My mother once told me something her undergraduate thesis adviser had said to her: “You do a lot of writing when you’re not writing.”

For the past year and change, millions of Americans have struggled to adjust to the unique demands of remote work. As has become abundantly clear, a home environment, for all its comforts, presents a host of obstacles to productivity. 

Fortunately, we have not lacked for advice about how to deal with these obstacles. Search for “remote work focus tips” and you’ll find dozens of articles full of valuable insights about the importance of scheduling, routine, physical wellness, and organization.

Employee training refers to activities that seek to expand a worker’s knowledge or skills so that they can perform their job duties successfully. The success of training activities is measured by observing an employee's job performance after they've completed those activities.

There are many different types of training methods, including the use of lectures, workshops, seminars, tutorials, audio-video recordings, workbooks, and online learning.

A grant proposal’s evaluation plan measures change. Formative evaluation measures include changes in policy, procedures, and processes.

Formative evaluation includes the following types of data collection methods that in turn show data that is measurable and demonstrates change over time:

Employee handbooks serve a crucial role in laying the foundation for an organization's policies and work environment. Handbooks are usually given to new hires on their first day and allow employees to get familiar with the norms of the organization. In addition to helping to onboard new employees, handbooks also allow an organization to standardize both old and new procedures.

While new forms of virtual communication are constantly emerging, email remains a popular form of business communication. Whether you are solely communicating internally with colleagues or you are communicating externally with customers, the content of your email message matters. Often, neglecting to include enough relevant information in the original email leads to confusion among the recipients and unnecessary back-and-forth conversation.

Companies sometimes hire independent contractors who are not full-time employees. This work arrangement provides flexibility for employers looking to hire workers only for projects with specific start and end dates. The contractors also have flexibility to choose which projects they want to take. Independent contractors are self-employed, may work on a project-to-project basis, and may be employed by more than one company or client.

Working remotely can feel isolating; however, video conferencing tools can make it easier to replicate in-person communication and connect with colleagues. Unfortunately, as with all technology, video conferencing programs do not always run as smoothly as you would hope.

Check out our latest infographic for some tips that can help ensure a smooth and successful video conference.

Remote work is more commonplace today than at any time in history. Many companies are reevaluating their work models, especially in light of COVID-19. Technology is a motivating force in offering remote work options. Work once done in the office can now be done anywhere with a computer and an Internet connection. In addition, video chats, communication apps, and other programs (like document sharing) provide platforms for teamwork.

Companies want to attract, develop, engage, and retain top talent. These employees have or are expected to yield the highest performance (as gauged by reviews, assessments, and other tools). High performers make the most valuable contributions to their companies and often have the following nine characteristics:

Every bank insured by the FDIC, and every credit union insured by the NCUA, is required to have a written security plan for each of their offices (the institution's main office and any branches it operates). For banks under the FDIC, developing and administering this plan is the responsibility of the bank's security officer, who is designated by the board of directors. The NCUA does not specify who is responsible for developing security plans for credit unions, but the chairperson of the credit union's board of directors must certify compliance with security requirements annually.