In This Issue:
Seven Factors Affecting Empoyee Performance,
Information Technology Security in a Web 2.0 World,
Should Dress Codes be Relaxed?
Seven Factors Affecting Employees Performance
When a supervisor notices a performance problem with an employee, one of the most difficult things to do is to diagnose why the issue is occurring. This is, however, a necessary step in order to effectively communicate with the employee and remedy the problem. There are seven main factors that need to be assessed when analyzing a performance problem.
Any one factor can influence poor performance, as opposed to superior job performance, which requires that a number of circumstances work together in a positive way. The first two of these factors are aptitude and skill. Aptitude refers to a person’s natural ability to perform a task and should not be confused with skill, which is their ability to learn to do a task. If an employee is lacking either aptitude or skill, their performance could suffer.
The next factor is an important one and is the depth of fundamental understanding of the tasks at hand. Effective management means clearly communicating a task, but to do it well, the employee has to understand it. No amount of skill or aptitude can make up for a lack of understanding of the task.
The next three factors have to do with the degree of effort that is expended on the task. First the employee has to choose to expend that energy at all. Then they have to choose how much energy to expend. There are a variety of reasons why someone would not make the effort. Lack or absence of effort is a major cause of poor job performance.
You are not in the clear, however, just because your employee had chosen to expend a lot of effort on a task, as that effort has to be sustainable. The choice to persist with a task is the next factor in job performance. The lack of this factor often leads to incomplete projects and may result from boredom or a lack of skills or aptitude.
The final factor is the most ambiguous and encompasses all outside factors. Job performance can sometimes be beyond the control of the employee and result from the company itself, including managers and co-workers. No matter what the factor, though, these issues should be addressed clearly and quickly in order to avoid a further decline in performance.
Information Technology Security in a Web 2.0 World
The internet, considered an exotic technology just twenty years ago, is now a pervasive force in the daily functioning of most companies. This is even more true for the newest generation entering the workforce. Along with this increase in constant access to a world-wide audience, comes new information technology security issues.
Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) are often on the front lines when combating Web 2.0 problems. Companies that were formerly insulated from the outside world are finding themselves open to information breaches of epic proportions, through portals such as social networks, wikis, and blogs. For many CISOs, tackling these new issues requires re-thinking who has access to what information and when.
One might think that one way to stop an information leak is to simply clamp down on the flow of information. And, while this may work for some, research has shown that the best way to manage risk is not to avoid it completely, but to educate the risk-takers. This can be done by showing your employees what can happen when they go to certain sites or who can see what when they do.
In conjunction with educating the risk-takers, it may be time to evaluate who has access to what information. Not all employees need access to all information all the time. For example, if an employee doesn’t need customer social security numbers to accomplish their job, then they shouldn’t end up with a spreadsheet of those numbers on their desktop. Truncating information according to the end user can save the company from many information security issues.
Another issue with carte-blanche access to information is that, like a snowball, access grows as job responsibility does. It is important to keep in mind, however, that often information that was used in one position is no longer needed in a new one. Apportioning information access according to role, as opposed to allowing it to grow and grow with time, can help offset some risks.
Some companies have found other ways to limit what information is available to be taken from of the system. A large financial firm, for example, removed laptops from many workstations, and disabled USB ports on remaining laptops. Encrypting your data and limiting what people can remove from hard drives are other examples of what can be done to control the unwanted flow of information.
CISOs roles are more important than ever. Their job is no longer just focused on how to manage information in terms of ease and speed of access. Information technology is often the lifeblood of a company, and it should be protected in this new and improved Web 2.0 world.
Offices across America are experiencing a revolution in what is considered appropriate office attire. And while a more casual, relaxed look may be suitable for writers or artists, bankers may find Hawaiian Shirt Day to be a distraction. When trying to re-write the dress code for your company, there are several issues to consider.
Location may be one of the biggest factors in deciding a dress code. What someone would wear to their office in Los Angeles may not be acceptable in New York , for example. International standards should also be factored in. Many countries have dress codes that are much stricter than in the U.S. This should be kept in mind on days when your office is having international visitors.
As mentioned above, industry must be taken into consideration. The goal of your company within that industry is also important. Do you deal directly with the public or interact with clients on a daily basis? Customer service may dictate a slightly more relaxed dress code, while suit and tie may be the best way to portray professionalism.
The main reason dress codes have become more relaxed in offices that do not deal directly with the public is the belief that no one is going to see them working. This is a mindset that should be avoided, however. No matter what industry you work in or what type of office, be it home, small, or large, the way you dress sends a message about your attitude toward your work. In fact, poorly-enforced dress codes can affect employees’ quality of work and relations with clients.
When a supervisor notices a performance problem with an employee, one of the most difficult things to do is to diagnose why the issue is occurring. This is, however, a necessary step in order to effectively communicate with the employee and remedy the problem. There are seven main factors that need to be assessed when analyzing a performance problem. 
The internet, considered an exotic technology just twenty years ago, is now a pervasive force in the daily functioning of most companies. This is even more true for the newest generation entering the workforce. Along with this increase in constant access to a world-wide audience, comes new information technology security issues. 
Offices across America are experiencing a revolution in what is considered appropriate office attire. And while a more casual, relaxed look may be suitable for writers or artists, bankers may find Hawaiian Shirt Day to be a distraction. When trying to re-write the dress code for your company, there are several issues to consider. 
