Learn how to properly manage off-site employees and avoid legal pitfalls.Telecommuting saves employees the time and expense associated with traditional commuting, and it can allow employers to spend less on office space and to sell the possibility of a virtual workplace to prospective employees. However, the virtual workplace creates real-world issues. Many of those issues can be avoided or at least minimized through planning and attention to the challenges created by having employees work at home. This topic will discuss those issues and offer practical plans to address them at your companies.

Discover more effective ways to recognize, respond to, and manage conflict in your workplace.Conflict is apparent in the workplace, especially during tough business times where resources are light and tempers are shorter. Most people lack basic conflict management skills and react to conflict on a purely emotional level. In reacting to conflict, many managers will attempt to ignore the problem in hopes that they will just disappear. However, this method will create more stress and tension in the workplace and cause additional conflict among the parties and even involve others in the conflict. This topic will guide you to manage disputes and disagreements positively and proactively. This material is designed to clarify and expand your thinking about conflict, as well as identify underlying causes of, and new ways to respond to and manage conflict. It is more productive to respond to conflict rather than react to it. Learn about emotional triggers and be able to recognize those triggers in an effort to prevent explosive situations. The topic will outline flexible strategies of conflict management that will improve your communication performance and ability to respond to conflict. Learn different ways to manage conflict productively by examining the gender trend; discussing the different types of conflict in the workplace; and developing conflict awareness. Learn how to map the conflict and explore alternatives to resolve the conflict quickly and effectively.

Recognize the risk of discrimination in the workplace and learn strategies to prevent discrimination before lawsuits happen.All employers are faced with complaints of discrimination in the workplace. Employees routinely make complaints about discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability and other protected characteristics. In some cases, employers have created and enforced policies and practices that give rise to a higher risk of workplace discrimination. This topic helps the employers recognize the risks of workplace discrimination and proactively address those risks. The material also explains strategies and methods for avoiding workplace discrimination before they become administrative charges or lawsuits. Applying employment policies differently to different employees most often leads employers to complaints about unlawful discrimination. Often, these policies have led to discrimination suits and damages awards. This information is critical for employers so they can minimize the risks of workplace discrimination.

Gain a clearer understanding of the importance of documentation for managers and supervisors.Documentation isn't just for staying out of trouble. Creating a system for tracking what happens makes budgeting, reporting, discipline, procedures, and many other areas easier to execute. Recording and retaining information can also give you a strategic edge in the workplace. This fast-paced program will give you hands-on practice in the art of documentation. With a uniform format and methodology for covering all the major areas of managerial documentation, you can be safe, compliant, and on a path to constant improvement. Tap into politically correct, defensible language to overcome blocks, so you can get information organized quickly and get on with your job - without any worries. Capture, organize and present ideas in a way that gets others' attention.

Gain the tools you need to become a better leader without being perceived as 'bossy.'Many times, people, whether they are in a managerial position with positional power or are colleagues, create an unnecessary level of conflict or resistance among their teammates by engaging in behaviors that can be perceived as inappropriately bossy if they are a colleague or as a micromanager if they are in a position of authority. This can lead to conflict, lost productivity, and turnover. Frequently the behaviors can be easily corrected and lead to a more productive and cohesive work environment and culture. This topic will help you understand what generally constitutes leadership behaviors and how they can implement them and how it differs from bossy behaviors. It also will provide some distinctions between appropriate behaviors needed to influence colleagues where there is not a level of positional authority as well as situations where such positional authority exists. Finally, it will identify key behaviors that can be easily implemented such as, active listening, providing a level of explanation, and generating a level of involvement among colleagues that has been shown to increase productivity, minimize conflict, and lower turnover.