It’s an interesting saying, “not pulling your own weight.” But think about a team of horses, or oxen, or even sled dogs. Each one must contribute equally to the success of the team—or else the sled gets stuck in the snow, the field doesn’t get plowed, or the stagecoach takes a lot longer to reach its destination.

In an updated scenario, your business is the stagecoach, and success is your destination. If the entire team is pulling equal weight, you’ll get there together, faster. If even one employee is not pulling as hard, or putting in as much effort, it will take longer. And you might not ever reach the success your company is capable of.

So what does an employer do when one employee (we’ll call him “Joe”) is not doing his part?

First, don’t assume that Joe knows. Joe is not a mind reader. Even if his co-worker, Lucy, rolls her eyes each time Joe mentions he’s tired, or brags about how much he’s accomplished today, he could have no idea the rest of the team thinks he’s a slacker. You might think Joe is deliberately unproductive, while Joe thinks he’s a superstar.

Don’t wait. If it’s several months before Joe’s annual performance evaluation, don’t wait for that special day to bring him into your office and talk about his performance. It’s crucial to address a problem when it’s happening (or in this case, not happening), and ask for improvement right away. Especially if Joe’s teammates have complained to you about an unfair situation—you owe it to them to follow up and fix the problem. As boss, that’s your job.

Don’t accept excuses. Joe may have legitimate issues that are affecting his work performance. If so, call on your best leadership skills and help him through this rough spot—and if he’s a great worker, help him keep his job. But, if Joe is just really good at avoiding his workload, it’s only fair to the rest of the team to require improvement.

Choose a good time. If you’re under unusual stress, or the entire team is, due to a big project deadline, don’t escalate a potential problem. Wait until you can handle the conversation with Joe with clarity, keeping objectives in mind.

Acknowledge Joe’s strong points. Give a dose of good with the bad news. Focus on Joe’s strengths, appreciate his effort (such that it is) but let him know that other employees are doing more. Ask for Joe’s input on splitting the workload more fairly.

Catherine is a business owner we know who recently shared a concern that’s been on her mind; a fear that other employers probably share. Her staff of six has weathered the bad economy with her, through layoffs of a few of their friends, no raises for themselves, and increased job responsibilities. Catherine has expressed her appreciation for their sacrifices, but was also proud that she was able to keep six people employed through such a difficult time.

Catherine’s business looks like it will come through the recession in pretty good shape—and she will be relying on her seasoned staff to bring it back to its former level of profitability. Her main concern? That her staff will abandon her for other job opportunities, just when she needs them most.

Catherine’s story is not unique, and she’s smart to be thinking about this possible problem before it begins. Worrying about it, however, will not accomplish much. But what can Catherine and other employers do to keep good employees around after the economy recovers? How does an employer prevent a mass employee exodus?

First, recognize the reality: a survey last summer reported that nearly half of employees surveyed plan to seek a new job after the recession ends. 30% were already actively seeking new work. Generationally, the Xs are least likely to stay with their current employer, while the older Baby Boomers are most likely to stay.

Assure your staff of their job security. If your business is strong, let your workers know. Eliminating the unknown may be enough to keep your employees from bailing on you. Job security is the number one reason for employees to seek a new job. It’s not the increase in job responsibility or too much work for each staff member—employees do not see those as reasons to leave your company.

Find out what your staffers want. Now is a great time to sit down with your employees, either in a group brainstorming session, or one-on-one, and really understand what they want from their relationship with your company. Then, realign your procedures and retention strategy to match their most important wants and needs.

Employers don’t have to face the economic recovery by losing good employees. If retaining your best workers is important, find out what they need to stick around!

No matter what size company you own or lead, an employee handbook is always a good idea. Everyone benefits from fewer misunderstanding and clear expectations. With a handbook, employees know exactly what they can and cannot do, and management has clear guidelines to follow for managing staff. In addition, employee handbooks can help your company avoid lawsuits by clearly stating company procedures.

