Managing your way out of the downturn

An fascinating report recently published by Boston Consulting Group provides compelling evidence for actions that are proven to be successful in negotiating tough times. It contrasts these with a set of very different actions that are commonly taken by companies in their attempts to do the same.

Don Sull from London Business School describes the paper in his FT Blog; you can download the whole article from the site.

The crux of the discussion is that now is the time to make future staffing decisions that are based on performance - an argument we at docleaf have been championing with our groundbreaking OrgSurv solution. Contact us here to get more information on OrgSurv.

Tell tale signs that a business is failing

How many of us have taken to trying to spot the next high profile company to buckle under the weight of the financial crisis?

Most companies, for obvious reasons, do everything in their power to conceal their plight. As customers, suppliers and employees, it is in our interests to spot the signs so that we can take action, and avoid being left out of pocket.

Here is the Yahoo Finance article with numerous tips. Beware - you might never take your water cooler for granted again!

The damage of a wrongly chosen word

Six tourists suffered broken bones in the recent accident at London's Tower Bridge, when a lift plunged 10ft to the ground.

What struck us about this interview given from the scene by the City of London Director of Environmental Services, was the unfortunate choice of words chosen, describing the accident as "an inconvenience".

It would be interesting to hear from those with broken limbs as to whether they would share the sentiment that the incident was an inconvenience to them.

See the BBC story and video and contact us here to get information on our essential training for those who might, God forbid, one day speak in your organisation's name.

Swine Flu- 10 tips for employers

Despite the MP expenses scandal relegating the global pandemic to the back end of the UK news in the last week, swine flu is still out there. While it is unlikely to infect masses of people in the immediate future, scientists are warning that as many as 1 in 3 of us could be infected in the winter.

If these numbers prove correct, there will be an effect on almost every business. It pays to consider how you will act in such a situation and plan in advance. Personnel Today feature a set of useful tips, alongside some of the challenges an employer might have to face in managing their staff in such a crisis.

docleaf Briefs

A judge in Stuttgart, Germany, is currently trying to decide on a lawsuit in which a man hired his neighbour to impregnate his wife. It gets weirder...

Demetrius Soupolos, 29, and his former beauty queen wife, Traute, were very keen to have a child together, but Demetrius was sterile so they began to seek out other possible options. The option the couple eventually decided on was to hire their neighbour Frank Maus, 34, to impregnate Traute.

Maus, who was already married with two children agreed to do the job for the fee of €2,000. For three evenings a week for the next six months, a total of 72 different times, Maus tried to impregnate Traute. When his own wife objected, Maus explained that he was "only doing it for the money."

After the unsuccessful six-month period Soupolos insisted that Maus take a medical examination. The doctor concluded that Maus was also sterile, which forced his wife into admitting that their two children did not belong to him.

Soupolos is now suing Maus in an effort to get his money back. Maus' argument is that he did not guarantee conception, only that he would try his hardest.

And finally a tale of snakes on a plate...

The US restaurant chain T.G.I. Friday's has asked the New York State Police to open a criminal investigation into suspected product tampering after a severed snake head was found among vegetables.(AFP)

According to a statement issued by the chain late Friday, the head was found among broccoli by a restaurant patron in Clifton Park, New York, last Sunday."This is obviously something we took very seriously and we immediately pulled the product from all of our restaurants until an investigation could be completed," said Amy Freshwater, vice president of communication and public relations for Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, the parent of T.G.I. Friday's.

As part of the investigation, the head was sent to an independent laboratory for testing, and the lab said the snake's head was never cooked. It has been concluded that the head was placed in the food at some point after the cooking process, the company said.

"We don't know who was involved in this senseless act of product tampering, but we are cooperating fully with the authorities and will prosecute the individual or individuals involved to the fullest extent of the law." Freshwater said.