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Comic Jo Koy’s second special on Netflix

RETURNING for Fil-Am comic Jo Koy’s second Netflix special, Jo Koy: Comin’ In Hot, Koy will present a dazzling display of hula dancing and an arsenal of self-deprecating humor tackling such issues as how to raise a millennial, and the intricacies of Filipino traditions. The comedy special will launch globally on Netflix, June 12. For details visit http://netflix.com/jokoycomininhot.

AbaCore hikes capital stock as unit prepares P155-B energy project

ABACORE Capital Holdings, Inc. is hiking its capital stock to prepare for an affiliate’s development of a P155-billion energy project in Batangas with Chinese firms.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Thursday, AbaCore said its board of directors has approved the increase in authorized capital stock to P6.5 billion from the current P5 billion. The new shares will be issued to AbaCore’s affiliate, Simlong Energy Development Corp., which will then become a wholly owned subsidiary of the company.

Abacore sees Simlong Energy generating recurring income through its energy center that will include a naphtha refinery, liquefied natural gas terminal, and a 1,560-megawatt power plant on a 102-hectare property in Batangas City.

Simlong Energy is undertaking the project with three Chinese state-owned companies, namely China Gezhouba Group Co. Ltd. (CGGC), China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co. Ltd. (CPP) and the China Harbour Engineering Corp. (CHEC).

The project is one of the investment deals signed following President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s visit to Beijing last April.

Simlong Energy expects to complete the project before the end of Mr. Duterte’s term in 2022.

The increase in capital stock will be subjected to stockholders’ approval and ratification during the company’s annual meeting on July 11. AbaCore will also ask stockholders to waive their preemptive rights so it can fully issue the shares to Simlong Energy.

At the same time, AbaCore also approved its affiliate Montemayor Aggregates & Mining Corp. (MAMCOR)’s formation of a joint venture with Carino Development Corp. at a 40-60 stake, respectively.

Under the partnership, MAMCOR will contribute 50,000 square meters of land priced at P5,000 per sq.m in Pagkilatan, Batangas. This will be developed into a project composed of vertical and horizontal developments as well as a membership club.

Incorporated in 1981 formerly as Piedra Negra Mining Corp., AbaCore changed its purpose to that of a holding firm in 1989. It has interests in financial services, real estate, gold mining, and coal mining.

AbaCore trimmed its net loss attributable to the parent to P3.06 million in the first quarter of 2019, against the P7.42 million it posted in the same period a year ago, as gross revenues soared 118% to P14.44 million.

Shares in AbaCore jumped 5.17% or three centavos to close at 61 centavos each at the stock exchange on Thursday. — Arra B. Francia

Regulations, connectivity hampering banks’ digital shift

DESPITE expressing willingness to adopt digital banking, more than half of lenders in the Asia Pacific region are yet to offer new clients processes for opening fully digital accounts, Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO) said.

A recent survey by the analytics software firm showed that 60% of banks in the region still do not allow clients to open an account digitally, despite reports that nearly nine in 10 financial institutions in the region embarked on digital transformation.

Some 28% of the banks surveyed cited changing regulations as a key challenge in capturing new customers online. On the other hand, 21% of the respondents also considered the need to create digital know-your-customer and anti-money laundering solutions as a key headwind.

“In Asia, the identification processes used for services such as e-government, banking or telecommunications evolved independently of each other, leading to a fragmented approach with inconsistent levels of security,” Dan McConaghy, president of FICO in Asia Pacific, said in a statement.

He added that open banking and regulations such as the second Payment Services Directive in Europe, which allows third-party firms access to client data from banks, are now “bringing regulatory rigor to bear on the issue,” forcing banks to comply and enable technologies to enable digital onboarding.

In the Philippines, Bank of the Philippine Islands Chief Digital Officer Noel A. Santiago said the lack of a national identification system and poor internet connectivity, especially in far-flung areas, inhibit banks from accepting new clients digitally.

“We don’t have a national identity that can be used for a bank to comply with KYC (know your customer). The lack of a national identity is inhibiting the aggressive take-up of digital onboarding,” Mr. Santiago said in a phone interview.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) Act in August 2018, providing proof of identification for all citizens as well as foreigners living in the country.

The government is in the first phase of the implementation of the system, which involves procurement, testing of core technology infrastructure, organizational development of the PhilSys Registry Office, and launch of target registration.

