1. Are your employees coming to work everyday, being productive, making few mistakes, rarely getting hurt, and always willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done right?
2. Are your policies, systems, and procedures consistently being applied and compliant with state and federal employment laws?
3. Have you reviewed your employee handbook and policy manuals? Do your managers know what's in it and are they following it?
4. Do your supervisors have the skills and knowledge to confidently confront most workforce issues?
5. Are you properly classifying your employees as exempt or non-exempt? Have you checked all independent contractors?
6. Have you reviewed your workers' compensation program? Are injured employees returning to work quickly? Do you have up-to-date loss runs? Is your experience modification rating less than 1.0? Are open claims being closed?
7. Have you provided annual sexual harassment prevention training for managers and employees? Have you distributed your policy to all employees? Do employees understand that harassment will never be tolerated? Do supervisors understand their responsibilities? Are complaints being properly and promptly investigated?
8. Is your performance management program working? Are you seeing an improvement in employee's performance? Are employee goals being met? Are supervisors trained to give appraisals? Are employees educated to receive appraisals?
9. Are you growing and developing your people? Are training programs in place? Are skills being developed? Are employees being coached? Is performance improving?
10. Are you successfully recruiting star performers? Do you have a recruitment brand that draws candidates to your door?
11. Are your compensation programs working? Are you getting value for your payroll dollars? Are your wages competitive with the market?
12. Are you retaining your best employees? Do you have a plan in place to ensure your best employees won't be poached by outside recruiters?
13. Do your employees know what is expected of them? Do you have clear accountability systems in place? Is performance consistently improving?
14. Are you confident that your employees are doing the right things when dealing with your customers?
15. Have you put in place succession plans in case you lose a key employee?
16. Are you confident that things will be better this year than they were last year?

Fostering an environment where employees are "willing to give their all" to guarantee the success of your organization is paramount.  When managers take care of their employees and inspire them and when employees believe in their boss and their organizations, then success is guaranteed. This is pragmatic, uncomplicated, bottom line approach to business and the right medicine for 2012 and beyond.