Archive

September 2021

Although companies have long used training to meet harassment prevention compliance requirements, now more than ever, it is critical for organizations to enact purposeful agendas around workplace harassment. When implemented thoughtfully and in a way that is nuanced and relatable, training can be a vital and cost-effective tool for improving workplace culture while mitigating significant risk.

Cost versus risk

September 30, 2021

Many of the questions that come into SHRM’s HR Knowledge Center are about things like the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or compensation, but occasionally we’ll get questions about how to deal with employees who don’t get along. I personally don’t like these situations, but, as a former HR professional, I know practitioners are bound to encounter them from time to time.

September 29, 2021

Last week was the first episode of Survivor, Season 41. I have not missed an episode in 40 seasons, except one episode in Season 7 in the Pearl Islands. I suppose that makes me a fan. 

Of course, it’s “only” reality TV (or so I am told). But its reality sometimes mirrors workplace realities.

Last week was no exception. If you unfortunately missed last week, let me catch you up before you tune in tonight.

This season,  the rules of the game have changed in so many ways. But that’s not the focus of this blog.

September 29, 2021

This week I received a question about strategies to attract retail candidates and retain them due to the labor shortage. While retail turnover is a challenge, front-line employees dealing with the public have been dealt a difficult hand during COVID-19.   

September 24, 2021

This week I received an interesting question regarding how we can encourage more job candidates to apply with our company.

September 24, 2021

 

Pay banding drives pay equity, both are important for transparency, serving to keep employees feel valued and engaged without any untoward biases.

Erika Lance

September 23, 2021

It’s been a wild and bumpy ride over the past eighteen months for everyone, everywhere! Burnout is rampant in many workplaces, and HR professionals are often the most underrecognized workplace heroes, just as vulnerable to burnout as everyone else. If you are feeling physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually drained, you need to pay attention to your own ‘burnout’ meter’ and take care of yourself, so you can better take care of others.

September 23, 2021

Experts vary on the number of cognitive biases we may hold. The scariest list comes from Wikipedia, with over one hundred - 188 to be exact. Less than 20 permeate the workplace. People's beliefs create a corporate culture. And I wonder to what extent they might be at the root of the resistance to change that is slowing down the Future of work set up - the flexible workspace - that a large majority of people want. Let’s dig in.

September 21, 2021

For the remote or hybrid market to be mainstream, some people/companies have to take risks for others, and this could give a long-term competitive advantage to them with better people retention rate. But why does it take so long to implement social innovations?

As humans, we need to “see” to decide

September 21, 2021

Inspiration. Bravery. Passion. Advocacy. Activism. Charity. 

September 21, 2021

Wired to Connect: The Neuroscience of High-Performing Teams
Speaker: Britt Andreatta

Three Takeaways:

September 20, 2021

Walk into any Mega Session at the National SHRM Conference and you can expect to see some pockets of empty seats. After all, it’s hard to know how many will show up as there’s no real pre-registration for preparation. But when Steve Browne is the Mega Session speaker, be prepared for a full house. And this year was no exception. 

September 20, 2021

 

It’s been a whirlwind since about September 2 for me! Yes, I know #SHRM21 didn’t technically start until September 9, but I was fortunate to be surrounded by people I love to celebrate my birthday Labor Day weekend, and it was a CELEBRATION! 

September 20, 2021

It took quite some time for me to warm up to the idea of attending SHRM21, just because a lot has changed since I attended SHRM19, and it has been a struggle to keep my energy up. But the four days of SHRM21 turned out to be just what I needed to get my mojo back! I also didn’t realize how much I had missed learning with the HR community until the conference started. To add to that, I was selected to be part of the SHRM21 Influencers Team (formerly known as the SHRM Bloggers team), which made me really happy.

September 20, 2021

It is a wrap on #SHRM21!

