Just about every place you go, everywhere you turn, people are tapping on their smartphones. And as the devices get more sophisticated, the legal issues surrounding them are getting more complicated.
Businesses are grappling with all of these issues in the workplace. With their electronic devices, workers can record discussions in the office, or take pictures or videos of co-workers.
This week on HR Cinema, we’re going to look at one of my personal favorite movies from the 80s (possibly because TNT and USA played it 4 times a day when I was at a very impressionable age), Road House starring the one and only Patrick Swayze. Just in case you missed this fantastic example of 80s cinema, here’s the IMDB summary:
Pretty much every article or analysis of the drivers or pre-requisites for consistent high performance in an organization eventually mentions the concept of 'top talent.'
In today’s uncertain business environment, change represents the biggest constant. Competitive forces, technological innovations, shifting regulatory climates and economic volatility continue to increase the pace at which our world evolves. To survive and thrive, organizations must stay vigilant to market shifts and continuously plan for and adapt to new conditions.
On May 28, SHRM @weknownext chatted with Matt Charney (@mattcharney) about "Storytelling for HR and Recruiting."
In his webinar titled “How to Tell Your HR & Recruiting Story With Killer Content,” Matt Charney advises HR and recruiters on the importance of telling an organization’s story to attract talent and building a business case that supports the brand. Charney emphasizes that, “What differentiates outstanding and engaging content is that it has a narrative, a clear voice and relevance to the audience.”
Every story begins “Once upon a time…”
That's right folks. It's time for another edition of "Fact or Fiction" a/k/a "Quick Answers to Quick Questions" a/k/a QATQQ f/k/a "I don't feel like writing a long blog post."
Try this one for size, folks.
Recently the U.S. Senate blocked the Paycheck Fairness Act for the third time and denied open debate of the bill. With Congressional and presidential approval of this initiative, men and women would have been entitled to equal pay for equal performance in the workplace.
As it stands, it’s going to take more than an act of Congress to make equality in the workplace happen. The challenge is much bigger than pay alone.
May is Mental Health Awareness month. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.
NEW YORK—As companies expand globally, communications officers and human resource professionals should play a key role in driving employee engagement and establishing principles necessary for an organization to responsibly achieve its goals. Clear and consistent communication from leaders—especially HR—to employees is necessary to create that ethical culture in the workplace.
Plaintiffs’ class-action attorneys have targeted unpaid internships in recent years, such as in litigation involving interns at Harper’s Bazaar magazine and on the set of the movie “Black Swan.” And other plaintiffs’ attorneys have followed suit.
Memorial Day weekend is many things…To my incredibly wonderful six-year-old, it’s “the time all the things open up that were closed all winter, like the pool.” Memorial Day is certainly a time for family and friends. As a veteran, Memorial Day is also a time of personal reflection- a time to remember those who we’ve served with and lost along the way. I also believe it’s a time to re-dedicate ourselves to a mission- a commitment that honors those sacrifices. While I no longer serve in uniform, I hope to have the opportunity to support those who do. And that’s the reason I’m honored to
What did you wear to work today? The answer is most likely “business casual” or “casual,” since more and more employers are accepting a casual dress code in the workplace. But with summer right around the corner, it is a good time to remind employees about what constitutes appropriate work wear and what does not.
Ambiguity in settlement agreements can sabotage finality and certainty as a recent California decision shows. Where a settlement agreement is silent regarding litigation costs, an employee can obtain mandatory costs as the prevailing party under state law because the settlement proceeds constitute the required “net monetary recovery,” the California Court of Appeal ruled.
It's official, the Society of Human Resource Management is in the certification business. The recent announcement has sent shock waves through the human resources community. HR professionals are, in equal parts, confused and excited over what was and what will be their future employment qualifiers.
Hank Jackson has delivered a bold message:
"Certification should amplify an applicable professional skill set. It should not include memorization and regurgitation for the sake of qualification."
In case you can’t tell yet by my movie selection so far, I’m a little bit of a nerd. And today is no different, because we’re going to talk about Iron Man. Iron Man marked Marvel’s first foray into making movies, instead of just comic books. The movie was an unbelievable success, spawning 2 sequels, a number of other Marvel comic character movies and the billion dollar Avengers movie. For those of you who have trouble remembering back to 2008, here’s the IMDB summary:
Our HR Twitter advocate, Steve Browne, was still on a high after being the guest host for #Nextchat this week. He wants to encourage other HR pros to get on Twitter and participate in various chats like #NextChat.
It took an overcrowded office and the Great Recession to prompt Chris Dyer to open a virtual office and shut the door on the brick-and-mortar workspace when his lease ended in 2008.
