Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Maybe you’ve started to notice it at local businesses you frequent. The cashier at the supermarket looks unkempt. The new receptionist at the salon has no customer service skills. You thank the waiter for bringing the check, but he doesn’t thank you.
by Jackie VanDerMeulen Organizations’ use of independent contractors (often also referred to as consultants) as opposed to actual employees has grown significantly over the years. This trend comes as no surprise in a changing economy where particular skill sets are required at specific times and where flexibility is a key driver of success. In some […]
Summer is near, and with it comes additional workplace hazards, especially for employees who work outdoors in the California sun. High heat and bright sun create special risks—including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and sun-related skin damage—for outdoor workers. Certain insect-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus are more prevalent in the summer […]
The Massachusetts attorney general has announced a “safe harbor” provision that may provide relief to at least some employers covered by the state’s new earned sick time law. The law, which voters approved in the November 4, 2014, election, takes effect on July 1, but the safe harbor gives some employers until January 1, 2016, […]
BLR® recently asked Dr. John Sullivan—professor, author, corporate speaker, and advisor—about employment branding best practices. Let’s take a look at some of his information.
One way to afford the expense of providing financial training, says Liz Davidson, CEO of Financial Finesse, Inc. (www.financialfinesse.com) is to use your 401(k) plan’s ERISA account. This account is sometimes used to pay for plan expenses and sometimes refunded to participants. As long as the financial education is targeted toward retirement, using the ERISA […]
“Should employers be allowed to screen job candidates based on their online behavior even if their actions are not pertinent to t he listed job?” That was the query today from Washington Post financial columnist Michelle Singletary. For human resources (HR) staff, this is not a theoretical question; it’s a very real struggle. The brave […]
Focus on your culture, and the profits will follow, says Zappos’ CEO and author of Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose, Tony Hsieh. And the culture at Zappos is all about customer service. The company, known primarily for its Internet shoe business, does very little advertising, Hsieh says; instead, it counts […]
by Mark I. Schickman In all of the attention recently given to Harvey Weinstein and his ilk, the focus has been on personalities and far too little of it on the systemic problem of ubiquitous sexual harassment. The discussion has been centered on punishment, with far too little said about the cure. Weinstein himself presents […]
Yesterday’s Advisor presented psychologist Bruce Christopher’s tips for dealing with the challenging personalities, or “Godzillas,” that you may occasionally face in the workplace. Today, we have three scenarios that illustrate Christopher’s “Surprise Effect” technique for dealing with difficult people.