Here are a few tips for creating an employee handbook for your company:

• Include a Statement of Company Culture. An introduction of the company, its history, mission, and values can create a culture statement to help new employees begin to assimilate into the company
• Keep the language simple and direct. Using legal terms and twenty-five dollar words could be confusing to employees.
• Cover the basics. Include the company’s compliance with discrimination laws, what constitutes full- or part-time employment, how and when employees are paid, and where employees are to park. Include employee background screening policies. Consider including standards of conduct, any dress code requirements, where to address complaints, how disciplinary action is handled, and vacation, family leave, and sick leave policies.
• Beyond the basics: Be sure to cover your company’s cell phone policy. Are staff members allowed to accept personal calls during working hours? What about when driving company vehicles?
• What are the company’s policies on company vehicles? How will you cover military leave? Violence or sexual harassment? Drug and alcohol use? What about staff visitors during work hours? How should employees notify management when late for work or ill?
• Have an attorney review the handbook: An employment-law attorney is equipped to advise on legality of the employee handbook. The only thing worse than no handbook is one that is not enforceable—and the only thing worse than that is a handbook that could spark a lawsuit!

Employee handbooks vary in size, scope, and detail, depending on the size and culture of the company. The important thing to remember is that even a basic handbook is a must-have for every company with employees!

What type of supervisor are you? Do you rule with a firm hand, expect your employees to live up to your expectations, and discourage feedback? Or are you more like a mentor, molding and shaping your staff members to create the most effective team possible?

Sports analogies are used often in business: we work in teams, set goals, and hit home runs, whether we work at a baseball diamond or in a coffee shop. And today’s managers are more like team coaches than strict bosses who must be obeyed—or else.

Employees are an asset; their knowledge and talents are your company’s resources. It’s up to the coach to decide how to best use those resources, for the benefit of the team. Even in today’s economy, when staffers should be happy to be employed, there is a certain balance that must be maintained between the company’s needs and the employees’ needs. To keep that balance at an optimum level, good leaders find that nurturing talent and encouraging feedback and communication are among their best tools.

Asking open-ended questions is a good way to start. Instead of a “yes” or “no” question, like “Do you have what you need to do your job?” a coach would ask, “What are the specific tools I can provide so you are most successful at your job?” The first question is confusing; a worker is likely to say “yes” to avoid looking unprepared. The second choice is better—your employee has a wide range of possible answers, none of which can be considered incorrect.

Secondary questions, such as, “I never thought about it that way. Can you explain what you mean by that?” will help employees feel valued and confident in their opinions. Encourage staffers to open up in their communication by choosing questions wisely; help them think broadly about issues, and ask for their suggestions to improve procedures and policies.

Practice the art of active listening: make steady eye contact, engage fully with your staffers, and ask clarifying questions. Nothing does more to indicate to your employees that you are listening to them and care about what they think.

Starting as children, human beings take a great deal of pride in doing a job well. And the tougher the job, the sweeter the feeling. To top it all off, hearing praise from someone we respect makes it all even better.

The same is true in the workplace. Giving employees the opportunity to do for themselves, build a program or manage a project on their own results in higher job satisfaction.

Instead of a constant “trickle-down” type of management, progressive employers are putting the reins in the hands of their employees, encouraging them to form teams and take on the planning and implementation phases of programs designed to meet their tough challenges.

Research supports the idea. The so-called “IKEA effect” shows that people report higher satisfaction with the bookshelves, tables, and cabinets from IKEA that they assemble themselves—whether or not they actually did a good job. The pride of making something makes people feel good, so they assign a higher-than-accurate value to the item.

Similarly, employees place a higher value on a project they are in charge of, or their ideas that are implemented—whether or not it is deserved. People tend to prefer their “babies” over those of others—including management. And managers, too, can fall in love with their own ideas, because they are personally vested in them. The problem is that co-workers and customers may not agree on value.

But managers and business owners, be warned: the IKEA effect can self-destruct, just as quickly as that bookcase you put together without all the necessary screws. If a staff-implemented strategy does not meet its objectives, everyone suffers. Management is less likely to allow a repeat; staff members feel badly; and the company must revamp with another strategy.

Managers and business owners must take risks; allowing staff to gain satisfaction by implementing their own ideas and building their own programs is one that can pay off in the long run.

As an employer, you take on a lot of “extras” when you hire an employee—some good, some bad. Good is when the employee’s family and friends become evangelists for your product or service. Bad is when the employee’s personal life affects his or her job performance.

So what is an employer to do when an employee has a personal problem? First, stay alert to changes in your staff’s behaviors. Everyone is entitled to a bad day—and being grumpy is not reason enough to be called into the boss’s office.  But if a good employee with a great attitude and performance history has an apparent personality change or if their attitude is affecting fellow staffers negatively, it’s time to take action.

Address the problem directly with the employee. Keep your emphasis on their performance only—not their personality, their perceived happiness (or lack thereof), or their attitude.

