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Helpful holiday hints
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November 26, 1999: 1:20 p.m. ET
Performance reviews; the gift of time off; new life for old office goods
By Jane Applegate
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Christmas decorations mean one thing to a manager: year-end performance reviews. Performance reviews are a painful but necessary exercise for even the smallest companies.
First, spend some time without interruptions thinking about and making notes about all your employees.
Begin the discussion on a positive note, pointing out accomplishments, projects completed and deadlines met.
Be clear about the changes you want made and set deadlines for a change of attitude or behavior.
End the interview by putting the person on probation -- or giving a raise.
A holiday gift: Time off
All but the "scroogiest" business owners plan to close their offices on the Friday after Thanksgiving. If you don't own a retail store relying on holiday sales, why not give your employees some additional time off between Christmas and New Year's Eve?
Many big companies do this and it's gaining popularity among smaller firms. This is not only one of most stressful times of year, but it also is almost impossible to get anything substantial done with so many people away on vacation.
Since Christmas falls on a Friday, close the doors on Thursday afternoon and try not to reopen until Jan. 2. Your customers and clients will appreciate your generous spirit and it will dramatically boost company-wide morale.
Personnel experts tell me that time off with pay is the No. 1 perk for most employees.
Giving old business goods
Every office has a store room or cabinet filled with obsolete, but functional, office equipment just begging for a new home. This is a perfect time of year to dig into those closets and bookshelves and get rid of all kinds of stuff you're not using anymore.
Non-profit organizations of all types are eager to accept personal computers, printers and all sort of office supplies, even if they aren't the newest models. If it works and you're not using it in your office any more -- give it away.
You not only will create more storage space, but also will be able to take a legitimate tax deduction. Check with your accountant about how much you can deduct, based on the value of what you donate.
Jane Applegate is author of 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business and founder of ApplegateWay.com, a multimedia Web site providing free advice for entrepreneurs.
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