“Infrastructure for a big chunk of our population are still in areas that our digital readiness doesn’t exist. Even if it exists, it’s limited, the signal,” Mr. Santiago said.

The abundance of payment service providers is also a hindrance, he said.

“[F]inancial services, especially in the payment space, is also…competing now with the wallet issuers like GCash and PayMaya. In other countries, your bank account is your payment mechanism,” he said.

However, Mr. Santiago noted that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has been receptive of digital innovations banks want to implement.

“In fact, BSP came up with the basic banking account wherein you only need to supply a limited number of customer data, around five to 11.”

“Fintechs and challenger banks have disrupted the status quo in the financial services universe,” said FICO’s Mr. McConaghy. “By developing compelling new products, services and experiences, these companies have set a new standard and raised customer expectations.”

For the study, FICO surveyed 20 chief risk officers across Asia Pacific in April during its forum in Bangkok, Thailand. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal

Rolls-Royce agrees UK’s biggest pension deal with insurer L&G

LONDON — Rolls-Royce’s pension scheme has agreed to transfer 4.6 billion pounds ($5.83 billion) of assets to insurer Legal & General in Britain’s largest ever transfer of corporate pension risk.

Companies are keen to shift workers’ pension obligations to insurance companies to remove the risk of such schemes from their balance sheets. Consultants predict 30 billion pounds worth of UK pension transfer deals this year.

Rolls-Royce will shift the assets and liabilities of around 33,000 pensioners in its UK Pension Fund, it said in a statement, out of a total membership of 76,000 members.

The aerospace engineer said the deal will reduce its post-retirement obligations by around 4.1 billion pounds, leaving the remaining liabilities “smaller with less risk for the Trustee and Rolls-Royce to manage in the future.”

“This agreement will result in increased security for Rolls-Royce pensioners and reduced risk for our business,” Joel Griffin, Head of Global Pensions & Benefits, Rolls-Royce, said.

As part of the deal, Rolls-Royce said it would pay a cash contribution of around 30 million pounds to L&G. — Reuters

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown returns

A YEAR after his death, the Discovery Channel looks back at Anthony Bourdain’s best travels and commemorates the legacy of the genius chef, award-winning author, and host in the brand new season of top-rated Emmy and Peabody award-winning series Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. In the eight-episodes, Bourdain flies to the beautiful areas of Newfoundland, Uruguay, Armenia, Bhutan, Berlin, US Cajun country, and Hong Kong to unveil unique cultural anecdotes and discover a wide variety of palate and newly discovered delicacy experiences. Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown is now airing on Tuesdays at 8:10 p.m. on Discovery Channel.

DMCI boosts land bank to 150 hectares as of March

DMCI PROJECT Developers, Inc. has increased its land bank to 150 hectares worth P10.2 billion by end-March, supporting its aggressive expansion plans across the country.

In a statement issued Thursday, the company operating under the name DMCI Homes said its total land value has increased by 71% in the first quarter, versus the P6 billion worth of land spanning 125 hectares it had in the same period a year ago.

“We have to continue building our land bank as we continue to strengthen our presence in and outside Metro Manila, such as in Davao and Cebu,” DMCI Homes President Alfredo R. Austria said in a statement.

DMCI Homes has scheduled to launch ten projects valued at P104 billion this year alone, including its first venture in Cebu through Kalea Heights. Other projects will be located in Davao City, Quezon City, Las Piñas City, Pasig City, Mandaluyong City, and the City of Manila.

“Every year, thousands of new households across different market segments are created all over the country, providing more opportunities for the industry,” Mr. Austria said.

Alongside these launches, the company will also turn over two residential towers this year, namely the Surya and Raja buildings of Alea Residences in Bacoor City. This is DMCI Homes’ first mid-rise condominium in the area.

DMCI Homes has already completed a total of six projects this year, namely Zebrina building of Calathea Place in Parañaque, Bluebird building of Bristle Bridge in Baguio City, Fairway Terraces in Pasay City, Darma building of Alea Residences in Bacoor, as well as Linden building and Abaca building of Acacia Estates in Taguig City.

Meanwhile, the company targets about P38 billion in reservation sales this year.

DMCI Homes has committed to spend P17.9 billion in capital expenditures this year, 23% higher year on year.

