Archives

hours

Unlimited Vacation: Worker Exploitation or Dream Benefit?

The term “unlimited vacation policy” is almost a Rorschach test. Is it a marketing slogan for a system to exploit workers, or is it an attractive benefit that recognizes the changing nature of many workplaces?

Vaccine

Tips for Fine-Tuning Workplace Vaccination Policies During Pandemic

With colder weather beginning to creep in, many employers are looking at their influenza vaccination policies with fresh eyes. COVID-19 and the seasonal flu share common symptoms, which can complicate your efforts to prevent their spread. With the nation’s healthcare system already stretched thin because of the coronavirus crisis, a potential flu outbreak could cause […]

locus

Internal vs. External ‘Locus of Control’

One of the few guarantees in business, as with life, is that there will always be roadblocks, obstacles, stumbles, and setbacks. Plans don’t always work out as expected, goals aren’t always reached, and the competition sometimes prevails.

gender

COVID-19 Has Compromised Gender Inequality—Now, Organizations Must Stem the Tide

There is no question that COVID-19 will go down in history as a preeminent event that completely disrupted corporate culture. The moment the “shelter in place” ordinances took hold in spring 2020, the workplace as we knew it disappeared, and our homes became the bedrock of, well, everything, including office and classroom space.

Masks

To Wear, or Not to Wear: Managers’ Compliance With Face-Covering Mandates

Most managers are committed to the success of their organizations, employees, customers, and communities. They work hard to provide safe and healthful workplaces. They give their best efforts to manage in good-faith compliance with the myriad of federal, state, and local laws applicable to their organizations. They are generally mission critical to protecting their organizations […]

employer

Continuing Pandemic Blurring the Line Between Furloughs, Layoffs

Back in the spring when businesses across the country first fell victim to COVID-19, many employers chose to furlough workers temporarily rather than lay them off permanently. But now, with the pandemic dragging on, some furloughs are extending much longer than originally expected, triggering employer obligations under federal and state laws.

Feedback

Gathering and Using New Hire Onboarding Feedback

Onboarding new employees is one of the most critical functions of HR and training departments. Whatever their impressions, insights, or knowledge of the hiring company before their start dates, new employees’ onboarding is their first in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at how the company operates—its culture, internal tools, processes, etc.