Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 5, 1995 TAG: 9502030034
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: G-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CAMILLE WRIGHT MILLER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A: Sgt. A. L. Brown, Roanoke's Crime Prevention Unit's supervisor, recommends a screening policy for potential employees. Ask for references and check them; ask about work habits, work ethic, and if the candidate would be rehired.
Brown also suggests obtaining criminal background information. Requests to local authorities will reveal criminal convictions; State Police reports provide arrest and conviction information for crimes in Virginia. Consider a pre-employment drug screen; there's a small fee for this, but it could save you money later.
Review current systems. Brown believes misdeeds can be reduced with changes in practice. For example, "the person who receives merchandise should not be the person who pays for it." Separating transactions reduces the possibility of theft.
Business owners should review the books every two weeks. Examine checkbooks and bank statements and look for irregularities. Brown cautions owners who sign blank checks to do so carefully; the practice begs abuse and should be infrequent. Account for voided checks. Brown says that one way of siphoning money is to record a check as "void" while the check is actually written and cashed.
Insist that employees take vacation time. During that time, thoroughly review the books and balances. Brown has found that employee theft is often hidden by employees who refuse to take vacation or sick days. Perfect attendance ensures no one uncovers wrongdoings. If irregularities are discovered, call an auditor immediately.
Should you uncover misconduct, Brown recommends "not accepting excuses." Instead, business owners "should prosecute so other businesses aren't left vulnerable" when the employee moves on. If all businesses agreed to prosecute, you would also benefit from a lowered risk.
Q: A co-worker's desk is under a mountain of papers, unopened mail, and old coffee cups. It's a miracle that any work gets done.
A: Owners of cluttered desks argue that they can't work any other way or that they haven't time to deal with organizing. In the meantime, organized workers find the mess distracting.
If you have an effective system that is easily maintained, offer to share it with your co-worker. Volunteer to help implement the system. If that doesn't work, wait until your co-worker takes a day to impose order - the disorganized do this with remarkable frequency.
Comment on how appealing the work space is. As the pile begins to build again, remark that the co-worker must miss the re-organized desk. Note that you saw "such an increase in productivity right after the clean-up." Planted suggestions can alter behavior.
If all else fails, learn to ignore the desk. It actually causes great pain to the owner. The disorganized are always wondering if they've forgotten something, are often discovering tasks actually forgotten, and labor under the belief that every day is frenzied. For them, it is. Feeling a little sympathy should make it easier for you to pass the desk without cringing.
Q: Staff in our department can't agree on what to give our shared secretary. We even disagree on whether or not to give gifts. Sometimes we've given gifts, sometimes we haven't. Secretary's Day is a short time away and once again we can't agree on how to handle that.
A: Secretaries working for more than one individual should be especially appreciated; balancing the work in addition to the many personalities is difficult. Gifts on special occasions acknowledge those efforts.
Past gifts establish current levels; it's a statement to significantly reduce the level of giving. Eliminating any gift is an underlined statement. Changes in giving should accompany changes in personnel.
Letitia Baldridge, in "Letitia Baldridge's Complete Guide to Executive Manners," recommends that individuals who share one secretary each contribute $10-15 for a Christmas gift and purchase a gift certificate. Cash is given only when the secretary has extreme financial burdens, such as a large medical or tuition bill. Personal items, such as clothing, are never appropriate.
For Secretary's Day and your secretary's birthday, send flowers or give a box of chocolates. Taking your secretary to lunch for either occasion is an additional option.
These infrequent expressions of appreciation reaffirm gratitude for loyalty and hard work. They also energize your secretary to work harder for a group which so clearly recognizes her efforts.
by CNB