The company registered a net income of P481 million in the first quarter of 2019, five percent higher than the P460 million it posted in the same period a year ago. This came amid a two percent decline in revenues to P4.4 billion, as reservations also dropped 27% to P11.1 billion due to a lower number of projects unveiled at the time.

DMCI Homes is part of diversified engineering conglomerate DMCI Holdings, Inc., which has core interests in coal mining, water, construction, nickel mining, and off-grid power services.

Overall, DMCI Holdings’ net income attributable to the parent fell 25.6% to P2.87 billion in the first quarter. Revenues were also down by 3.2% to P19.65 billion on account of lower coal prices seen during the period.

Shares in DMCI Holdings rose 1.37% or 14 centavos to close at P10.38 apiece at the stock exchange on Thursday. — Arra B. Francia

Airbnb says it’s back in business in Japan

AIRBNB, Inc. says it’s back in business in Japan, a year after stricter home-sharing regulations forced it to freeze a major portion of its listings in the country.

There are 50,000 listings available in the country, with another 23,000 rooms in hotels and traditional inns known as ryokan, Airbnb said in a statement on Thursday. That compares with 60,000 total in June 2018, when the new home-sharing rules went into effect.

While Airbnb is no stranger to clashes with regulators, it had tried a more cooperative approach in Japan. But the government set a deadline for hosts to register and then in June 2018 forced those that were unregistered to cancel reservations two weeks ahead of that date. Listings plunged by almost 80% to just 13,800, the Nikkei newspaper reported at the time. Airbnb, privately valued at $31 billion, is preparing to go public as early as the end of this year or by 2020 at latest, and argues Japan is an example of how its business model can withstand even the most restrictive regimes.

“This shows that we can grow even in those environments,” Nathan Blecharczyk, Airbnb co-founder and chief strategy officer, said in an interview in Tokyo. “It’s important to have those rules in place long term, even if they are more restrictive.”

Legalization has opened doors for some of Japan’s largest corporations to enter the home-sharing market. Local collaborators already include SoftBank Group Corp., convenience store operator FamilyMart UNY Holdings Co., electronics retailer Bic Camera, Inc. and airline company ANA Holdings, Inc.

The company on Thursday said partnerships in the market grew to more than 117 companies, including property developer Panasonic Homes Co. and real estate brokerage HouseDo Co. While the exact details of the agreements are yet to be decided, the companies may help supply a pipeline of properties for lease or purchase that are home-sharing friendly, said Yasuyuki Tanabe, Airbnb’s country manager for Japan.

“The tide has changed,” said Mr. Tanabe. “And there are particular challenges in Japan. Everybody is saying we are going to live to 100, but we won’t have enough money to live to 100. There is going to be more interest for people to start hosting for extra cash.”

Airbnb is scrambling to shore up and expand its Japanese business as the summer Olympics approach next year. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government is seeking to attract 40 million arrivals in 2020, the year Tokyo hosts the games.

Such events traditionally bring more hosts into the market in anticipation of a demand spike, Mr. Blecharczyk said, citing 85,000 guests served by the platform during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Japan’s home-sharing rules limited private stays to 180 nights a year, but local authorities have raised the hurdles for hosts by piling on more restrictions. The Shinjuku ward of central Tokyo, for example, prohibited lodging in residential areas on weekdays, while Kyoto limited stays in such locations to about 60 days between January and March for hosts without a special license.

In the wake of the new rules, Airbnb poured $30 million into strategic initiatives in Japan, including a marketing campaign that included TV, print and social media ads to improve the image of home-sharing in the country. It also hasn’t given up on municipalities like Shinjuku. On Thursday, the company said it has an agreement with the ward to make sure hosts operating there abide by the rules and that guests and hosts are up to date on the local disaster preparedness measures.

Outside of Japan, Airbnb is still locked in a fight over regulation in New York, its biggest domestic market where a law from 2010 made it illegal to rent an entire apartment in a multi-unit building for less than 30 days without a tenant present. Making peace in New York is not a prerequisite for going public for the San Francisco-based company, Mr. Blecharczyk said, declining to give further details on the timing.

