The Watercooler

The Watercooler Blog is full of workplace tips and trends related to employee retention, engagement, interviewing and more. The Watercooler is frequently refilled, so gather ‘round often.

How to Use Strategic Differentiation to Your Advantage

In any business, you want to keep your competitive edge. Most companies use the concept of operational effectiveness, the idea of performing tasks better than their competition. However, Michael Porter, management expert at the Harvard Business School, makes the case for strategic differentiation, doing the same thing as your rival but in a different way [...] Read More
Top Articles for Modesto Job Seekers in 2014

Avoid These 6 Interviewing Mistakes

The cost of a hiring mistake can be staggering – both financially and in terms of its impact on morale and productivity. And while every step in your hiring process is important, the rubber really meets the road during candidate interviews. This is where you get to know prospective hires and narrow down the field [...] Read More

Can an Employee Ask Too Many Questions?

Asking questions is a normal part of everyone’s workday. In fact, you want employees who are naturally interested, inquisitive, and curious. But, dealing with constant barrages of questions can make it difficult to get your own job done. A key part of your job as a manager is providing clear, direct feedback. But you wouldn’t [...] Read More

Ways to Recognize Your Top-Performing Employees

There is no one who doesn’t like being recognized for a job well done – even your most introverted, laid-back team members. On an ongoing basis, employee recognition may be simply a few short words of praise and encouragement to maintain a positive flow in the workplace environment. Your more formal program will likely include [...] Read More