Your employee will likely open up—especially if you’ve established a caring communication culture in your company.  How you proceed is dependent on whether the issue is related to work itself, such as stress or a conflict with a fellow staffer; or if it’s completely based in the employee’s personal life.

You may find that what looked like a personal problem is entirely work-related. In this case, you as the leader must take control of the situation—before it gets worse. Ignore it and you could lose a valuable employee, as well as damage your company’s reputation. Whatever method you use to diffuse employee conflict must be employed right away when a good employee’s job performance is negatively affected by another.

Your employee may share that they are having a personal problem. Perhaps it’s trouble with a child’s day care situation. Or, they’re having family difficulties, such as illness or partner problems. While most employers prefer to stay out of their staffers’ personal lives, anything that is affecting their ability to do their job is your concern.  And remember, if productivity is reduced, or interaction with other employees goes south, you have a responsibility to the company and the entire staff to intervene.

But how? Sometimes a caring ear is all that’s required. Your employee’s attitude could change 180 degrees just because they realize their employer cares. Suggestions regarding day care, home health care for an ill family member, or even drug and alcohol counseling referrals could all be welcome advice to your employee. Tread lightly and respect their right to privacy, but let the employee know that poor performance and affecting others cannot be tolerated long-term.

Our previous post covered diversity in the workplace, including being sensitive to employees who display their religious beliefs through clothing or hairstyle. We advised employers to avoid making an issue of any such break of dress code as long as job performance was not affected.

That leads us to today’s topic: are dress codes still being established in businesses? A look around a scattering of companies reveals a variety of policies that are currently in force:

Retail: Most major chains enforce dress codes. Target, Walmart, Macy’s, and Costco all require their employees to either dress in business wear or uniforms. Target’s red top and khaki bottom outfits are familiar to frequent shoppers. Costco’s guidelines forbid facial piercings (even after Costco was sued for the policy on religious grounds). And what would Walmart be without blue vests everywhere?

Smaller, locally-owned establishments are usually a reflection of their clientele and surroundings. Some stores allow employees to wear whatever they want—which can be dangerous! The definition of “too casual” depends largely on your industry and where you’re located. West coasters tend to be more casual, and we’ve seen plenty of t-shirts, jeans, and flip-flops worn by sales clerks. If that’s a normal look in your area, your customers probably won’t think it’s a big deal—especially if they’re dressed the same way. In bigger cities and on the east coast, people tend to dress up more, and retail clerks’ dress reflects it.

Restaurants: Most restaurants have established dress codes, at the very least for health and safety reasons. Customers don’t usually care for a guy in a tank top taking their dinner order (as happened to a friend of ours recently!). Upscale restaurants see dressed-up diners who expect professional appearances for host and wait staff.

Health Workers: Scrubs are the norm in all areas of health care, from walk-in clinics to emergency rooms. Nurses, doctors, and dental assistants are usually decked out in scrubs for their entire work day—even television’s Dr. Oz wears scrubs for every appearance on Oprah’s show.

Professionals: Most law offices and finance-related businesses still require corporate dress for all staff, from CEO to reception. You don’t expect to see a board room full of people dressed in sweat pants and tennis shoes. Nor would most folks feel comfortable if their lawyer represented them in court while wearing a t-shirt and shorts! Suits, dress shirts and ties, skirts, and hose are still considered proper attire in the legal and financial fields.

Dress codes can encourage professional conduct and increase productivity for your employees. But beware: if you do not currently have a dress code in your company, your employees may resist it—so be sure to communicate your reasons clearly, and to enforce it consistently. When deciding what the dress code will entail, ask the following questions to avoid legal trouble:

• Is the policy fair for employees of both genders and all ages?
• Does it infringe on any employee’s religious beliefs?
• Does it infringe on a cultural aspect of a specific race?
• Would a disability prevent an employee from complying?
• Can employees fulfill their job duties when complying?

Chances are your company has become more diverse over the years, based on the changing demographics of the US population. Being sensitive to cultural differences between you and your employees is not only important, but it could keep you out of legal trouble, as well. 

With charges of religious discrimination in the workplace on the rise, here are some general guidelines you might consider. These examples are based on recent courtroom cases, and should not be construed as legal advice.

Be careful about dress and personal appearance codes. In the District of Columbia, a federal court ruled that firefighters cannot be forced to be clean shaven. The case began around concerns that respirators won’t fit the bearded firefighters properly. Those who wear beards for religious reasons were ruled to be exempt from the policy. 

