A recent study revealed that 79% of Professionals are considering finding a job closer to home as a result of high gas prices. Other alternatives workers are considering to save money on their commute:

• Telecommuting from home (13%)
• Public transportation or walking (6%)
• Carpooling with colleagues (2%)

A recent study indicated that 73% of employees spend part of their workday on such non-related activities as personal email, talking with co-workers or surfing the Web. 22% of workers admit to wasting up to two hours per day. The top three time wasting activities are:

• Personal Internet Use (48%)
• Socializing with co-workers (33%)
• Conducting personal business (30%)

Because we want to best serve our readers, we feature a segment of our Newsletter where you can submit questions directly to our OperationsInc professionals. Do you have a question related to the management of the Human Resources function? Email it along to enewsletter@operationsinc.com. The best ones will make it into a future newsletter, along with the answer... and those that don't get published will still receive a response.

This week's question:
"How should negative performance feedback be communicated to employees so that it is received in a productive way?"

--- Office Manager, IT Company

Answer:
The manager in concert with HR (or the designated HR resource) should prepare what they are going to discuss beforehand, outlining the behavior of concern and citing specific examples. In the discussion HR is there to witness as well as to regain the focus of the discussion as needed. The employee should verbally be told of the concern and the corrective action to be taken. As required a written version should be provided, especially when there is a repeat of the behavior after the initial discussion.

"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall."

- Confucius

Information provided in The OperationsInc Navigator is researched and reviewed by the HR experts at OperationsInc. The information in every issue of The OperationsInc Navigator is in part gathered via information available in the public domain, as well as in part the original, copyrighted work of OperationsInc and is protected under U.S. copyright laws. As such, you may not reprint or publish in any format any article or portion of article The OperationsInc Navigator without the express permission of OperationsInc.

OperationsInc provides the information in this e- newsletter for general guidance only. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional human resources, legal, or other competent advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult a professional adviser who has been provided with all pertinent facts relevant to your particular situation.

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