Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Dan Oswald Love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny that Donald Trump has communicated differently than any other U.S. presidential candidate, president-elect, and now president. And his communication style has been analyzed, criticized, and commended. Everyone seems to have an opinion about his approach to communication, but there certainly isn’t agreement on […]
Oswald, CEO of BLR, offered seven lessons for better managers from Alabama coach Nick Saban in a recent edition of The Oswald Letter. In the end, people are people. Successful strategies to manage, mold, and motivate them are consistent across the playing field and the workplace. If you want to learn how to manage from […]
Many organizations don’t have an engagement issue; they have a HIRING issue. Does this sound like your organization?
In the past year, Zappos received about 31,000 applications, and only hired about 1.5% of the applicants. This prevented the company’s small recruiting team from “working in a purposeful way,” according to Mike Bailen, senior HR manager. Thus, the onus here will really be on the candidate to make him or herself stand out from […]
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed rule greatly expanding the number of workers eligible for overtime pay has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, a necessary step before the rule can be finalized. The new rule is expected to make nearly five million workers lose their exempt status […]
Mix-ups with leave-related paperwork can bring on expensive headaches, as one employer recently discovered. Sam Duty, a mechanic and welder at Norton-Alcoa Proppants, injured his neck at work and took seven months of medical leave. But eventually a dispute erupted when it turned out that an error in the company’s FMLA paperwork gave Duty more […]
Question: When crafting a severance agreement, should you follow the guidelines of the state the employee resides/works in or the state where the company is incorporated? Answer: Before addressing the specific question about which state’s laws would apply for the enforcement or consideration of a severance agreement, let’s address the importance of such agreements in the […]
A consultant whose opinion we respect—Bill Lee of Lee Resources, at BillLeeOnline.com—recommends a book he thinks is the best manager-improvement product he’s come across. It is The Control Theory Manager, by William Glasser, M.D. (HarperBusiness, 1994), and it’s short enough to be covered in an hour-long training session. The author contrasts what he calls “boss-management,” […]
Employers often use job applications to seek information about candidates’ conviction records. Criminal background checks are often performed before hiring an employee. The reasons for seeking the information seem obvious, but unfortunately, how the information can be used is not.
Go here for numbers 1 to 6 of Price’s phrases to avoid. Price (www.wellsaid.com) is the author of the book Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results. 7. AVOID: “… don’t you think?” and “… isn’t it?” and “… OK?” To convey a confident, commanding presence, eliminate validation questions. Make your statement or recommendation […]