Even stubborn organizations can change if HR professionals step up to be heard.
For more human resources stories, visit the HR Storytellers video archive.
Archive
October 2017
Suppose that your former employee files a Charge of Discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. After an investigation, the EEOC concludes that there is probable cause that your company violated one or more of the federal anti-discrimination laws that the agency is tasked with enforcing.
October 31, 2017
As the topic of tax reform continues to dominate the news cycle, don’t just pay attention to the hot topics like tax brackets, mortgage interest deduction and the AMT! There’s some potential changes on the horizon for employer-sponsored benefits and employers and employees alike are going to be affected.
October 31, 2017
By Rue Dooley
A-APPRAISE the customer’s need(s).
B-BEHAVE politely and professionally.
C-CARE about the person and their concern(s). Pretend if you must.
D-DOTE on them.
E-ENJOY the interaction as much as possible.
F-FAKE it if you must, but FLOW in friendliness.
G-GRIN! Yeah, I said it.
H-HEAR the customer. Humble yourself. Don’t assume you know.
I-INTERPRET their inquiry/observation/concern/praise/comment/etc. for what it’s intended to be.
J-JOKE. But be careful not to go too far #inappropriate
October 30, 2017
By Pat Castelli
My company typically hires interns, directly after graduation, from colleges all over the country. We hire technical degreed graduates, most with their Master’s degree, to work in a highly technical profession. The degree is required, and the skill sets they learn in college are the basis from which they are mentored into a licensed profession.
October 30, 2017
Young professionals are often stereotyped for being demanding, impatient and entitled, but one thing they cannot be labeled is afraid. In fact, they’re pretty much fearless. And this fearlessness is turning the workplace on its head and driving a lot of long-overdue change.
Case in point: sexual harassment.
October 30, 2017
October 28, 2017
Q: After reading about all of the sexual harassment by celebrities in the news and learning that their company’s management and HR departments were aware of the problem and did nothing, why should anyone bother to go to HR?
October 28, 2017
By Tony Zamora
Let’s take a trip down elementary geography lane for a second. The triangle is considered the most stable shape which is why it’s so commonly used around us – from bridges, camera tri-pods and bicycles – triangles provide the stability and support in many things around us.
October 27, 2017
SHRM Connect is an online community where SHRM members can ask questions and get answers on a variety of HR topics. It’s a great place to network with other HR professionals and share solutions.
The conversation topics range from “HR Department of One” to Employment Law, are always insightful, and deal with some of the most pressing issues that HR professionals face in the workplace today.
October 27, 2017
The 2017 SHRM Diversity & Inclusion Conference & Expo in San Francisco was without a doubt an amazing experience that I will never forget. SHRM posted my first blog about the conference on October 24. This is my second blog about the conference.
October 26, 2017
It’s been nearly 40 years since employers first were able to offer tax-free education assistance for undergraduate, graduate or certificate level work to their employees. The benefit was semi-permanent, with Congress reauthorizing it (sometimes retroactively) numerous times until it was finally made a permanent part of the law in early 2013.
October 26, 2017
October 26, 2017
I’m sitting in the airport following the last session of the SHRM Diversity and Inclusion Conference on twitter, and mulling over my takeaways as I get ready to head home and do the D&I work. I learned so much, and each session is worthy of its own blog post, so I expect I’ll be processing this conference on this blog for a while. But there were some common themes that held the conference together for me.
October 26, 2017
By SHRM Staff
On October 25, @shrmnextchat chatted with special guest Jennifer Benz – (@JenBenz) about Creating a Better Open Enrollment Experience.
October 25, 2017
I have been thinking a lot about Harvey Weinstein and other high-profile cases of serial sexual harassment. These cases are extraordinarily disturbing, to say the very least.
There are some who have suggested that the Weinstein nightmare is simply a Hollywood problem, dismissing it as nothing more than the age old “Hollywood casting couch.” How patently wrong they are.
October 25, 2017
By Hank Jackson
Yesterday in San Francisco, I addressed a gathering of more than 750 diversity and inclusion leaders from companies and organizations throughout the country. For decades, these professionals have talked about and demonstrated how differing perspectives in the workplace can improve innovation and problem solving. October 24, 2017
October 24, 2017
Attending the SHRM Diversity and Inclusion Conference & Expo has truly been an amazing experience. I first must thank the Garden State Council SHRM (GSC-SHRM) for sending myself and my Co – Chair to this amazing conference. It has been nothing but a fantastic learning experience.
