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The Basics of Technology Competency for Employees

As technology continues to become more integrated into everyday life and work, companies are increasingly looking for employees who have a basic level of technology competency, meaning they understand how to use the tools they need to get their work done and understand the underlying technology and how it works. While the IT department should […]

We Subject Employees to Abuse Regardless of Gender, Race, or Age

A worker calls a coworker an “F”ing moron. Is it harassment? asks attorney Jonathan Segal. It’s probably not harassment as long as the name-caller is an equal opportunity name-caller, but is it appropriate? Most employers want to be an employer of choice, says Segal, and this is not the way to go about it. Segal, […]

Planned Merit/General Increases by Size and Industry: Survey Results

BLR’s 2012 Pay Budget Survey was conducted in June 2011. A total of 1637 organizations participated.  (For a complete copy of the Pay Budget Survey, including regional data, go here.) Here are more findings: Planned Increases by Company Size Small employers (those with fewer than 100 employees) and medium (between 100–500 employees) are planning the […]

FMLA: Termination Due to Restrictions During High-Risk Pregnancy

By Stephen W. Jones, JD The 8th Circuit—which covers Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota—recently held that presenting a doctor’s note to her employer entitled a pregnant employee to the protections of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the employer’s decision to fire her on the last day of […]

You’re Going to Ban Political Discussion? (Good Luck …)

In a BusinessWeek article, Bruce Weinstein, PhD., who calls himself “The Ethics Guy,” says that most political issues are by their nature highly divisive. At stake in this year’s presidential election, he adds, are such questions as these, all guaranteed to have the potential for controversy: Should abortion continue to be legal? Should same-sex marriage […]

Aligning Reality with the Ideal: Diversity Exec Working to Bridge Equity Gaps

When Ellen Bailey, Senior Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning, was growing up, she remembers her parents telling her, “You can be anything you want.” She took that to heart when she was a kid, but when she grew up and started looking at the statistics, she found out […]

Retaining Employees During and After a Merger or Acquisition

Keeping top talent during a merger or acquisition is arguably critical to the transaction and the future success of the new organization. Yet retaining employees during times of transition can be challenging. In today’s job market especially, staff members may be inclined to jump the corporate ship in search of calmer waters.

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Conducting Performance Evaluations from Afar: Best Practices for a Remote World

Now that many employees have been working from home for several months—and are likely to be doing so for some time—organizations need to consider how performance evaluations will be conducted remotely. It’s a new world for many employees and managers but one where performance still matters—perhaps more than ever.

Wage Growth Remains Moderate, Study Finds

A recent report from Mercer aimed to understand the state of salary budget increases for 2019 as well as projections for 2020. A comparison with the same report from previous years showed similar findings: low to moderate wage growth. I recently spoke with Mary Ann Sardone, U.S. Talent Solutions Leader at Mercer, to explain the […]

New Employee Benefit: Full-Time Life Coaches

Low employee engagement is a persistent and damaging problem. Experts have identified many causes of disengagement. Some of those causes include a lack of financial wellness, difficulty navigating mental and physical health issues, no clear professional development path, stress in the workplace, and stress at home, to name just a few. What do all of […]