Companies usually use some type of employee performance evaluation to assess successes and gaps in performance and convey these assessments to employees. Although this might be helpful, it’s not enough. If you want your employees to be more engaged and productive, you need to understand their intrinsic motivations.
To do this, consider adding these questions to the employee performance review conversation. (Notice that we use the word “feel” a lot because it’s the employee’s emotions that should concern you.):
- How do you feel about your job?
- How do you feel about the direction of the company?
- Do you feel that you have improved your skills over the last year?
- To what extent do you feel that you have grown as a person while working for us during the past year?
- What do you feel is the most valuable thing you do at work?
- Where do feel you can add more value to the company?
- Out of curiosity, have you looked at other job opportunities or are you completely satisfied here? If not, what would it take to satisfy you?
- Do you feel you’re being paid fairly? If not, what do you feel you should get paid and what do you base that on?
- Do you feel we have exhibited a management style that’s caring and supportive? If not, how can we do a better job of this?
- Is there anything that we haven’t spoken about that feels unfair to you and might get in the way of our working relationship or your success at this company?
- Is there anything else you would like to share that we haven’t talked about?
These are brave questions to ask because most managers really don’t want to dive into the emotional landscape – which is a big mistake. As Daniel Goldman reminds us in Emotional Intelligence, it’s your E.Q., not your I.Q., that’s most important to becoming a great leader or manager.
Consider having this conversation outside of your office where it might feel safer for the employee. For example, “Now that we’ve discussed your performance I like to have a little deeper conversation about your work here and I don’t want to do it in the office. Where would you like to go talk about this? “
You don’t have to buy this idea wholesale. Test it out. Play social scientist and begin with just one employee. Let him or her know that you’re opening up to a more meaningful conversation; and that because you’ve never tried this before it will be a learning experience for both of you!
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Some type of health exam is a requirement before you can take out many life insurance policies. The result of this exam can have a significant impact on your rates, and even on whether you qualify for a particular policy at all. Following these simple tips can help ensure that your health exam goes smoothly.
# 1: Eat a Healthy Diet
As soon as you know you are going to be taking the exam, start doing your best to eat a healthy diet. Many people feel that if their diet has been less than perfect in the past, there is no point in improving it before a health exam — but nothing could be further from the truth! In particular, try to minimize or eliminate your intake of fried, salty or sugary foods, as well as sodas and alcoholic beverages. Instead, eat a balanced, nutritious diet containing plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbs and lean proteins.
# 2: Stop Smoking
Never smoking at all, or at least stopping permanently, is of course the best course of action for your long-term health. However, if you do smoke, you can improve your exam results simply by not smoking for at least 24 hours prior to the exam; this will help improve your blood work, blood pressure and heart rate.
# 3: Cut Back on Physical Exertion
Normally, of course, physical exercise is very good for your health. However, for two to three days before the exam, avoid hard physical work and exercise. Such exertion can elevate the protein in your urine and be erroneously flagged as a kidney issue.
# 4: Rest
Go to bed early the night before your exam. Fatigue can negatively impact certain components in your blood, giving the appearance of a chronic health problem you do not actually have.
# 5: Avoid Caffeinated Beverages and Stimulants
Finally, avoid caffeine as much as possible during the days leading up to the exam. Caffeine can elevate your heart rate and blood pressure, negatively impacting the results of your exam.
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Roughly two million burglaries occur each year. Protect your home and family when you implement five landscaping tricks that don’t compromise your home’s exterior appearance or value.
1. Place Hostile Plants by Entryways
Burglars typically target easily accessible windows and doors. By placing hostile plants loaded with thorns, briars and brambles near these entryways, you discourage potential burglars. Several hostile plants to consider include roses, holly, raspberries, bird’s nest spruces, needle bushes and Spanish bayonet.
2. Trim Shrubbery Near the House
Overgrown shrubs, bushes and flowering plants look untidy, and they give burglars plenty of places to hide. They also prevent neighbors and anyone on the street from seeing suspicious behavior near your home. Protect your home when you keep shrubbery trimmed to lower than three feet tall all along the exterior of your home. Remember to trim plants away from the sides of your home too.
3. Use Noisy Ground Cover
Burglars try to be as quiet as possible, but noisy ground cover around your windows and doors alerts you to their every move. Pea gravel or other crunching stones do the trick, and you can find these burglar deterrents in colors that match your existing landscaping.
