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Archive
January 2014
With improved economic conditions come increases in staff turnover. As the market improves, HR professionals will be looking for new jobs of their own, according to the results of a new HR Jobs Pulse Survey, released Jan. 22, 2014, by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
In his 2014 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama announced he would instruct the U.S. Treasury to create a new kind of salary-deferral retirement savings vehicle, the "myRA," to give workers whose employers don't offer 401(k) plans a way to save for retirement.
On January 29, @WeKnowNext chatted with Brad Galin (@BradGalin) about Being Present.
In case you missed it, here are all the great tweets from the chat:
On January 28, President Obama delivered his fifth State of the Union Address from the Capitol. The SHRM Government Affairs team and the Council for Global Immigration hosted a live Twitter chat to engage HR professionals in a conversation about the President's legislative agenda and HR public policy issues in the current Congress.
Companies looking to pare health costs by requiring working spouses to get health insurance through their own employer may find the move has some unexpected consequences, according to a new study by the nonprofit Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI).
What does it take to be an effective leader in today’s workplaces? It’s a long list; however, one trait that will always appear at the top is being present. Leaders have to get out of their offices and walk around so that they get to know their employees, professionally and personally.
To express sincere interest in an employee’s livelihood and well-being shows care and compassion, which, in turn, builds trust. And trust encourages greater engagement and loyalty.
Shifty eyes? Crossed arms? Gaps in the resume?
To some, these things might signal that an employee or job applicant isn’t being entirely forthcoming. But detecting deception requires more than familiarity with body language or red flags on applications, HR experts say.
It’s January and all the posts about HR in 2014 are out. They discuss how we will change in 2014, what will be hot, what will fail and where we will be if we do not implement, adapt or conform to these new ideas. Some are the same ideas we have been discussing for years and others are truly revolutionary trends.
Confronting the growing burden of health care compliance documents
The California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) is taking aim at employers for wage theft. In the latest example of the division’s aggressive stance, it claimed Little Lopez Corporation, a janitorial services provider, owed wages to 41 current and former employees and, following an investigation, has issued citations to the company totaling $332,675.
Employers should always strictly follow a wage garnishment court order, even when the person is not employed or appears not to earn enough money.
On January 22, @weknownext chatted with special guest Nisha Raghavan (@TheHRBuddy) about the topic "Trust in the Workplace."
In case you missed it, here are all the great tweets from the chat:
Plaintiffs’ lawyers were falling over themselves last week in a race to the courthouse to sue Target as a result of its recent data breach. By at least one report, over 40 lawsuits have already been filed against Target, the first of which was filed the day after the breach became public.
"The surest way to make employees untrustworthy is to distrust them -- and to show it." - Henry Stimson
As a certified professional, I try to challenge myself when it comes to recertification. Each year, instead of doing the same types of activities, I try to complete at least one activity in each section. And I try to find new ways to obtain recertification credits. This year, my goal is to use the new SHRMStore Credit-Approved Book program.
The Future of the Human Resource Profession
Presenter: Anna Tavis, Ph.D., HR People & Strategy (HRPS)
January 28, 2014 - 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT
Program length: 60 minutes
When people were asked why they weren’t participating in their employer’s wellness program, most said they felt confident they could make changes on their own, according to new research from the nonprofit Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI).
Reality shows have always been a hit, controversial and yet entertaining! I don't deny the fact that some of them are BS, too!
But here is the one show that is focused on making an impact by helping the audience find a job, learn what is happening behind the veil of job interview, and that brings you the tricks and tactics of a recruiter and the fresh and latest of the recruitment industry! The one that has its fingers on the pulse of recruitment industry-Top Recruiter the Competition on TopRecruiter.tv
Just a few days after the federal government delayed online enrollment in federally run Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) marketplaces, California announced better news for small businesses that want to buy health insurance.
Six years ago, I left the world of technology sales to join the “employee recognition” industry. At the time, trophy manufacturers and fulfillment houses were giving prizes to people for their organizational tenure. Much in the way one receives a class ring, employees were rewarded a milestone award that was centric to their company brand. These mementos served as badges of honor to certain employees. Then technology took over.
