Sometimes, as Manager, I feel like I've got a pretty good handle on things. The employees are productive, thriving, even following the Company Code of Conduct brilliantly. Then, K.Lo will nearly stick a pencil in her ear, and suddenly I'm all nerves again, thinking that we were seconds away from poking a hole into her brain, another injury I had never previously considered. Training has to be so thorough! It's amazing that so many employees live long enough to progress through the ranks of a company, much less retain all of their organs and limbs. And of course, any good manager wishes her company not just to remain in business, but to thrive.

Lately, a big point of contention in our office is ettiquette around the office fish tank. It's a 20-gallon tank that sits on a long table in front of the Conference Room window. Can it be pulled over? Technically, yes, I suppose it could. Is it likely? I sure hope not. That's... a lot of water, and glass, and rocks, and just plain filth to land onto the carpet--or an employee. The Housekeeping and Grounds staff have expressed their concern on several occasions re: the potential fallout and cleanup involved with a fish tank disaster. Not to mention the Legal Department and their concerns over possible workers comp claims. Oh, and the fact that I would feel like a horrible manager if the fish all landed in a heap with my employee(s) on the bottom of the pile.

What is a manager to do, other than remain as vigilant a floor supervisor as possible? You can keep an imaginitive eye out for potential hazards in the workplace, and also (obviously) train your employees to, as K.Lo would say in a sing-song, "Watch out!" and "Be careful!" with things like pencils and fish tanks. But constant vigilance (sorry Mad-Eye Moody) is not always possible, nor is employee compliance, nor just plain luck. I guess we just have to cross our fingers on a lot of things throughout the training process, and hope for the best.