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.

Eliminating Boss Mentality: Becoming a Leader

As someone in charge of others, you have enormous responsibility. You want to take charge in such a way that you get the most out of your employees by being firm but fair. Respected but not necessarily feared. Here are some tips to rid your self of the stereotypical “boss” mentality and become known as [...] Read More

Building Brand Loyalty through Positive Customer Service

Social media is a major driver in marketing success. The opinions of customers who have direct contact with your company matter. Anand Subramanian of Harvard Business Review writes that branding efforts often overlook the key component of customer service.A company may develop a brand idea that includes a logo, slogan, an advertising campaign, even celebrity [...] Read More

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