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A New Management Mindset: 6 Keys for Greater Staffing Stability

Let’s survey your current staff! How many people in your organization have been there 10+ years, are deep-rooted and likely aren’t going anywhere until retirement? We’ll call these staff “trees.”  And how many people haven’t been there long, and their position will likely turn over multiple times in the next few years? We’ll call these […]

People Are People, Not Human Resources

Oswald, CEO of BLR®, offered his thoughts on leadership and people in a recent edition of The Oswald Letter. Elvis—only his first name is necessary—is still the second best-selling artist of all time (only behind The Beatles), and he’s been dead for more than 35 years! Somehow we elevate these people to godlike status, but […]

OFCCP Demands Detailed Compensation Analysis in Virtually

Remember, says Desmond, who is a partner in the New Orleans office of national employment law firm Jackson Lewis, OFCCP (Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs) does not enforce a law but an executive order. So, if you don’t want to do business with the government, you don’t have to comply. Desmond’s comments came at […]

Hurricanes, Tornados, and Wildfires: Who Gets Paid When You Close?

If a company opens two hours late because of a snowstorm, should an employer pay employees who show up earlier because they didn’t hear the announcement? What time does the workday end when employees are given the option to go home because an incident such as a gas leak forces evacuation of the building? What […]

4 Ways HR Can Build Trust With Employees 

“HR isn’t your friend.”  “You can’t trust HR.”  “Where is the HR for HR?”  Just look at any post with the tag “#HR” and you’ll see mountains of comments like these from employees and industry experts alike.   Let’s face it: HR’s reputation has been on shaky ground for a while. Some have tried to […]

When Is a Discrimination Complaint against a Manager an Act of Harassment?

What if a manager accused of unlawful discrimination based on employees’ religion asserts that the complaint itself is an act of harassment? You owe duties all around, and you may not be able to perform one duty without risking a violation of the other. See how one employer successfully avoided that minefield.

How the Wizard of Oz Can Help Us Be Better Managers

Here’s what Oswald said: Recently, an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz was released. If you’re like me, you grew up watching the 1939 classic. The new film got me thinking about those wonderful characters created by L. Frank Baum. There’s the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and, of course, Dorothy. Each one […]

You Can’t Change Who You Are by Flipping a Switch

You are who you are. I’m in my 50th year. I am who I am. If I were to take a personality test, it would tell me largely the same thing it would have told me 10 or even 20 years ago. Sure, things happen in our lives that can cause our personalities to change […]