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 Search Social Media for the Right Job Candidate

Last year, Forbes named 2013 The Year of Social HR – underlining the necessity of making online networking an integral part of your recruiting strategy. Social media has revolutionized the way people communicate and how organizations and workplaces operate. Candidate sourcing, hiring and retention are no exception.89 percent of companies use social media for recruiting, [...] Read More

7 Steps to Safer Chemicals in Your Facility

The handling of unsafe chemicals can have a big impact on workers – the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that 50,000 deaths and over 190,000 illnesses each year are the result of exposure to unsafe chemicals. To prevent the hazards of chemical exposure in the workplace and improve employee performance, OSHA developed a [...] Read More

5 Skills to Look for in an Office Clerical Candidate

Office clerical workers fill a diverse assortment of job duties – such as answering phones, keeping records, and scheduling appointments – in the workplace to support your staff. According to a recent survey from the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), most office administrative workers support three executives on average. Since office clerical candidates carry [...] Read More

Establishing Company Policies that Will be Followed

Companies evolve over time and so do their policies. New policies are written to prevent certain issues from reoccurring, fend off potential problems, and maintain organizational order and efficiency. As your policy manual grows thicker, keeping watch over and holding everyone accountable to compliance with them becomes more of a challenge. You need an effective [...] Read More

3 Situations a Meeting Can’t Solve

Business culture dictates that, when a problem occurs, a meeting is required to discuss the course of action. While a meeting can provide consensus, obtain input and knowledge from different perspectives, and is a vital part of effective communication, there are many cases where a meeting can hinder progress, add unnecessary bureaucratic functions, and waste [...] Read More

What Motivates Your Team?

Just about everyone wants to do interesting work, earn a decent salary and feel they’ve contributed to something bigger than themselves. But truly motivating your employees takes more than a regular paycheck and the occasional pat on the back. What’s required is a well-defined strategy that tailors compensation, rewards and motivational drivers to each individual’s [...] Read More