Q: Provide all employees with a handbook or other set of company guidelines. Even if you own a small business with only a few employees, you can still create a brief set of rules. That way, when you provide feedback you can reference these policies. For both written and verbal feedback, you need to clearly state the issue and support your statement with facts that you know to be true. For example, you might say, "Employee did not complete steps 3 or 5 on the checklist for this project, which was previously given to the employee." Point out which rule was broken. You might write, "The employee handbook clearly states that employees need to use the company car to make deliveries. This employee used their personal vehicle without permission." You can protect yourself and the company from employee complaints by making sure to support your documentation with evidence. For example, if an employee didn't complete an important report, you can use the incomplete report as evidence. You can also ask other employees to serve as witnesses. For example, you might write, "5 other employees noticed this person leaving the office at 4 rather than staying until 6, as required." If you are documenting a poor client interaction, you might use emails or phone recordings as your evidence. Put your recommendations in writing. For example, you might note, "Employee needs to follow the written guidelines for handling a customer complaint. Specifically, the employee needs to offer a clear solution to the customer." Discuss the report with the employee. You can say, "Here you can see that I wrote down how I would like you to improve. In the future, please offer the customer a solution instead of saying that the problem is not your fault. Is that clear?" An action plan lays out the steps that need to be taken in order to improve. To make your employee feel like a valued part of the team, ask them to help you draft the plan. Start by setting goals, then write down how the employee will accomplish those goals. Make sure to include a deadline for each step. You could write, "Employee will increase sales by 10% per month. First, the employee will make a minimum of 10 cold calls per day. Second, the employee will send emails to at least 15 potential customers each week. Third, the employee will track their progress and meet with their supervisor to discuss any issues. All of these tasks must be completed by 2:00 every Friday." Keeping a record is important because if the employee later issues a complaint, you'll have extra documentation to show how you handled the situation. After you finish a conversation about performance, take a few minutes to record the important points. You can also jot down notes during the meeting so that you don't miss any big details. Create a file for each employee. It can be an electronic or paper file (or both). Any time you make notes about an employee, place them in the file. Write something like, "During this meeting, I explained to the employee that they have 6 months to improve their sales. We created an action plan together and I've placed a copy in the employee file. The employee expressed concern that they will not be able to meet these goals. I explained why these targets are mandatory and provided clear steps for how to meet them." Remember, this meeting should be productive for both you and the employee. Of course, you should point out issues, but make sure to also offer some encouragement. The employee is likely to perform better if they feel supported. Try saying, "I know that these targets might be really tough to meet. But I believe in you. I know that you are talented, and I'm here to support you."
A: Identify which rule or policy was violated, if applicable. Use evidence to support the facts. Explain the behavior that needs to change or continue. Draw up a specific action plan. Keep a detailed record of all conversations. Show that you are supportive.

Q: The essential tool for following a juice-based diet is a juicer. You can purchase either a cold press juicer (also known as an Auger-style juicer) or a juice extractor. Juicers can vary widely in price (anywhere from $50 to over $400) and come in a variety of sizes. An Auger-style or cold press juicer are typically more expensive. They work by slowly crushing and mashing fruits and vegetables to extract the juice. The advantages of this style of juicer is that they typically leave behind more pulp in the juice. The pulp is from the skin and other fibrous parts of the fruit or vegetable and can add a little boost of fiber to your juices. The down side of these juicers is that they can easily get jammed with tougher fruits or vegetables. A juice extractor separates the juice from the pulp and filters the juice through a strainer so no pulp remains. All fruits and vegetables should be cleaned and peels/skins removed as these can jam the machine. The disadvantage to juice extractors is that they can be hard to clean. Review a variety of brands and types of juicers before making your purchase. Look for features that make the machine easy to use, store and clean. For example, find a juicer that has parts that are dishwasher safe or has a large feeding chute to allow for bigger slices/chunks of food. Also consider purchasing a blender. Blenders also vary in size and price and allow you to process the entire fruit or vegetable. Unlike juicers, blenders allow you to consume the entire fruit including the fiber containing pulp and skins/peels. If your juice becomes too thick, add water to thin it out to your desired consistency. Many juicers are expensive and not in everyone's budget. If you're still interested in following a juicing diet, try purchasing fresh 100% juice instead of making it yourself. Avoid purchasing frozen fruit concentrate or fruit juice cocktails. These types of juices typically have added sugars, flavorings and preservatives that are not healthy. Outside of your grocery, there are some juice bars and markets that sell a variety of freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices. You can purchase a single serving or large quantities. Another essential ingredient to following a juicing diet is to have a variety of fruits and vegetables on hand. Purchasing both fresh and frozen items will give you more flexibility and variety with your juices. As a rule, your juice should be 2/3 vegetables and 1/3 fruit. Fruits generally contain a lot of sugar, which can cause your blood sugar to spike. Buying frozen fruits or vegetables allows you to stock up on items that might be out of season. In addition, you can use a small portion of frozen items in one sitting without worry of them going bad. Mixing both frozen and fresh items together can give you thicker smoothie-like consistency to your juice which may be more enjoyable. Be careful to only buy frozen fruits and vegetables without added sugars. Read the ingredient labels to make sure only the fruit or vegetable is listed. Before purchasing a large quantity of fruits and veggies, try making a few small servings of different blends of juices. This will prevent you from wasting items you may not enjoy as a juice. Many times, when you purchase a juicer or blender, the company provides you with a small recipe book to use. This is a good place to get quick ideas for recipes. Note that when making your own fresh juice, it takes a significant amount of fruits or vegetables to make enough juice. For example, it takes 6-8 large carrots to make 1 cup of juice. Make sure to wash all your fruits and veggies first. This is especially important when you're going to blend the skin/peels into your drink. Follow the juicer's instruction booklet. Most recommend to add delicate items first (like leafy greens), followed by softer items (like a banana or tomato) and add hard foods (like carrots or apples) last. Freshly squeezed or processed juices are more susceptible to harmful bacteria which can make you sick. Prepare your juice for one day at a time. Keep and store all juice in an airtight container for no longer than 24 hours. Make sure to keep all freshly processed juice in the refrigerator so it stays within the acceptable temperature range of below 40 F. Purchase small, air-tight water bottles or mason jars to help you store smaller quantities of juice safely in the refrigerator. Mason jars also make a great on-the-go container.
A:
Buy a juicer. Buy fresh, 100% juice. Buy a variety of fruits and vegetables. Prepare sample juices. Prepare only 1-2 servings of fresh juice at a time.