Managers have a complicated role in the office place. They have to accept the rules that are handed down to them from their bosses. They have to then enforce those rules among the people who work beneath them in the chain of command. It can be really stressful. It can also be really rewarding if it’s a position that you enjoy.

Managers may find the following three tips helpful when working with their employees:

1. Keep an eye on employees’ activities but involve them in decisions. It’s important to engage in employee monitoring to make sure that employees are following the rules and staying on task. However, this can lead to employee resentment. That resentment is countered when you include employees in the decision-making process at work. Do this and you’ll find yourself working in a happier office place.
2. Push for the right technology. An office needs up-to-date and correct technology to run efficiently. If you notice that your office needs something important that it’s missing (such as an online backup system) then you should discuss this with company heads to make sure that you get the things that you need.
3. Learn little tricks to avoid wasted time. The less time that you waste, the less stressed out you’re going to be. This will make your work as a manger easier. Learn little tricks to waste less time. For example, use services like doctors that are close to the office instead of far away to reduce commute times.

What else should an office manager know to run the office efficiently without getting stressed out?

Tags: business, kathryn vercillo, management, office, productivity, work

One of the reasons that I work for myself is that I really hate having a boss. I hate having someone telling me what to do and looking over my shoulder to make sure that I’m doing it correctly. For this reason, I am naturally turned off by the idea of employee monitoring in the office place. I tend to feel that if I’m getting done what I’m supposed to be getting done then my boss shouldn’t be worried about what I’m doing with the rest of my time.

However, I’ve been reading a lot lately about how to run a productive office. Because of this, I’ve been reading a lot about employee monitoring. And I’m actually starting to believe that employee monitoring has the potential to be a good thing in some businesses. It’s not only good for the bottom line of the business but it can actually improve employee morale when it’s used correctly.

Basically, employee monitoring can be used to generate more employee teamwork and to get feedback from employees about the state of productivity in the office. The one thing I do miss about working in a big business is that sense of feeling like you’re part of something bigger. Working with a team can make it more fun to get your work done and it’s often the case that you end up contributing to something that’s more than the sum of its parts. When employee monitoring is used to foster that, it can actually be a really good thing for everyone involved.

Tags: business, employee monitoring, kathryn vercillo, management, office, productivity

I don’t work in an office. I work from home and have been able to avoid office politics for a long time. There are many reasons that I’m glad for that but I’m particularly glad about it now because the recession has changed the mood in most offices. At least that’s what it sounds like from what my friends and acquaintances have been reporting from their own experiences in the 9-5 world.

What I keep hearing is that there is a climate of fear in most offices today. Employees are worried about layoffs and cutbacks in hours. There are a lot of closed-door meetings. Employers are scared of what’s going to happen and how to navigate their businesses through these tough times without adding to the climate of fear.

This has changed the way that people are acting in the office. Productivity levels have changed. Work habits have changed. Relationships in the office have change. And people feel really unsettled and unstable and unsure of what’s going on at work which makes everyone a little bit uncomfortable there.

It’s not all bad. There are some companies, particularly small ones, that have been able to create a climate of comradeship in the office and to foster the notion that working together to get through this can be a way to strengthen the core of the business. However, there are also a lot of businesses that either can’t or won’t approach the problem in this way. It’s a scary time and I have to confess that I’m a little bit glad not to be enmeshed in it on a daily basis.

Tags: business, economy, kathryn vercillo, office, people, productivity, recession, work