October 24, 2017
The pre-cursor to many employment related lawsuits is the filing of a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Navigating the EEOC can be a confusing and daunting process. Here are five tips regarding what to when you receive a charge:
1. Don’t Ignore It!
October 24, 2017
I have seen it all when it comes to Halloween in the office. From nothing to all out costume and Halloween Parties with drunken pirates and everything in-between. So, what should HR allow and where is the line in the sand?
So, let’s start with your actual work environment. Here are a few quick questions to ask:
Are customers or clients regularly on-site or are you sheltered from contact?
October 23, 2017
I’m in San Francisco getting ready for the SHRM Diversity and Inclusion conference that starts tomorrow, and I’m thinking about what diversity and inclusion mean.
October 23, 2017
Two of the most important skills the military gave me!
October 23, 2017
Earlier this month, 18,000 people descended upon Orlando for the annual Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Technology.
We live in an amazing time, where the influence and impact of technology permeates every aspect of our lives. We rely on technology to do our banking, stay connected with our friends, book our travel, and to manage our schedules. And yet women make up a relatively small percentage of the technical workforce.
October 22, 2017
By Rue Dooley
“Do we have to pay for time worked that was not approved?”
In a word, yes! If it is time worked, it is compensable. Employers are obligated under federal law (FLSA) to pay employees for time spent working.
“But Rue we didn’t tell her to come in on a Saturday! She did that on her own! Why should we have to pay her for working outside of her schedule?”
October 21, 2017
SHRM Connect is an online community where SHRM members can ask questions and get answers on a variety of HR topics. It’s a great place to network with other HR professionals and share solutions.
The conversation topics range from “HR Department of One” to Employment Law, are always insightful, and deal with some of the most pressing issues that HR professionals face in the workplace today.
October 20, 2017
It’s that time of year again. There’s a crispness in the air combined with an energy that is simultaneously exciting and scary. As the shadows cast longer and the kids head back to school, HR professionals face their own early-fall ritual: open enrollment.
October 19, 2017
By SHRM Staff
On October 18, @shrmnextchat chatted with special guest Colmon Elridge @colmonelridge about Coaching for First-Time Leaders.
In case you missed this informative chat, you can read the tweets here:
October 18, 2017
By Megan Purdy
According to a new study there has been little to no progress in reducing racial hiring discrimination since 1989. Researchers from Northwestern University, Harvard, and the Institute for Social Research in Norway looked studies on resume and interview discrimination in the past 28 years, looking for trends in the data. And boy did they find one – little to no progress.
October 18, 2017
By SHRM Staff
Janet Garber tells her harrowing story about a terminated employee and his bag of knives.
To see more HR Storytellers, please click here.
October 18, 2017
In 2009, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) began auditing the I-9 practices of Asplundh Tree Experts Co. Last month, the Company pled guilty in Pennsylvania federal court to a charge of knowingly employing immigrants without authorization to work in the U.S. The fine: a record $95 million.
October 17, 2017
Technology is supposed to help us work smarter, not harder. While many in the U.S. report working 50 to 60 hours a week, they are shunning the traditional eight-hour workday and other outdated practices that destroy work/life balance and are no longer effective in the new world of work.
October 17, 2017
“The ultimate test of a leader is how well he/she can build leadership in others.” ~ Dave Ulrich
Coaching in the workplace – it’s not just for executives anymore.
October 16, 2017
There are 32 fully accredited tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) in the US with over 30,000 part and full-time students. TCUs support students in the most remote and poorest areas of the country. There are 183 tribal K-12 schools in 23 states. According to the National Science Foundation, these schools - along with non-tribal colleges and universities - produce a total of about 4,000 STEM undergraduate and graduate students per year.
October 16, 2017
By Diane Fennig
My Monday Morning Musing and Challenge...
If you can quiet your mind, you can become more present with the people you meet, you lead, you follow, and you inspire. This quiet will also focus the work that you set forth to accomplish, but today's challenge is to be more present with your audience. The power of connection has more promise when you are paying full attention.
October 16, 2017
By Diane Fennig
Who has played such Bingo Games in meetings of late? No need to raise your hand, I know these games are enjoyed with some regularity around conference tables.
October 14, 2017
SHRM Connect is an online community where SHRM members can ask questions and get answers on a variety of HR topics. It’s a great place to network with other HR professionals and share solutions.
The conversation topics range from “HR Department of One” to Employment Law, are always insightful, and deal with some of the most pressing issues that HR professionals face in the workplace today.
