Employee Relations

Noncompete Agreements

2023-02-10T21:18:02-06:00February 10th, 2023|Tags: , , |

The Federal Trade Commission wishes to eliminate most noncompete agreements, causing concern in the business community.  If I sell you my business, it would be foolish for you to allow me to start a competing business across the street. A noncompete can be a reasonable solution.   But some companies force employees to sign restrictive noncompetes that jeopardizes their employee’s ...

Non-Solicitation Agreement

2023-01-24T17:11:11-06:00February 7th, 2023|Tags: , , |

Previously, we discussed the Federal Trade Commission’s desire to eliminate most noncompete agreements. There are usually two primary reasons for noncompete agreements: protecting customers and/or protecting trade secrets.  To protect the loss of customers, you might use a non-solicitation agreement instead of a noncompete agreement. Non-solicitation agreements prevent former employees from pursuing your customers after they have left your employment.   ...

Customer Service Going to Pot

2022-04-06T15:29:06-05:00July 30th, 2021|Tags: , , |

As if small businesses need any more trouble, a Quest Diagnostics study reveals that marijuana use in workers has surged 44% since 2016. Many of your employees may be stoned while working with your customers. With marijuana now legal in 17 states, many dismiss concerns about the use of pot. But if you’ve ever been around heavy marijuana users, you ...

Conducting Hard Performance Reviews

2022-05-12T19:41:18-05:00February 24th, 2021|Tags: , , |

Conducting performance reviews with staff members who need some correction can be very stressful. When I was in banking, I had some staff that I liked personally, others, not so much. Over time, I learned that when I didn’t have a personal connection to someone it was easier to come across as cold and uncaring. This caused the truth of ...

Essential Workers

2020-09-07T01:24:56-05:00September 7th, 2020|Tags: , , |

In 1882, the first Labor Day parade was organized by the Central Labor Union. Laborers in that era were forced to work seven days a week for 60 hours or more! Many laborers felt like they were being worked as essential laborers but treated as nonessential. Due to Covid, the government this year declared some workers as essential while others ...

The Employee Challenges of ReOpening

2020-08-14T01:36:46-05:00August 14th, 2020|Tags: , , |

The US Chamber of Commerce describes two major employee challenges for reopening business, “First, are your employees willing and available to come back? And secondly, are they able to follow the proper procedure to reopen safely?” Reopening a business presents employee challenges that may be difficult to navigate. Knowing how to reincorporate employees into the work environment can lead to ...

Close Engagement

2018-10-19T15:28:07-05:00October 29th, 2018|Tags: , , |

In the show, Undercover Boss, a CEO goes undercover within their own business, working closely with frontline people to learn more about their business. During the show finale the CEO’s usually give some employees promotions, bonuses or help them with family issues. Rick Betenbough, founder of Betenbough Homes, contends that this happens because of what he called “close engagement.” When ...

A Close Competitor

2018-10-19T14:40:50-05:00October 24th, 2018|Tags: , , |

The founder of Betenbough Homes, Rick Betenbough, was surprised when his CFO pronounced that he was leaving the company to start a new business. When Rick asked what kind of business, he was stunned to learn it was going to be a competing home building business! Rick wrestled with this news until he remembered that his own provision comes from ...

Did God Fire Moses?

2018-10-19T14:37:37-05:00October 23rd, 2018|Tags: , , |

Rick Betenbough, founder of Betenbough Homes, recently told some business leaders that God fired Moses. Rick pointed out that according to Deuteronomy 34, Moses was still in good health even at 120 years old. But because Moses dishonored God, he was removed from his position of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land and replaced by Joshua. In Deuteronomy 32 ...

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