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Finding the right way to deal with less-than-ideal employees

Human nature being what it is, employers can expect friction within work groups from time to time. Personality clashes and misunderstandings will strike nearly every workplace at some time. Handling that strife often requires a deft touch that rises above human nature. While a supervisor’s natural reaction may be to scold, ignore, and make life […]

College Graduate? Now Start Learning

My oldest graduated from college recently, says business and leadership blogger Dan Oswald. In addition to reminding me that I am, indeed, getting older, it caused me to consider what sage career and life advice I might have for him. Oswald, CEO of BLR, offered his advice to his son in a recent edition of […]

Dream Job May Make You Cry in Your Beer

It may be on the top 10 list of dream jobs—working in a brewery. But, in fact, making beer is a highly hazardous activity. Among the dangers are extremely hot liquids, caustic chemicals, fast-moving machinery, wet floors, forklifts, and carbon dioxide emissions. Yes, those beautiful bubbles can be bad for workers’ health. Making beer is […]

Don’t Forget Ethics Training

Effective training enables your organization to comply with all legal requirements, thereby avoiding costly lawsuits, audits, and fines. Ethics It takes only one employee, or even an agent of your company, to commit a crime, and your entire company may be held liable. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, with liability your company may face very […]

The Final 3 Steps of OSHA’s Training Guidelines

Step 5: Conduct the training. Think of the training session as an important meal. And like a memorable meal, its presentation must be as appealing as its taste. A successful session will have both “sizzle and steak”—style and content—with lots of participation, give-and-take, questions, examples, opinions, and enthusiasm from the trainer and trainees. To help […]

HR Heroes attend SHRM conference

More than 20,000 people gathered for the 65th annual SHRM Conference & Exposition in Chicago, Illinois, June 16-19, 2013.  BLR asked visitors to our HRHero booth to show their HR pride and tell us why they were an “HR Hero.” Here are what some of the HR professionals had to say about what makes them […]

Virginia’s new worker privacy law takes effect July 1

by Stacey Rose Harris A new state law in Virginia aimed at increasing worker privacy takes effect July 1. It bars employers from being required to disclose to third parties current and former employees’ personally identifiable information except under certain circumstances. The law, House Bill 1931, says employers can’t be required to disclose the personally […]

What must a BYOD policy do?

Bring your own device (BYOD) policies are starting to gain some traction in the workforce as more and more employees are requesting the ability to use personal devices for work rather than take on yet another device to manage. Employers recognize the benefits (such as employee satisfaction and decreased upfront costs of electronics for the […]

When Supervisors Must Step Aside and Defer to HR

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorney Mark Schickman helped us understand when supervisors must defer to HR. Today, when supervisor must stay out, plus an introduction to the “50×50” (50 Employment Laws in 50 States), the unique guide for employers with operations in more than one state. We want our supervisors to manage and participate, but there […]