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Women Mentoring Women

Thomasina Tafur, a former FedEx senior manager who is now the president of Thomasina Tafur Consulting (www.thomasinatafur.com), which offers HR executives advice on positioning females for leadership roles, offers these tips for you to consider when offering a women mentor program: Conduct a needs assessment. Determine what upper management expects from the mentor program and […]

Have You Considered a Mentoring Program for Women?

Men generally do a “fantastic job” of helping their male colleagues move up the corporate ladder, but women typically do not, says Thomasina Tafur, a former FedEx senior manager who is now a consultant to HR executives on positioning females for leadership roles. “I don’t think it’s deliberate or malicious,” says Tafur, president of Thomasina […]

Assessing the indirect costs of employee turnover

It’s no surprise that employee turnover involves a huge cost to any organization. But what is frightening is that the number may even be underestimated. Organizations routinely fail to include the “soft” costs of employees. Things like the value of relationships and the level of productivity compared to other employees could push the cost of […]

Does the ADA cover employees with depression?

“Major depression is one of the most common conditions in this country. Estimates are 10 percent of men and up to 25 percent of women will have at least one episode of major depression over their lifespan. That involves depressed mood, lack of interest, lack of enjoyment in usual activities, and a variety of other […]

Changing times bringing more demand for workplace flexibility

by Tammy Binford Certainly, the workplace has seen dramatic change in recent years. Changes brought on by economic turmoil, technological advances, and new thinking about traditional employer-employee roles have made the workplace a much different place than it was just a decade ago. Leading the way in this new world of work is the concept […]

National Mentoring Month: mentoring benefits company, employee, and community

HR professionals know that mentoring programs that pair an experienced colleague with a new employee can benefit a company by creating bonds, fostering knowledge sharing, and building confidence. Similarly, mentoring programs that pair adults with adolescents  create a unique supportive relationship that allows the mentor to offer guidance gained through years of experience.  January is […]

Five Questions for Big-Picture Managers in 2013

As we kick off 2013, it’s a great time to take a step back as a manager and assess your situation, says business and leadership blogger Dan Oswald, and he’s got five questions that will force you to do just that. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day activities of managing and […]

Feds Propose Varying FTE Definition by Industry in Reform’s Play-or-Pay Rules

Federal agencies will accept alternate definitions of full-time employee for purposes of health reform’s play-or-pay mandate, to allow for industry-specific labor norms and seasonal workers. Some business owners and workers requested special methods of calculating hours for employees: (1) whose compensation is not based on hours, such as salespeople on commission; and (2) whose work […]

No immediate effects expected because of Solis resignation

U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced on January 9 she will step down, but no signs of immediate change to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) policy or pending audits are apparent. President Barack Obama praised Solis’ term as DOL leader but named no possible successor. “Over her long career in public service—as an […]

Keeping Your Workplace Safe: Medical Marijuana Policy Considerations

Is it possible to craft a medical marijuana policy that keeps everyone safe yet is non-discriminatory? This is a central concern for employers as more and more states allow legal medical marijuana use. Employers want to keep a safe working environment, free from concerns of impaired individuals in safety-sensitive positions. However, where is the line […]