Author: Stephen Bruce, PhD, PHR

It’s 9 A.M. Do You Know Where Your HR Records Are?

In the last Advisor, we covered issues surrounding electronic recordkeeping. Today, more principles plus how to get your questions answered at a timely BLR webinar on this increasingly relevant HR topic. Electronic recordkeeping is wonderful in many ways, but the pitfalls are varied and deep, as we saw in yesterday’s issue. To skirt those danger […]

Why Workers’ Comp Claim Forms Must Be Provided Promptly

A new case underscores the need for employers to bone up on the rules regarding when injured workers must be provided with a workers’ comp claim form. In the case, a California appeals court rejected an argument that David Carls, a sign painter for the Claremont Colleges in Southern California, should be denied workers’ compensation […]

‘Bank Loses Data on 4.5 Million Customers!’ Is Electronic HR Recordkeeping for You?

Electronic recordkeeping saves trees, office space, and maybe time, but security and retention issues come along with it. Let’s explore them. We all know the advantages of electronic recordkeeping. You get quick, simultaneous access in as many places as there are computers; you can search by keyword; and you have the capacity to manipulate data […]

Are You Clear on This Week’s Minimum Wage Changes, Exemptions, Independent Contractors?

Wage and hour questions should be simple, but every comp manager knows they’re not. What to do … especially when you have to depend on low-level supervisors to manage things? First, let’s finish explaining the minimum wage change, then talk about how to keep comp in compliance. In yesterday’s Advisor, we covered states affected by […]

Can You Help Us Rewrite Our Dress Code?

We’re in the process of rewriting our employee handbook, and we want to modify our employee appearance policy. What do we need to consider? We want our employees to look professional, but we don’t want to get caught in a lawsuit. — Ronald W., San Jose

Software Police: Best Way to Curb Webslackers?

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady BLR CEO Bob Brady’s recent column, BlackBerry® at the Beach, covered excess business use of e-mail off the job. Today he covers the flip side: excess personal use on the job. In my recent column exploring off-the-job use of e-mail (“BlackBerry at the Beach”), I expressed concern that […]

7 Tips for Raising the Expectations–and Productivity–of Your Team Members

As we saw in Yesterday’s Advisor, when managers have high expectations for their employees and when employees have high expectations for themselves, great things—like high productivity and increased retention—can happen. Here are some tips to build those expectations. Top consultant Susan M. Heathfield, who serves as HR expert for the website about.com, suggests the following […]

Fighting Warm-Weather Dress Code Violations

It’s been a hot summer here in California—and in many workplaces, the rise in temperature has ushered in a rise in inappropriately dressed or scantily clad employees, which can lead to flirtatious behavior and even to a general decline in productivity and office professionalism. What can you do to keep dress code standards up when […]

Expectations: The Power of Pygmalion and Galatea in the Workplace

Managers’ expectations of their employees—often expressed in subtle ways—are key factors in how the employees perform and how long they stay, says today’s expert, Susan M. Heathfield. It’s called “the self-fulfilling prophecy.” If you have high expectations of your employees, they will change their behavior to meet those expectations, thus fulfilling the prophecy. And, of […]