October 13, 2017
By: Lesley Simental
SHRM/CHCI Summer 2017 Scholar-Intern
“Take care of your employees, and your employees will take care of your guests.” This is one of the strongest statements that I am taking away from this summer. In a hotel/resort like The Gaylord Texan, customer satisfaction and customer service are key to success.
October 12, 2017
By: Jose Chavez SHRM/CHCI Summer 2017 Scholar-Intern
October 12, 2017
By Araseli Gutierrez
SHRM/CHCI Intern
The SHRM/Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Internship Program opened the door to my career in human resources.
October 12, 2017
By: Erika Enriquez Zamora SHRM/CHCI Summer 2017 Scholar-Intern
October 12, 2017
On October 11, @shrmnextchat chatted with six amazing women in HR: 2017 HR Technology Conference presenter Cecile Alper-Leroux @cecilehcm; and HR leaders from the HR Tech Insiders Blogger Team – Dawn Burke @DawnHBurke, Heather Bussing @HeatherBussing
October 11, 2017
The word hacker, for most, conjures up images of a dark figure in a hoodie hunched over a keyboard.
However, as Joe Gerstandt and Jason Lauritsen shared in their 20th Annual HR Technology & Exposition Conference session The HR Hacklab: What New HR Tech Solutions Are Needed Now?, hacking in the workplace has an entirely different meaning.
October 11, 2017
We all know that not all bias is conscious. Some bias is unconscious—often, referred to as implicit bias.
This means that we may be engaging in bias without even knowing we are doing so. This is most likely to occur when we make snap judgments.
October 11, 2017
October 10, 2017
Not too long ago, women who worked in the technology industry or in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers would tell you that they were often the only female in the room.
October 8, 2017
As my great-grandfather would always say: “Expect the unexpected so when it reaches you you’re not surprised.” Good advice generally . . . but especially today. . . given the chaos caused by recent major weather events. So, what can employers do to “expect the unexpected”?
The answer is . . . Prepare.
October 7, 2017
The 2017 Human Resource Executive 20th Annual HR Technology Conference takes place October 10-13 in Las Vegas. As a 2017 HR Technology Conference Insiders Blogger, I interviewed several human resources and technology experts to get their perspective on how technology and trends are impacting the HR profession.
October 7, 2017
SHRM Connect is an online community where SHRM members can ask questions and get answers on a variety of HR topics. It’s a great place to network with other HR professionals and share solutions.
The conversation topics range from “HR Department of One” to Employment Law, are always insightful, and deal with some of the most pressing issues that HR professionals face in the workplace today.
October 6, 2017
Portals and apps are trending, but employees still prefer talking with HR
October 6, 2017
By Matt Davis
HR is tasked with implementing strategies to develop the competencies of all employees within an organization. But often, it's HR's own staff that gets overlooked in the process. Phyllis G. Hartman's A Manager's Guide to Developing Competencies in HR Staff (SHRM, 2017) is here to help.
October 6, 2017
On October 4, @shrmnextchat chatted with special guest Jason Averbook (@JasonAverbook) about The Frictionless Workforce Experience.
In case you missed this informative chat, you can read the tweets here:
October 4, 2017
By Desda Moss
Retiring SHRM CEO Henry G. Jackson looks back on his legacy and forward to the future of HR.
Henry G. “Hank” Jackson, president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), will soon retire after serving since 2010 as the Society’s sixth CEO. During his tenure, the world’s largest HR association grew to a record 289,000 members, launched SHRM competency-based certification exams and created the SHRM Competency Model, which supports practitioners in their professional development and helps organizations identify strong HR leaders.
October 4, 2017
By Steve Browne
Change.
A simple word that is infinite in how it can be defined, measured and approached. There are countless articles, training courses, books and opinions on what change is/isn’t and how to approach it when it occurs. That seems ironic to me because if change is hard to define, how can a model be derived to effectively address the various components (that ultimately lead to more change.)
October 4, 2017
By SHRM Staff
Arte Nathan describes his unique technique for recruiting the right employees.
For more human resources stories, visit the HR Storytellers video archive.
October 3, 2017
October 3, 2017
By Beth Day
Balancing work and family responsibilities has become increasingly difficult in the modern workplace, as advanced technology, economic concerns and societal pressures make it hard for people to keep job and home separate. October was designated as National Work and Family Month by the U.S. Senate in 2003. This month is a good time for HR professionals to reflect and consider innovation with programs to help reconcile work-life issues.
October 2, 2017