Workplace wellness programs can significantly lower health care costs by helping workers to better manage chronic diseases. However, encouraging workers to adopt healthier lifestyles may not noticeably reduce an employer's health costs or lead to lower net savings for otherwise healthy individuals, according to a new Rand Corp.
On January 15, @weknownext chatted with special guest Emily Jasper (@EmilyJasper) about Creating Groundswells in HR.
In case you missed it, here are all the great tweets from the chat:
As employers struggle with decisions regarding how to insure their employees in the changing health care landscape, brokers are using newly accessible data to help employers assess their options.
What will challenge chief executive officers in 2014?
Human capital and how best to develop, manage, engage and retain talent were among the leading challenges cited in a new survey of executives from more than 1,000 companies worldwide.
We begin the New Year with strong motivation to build on our experiences and set out to rid ourselves of the shortcomings of the past. We aspire with greatness to set goals and romanticize our dreams for the coming 12 months. So often, we focus on overcoming our weaknesses or eliminating our bad habits – quit smoking, eat healthier, drink less, exercise more. We cherish dreams of greatness for the year ahead, hoping to be not only better, but to attain perfection by ridding ourselves of everything we do poorly.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provisions that took effect Jan. 1, 2014, require health care coverage for individual- and small-group markets on one of four levels—referred to as an essential health benefits package—bronze, silver, gold and platinum.
New protections for job applicants convicted of crimes, for employees who use medical marijuana and for workers’ private social media accounts are among the state laws that took effect in 2014.
- Employment law compliance
- Harassment training
- HR management
Much like a groundswell where a massive storm can create huge waves and a rise in the sea level, a groundswell among large groups of individuals -- using the power of technology and social media to connect -- can create a major surge in support, approval and enthusiasm to accomplish goals. Companies have started using groundswells to inspire consumers to rally around a cause -- and a brand. Procter & Gamble successfully created a groundswell around the Secret brand with their “Fearless” campaign.
In U.S. workplaces, men who speak at length are considered powerful.
In December 2013 the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released the 2013 Status of Telework in the Federal Government Report to Congress, which reviewed the implementation of the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010.
The research, literature and advice available for employers around the issue of workplace wellness initiatives is massive. Not only can one access reams of data that supports the benefits of implementing such programs but there are also a number of HR vendors (technology, service, and consultative) that can assist in management should your organization choose to focus on employee wellness.
Robust during the first half of 2013, hiring in the information technology and engineering sectors slowed down considerably in the last quarter of the year, according to data recently released by two trade groups. And Robert Half Technology’s most recent hiring forecast indicates the slowdown might continue into the new year.
I agree with leadership maven John Maxwell and others who have stated that that the key to leadership is influence. In my view, leadership is influence.
I have read a great deal about levels of leadership and level of influence. For this blog, however, I have divided influence, upon which leadership hinges, into three general categories:
First, there is influence based on positional authority. Get it done because I am your boss.
With all of the attention being paid to the public health insurance exchanges established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), it's easy to overlook the growth in private health insurance exchanges that has taken place in recent years.
It’s not what you know that can hurt you; it’s what you don’t know.
That adage is particularly appropriate today as Congress quietly considers an issue that could affect every American—yet few are aware of it.
While every conscientious HR professional has been working overtime to keep up with the evolving status of the Affordable Care Act, developments with immigration reform, and the implications of new workplace rules, something else has been happening behind closed doors on Capitol Hill.
As many companies are still in the midst of their planning for 2014, there are a number of factors that will impact the way they hire new talent and manage their employees. As the HR space is constantly changing, with new ideas and technologies constantly cropping up, organizations need to identify how the latest developments can improve their talent management processes and figure out how they can be integrated into their current systems.
Global professional services firm Mercer has produced surveys of multinational employers showing that most intend to increase the number of employees they send on both long-term and short-term global assignments over the next two years. While some employers have large, mature mobility programs with hundreds of expatriates in dozens of countries, others have small, newer programs.
- Costs more than 9.5 percent of the employee's W-2 wages, or
- Doesn’t cover an average of 60 percent of the employee's medical expenses.
Demand keeps compensation competitive; experience is a plus.
The new year can present an uncomfortable task for HR managers, who may find themselves having to say the following to underperforming employees: “Happy holidays; you’re doing a terrible job.”