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mergers

Surviving Mergers and Acquisitions: A 5-Point Plan for HR

by Tim Hird, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity has been high in recent years. Global mergers in 2015 had a combined value of more than $4 trillion, The Wall Street Journal reported, and 2016 saw a number of deals between large companies.

positive

Creating a More Positive Work Environment

Employers know that a negative working environment can quickly snowball and become unmanageable. It can impact not just morale but also eventually productivity and turnover, leading to escalating costs and problems.

The 3 essential behaviors I look for in my team members

by Dan Oswald A few weeks ago, our company held its annual strategic planning session. In a meeting of our executive team, a consultant we work with shared an insight that I want to pass along. What did he say that I found so profound? He told us that successful leaders “make it clear which […]

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 […]

productivity

How to Deal with a Toxic Job

A toxic job. It’s one where people are assigned more work than they can accomplish, micro-managed about how to get the work done, and surrounded by people who don’t have their back. Also known as the “toxic triad,” this combination of high demand, low control, and low social support leads to increased likelihood of depression, burnout, stress, sleep disturbances, and absenteeism.

Navigating Delayed Start Dates: Balancing Employee Needs and Organizational Priorities

When a job applicant makes it through the application and interview process and ultimately accepts a job offer from a new employer, there’s plenty of excitement on both sides of the equation. The culmination of this process represents a new beginning for both employer and employee. But, in most cases, that employee is also reaching […]

Never Put These in a Job Description

Essential job elements … exposure to physical hazards … pay grade … the list of what should be in a job description is long. But what should you keep OUT of job descriptions? Here’s a checklist taken from BLR’s popular Job Descriptions Encyclopedia. How many of these “no-no’s” will you find in your job descriptions? […]

behavior

Do It Like Google: Guidelines on Workplace Behavior

Here in Delaware, most employers are in the midst of a mad dash to get all employees trained on sexual harassment prevention—consistent with House Bill 360—before the deadline for compliance on December 31, 2019. One of the best lessons to incorporate in that training is what topics are and are not appropriate for the workplace. […]

terminate

Is Social Awkwardness a Valid Reason to Terminate an Employee?

When it comes to uncomfortable situations, some people gravitate more toward the “awkward turtle” end of the spectrum than the “social butterfly.” When an ill-timed joke costs an employee her job, however, is she entitled to unemployment benefits?

PTO vs. Traditional: Plusses and Pitfalls

PTO plans, which eliminate distinctions between types of leave, do relieve HR of an administrative burden and the dreaded role of “absence police,” but there are some drawbacks, says attorney John Hagan. Absences, like terminations, can be voluntary or involuntary; however, unlike terminations the distinction between voluntary and involuntary absences is not typically determined by […]