It was a drastic move for the CEO and founder of peopleG2, a provider of background screenings. However, it brought the change in culture Dyer sought, with more transparency, better performance and an initial savings of $5,000-$8,000 per month. Today, all but three of 24 staffers telecommute every day at peopleG2.
I often write about the pitfalls and perils of the job search and today’s post will be another in that series. With the full bloom of spring we all have a number of things we do in preparation for the onset of this wonderful time of year. Your job search and the methods and strategies you employ should be the same.
When I think of spring cleaning I often use the phrases listed below:
On May 21, SHRM @weknownext chatted with Steve Browne (@sbrownehr) about "The #SHRM14 Experience."
Sunday night's #MadMen was one of its very best. The cold war between Don and Peggy has thawed. After confiding in each other about their vulnerabilities, and also sharing some laughs, Don and Peggy danced tenderly together to Sinatra’s “My Way.” Somehow Don and Peggy are their best when they are their best with each other. Will they end up together?
But there was a subplot of importance involving the return of Bobby Benson. We meet Benson this season bailing out a GM executive, Bill Hartley, who had been arrested for coming on to an undercover [male] officer.
SHRM is known for producing some of the most informative and engaging conferences in the world and the SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition, that occurs in June, is on every HR professional’s bucket list.
The conversation usually starts out like this . . .
“You’ll never believe what just happened!! I have an employee who . . .”
Where in this country might a working mom find the most promising career opportunities?
Head to Washington, D.C., where a woman has a good shot at the same salaries and executive spots as a man, even if she does have to pay through the nose to keep her kids in day care.
And what state should she avoid?
Utah, where fewer than one-third of working women hold management jobs, the gender wage gap is among the largest in the nation, and the state has no women in congressional office.
Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting a #Nextchat on social media for SHRM @weknownext with my friend @Eric_B_Meyer. One of the issues touched upon during the chat was social media training.
I wanted to share some additional thoughts on SHRM’s development of an HR certification based on competencies.
First, this is personal for me. I am certified and have been for more than 15 years, and on January 1, 2015, I will be one of the first people to add the new SHRM certification to my list of credentials.
As Board Chair, let me briefly tell you why SHRM has moved forward with the development of this certification.
The 2014 SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition is fast approaching, and we have an amazing experience planned for you!
As thousands of attendees prepare to travel to Orlando on June 22, SHRM is working tirelessly to create a world-class conference experience.
If you’re in the human resources profession and you’ve never attended a SHRM Annual Conference, then it’s time to put it on your bucket list.
Employers in the U.S. are continuing to shift health coverage expenses to their workers in response to rising plan costs (growing at a slower rate but still handily outpacing overall inflation) and in an effort to avoid the high-value-plan “Cadillac tax” required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2018. 
I take my profession seriously. This, because, I am in the business of Human Relations. Somehow, some way, I lucked out and found the best job in the world. I am able to help people do their job better, to assist them in finding what is genuinely important, to help share their success, and to attach business results to all of it.
I have been a longtime advocate that HR professionals should be certified. As you know I am PHR certified through HRCI and a CCP and CBP through WorldatWork. Additionally, I have been long time SHRM Learning Systems Instructor having had tremendous success rate with more than 95% of my students passing on the first time out of the gate. My own personal frustration has been the next level of certification at the SPHR level. I have never been a test taker and for whatever reason have never done well.
The California Supreme Court heard oral arguments April 2, 2014, in an appeal brought by a former employee who claims the lower courts incorrectly determined that his disability discrimination claim was barred because he misappropriated someone else’s Social Security number to apply for the position.
Another one of Pixar’s gems, Monsters, Inc. may not necessarily strike you as a “workplace” movie, but it’s full of lessons for anyone paying attention, whether you’re nine or 90. So, what can Monsters, Inc. teach you about avoiding problems in the workplace?
The vacation request of an employee suffering from depression and anxiety did not qualify as a leave request under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), according to a recent decision of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. While the leave might have proven medically beneficial, the court found that it did not qualify for FMLA protection because the employee would not have been incapacitated for any period of the leave. Hurley v.
Nine out of 10 employers run criminal background screens on applicants as part of the hiring process, according to research from the Society for Human Resource Management. And the number of Americans who have a criminal history on file—about 30 percent, or 92 million people, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics—has increased exponentially in recent years.
So what happens when a job candidate’s background check reveals a criminal record?
On May 14, SHRM @weknownext chatted with Matt Stollak (@akabruno) about "Transitioning to a Career in HR."
In case you missed it, here are all the great tweets from the chat:
Microsoft: Bring out your dead…. Bring out your dead!
Windows 8: Here’s one!
Windows XP: I’m not dead yet!
Windows 8: Well, can you hang around for a couple of minutes? He won't be long.
