Archives

Scaling Your Business: Key Strategies for Effective Growth

Embarking on a business expansion journey demands strategic planning and a robust understanding of your marketplace. As you scale your business, it’s crucial to integrate a multifaceted approach that enhances your operational capabilities and fortifies your market position. This article explores essential strategies to help you manage growth effectively, ensuring your expansion efforts are both […]

Supervisor’s Instagram Triggers Hostile Work Environment Lawsuit

Once upon a time, the employee’s workplace was entirely separate from their private life. No more. The two now bleed together, resulting in legal trouble for employers. Male Manager Targets a Female Colleague Lindsay Okonowsky worked as the sole staff psychologist at a federal prison on the West Coast. Lieutenant Steven Hellman supervised the prison […]

A Surprising RTO Advocate: Zoom

It’s easy to look at the widespread and COVID-driven shift to remote work and the subsequent, post-COVID return-to-office (RTO) efforts by employers as a battle with clear divisions among key stakeholders. Employers want the perceived boost in productivity and greater collaboration that comes with on-site work. Employees want the flexibility and freedom that comes with […]

Skills Over Degrees: A 3-Step Guide to Implementing Skills-Based Hiring

In today’s competitive labor market, attracting and retaining skilled workers has become a critical operational challenge. According to McKinsey research, a staggering 87% of companies are either currently experiencing a skills gap or expect to face one soon.   The growing demand for skills and workforce agility is magnified by the transformative shifts brought on by […]

Ask the Expert: When Can Employers Withhold a Sign-On Bonus?

Question: We gave a $5,000 sign-on bonus to a new hire who has been a no-show for numerous days, and we haven’t been able to contact them. Can we withhold and/or deduct from this employee’s final paycheck to recoup some of the sign-on bonus? Answer: Most likely, no. Unless the employee signed an agreement giving you […]

Motivating the Next Generation of Workers

Different generations have long experienced conflict and tension in the workplace. Younger workers often feel their older colleagues are set in their ways and resistant to change, while older workers feel their younger colleagues don’t respect established norms or the valuable experience of more senior staff. While this tension is often low-grade and relatively harmless, […]

Faces of HR: How Michael Shamblen is Building a Strong Foundation at T&T Construction

Michael Shamblen, the Director of Human Resources at T&T Construction Management Group, is a seasoned human resources (HR) professional with a passion for building high-performing teams. With over 26 years of experience in business administration, including 17 years in HR, Shamblen has played a pivotal role in the company’s growth and success. T&T Construction Management […]

rape

The Ninth Circuit Clarifies Employers’ Obligations When Addressing Social Media Posts Affecting Workplace

A recent Ninth Circuit decision clarifies employers’ obligations to address hostile work environment complaints arising out of employees’ off-premises social media activity. In Okonowsky v. Garland, the Ninth Circuit overturned a Title VII sexually hostile environment summary judgment ruling, finding that the court had erred by considering only some of the evidence and by applying incorrect […]

Case Study: Employer’s Caution Wins Lawsuit

One of the hardest things for employers is being accused of wrongdoing and, rather than reacting defensively, flipping it to their advantage. For an example of how to do so, let’s look to the University of Houston (UH) and how it handled a discrimination complaint from a disappointed professorship applicant. Professors Squabbling Kate Kingsbury applied […]

Beetlejuice: The Horrors of Workplace Romances and Unconscionable Contracts

Spooky season is nearly upon us, appropriately heralded in by the much-anticipated sequel to the original Beetlejuice film from 1988. The latest film, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, welcomes back fan favorites Michael Keaton as the titular character Betelgeuse, Winona Ryder as former goth princess Lydia Deetz, and Catherine O’Hara as everyone’s favorite stepmother, Delia Deetz.  It also adds […]