Archive

Work is complex.  So are the lives of today’s workers. 

Employers understand that the 21^st century workplace requires a culture that encourages and supports flexibility. That’s why the smartest businesses have redefined where, when and how people do their best work.

"Who do you want next to you in court?"

Mobile is the next frontier when it comes to recruitment technologies. Our industries innovations follow in the footsteps of consumer and business industry trends. First, with data storage systems like the applicant tracking systems, and then cloud and SaaS based systems, and the use of social media as part of recruiting. Yes, mobile is the next frontier in the recruiting world, and slow yet steady progress is being made.

Did you know there are currently 1 billion gamers worldwide? And did you know that a 2012 Gallup survey revealed that 71 percent of U.S. workers are not engaged on the job? The connection between these two facts and the impact gaming can have on employee engagement and talent management were the subject of game designer and futurist Jane McGonigal’s April 16 keynote presentation at the Society for Human Resource Management’s 2013 Talent Management Conference & Exposition.

This should come as no surprise, but the HR department is crucial to the operations of any business. Identifying and onboarding the people responsible for delivering key objectives, keeping current employees engaged and working productively and ensuring all employees receive necessary training and development are just some of our more high profile functions. What is surprising, though, is how few HR professionals realize their value and their power to drive change.

Immigration reform is fully under way as the “Gang of Eight," a group of Republican and Democratic senators, introduced its bi-partisan immigration reform bill on April 18. Human resources professionals around the country are paying close attention as passage of the bill could profoundly affect their internal processes and overall talent management strategies.  

Christine Lahey wasn’t sure at first what the cryptic text she received on her cell phone around 3 p.m. on April 15, 2013, meant. The message read: “I’m safe. Turn on the news.”

The text came from a co-worker who was watching the end of the Boston Marathon near the offices of Liberty Mutual Insurance, where Lahey is vice president of employee relations and human resource services.

“I was at home and received this text within 10 minutes of the blast,” Lahey recalled. “I didn’t know up until that point that there had been an attack.”

I’ve discussed the issue of aging parents numerous times and am currently at the place in life where I’m starting to put a plan together to make sure that if and when something happens to either of my parents, the transition will be a smooth one. Whether an illness, an accident or perhaps my parents come to the point they can no longer take care of themselves, proactive preparedness is a much better approach than avoiding the inevitable.

One of the most interesting HR roles I’ve had was being the vice president of human resources for a global HR consulting firm. On one hand, it’s great to work with people who truly “get” your job – because they’ve been there themselves. On the other hand, everyone has an opinion about your job for the same reason – they’ve been there.

Dr. Jeff Pon is in the exact same situation.

On April 17, @weknownext chatted with Donna Rogers (@DonnaRogersHR) about "The Extinction of Great Leaders."

In case you missed it, here are all the great tweets from the chat ...

On March 11, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published a final rule that will enable plan sponsors and insurers to calculate their liability under the transitional reinsurance fee provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

When an employee requires a period of leave because of a medical issue or disability, the situation is not always straightforward, and the best way to manage it is not always clear. Adding to the confusion is that employers face an ever-changing alphabet soup of federal and state laws and regulations, starting with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Access to voluntary and other ancillary or nontraditional benefits provided through the workplace varies greatly according to employer size, region and industry, highlighting the importance of using local benchmarking data in benefits planning, a new study finds.

For HR professionals, ensuring their company maintains compliance with all regulatory requirements is a key aspect of the job and necessary to avoid compliance issues and the resulting penalties. Yet, it is easy to get lost in all of the legal verbiage and numerous acronyms; keeping track of policies like FMLA, ADA, ADAAA, ENDA, FSLA, ADEA, IRCA, ERISA may have you asking: HUH?

No one likes to gamble on talent.  It’s expensive!  And in today’s super-competitive, skills-starved and ever-changing talent landscape, the odds are stacked against HR.  

In order to place the best bets on talent, it’s critical for HR pros to stay on top of talent management trends.  There are many avenues to find great information, and of course, we at SHRM think that our Talent Management Conference and Exposition is the best.  

When someone wrongs you, how do you react? Are you angry, vindictive, ready to pounce? For most of us, the answer is “it depends.” We’ll take a breath and then decide the best course of action.

However, when it comes to employees, we often forget to breathe first. We jump to the nearest set of policies and then comb through them to see what level of discipline needs to be metered out. It amazes me as an HR person that when employees slip up, the reaction is usually swift, harsh and doesn’t take anything into consideration – really.

There seems to be a reluctance to release the performance review handcuffs in the HR world. Let's be honest: we conduct performance reviews so that we have legally binding documentation in the event we need to fire someone.

That's that!

In reality, effective performance management requirements are directly in-line with Tom Chatfield's 7 Ways that Games Reward The Brain:

Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). And about 10,000 sudden cardiac arrests occur while victims are at work, according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) data.

Placing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in the workplace, along with providing a proper management system and training for employees on how to use the devices, can mean the difference between life and death, proponents argue.

Recently, employers such as Hearst Corp., "The Charlie Rose Show" and Fox Searchlight Pictures have been named for allegedly violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state labor laws by failing to pay interns who assumed significant work responsibilities. These cases should serve as a wake-up call to all employers that use unpaid interns.

A players, B players... green, yellow, and red.   Every organization has a system for rating their employees.  Right or wrong, these systems can affect employee engagement, productivity and retention. 

Although their journey to global HR and talent management roles took different paths, a panel of female executives recently reflected on common themes in their ascent: a solid foundation, a belief in oneself, authenticity, having mentors and setting work/life priorities.

Several said key factors in their rise were getting experience across different lines of the business and understanding the business.

On April 3, @weknownext chatted with Joey Price (@JVPSaid) about "HR, What's the ROI on your RBI?"

In case you missed it, here are all the great tweets from the chat ...

Recently, I was without a computer for a better part of two days. I had anticipated only being off-line for 30 minutes, as our IT department applied a few “enhancements” to my machine. Those minutes turned into days and my anxiety level rose. I experienced some depression-like feelings and I even tweeted about it. A friend texted me and ask if I was ok, and if I would please step back from the ledge.