Windows XP: I feel fine, I feel happy, I feel happy!
(Inspired by Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
SHRM is committed to ensuring that the certification our members achieve is recognized as best in class and distinguishes them in and prepares them for today’s marketplace. Business is changing and employers are demanding that HR professionals adapt to that change.
It’s important that SHRM stay ahead of this trend for the profession and its members.
One of the best things about being an entrepreneur is the opportunity to craft your company culture. It’s also one of the hardest, because - let’s face it - you can’t dictate a culture. Ultimately, your company culture is going to be what people make it. But, as a leader, you ought to steer in the right direction.
Got ambition? An MBA? A fistful of references?
It may not matter. The No. 1 quality employers want in workers is “personality,” according to an international survey by the Sweden-based global learning institute Hyper Island.
In fact, 78 percent of the survey’s respondents ranked “personality” as the most desirable quality in a worker, and only 39 percent said an applicant’s “skill set” was most important.
The top challenge of the next three years for HR leadership across the globe centers on talent—finding it, motivating it and keeping it.
The 2014 Global Top Five Total Rewards Priorities Survey report conducted by Deloitte, the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists, and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans found talent shortages, combined with managing a multigenerational workforce, pointing to the need for more effective and adaptable talent strategies and rewards programs.
It's easy to underestimate the power of words. Many supervisors fail to appreciate the importance of the words used in a performance review or evaluation, corrective action, termination letter, or other employment-related document. But it can go beyond the obvious instances.
81% of employees report overall happiness with their work, unchanged from previous year
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — After enduring years of frozen wages or small pay increases, U.S. employees are now tying compensation to how happy they are at work, according to Job Satisfaction and Engagement: The Road to Economic Recovery, a research report released today by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
This survey examines organizations’ preferences for résumés, cover letters and interviews, and includes trend data and comparisons across organizational sizes and sectors.
Last week, I mentioned that I’ve begun work on a new framework for high-performance talent acquisition. In many ways, it’s the culmination of all of the work I’ve done in my role here at Brandon Hall Group – and beyond, as I’m drawing on years of experience in operations. The reason being, a framework captures all of the myriad pieces that comprise a mature and effective process and incorporates them into single, holistic model that drives desired outcomes.
Every company wants TALENT. But not every company is bestowed with the LEADERSHIP that unleashes talent’s power. Talent without leadership is as good as spitting into a gale-force wind.
The Obama administration announced updates to model notices that employers must provide to employees, informing workers of their eligibility to continue health care coverage through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).
Covered San Francisco Bay Area employers without an already-existing and compliant commuter benefits plan have until Sept. 30, 2014, to select at least one of four commuter benefit options, notify employees of how to take advantage of the benefits, and register with the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program (CBP).
For the uninitiated, yesterday was Star Wars Day (May the Fourth be with you), so I, like so many other Star Wars fans, spent part of my day watching Star Wars, specifically Episode IV: "A New Hope." I even managed to convert my 2 year-old daughter into a brand-new Star Wars fan.
There was an uptick among U.S. companies relocating employees in 2013, and a majority expects the volume to remain steady in 2014, according to the 47th Annual Atlas Corporate Relocation Surveyreleased April 28, 2014.
Last week I sat down at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and spoke with some of the students about what they need to know as they prepare to leave school and enter the real world.
On May 7, SHRM @weknownext chatted with Eric B. Meyer (@Eric_B_Meyer) and Jonathan Segal (@Jonathan_HR_Law) about social media in the workplace -- "Super-Social Edition - Is that Legal?"
In case you missed it, here are all the great tweets from the chat:
Lazy, entitled, demanding and disloyal. These are stereotypes commonly used to describe the millennial generation.
As a millennial myself, I was interested in attending the two concurrent sessions about the maligned generation at last week’s Talent Management Conference in Nashville, Tenn. During these sessions, I was curious to learn: What are employers’ biggest pain points with millennials? And what do people think millennials want?
Be prepared to explain your rationale for changing the incentive mix
Employers that offer them expect greater effort in return, study finds
Organizations often focus on the importance of teamwork. But rarely do set aside resources to invest in team training. Sure, they talk about teambuilding but that’s something different.
Dr. Eduardo Salas
Hiring activity in May will reach a four-year high in manufacturing and a three- year high in the service sector, according to the Society for Human Resource Management’s monthly Leading Indicators of National Employment® (LINE) Report, released today.
Social media is no longer cutting edge. It’s now a universal form of communication that’s woven into every aspect of our personal and professional lives.
Organizations use social media for everything from internal communication to sales and marketing, and are now concerned with creating sound strategies and policies to ensure competitiveness and prevent lawsuits.