It is 5 days since I returned from Las Vegas and #SHRM21 giving me some time to reflect on the conference. This conference did not have the flash and pizazz of #SHRM19 also held in Vegas, but this conference was special in its own way. I will probably call it the Pandemic conference in years to come. 

Biggest wins of the conference:

September 20, 2021

This year will be my first time attending the SHRM Annual Conference and Expo and I am so excited to experience the magic that I’ve heard about for so many years. As the Global Director of DEI at my PowerToFly, I’m especially looking forward to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Track, where renowned speakers will be discussing ways to create inclusive, equitable spaces where everyone can thrive. 

September 20, 2021

Exhausted yet energized has been the phrase I find myself repeating since I left Las Vegas a few days ago. I honestly needed the last few days to process everything that happened during the conference! It was my first conference in over 2 years – so many hugs, learnings, connections etc were had and it was SO WONDERFUL.

September 20, 2021

As a first time VIRTUAL attendee to the SHRM National Conference I wasn’t sure what to expect. 

September 20, 2021

"The future is always beginning now" - Mark Strand

The above quote compliments SHRM21 theme "Now More Than Ever," with the pandemic ravaging the world, businesses are striving to rebound. HR has a unique role in making a difference Now, More Than Ever.

September 16, 2021

Over the past year, I have received calls from many HR professionals who have experienced an increase in managers seeking assistance with mental health challenges among their staff. Employees are sometimes disconnected and disengaged, having unexpected verbal outbursts and being aggressive. 

September 15, 2021

We hear digital transformation more frequently than ever, a needed disruptor of businesses and for their growth. So, what is digital transformation? According to CIO, "digital transformation is a foundational change in how an organization delivers value to its customers with the implementation of new technologies, talent, and processes to improve business operations and serve their customers better." Remote work due to the pandemic has accelerated the pace. In addition, the adoption of technology which takes years in digital transformation, has sped up in just months due to Covid19.

September 15, 2021

Many moons ago, as a young single mother of two children, I began looking to pursue a degree, and the options for online learning were minimal then. The University of Phoenix literally saved the day! The experience was so amazing, I went all the way through to my Master's degree. Without their flexible learning options, I would have never been able to do it! I am a “Phoenix” and proud of it!  Please enjoy my “interview” with the University of Phoenix!

Who is the University of Phoenix? 

September 15, 2021

Jennifer Currence, MBA, SHRM-SCP, PCC is the president of WithIN Leadership, which specializes in training and coaching to enhance leadership development and management skills. Jennifer is a certified career coach, a professor of management at the University of Tampa, has been recognized as a Thought Leader by the International Society of Performance Improvement, and was named the Tampa Bay HR Consultant of the Year for 2017. 

September 12, 2021

 

I’m out at the SHRM Annual Conference and Expo this week and excited to see all my HR Peers and Friends! It’s a big event since SHRM didn’t have an in-person 2020 conference and by far the largest in-person conference I’ve gone two in a very long time!

September 11, 2021

In this season of our new normal of pandemic challenges, the great resignation, and global unrest, I invite you to ask for what you need, then act like you deserve it. You need and deserve SHRM21!

The 2019 SHRM Annual Conference and Expo rejuvenated me and my career. How? Inspirational moments with excited attendees, experts, speakers sponsors and expo vendors. 

September 8, 2021

As a SHRM HR Knowledge Advisor, I receive many questions concerning internships. SHRM members often wonder whether they are required to pay interns (and, if so, how much) or whether interns must complete new-hire paperwork. Members have also asked whether interns can be classified as independent contractors and receive a Form 1099 rather than a W-2 and whether interns are entitled to employee benefits. Hiring interns can seem complex, but it doesn’t have to be.

September 8, 2021

Employee engagement has been one of the critical drivers and most focused topics for years. Organizations increasingly expect ‘more from less’ from the productivity standpoint as digitalization finds its way in how organizations and teams operate internally and externally with customers. Therefore, the level of employee engagement is the critical driver of productivity. Although there are various definitions for employee engagement, my simple definition is the employee’s emotional connection with the organization and motivation to take the extra step toward its mission.

