Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Although most employers at least have an employment handbook, few companies treat it as a priority item. That’s a shame because a handbook presents a wonderful opportunity to communicate with your workforce about your organization’s philosophy, mission, and culture. Companies like Netflix and Nordstrom have demonstrated that handbooks can be effective without being dry and […]
by Dan Oswald What makes a great leader? That question has spurned endless debate and discussion for centuries. In business, we strive to identify those with strong leadership skills and put them in positions where they can lead others. I was a having a conversation about leadership with a business colleague the other day. At […]
by Stephen Acker and Christopher Ferguson Letters of reference are understandably important to employees. For many employees, they are considered essential rather than a hopeful add-on to an application. A glowing letter of reference from a trusted source can sometimes tip the balance and lead to a hire. A bad or withheld letter, or one […]
Things are happening, and they portend an explosion of benefits litigation. Yes, this once-sleepy corner of the employment law forest is buzzing with news, and it came on March 1 from our very own U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas—in an en banc decision, which means all the appeals court […]
The gig economy is beginning to take over the modern-day workforce. Over half of U.S.-based businesses already rely on freelance workers or contractors, and most Millennials and members of Generation Z desire flexible or remote work arrangements.
In 2015, I changed my job title from Chief Executive Officer to Chief Eudaimonia Officer. I hypothesized that cultivating eudaimonia—the ancient Greek word indicating “human flourishing”—would make Widen one of the world’s best places to work.
If you offer a 401(k) for employees, you may have noticed that not nearly all employees who qualify for it have signed up for it. This can be perplexing for employers. After all, this is a benefit to help employees, and it typically reduces their tax burden while helping them save. Yet many employees don’t […]
Fast-growth companies face a range of obstacles with the potential to slow or even halt their expansion strategies. Among the most difficult is the ability to hire talent where and when it’s needed; without this, businesses can never hope to reach their full potential, particularly on the international stage. The availability of experienced people in […]
We have a team member who is currently on an intermittent leave certified at up to 12 days per month. Her scheduled hours are Monday through Friday, 8 hours per day. She misses her maximum amount of days every month. Is there some sort of threshold that we can refer to when it comes to […]
Paid maternity and family leave has been championed as the next big leap for the U.S.’s workforce, but it’s not the only place we should seek progress. Shockingly, one out of every four employees in the U.S. doesn’t have paid sick leave—a fact that reveals problems that are not being adequately addressed. Taking a sick […]