4. Install Short Privacy Fencing
Tall fences and tree barriers increase privacy, but they also obscure burglars. Install short fencing with an open design instead. If you already planted trees or shrubs, trim them so that the canopy starts at eight feet or higher off the ground.
5. Turn on the Lights
Most outdoor landscaping includes lighting of some sort. Opt for strategically placed motion-activated lighting as you reduce your chances of being burglarized. Place these lights near all your doors and windows and along pathways. They frighten burglars away and warn you when someone walks near your home.
Your home’s landscaping adds beauty and value to your property. It also deters burglars. Talk to your insurance agent today and discuss additional landscaping tricks that deter burglars and protect your home.
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According to the Social Security Administration, one in four 20-year-old employees will become disabled by their sixty-seventh birthday. What would you do if an injury or illness prevented you from working? Unless you have accumulated adequate savings, you may have trouble paying your daily living costs. Protect your right to earn a living and receive peace of mind with disability insurance.
What is Short-Term Disability Insurance?
While this type of policy won’t cover the full amount of your regular wages, it will pay 60 to 70 percent, which is better than nothing. Your policy will outline the wait period, which could be as long as two weeks or as short as one day. Under short-term disability, you’ll receive replacement wages for up to six months.
What is Long-Term Disability Insurance?
Designed for extended or permanent times of illness or disability, long-term disability insurance begins after short-term disability ends. You might be able to extend your policy benefits annually, depending on the policy.
You Can’t Rely on Social Security
You may put off purchasing disability insurance because you think you will automatically qualify for social security benefits when an injury or illness prevents you from working . That’s not true. Your claim could be one of the 50 percent that are denied. If you are approved, benefits won’t start for at least six months and may be a faction of the income you need.
Your Pension may not be Enough
A pension from the government or a private company may provide disability benefits. They typically are reduced, though, based on the permanence of your disability and other benefits you may receive.
You can’t predict when a devastating illness or injury will happen. However, it could jeopardize your ability to work. Talk to your insurance agent to determine which disability insurance fits with your overall financial plan as you obtain financial peace of mind.
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Most people are careful to make sure that they have all the necessary insurance in their life. Insurance has made its presence in almost every aspect, such as car insurance, home, flood, and more. There’s even insurance for your art collection or antiques. The level of coverage corresponds to the policy limits. Typically when it comes to insuring valuables and collections people tend to purchase the highest possible coverage to protect if something happens to their jewelry, art, antiques, etc. However, when other insurance is evaluated, like car and home insurance lower premiums are achieved by opting for minimum coverage. This is not always the best decision.
The truth is that your home and car insurance can actually be more important than you think. The coverage that you purchase is the limit in which your insurance company responsibility ends and your personal liability begins. Those individuals with significant assets should increase their coverage limits to protect their personal liability. Those that have $150k to $250k in auto coverage and a large home policy but need more, should consider an umbrella policy. An umbrella insurance policy takes over coverage once limits are reached.
This type of insurance coverage is an extra step in asset protection, so this is a decision that should not be made in a vacuum alone. It is best to consult with an insurance agent to review your specific situation and design a plan that will fit your needs. The flexibility of coverage and in the context of the other insurance as well as your assets is all important in making the decision to purchase an umbrella policy.
We know that you have all the basic insurance plans covered, but speaking with an insurance agent is a good idea. Make sure that you are on the right track and have taken into account all the necessary details in creating a comprehensive plan to carry the correct coverage to ensure you sleep well at night.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
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The insurance that you chose for your business is designed to cover some of life’s potential obstacles that could stand in the way of your success. In addition, it is made to offer you solutions that allow you to meet the requirements of any laws that are pertinent to your particular situation at the time when you purchase the policy. What happens if such a law changes and, as a result, brings a change to your liability as well?
In most cases, laws are not passed and implemented right away. This lag in time is built in so that those affected can make the necessary changes in order to remain compliant with the new regulations. For this reason, any insurance policy that you purchase will have the necessary provisions to comply with upcoming laws already built in so you can rest assured that you and your business are covered.
Many insurance companies communicate freely with their clients. Business accounts that might be affected by a law that is set to go into effect are typically notified long before the change is implemented. This notification typically involves a brief outline of the applicable law as well as any changes to premiums or any further actions that the client must take.
The beginning of the new year is the optimal time for a business to make an appointment with their insurance provider to go over their policy. Updates to the policy can be implemented to protect the business if any pending laws will affect them. In addition, such reviews often reveal other ways for businesses to save while also providing them with better protection.
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