“Every jurisdiction eventually passes policies that legitimize home-sharing, of course, with all kinds of caveats and rules,” he said. “There are no more existential questions about Airbnb.” — Bloomberg

What to see this week

5 films to see on the week of June 7 — June 13, 2019

X-Men: Dark Phoenix

WHEN Jean Grey develops powers that corrupt and turn her into the Dark Phoenix, her fellow X-Men have to decide whether to sacrifice the lives of many to save a team member. Directed by Simon Kinberg, the movie stars James McAvoy, Sophie Turner, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, Nicholas Hoult, Alexandra Shipp, Jessica Chastain, Olivia Munn, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Evan Peters, and Tye Sheridan. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone writes: “Sophie Turner shows enormous potential as super-mutant Jean Grey, but this botch job doesn’t just suck big time, it’s the worst movie ever in the X-Men series.” The film received a low score of 22% on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.

MTRCB Rating: PG

The Secret Life of Pets 2

FOLLOWING the 2016 blockbuster, the sequel continues following Max the terrier who copes with major life changes when his owner gets married and has a baby. When the family takes a trip to the countryside, Max runs into various crazy and hostile animals. Directed by Chris Renaud, the film features the voices of Patton Oswalt, Eric Stonestreet, Harrison Ford, Tiffany Haddish, Jenny Slate, and Kevin Hart. Variety’s Courtney Howard writes, “Illumination’s The Secret Life Of Pets films do something the Despicable Me studio’s other offerings have yet to accomplish: They allow younger audiences to explore their feelings about new life experiences in a silly, lighthearted way through the travails of adorable animated animals.” The film got a score of 64% on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.

MTRCB Rating: PG

Soul to Keep

THE demon Beelzebub is hellbent to possess souls and runs after two siblings and their friends at a secluded farmhouse. Directed by Davi Allensworth, the film stars Aurora Heimbach, Derek Long, and Sandra Mae Frank. Pophorror.com’s Preston Holt writes: “Overall, Soul To Keep is one hell of an intelligent horror film that I truly believe will stand the test of time.”

MTRCB Rating: R-16

Heretiks

SET IN THE 17th century, the film follows Persephone, a young girl who was saved from execution thanks to the intervention of the mysterious Reverend Mother who offers her sanctuary at a small priory. Upon arrival, Pesephone realizes that instead of attaining salvation, she has to battle for her soul. Directed by Paul Hyett, the film stars Michael Ironside, Rosie Day, and Hannah Arterton. “Identity-obscuring costumes and poor lighting conditions leave the viewer at a disconnect with characters in what is otherwise a compelling piece of period genre film,” writes Kat Hughes of The Hollywood News.

MTRCB Rating: R-16

Sunshine Family

BASED on the 1992 Japanese film Hit-And-Run Family, the film follows a Filipino family who has been living in South Korea for five years. When the father gets involved in a hit-and-run accident, the family keep the car and break it down to pieces before they return to their home country. Directed by Kim Tai-Sik, the film stars Sue Ramirez, Nonie Buencamino, and Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino.

MTRCB Rating: PG

Feuding over fortune

MACAO — This special administrative region (SAR) on the Pearl River Delta is now accessible via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), which opened to vehicular traffic in October 2018.

A 55-kilometer bridge and tunnel system, HZMB is the world’s longest sea crossing. It connects the three main cities of the so-called Greater Bay Area through a series of three cable-stayed bridges, four artificial islands, and an undersea tunnel.

Travel time from the western border of Hong Kong SAR to the mainland China city of Zhuhai has been reduced to 70 minutes while it takes less than an hour to reach Macao SAR, which could only be accessed by ferries and airplanes before HZMB’s advent.

Formerly a colony of the Portuguese Empire, Macao reverted to China in 1999 and liberalized its casino industry that used to operate under a state-licensed monopoly granted in the 1960s to multibillionaire Stanley Ho. Since Macao’s opening to global gambling operators like Sands and Wynn, it has surpassed Las Vegas as the gaming capital of the world.

Turning 98 years old this year, Mr. Ho has 17 children from his four wives. Over the past decade, an epic battle for control of his massive fortune has been raging among some of Mr. Ho’s wives and children.

The family feud flared anew last February when his daughter Pansy figured in a public dispute to take control of flagship firm SJM Holdings in direct conflict with her father’s fourth wife Angela Leong, who serves as SJM’s managing director.

