The use of prepaid reward cards to recognize employees is a growing trend. According to one study, 87 percent of U.S. firms that use non-cash rewards are now using gift cards, spending more than $24 billion annually on those cards.
Assessing personality types or styles goes back thousands of years. Rob Fisher, a human factors expert, says in ancient Asia, “fire,” “wind,” “water,” “earth” and other terms were used to capture the different personalities of different people.
During my college summer breaks, I worked at a few different high-risk construction sites. On one job, I had a boss who liked to holler and was not very well liked. He was known as Hog Jaws and I’ve mentioned him previously.
United Kingdom-based newspaper The Guardian recently ran this headline: “UK to tackle loneliness crisis with cash injection. More than 120 projects will receive funding to help those affected and reduce stigma.” This reminded me of a book written in 2000, “Bowling Alone,” by Robert D. Putnam.
Behavior is not right or wrong, good or bad. It just is. It is neutral. Approach behaviors with the dispassionate, objective view of a scientist. Not with emotions.
Sometimes, things just don’t work out. It might not be anyone’s fault — or perhaps you feel strongly that it is entirely someone’s fault — but regardless, regularly working with outside contractors brings about the occasional conflict.
But should a conflict arise, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a situation is beyond all repair.
A tricky thing, disciplining employees. Every safety pro has a story about discipline:“I had to terminate a woman in 1987 because her body odor was so repulsive, affecting other workers (and her boss… me),” says a pro who requested anonymity. “I remember progressive discipline... You bet I asked the HR manager for assistance.”
Incentivizing your employees to ensure that they are constantly fully motivated is vital not only to have a fully functioning business but to maintain your long-term profitability.
In order for a welding business to stay in business, welders must keep welding or it’s a burn on both time and money. One way to promote worker productivity is to provide them with a workplace that rigorously adheres to a culture of safety where issues can be raised by anyone and, ultimately, resolved with a strategy that the whole team can buy into.
Jill James, Vivid Learning Systems’ resident safety consultant and former OSHA safety investigator, fills us in on how a positive relationship between supervisors and employees can decrease the number of work-related accidents.