Managers everywhere seek higher productivity for themselves and their organizations. But the path to increased productivity is not always clear. Doing the “wrong” things more effectively can actually harm overall efficiency. A critical‐success‐factors approach can help to refocus...

Companies which employ individuals whom other firms consider to be unemployable ‐ such as the homeless, former criminals or people with little formal education ‐ are often finding that the benefits outweigh the risks. Provides three case studies.

Almost a third of Americans have exchanged some working time for more leisure time over the last five years. There are growing signs that Europeans are following suit. The move towards “downshifting” raises new challenges for human resource managers. Examines the issues surrounding the...

There is nothing particularly original about a company making customer satisfaction the centre of its culture. But American Express differs from most others in having an effective system to make sure that everyone buys into the cultural focus.

Investigates whether sabbaticals are a costly and unnecessary perk or a worthwhile investment in the company’s workforce.

Increasing numbers of companies are introducing formal mentoring programmes. Examines how five firms ‐ Hallmark Cards, Texaco Trading and Transportation, Imperial Oil Ltd, Shell Oil Company and an anonymous Fortune 500 computer company ‐ resolved some of the issues which arise.

Executives have for years used management consultants to help with day‐to‐day business decisions, but frequently lack people to turn to who could help with the daily challenges of just being an executive. Now that is changing. More and more top US managers are hiring coaches, who act as...

Office “hotelling”, which involves itinerant members of staff sharing workstations, can help companies to save on office space. But extensive planning and finely tuned booking procedures are needed if disastrous effects on efficiency are to be averted.