This brings to mind a similar controversy in the Philippines involving the family of Metrobank Group founder George S.K. Ty, who passed away in November 2018. At the center of the feud is Margaret Ty-Cham, described as a “natural” daughter in Mr. Ty’s last will and testament.

A year before his death, the taipan’s lawyers issued a public notice stating that Ms. Ty-Cham “has for some time ceased to have any business relationship” with the Ty family’s group of companies and “has since then suffered a completely estranged relationship” with her father.

Compounding the situation are allegations that the estranged daughter duped several corporate entities and businessmen who have filed criminal and civil cases against her in courts and prosecutors’ offices across Metro Manila.

One of the estafa cases was filed by two businessmen who alleged that she scammed them into buying a Metrobank property in Pasig City for which they issued checks in her name, believing that she can deliver on the deal. They waited more than a year until she finally told them that someone else had already bought the lot. As a result, the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) indicted her for estafa.

Another case involved the issuance of an unfunded check as payment for a loan obtained from a private lending company. Subsequently, the Metropolitan Trial Court of Manila indicted her for violating Batas Pambansa (BP) 22, otherwise known as the “Bouncing Checks Law.”

San Juan City’s Metropolitan Trial Court likewise handed down two indictments for alleged violations of BP 22. In one of these cases, bouncing checks were issued to a jewelry firm and according to the court records, Ms. Ty-Cham pleaded for more time to pay but failed to do so. She is also facing two civil cases at the Makati RTC for annulment of contract and failure to pay bills for three credit cards.

Ms.Ty-Cham has nobody to blame but herself for the quagmire she finds herself in. Her father must have lost his patience to the point of severing all ties with her. She should learn a lesson from one of Mr. Ho’s sons, Lawrence, who chose to carve out his own empire by partnering with Australia’s Crown Resorts in a joint venture that operates City of Dreams here in Macao and also in Manila.

Those born to wealth either value their privilege or take it for granted. Sad to say, there are some who remain unsatisfied with their status and resort to other means of amassing more money despite having the means to live luxuriously.

 

J. Albert Gamboa is CFO of the Asian Center for Legal Excellence and Chairman of the FINEX Golden Jubilee Book Project.

Aviva overhauls UK business, to cut 1,800 jobs

LONDON — British insurer Aviva will change the structure of its UK business and cut costs across the firm, with the loss of 1,800 jobs, it said on Thursday.

Aviva said it would make cost cuts of 300 million pounds ($380.22 million) over three years, in a statement ahead of its first investor day under new Chief Executive Maurice Tulloch.

The cost base in 2018 was four billion pounds, an Aviva spokeswoman said.

Following the departure of Andy Briggs, head of the life and general insurer’s UK business and a contender for the top job, Aviva said it would review its UK life and general insurance businesses.

Its UK digital business, housed in a former garage in the City’s tech district, will be incorporated into the general insurance business, Aviva said.

Angela Darlington has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer of UK life and Colm Holmes CEO of general insurance across the group, including Britain.

“Today is the first step in our plan to make Aviva simpler, more competitive and more commercial,” Tulloch said in the statement. “Reducing Aviva’s costs is essential.”

Aviva employs 30,000 people and its international markets include Canada, France, Ireland and Asia.

Aviva said trading to date had been in line with 2018 and reiterated its commitment to a progressive dividend policy. — Reuters

DLSU to open campus in Davao Global Township

A DE LA SALLE University (DLSU) campus will soon be built within the Davao Global Township (DGT), a 22-hectare mixed-use estate being developed by YHEST Realty and Development Corp.

YHEST Realty and DLSU on May 27 signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the establishment of the De La Salle University Villa-Abrille Center for Professional Development in DGT.

YHEST is the joint venture of Cebu Landmasters, Inc. and the Yuson, Huang, and Tan families belonging to the Villa-Abrille clan of Davao.

YHEST will provide DLSU with 4,000 square meters (sq.m.) of prime office space, rent-free in the premier Corporate Center office building in DGT. The company will also donate P10 million for the school’s operational and other expenses.

“Continuing education has become imperative for businesses today to thrive given the speed of developments in technology, business, engineering and other fields. Through the Villa-Abrille Center we hope to bring the latest knowledge and learnings to Dabawenyos,” YHEST President Frederick H. Yuson said in the statement.

Jose Franco B. Soberano, director of YHEST and chief operating officer of CLI, said the DLSU campus will boost DGT’s bid to become the city’s premiere business district.

