I’ve had my share of employees who “didn’t quite work out”, here at my Newtown Square, PA accounting business. Just a hazard of being a boss, unfortunately.
And I’m always as careful as I can be when hiring: objective criteria for personality-role fit, multiple layers of evaluation, etc.
But of course that doesn’t always mean that the employee work product is without need of correction, now does it? (Even if that employee’s name is Stephen Venuti!)
I’ve learned over the years to deliver this kind of correction in a way that builds up my Newtown Square, PA accountant firmteam member (or, at least, that’s the goal! I’m not always perfect about this, certainly).
So here are the guidelines I try to follow… (I hope this helps.)
But before I go there, first, a commercial…
Every fall, we meet with certain of our (smarter) Newtown Square, PA tax clients, and we assess where their income for the coming year is headed — and, more importantly, what we can do to minimize their tax burden.
We’re certainly all for paying our “fair share”, but there is a reason for the laws on the books, and far be it from us to not abide by them — meticulously, carefully … and advantageously.
This, of course, is called tax planning, and it’s only for those Newtown Square, PA small businesses who want to get ahead of the game, and not simply “play defense”, during the tax filing season by doing historical reporting (i.e. making tax code decisions after the fact, when the tax year is already completed).
We take a look at what your projected return would be, and we give you things to do before year-end to abide by the code … to your advantage. We could do this with various deductions (charitable giving, healthcare, etc. — there are new ones every year), with moving income into pre-tax categories, or even having you delay some income or draw from your business, etc. — there are many maneuvers (especially for business owners).
The point is, allow us to help you while there still is time. See the end of my note for an incentive…
Now, back to those weeping staff members…
Newtown Square, PA Accountant Explains: Correcting Without Crushing
“Always show more kindness than you think is necessary because the receiver needs it more than you know.” -Arthur Caliandro
Telling employees that their work doesn’t meet standards isn’t enjoyable or easy, but letting them know how they’re slipping up–and how to improve–is integral to building a strong workforce. I’ve been around too many managers of Newtown Square, PA businesses who didn’t get this right, and, thusly, ended up having a detrimental effect on morale. I work on doing this well with my Newtown Square, PA accounting firm staff, and I thought I’d share with you how I approach kind management with my employees.
• Don’t wait for an ideal time to tell the employee. There is no best time to tell a worker about his or her professional shortcomings. There will always be a looming deadline or some issue or emergency that crops up. The professional thing to do is address the subject right away. The longer you wait, the harder it will be, and the worse the problem may get.
• Craft your message. Although you need to tell workers right away, don’t just blurt it out. Take a bit of time to prepare your message and ease into the subject.
• Brace for the reaction. Keep in mind that while you’ve known about the problem, the employee is probably hearing about it for the first time. Be prepared to handle the other person’s reaction, and acknowledge any negative feelings the person may be experiencing.
• Offer ways to improve performance. Assure employees that the problem isn’t the end of the world–or their job. Rather, it’s an opportunity to improve their work. So offer options on how to solve the problem, or get their feedback on the best way to get on the right track.
I would ask that you forward this article to a Newtown Square, PA business associate or client you know who could benefit from our assistance–or simply send them our way. While these particular articles relate to business strategy, as you know, we specialize in tax preparation and planning for Newtown Square, PA families and business owners. And we always make room for referrals from trusted sources like you.
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$57.00 Towards Tax Planning Strategy Session
Print this out and bring it to our office for a special strategy session for how you are using your income. We’ll identify the BEST ways for you to maximize your wealth for the current year, so that we won’t just be “cleaning up” after the fact. Time to protect yourself from the coming flood of new tax law changes!
Deadline: October 11, 2013
Limit: First 6 respondents only (we’re limited by capacity)
Email or call us (610-353-0686) now to claim your spot!
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Warmly (and until next week),
Stephen Venuti
610-353-0686
