Whether you are reading the paper, listening to the radio or watching the TV, the story today is about taxes. Will they raise the unemployment tax, close tax loopholes on businesses, raise the B&O tax, raise our property taxes, raise the sales tax, raise income tax rates, raise sin taxes … taxes, taxes, taxes! Our government must find a way to increase its revenue. Naturally, this means that the government is also looking at enforcing revenue-producing laws already in existence. read more »

Those are not words that most people want to hear out of their boss’s mouth. Nevertheless, these words are being said in offices all around the country as businesses implement workplace weight loss programs, inspired by the television show The Biggest Loser. read more »

“Oh, the weather outside is frightful. But the fire is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.”

What a wonderful tune for this time of year! But wait a minute… we do have somewhere to go! We have to go to work.

Snow is quite delightful — when we can stay home by the fire and enjoy it. But when it causes commute issues read more »

“My coworker leaves his dishes in the sink and expects me to wash them for him. My coworker never replaces the toilet paper when the roll runs out. My coworker has terrible body odor and I can’t stand working next to her. My coworker interrupts every conversation I’m having and joins in. My coworker’s cell phone rings and rings, and she’s never at her desk to answer it. My coworker tells inappropriate jokes that offend everyone, including me. My coworker has pin-up pictures on the walls of his cubicle. read more »

A lot has been said about the need to prepare our businesses with contingency plans if we are hit with the swine flu. Predictions are that it will hit pandemic levels and that up to 40 percent of our workforce will be affected. As you prepare and plan in your business for the upcoming flu season, here is some information to consider from the human resources view. read more »

“How is your business doing?” I asked some friends when I ran into them recently at a restaurant. “Terrible!” was the reply. It seems that they had just terminated their controller for embezzling over a million dollars! While the case is still being investigated, it appears that this was not the first time he had committed such a crime. How scary! read more »

Everyone has a bad boss story. I have worked for some very difficult bosses in my life. Some of the toughest of them have been the people I have respected the most, and the ones who have taught me the most about running a company. But the one who crossed the line and actually bullied me was the one who would get so exasperated that he would start shouting inappropriate things at me in anger. He would search his desk for items to throw in my direction. I’d run from his office just in time to miss being hit by a flying calculator, pen or stapler! read more »

I thought I’d seen it all on a job application, but “dooced” is a new one for me! I looked it up online, and the definition of dooced? To lose one’s job because of what you wrote on your weblog, or because of one’s actions on the Internet.

Social networking is the big thing right now, and you should expect it to remain that way for quite some time. So big, in fact, that companies are finding themselves encountering all sorts of social networking related issues, both good and bad. read more »