A recent post from scale-up strategist Jen Blandos, who often shares insights on leadership and workplace culture, turned those quiet frustrations into a “whiteboard of work rules that should

How to spot and develop high-potential employees

In a market where skilled workers are still hard to find, investing in high-potential employees is a smart retention strategy. Their presence makes your organization stronger right now and grows your talent pipeline for future roles.

Why the best managers set clear boundaries

As a manager, you want staff members to come to you with questions, ideas and concerns. But leaders who equate approachability with “tell me anything, anytime, anywhere” risk ending up unproductive and burned out.

Engagement drops when leaders run on empty

Nearly half of managers say they’d give up their title if it meant feeling engaged again. Burnout is rampant: A third of leaders feel exhausted several times a week, and 22% report feeling emotionally disconnected from their teams.

11 ways to lead when short-staffed and still get results

Smart leaders know that dumping more duties on existing workers isn’t the solution. Burdening them might get you through in the short term, but it comes at the cost of burnout, resentment and higher turnover. So how can managers address the situation? Try these strategies.

When metrics fall short: How to advocate for your team while owning the numbers

When performance metrics dip, executives often see a clear story: results are slipping. But as the manager closest to the work, you also see the context—overloaded schedules, broken processes or quiet burnout. Your challenge is to acknowledge what the data gets right, clarify what it misses and show

Why direct communication matters and how to achieve it

When managers speak plainly—stating what’s changing, what’s expected and why—employees gain clarity and can act quickly. Directness reduces second-guessing and shortens the time teams spend trying to interpret intent.

Realigning overcommitted employees: Strategies that work

High performers often stretch themselves with good intent, eager to make an impact. But when an overzealous employee juggles too many commitments, the result can be missed deadlines, creeping stress and subtle team disruption. Here are some strategies for how to identify when someone has overcommitt

Ways to incorporate fun into the workplace—and why it’s important

Studies continually show the many benefits of fun in the workplace. Employee happiness positively affects productivity, innovation, creativity, problem-solving ability, job satisfaction, communication, teamwork and morale. A huge benefit is that turnover decreases. Plus, gaining a reputation as a fu