“The availability of ongoing education has proven to be a critical element in many business districts not only in Manila but also in the other capitals of the world,” he added.

DLSU College of Computer Studies Dean Rafael Cabredo said that modules in data science and information security will be one of the offerings, as well as engineering and business programs.

DGT is located in Matina district, and will also house office spaces, retail mall, park, civic area, and residential towers. YHEST has begun the construction of Phase 1 of DGT, which will have residential towers, a retail mall, and a civic center. It is set for completion in 2022. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

How to criticize workers without creating resentment

Many Filipino workers are overly emotional and unreasonably sensitive. Even with a lot of mistakes, they feel they don’t deserve the criticisms they’re getting from their bosses no matter how hard they try to be objective in the process. Knowing this, what’s the best advice you can tell our people supervisors and managers who are having difficulties in counselling their workers? — Yellow Submarine.

Two taxidermists stopping before a window of a competitor’s shop and began to criticize the way an owl had been mounted on a tree branch. Its eyes were not natural, its wings were not in proportion to its head, its feathers were not neatly arranged and its feet lacked some claws.

Toward the end of their critique and just when they were about to leave, the old owl turned his head and winked at them!

It is often said that criticism in all contexts should be like rain drops. The rain should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots. In the workplace, it is always a challenge for managers to do just that without being misinterpreted for their actions in counseling their workers.

Even the managers don’t enjoy criticizing their workers, and some would simply ignore the problem in the hope it is fixed over time. The trouble is that this doesn’t always happen. This means that ignoring the possibility of a heated confrontation with problem employees could create an even bigger issue.

There’s no choice but to settle the issue squarely with those concerned. And to do just that, you only have to minimize employee resentment by observing the following measures:

One, ensure that the work standards and targets are clear. Leave no room for ambiguity or misinterpretation. If necessary, create visual guides similar to those in dynamic factories where “wrong” and “correct” ways of doing things are visually illustrated. In addition, written job descriptions must be distributed to all concerned.

Two, discuss the issue with the concerned worker in private. This is one of the most important rules in people management. When counseling or a corrective discussion is needed, it is important and necessary to use a private room with no visual or noise distractions. Do not use the private room as a neutral venue for you and the concerned worker and also to put the worker at ease.

Three, offer help to all workers every step of the way. But not excessively so to constrict their movements or the freedom to think for themselves. Make it appear you’re not doing close supervision, no matter how sincere your intentions are. Do Management by Walking Around (or the Gemba Walk) every day to meet people. Being accessible is a positive sign you’re always around to anticipate all possible issues.

Four, use the sandwich approach all the time. It means starting and ending the conversation with all the good things about the person and what he can do in the future. The negative issues are carefully inserted in with the positive ones without diluting the purpose of counseling that may even confuse the worker. After all, if the worker is not doing right, then the right approach may be disciplinary and not counseling.

Five, solicit employee solutions to the performance issue. This is the essence of co-ownership. If the workers are part of creating solutions to a problem, they would be more than glad to concretize its implementation. People who are actively involved as partners in solving problems are the same persons who can only make it happen.

Six, be serious in tackling the issues with the concerned worker. Don’t use humor to lighten the atmosphere. It could backfire against your management and your joke may be misinterpreted as a sarcasm, if not an insult to the other party. On the other hand, control your temper as losing it may only lead to a tense atmosphere.

Seven, focus on the bigger issues at hand. Nothing more than that. Don’t bring in other peripheral or trivial issues that may not be related to the discussion. Also, avoid comparing the concerned worker with others as this could fuel resentment, if not multiply his anger and weaken teamwork within your department.

Eight, document the agreement in clear terms. An email to the concerned worker is more than sufficient to summarize all agreed points and timetable. For this reason, immediately after the end of each counseling session, it’s always advisable to summarize everything what has been agreed upon and what the expectations are.

Last, follow up without being a constant pain. Be patient with the concerned employee up to a certain extent and without losing your cool. If the work performance doesn’t improve immediately, allow some time and make allowances to let the worker adjust. After all, different employees go about correcting their subpar performances at different paces.

ELBONOMICS: Criticize only the things you can’t explain and understand.

 

Send anonymous questions to elbonomics@gmail.com or via https://reyelbo.consulting