You've been promoted… so now what?

No one is born knowing how to be a supervisor. And no other job can prepare you for this challenging assignment. Now, you not only have to worry about your performance, you have to worry about how others perform, too.

The good news is you can quickly add the "secrets" of successful managers to your supervisory toolkit.

"I'm pregnant"

Expectant employees can bring excitement to the workplace – but also raise a lot of questions in HR. Plus, a recent Supreme Court precedent requiring light-duty accommodations has made the pregnancy analysis even more complex.

The tax code has undergone a profound change, which the IRS is still grappling with. Every week it's churning out guidance that impacts your payroll operations, like the newly-revised W-4 for 2020. Smart moves in the coming months will help you avoid big trouble (and big fines) down the road.

Offensive behavior among colleagues carries a high price, because "civility" at work means more than just good manners. Respectful treatment creates the foundation for cooperation between individuals and collaboration among departments. When people are rude and disrespectful to one another, they are much less likely to share information, contribute helpful suggestions, or offer assistance with problems.

Paying employees for their travel time - and dealing with subsequent reimbursements and deductions - is one of the most confusing parts of HR and payroll administration. It's vital to know:

When you give a presentation, you face at least two hurdles.

First, you need to sell yourself as a credible spokesperson on your topic. Audiences need to believe in you – and that's hard enough.

Second, you need to sell your ideas so that people come away inspired, persuaded and enlightened.

Some of your employees may require more "managing" than others. Some might enjoy pushing the limits, while others seem totally clueless about the problems they cause.

From emotional drama queens to lazy slackers, all of these aggravating folks can be considered "Challenging Employees" – people who consume an inordinate amount of your time and energy, but are not really bad enough to fire.

Terminations are the most stressful and legally dangerous moment for any HR professional or manager.

Just one mistake during the process - a discipline error, documentation slip-up or the wrong words at the termination meeting - can spark years of litigation. Plus, you have to deal with the emotional fallout... risk of violence... and co-worker response.

Do you and your management team know all the right moves?

If you had to miss work for a week… two weeks… or even a month, it's essential that your co-workers or manager know how to step in and fulfill your responsibilities, without a major interruption to your office or business.

You need to be documenting the processes and procedures that you do each day for easy reference. If a natural disaster occurs, it's important that you're prepared.

Has a disagreement with a colleague ever blown up in your face? Perhaps you put off addressing employee problems because you weren't sure how to bring them up. Perhaps you'd like to give your boss some helpful feedback, but are concerned about the reaction you might get.