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absenteeism

The Vicious Cycle of Absenteeism and Employee Engagement

Even for very large companies, absenteeism among employees can be a big deal. But, for smaller organizations, where there are fewer people in a given position—perhaps only one person in a certain position—absenteeism can have a significant impact on productivity and customer service.

mother

Would More Favorable Parental Leave Laws Help Boost Workforce Participation?

We hear a lot in the news these days about the historically low unemployment rate, but one figure we don’t hear about nearly as much is the labor force participation rate—the ratio between the size of the labor force and the size of the overall population for that age group, often grouped by cohort (i.e., […]

An Employee Perspective on Workplace Trends

New research from Paychex sought to learn what employees, not employers, have to say about what shapes an organization. The research offers a useful perspective for any HR professional or recruiter that wonders what jobseekers are looking for when it comes to certain employment trends like benefits and retirement, pay equity, ghosting, and more.

How to Extract Greater Value from Your Business Teams

A study published by Gallup found a direct correlation between employee engagement and company revenues. According to their report, actively disengaged employees cost American businesses anywhere between $450 to $550 billion in revenues each year. Increasing engagement contributes to greater productivity which, in turn, contributes to higher revenues.

Why Can’t I Wear My Nikes?

Recently, a friend called me wondering if her employer could ban Nike apparel at work following the Colin Kaepernick “Just Do It” ad campaign controversy. In the midst of this much politicized time, a photo of a sign outside an unknown employer’s business informing employees of its new zero-tolerance policy banning any Nike apparel from […]

training

6 Reasons Why Training Employees Is Worth the Investment

Training your staff: It’s good for workers, and it’s good for employers, too. It’s easy for businesses to get sucked into the perceived reasons why they shouldn’t be providing training to their employees, such as the cost to the business and the time it takes out of regular working hours.

raise

Weak Reasons to Ask for a Raise

It’s not uncommon for employees to feel that they are undervalued and, consequently, underpaid. But, while some employees seem adept at building the case for a pay raise, others struggle to do the same, continuing to feel frustrated and sometimes even choosing to leave the organization in search of better pay. It may be that […]

E-Verify: What Employers Should Know Before Enrolling

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased employers’ Form I-9 audits by 60% in the current fiscal year. Consequently, many employers are considering enrolling in E-Verify, which could assist them in verifying their new employees’ employability and decrease the risk of an audit. You should involve legal counsel in the decision-making process, however, because […]

pay

How to Implement a Hierarchical Pay Raise Strategy

In two previous posts, we’ve been discussing the need for, and the merits of, implementing a hierarchical pay raise structure as opposed to a more or less flat structure whereby all employees generally receive about the same pay increase.