Consider your company’s dress code, and how it applies to workers who wear head coverings or other religious dress. Courts would unlikely to find favor with an employer shown to be discriminating against employees for facial hair or religious dress. If an employee’s appearance does not affect their work, it’s best to leave the issue alone.

Be aware of what makes for a hostile work environment, and require your employees to be respectful to all co-workers. One worker sued her company after management ignored her requests for fair treatment. Her co-workers had repeatedly yelled at her when they could not understand her English. The court ruled against the employer on grounds of a hostile workplace after it found she demonstrated enough knowledge of English to do her job and ruled the co-workers were harassing the complainant.

Be flexible about days off. Don’t assume that all your employees share your faith or that everyone celebrates the same holidays. Respect your workers who request days off for religious holidays—even if you are unfamiliar with them. Communicate with all of your employees to create solutions that will work for both the business and the staff. Swapping days off or instituting floating holidays for everyone are two possibilities to consider.

Speaking of holidays, how does an employer celebrate holidays without offending employees? Whether your staff celebrates Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Ramadan—or nothing at all—must be taken into consideration. You will add to your employees’ job satisfaction and loyalty when you demonstrate your respect of their religious beliefs. 

At holiday time, instead of giving Christmas cards or bonuses, avoid singling out one religion by renaming  them “year end bonuses.” Instead of decorating a Christmas tree, honor diverse customs by allowing employees to bring in personal holiday mementoes, or to decorate a space together. Those individuals who do not wish to participate should never be forced to or treated any differently.  

If you’re an employer, read up on cultural diversity, or take a class if offered in your local community college. All companies can provide education to help managers learn about and model sensitivity to their workers’ religious beliefs and cultural differences. Remember, it is up to the employer to ensure that all employees are respectful of their co-workers, and to stop any harassing or insensitive actions when they occur. 

Even Google, a company famous for its happy work environment and revolutionary business model, has trouble keeping good employees. If it wasn’t the fun, start-up atmosphere and valuable stock options that kept everybody motivated, the unusual perks did. Who wouldn’t love to work where you receive free bus service, free gourmet meals in the company cafeteria, on-site gym and dry cleaners, and a pets-allowed policy?

But lately, high-level and midrange employees have been jumping Google’s ship for newer start-ups like Facebook and Twitter. And Google is not taking it lying down. They have been crunching the numbers and developing formulas that can predict which of its 20,000 employees are thinking of moving on. Google is looking at employee reviews, promotion history, and pay scales, among other factors, and says the new algorithm has identified employees who feel underused—a big reason for employee dissatisfaction.

It’s nice to have the big data-crunching companies out there spotting trends that can help businesses run things better.  So, what can employers can learn from Google’s example? 

Keep Employees Engaged
Many companies concentrate on the customer—and that’s a good thing. But too much attention to one side of the equation can lead to disaster on the other. Employees want to know that they are just as important to a company as the customers, the financial statements, and the economy. They care about their contributions, and if they feel underused, productivity could be affected fast.

Ask employees—often—about how they feel about their position and its importance to the company. You may discover that you and your staff have very different views on the subject.  It’s up to the employer or manager to come up with ways to keep employees challenged and engaged, and to re-evaluate these efforts on a regular basis.

Reward and Appreciate
It’s so easy to overlook this aspect of managing employees—especially in a difficult economy. Many employers feel that they’ve done enough by providing jobs and that alone should be enough appreciation. And to some employers, reward comes in the form of a regular paycheck.  Fair enough! But if reward and appreciations is proven advantageous to the company’s bottom line, it might be enough to convince even the most resistant employer to make the attempt.

Certainly the cost of hiring employees affects a company’s profit. Advertising, recruiting, interviewing, and training are time and money drains on any business. Avoiding that expense by keeping good employees is simply a smart business decision.

One example is Nugget Markets, a small regional grocery chain in California. With a 12% turnover rate, they are well below the industry’s average of 20%. Their culture includes providing employees with free food, dance parties, field trips and bonuses helps to keep 900 staff people feeling appreciated. 

For Nugget Markets, efforts that let their team know they’re valuable has helped keep turnover at a level their competition can’t touch.

Learning from the big guys is something employers of every size can do. Try keeping employees engaged and challenged, and make them feel appreciated. Remember that what’s good for your staff is good for your company’s bottom line, too.