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Alice is Smoking in the Dynamite Shack

Lott, one of SHRM’s most popular speakers, counsels employers on lawsuit avoidance from www.Hunterlott.com. Alice is Smoking in the Dynamite Shack Here’s the typical progressive discipline policy that I see, says Lott: “To insure that business is conducted properly and efficiently, you must conform to certain standards of attendance, conduct, work performance and other work […]

Who’s More Likely to Take a Vacation?

By Kyle Emshwiller Who’s more likely to plan a vacation, you or your boss? According to a recent survey, it’s your boss who is more likely to put up an “out-of-office” message. According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, 81 percent of managers have taken or plan to take vacation this year, compared to 65 percent […]

The Boss Is on Holiday: Do Not Disturb

By Kyle Emshwiller Are you having a hard time getting a response from your vacationing boss? Don’t take it personally. According to a recent survey, 51 percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) said they do not check in with the office at all while on vacation. That’s nearly double the response to a similar poll […]

HR, the People Who Keep Me from Doing What I Want to Do

Special from Atlanta–SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition When people ask Hunter “Please Sue Me” Lott what he does for a living, he usually says he sells insurance.. “If I say, ‘I help companies stay out of court,’ they ask, ‘Are you a lawyer.’” “No, I’m HR,” I say. “That’s worse,” they say; “HR keeps me […]

Courts Split over FLSA Damages for Emotional Distress

Employees claiming FLSA retaliation may also seek compensation for emotional suffering. Although courts are divided over whether such damages are available, four federal circuit courts have ruled that the FLSA does permit such damages, and more federal district courts are adopting this view. These developments make it more important than ever that employers both pay […]

What Can Be Worse than Working?

By Elaine Quayle Can it be that going to work ain’t so bad? A survey of 1,000 adults by Consumer Reports found that people would rather go to work than do a number of other things—especially a boring summertime chore! Guess there weren’t too many landscapers taking this survey, because mowing the lawn ranked as […]

Free Curriculum Covers Soft Skills for Young Workers

“Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success” covers these topics: communication, networking, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking, and professionalism. “Dressing appropriately, showing up on time, and networking with co-workers are all crucial to finding and keeping a job,” said Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. […]

12 Tips to Engage Employees in Safety Training

Hold formal safety meetings on a regular basis. Supplement those meetings with brief, informal sessions. Keep meetings to a reasonable length. Plan well in advance and have an agenda for each meeting. Make sure you have full management support for training efforts. Bring in managers from other parts of the facility and outside experts to […]

Gamification Drives Engagement in Leadership Program

The DLA (www.deloitte.la) is a fully digital executive training program used by more than 10,000 senior executives at over 150 companies worldwide, including all Deloitte partners in Australia and the United Kingdom and some in the United States, Mexico, China, and Russia, says James Sanders, DLA manager. The self-paced program, which is offered both to […]

Variety of Techniques Gives New Spin to Refresher Safety Training

Varying your techniques during refresher training will keep learners engaged. Here are a few suggestions on how to accomplish this: Do a demonstration (e.g., demonstrate the effectiveness of a steel-toed shoe by dropping a weight on it). Incorporate real-life accident or near-miss stories. Have learners pair off and do an activity, such as a joint […]