In this issue, Debby Scribner has some thoughts on recognizing superior performance of employers in attracting and retaining employees while David Nicholson has some sound advice on protecting your computer from spyware.

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recognize superior performance appears to have grown significantly. Numerous business publications, special interest groups and industry representatives now offer awards based on a variety of success measures. Being able to claim your firm is on the list of "fastest growing", "most profitable", "50 best", "100 best managed", is a great promotional endorsement whether you are promoting yourself to the public, corporate clients or potential employees.

These awards are a category of recognition a firm may earn based on measures such as workplace culture, employee motivation and job satisfaction, effective leadership and communication, and the rewards and benefits offered to employees.

MacLean's magazine recently published their list of Canada's Top 100 Employers (October 24, 2005). To the credit of Mediacorp Canada Inc., the firm that compiled the list, it is presented without rankings. The recognized organizations are appropriately grouped by industry with a short note about their winning strategies.

Companies have achieved success (on many levels) by attracting and retaining highly qualified individuals. The strategies used by these firms vary, but a common theme is that they treat their employees as important, responsible, engaged individuals. A shrinking workforce is going to drive the development of more creative benefit packages to retain top employees.

A wide variety of truly unique and effective approaches to creating a great working environment are as close as a Google search on "best places to work". Exploring the tactics of organizations similar to your own may provide you with ideas on how to ensure your employees know they are valued.

Spyware is a big problem - and it is getting bigger. According to the Gartner Group, anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of enterprise helpdesk calls today are related to infestations of unwanted spyware.

Spyware is a general term used to describe unwanted, and potentially dangerous, software that gets installed on your personal computer. Besides being annoying, some of this Spyware can be very dangerous. It is very possible that Spyware can be transferring personal information, such as emails, files, etc. to an unknown third party. At the very least, Spyware can slow down a computer to the point that it is no longer useable.

There is only one sure way to ensure you do not get Spyware and that is to restrict users from installing any software, period. However, if this is not practical, then be sure to have anti-Spyware running on each personal computer. In our experience, although most people today are running anti-Virus software, there are not that many who are running an anti-Spyware product.