SHRM Blog

When we feel good about ourselves, our workplace performance and our career prospects, our work tends to thrive. That positive feeling is confidence. Although sometimes perceived as a fixed trait, confidence is actually a “soft,” or difficult-to-measure, skill that changes over time.

Indeed research reveals that employee confidence brings similar benefits as happiness, which evidence shows can boost workplace productivity. We recently polled 800 U.S. workers to find out more about career confidence right now.

With positive news about the job market, the stock market and the economy, it is...

I’m a child of the late ’60s and early ’70s. During my early childhood, I was raised by my grandparents because my mom was working after the untimely, early death of my father. Growing up on a farm in Luckey, Ohio was wonderful !! My brother and I had countless adventures that were mostly outdoors. You used your imagination to make your surroundings come to life. We watched very little television because our grandmother wanted us out from under her feet. When we did watch on their tiny black and white set, we watched PBS. Yes, PBS. Grandma made...

We all know that the initial purpose of Valentine’s Day was for individuals to express their love to those whom they love in a non-platonic way. I was tempted to say romantic, but I once had a manager deny there was any romantic relationship because “it was only sex.”

Over time, however, the meaning of Valentine’s Day has changed. Just look at cards to parents, grandparents, kids, etc. There is no sexual message.

Many employees acknowledge the day...

As a Human Resources leader for a couple decades, turned neutral workplace investigator and educator around sexual harassment and discrimination issues in the workplace, I have experienced first-hand the many practical challenges we all have around what we should do when we become aware of potential harassment or discrimination issues. Certainly, in wake of the #MeToo movement, the social, political and work environments we live and operate in have evolved. Whether you have had to deal with these issues or potentially face them in the future,...