September 8, 2021

This coming week will be my 20th SHRM annual conference to attend. This feels like such a milestone in my life. It was supposed to happen last year, but COVID-19…

Since some of you reading this may be attending your first SHRM conference (like one of my #peacocksisters/best friends, Tina Marie Wohlfield), I hope that you might appreciate me waxing nostalgic on past conferences. So, let’s start with the first conference that I attended.

San Francisco 2001:

September 8, 2021

This week we’re featuring our favorite SHRM speakers so those in attendance can learn a little more about who they are and their session through a Q&A session. Today we’re featuring Dawn Kelley.

September 8, 2021

Are you excited and ready for the 2021 SHRM Conference and Exposition (SHRM21) to start tomorrow? Be sure to attend #SHRM21—virtually or in Vegas—to stay prepared for the future of work.

September 8, 2021

I was so happy to be able to catch up with Claire Petrie and chat about the upcoming SHRM21 and what she has planned for the #SHRM21 annual conference. Claire and I first met on Twitter via #NextChat and #HRSocialHour and met for the first time in real life on the #SHRMBlogger team at #SHRM18. She has a passion for helping emerging HR professionals develop their personal brand and make the most of their conference experience and her enthusiasm for helping others is contagious! 

September 8, 2021

In this interview, Thad Price, CEO of Talroo, discusses how to optimize your recruiting efforts to attract ideal talent by treating candidates as consumers. 

Hi Thad, for those of us who are not familiar with your work, can you please introduce yourself? 

September 6, 2021

While I certainly would prefer being in person at the 2021 SHRM Annual Conference and Expo, it’s just not possible for me this year. I’ll be sad I don’t get the chance to jump off the Stratosphere again, however, what an amazing opportunity virtual attendance provides. I can experience the conference in a whole different way!

September 6, 2021

In this interview, Marissa Afton, Partner & Head of Global Accounts at Potential Project, discusses how to turn off worry and turn on resilience. 

Hi Marissa, for those of us who are not familiar with your work, can you please introduce yourself?

September 6, 2021

If you work in human resources, are a SHRM member, or have attended a national or state SHRM event, there is a good chance that you will fall squarely into one of two categories:

1. You know Steve Browne.

2. You WILL know Steve Browne.

September 4, 2021

The SHRM Annual Conference and Expo is back! The last time I attended the conference was in 2019—which feels like such a long time ago—and that’s because it got canceled in 2020. So, I’m excited and looking forward to my third annual conference. Have you been seeing my countdown on Twitter? Lol.

September 3, 2021

In this interview, John Mazzone, VP of Finance at Globalization Partners, discusses international hiring and cost control that will make your CFO happy.

Hi John, for those of us who are not familiar with your work, can you please introduce yourself?

September 3, 2021

We had a chance to catch up with Jeanne Morris, the Vice President, Education at SHRM. Jeanne will be presenting a conference orientation on Thursday, September 9 at 11 a.m. PT.

 Jeanne, tell us about your current role at SHRM and what your number one challenge is during COVID-19.

September 3, 2021

In this interview, Brad M. Holst, Executive Communication Coach of Mandel Communications, discusses communicating effectively with your C-suite to turn ideas into reality. 

Hi Brad, for those of us who are not familiar with your work, can you please introduce yourself?

September 3, 2021

Hiring the right talent overseas is not only about identifying top performers but also understanding the constraints in attracting and ultimately retaining talent. This article seeks to show why it is about far more than conventional talent management tools.

There are two approaches to hiring the right talent in your overseas operation. You either recruit it locally or send a proven ex-pat overseas. Easier said than done as even with the best-laid plans large companies can find recruiting talent a difficult process.

September 3, 2021

Robert Bogue is clear about how much he wants people to be clear. Clear in the way they communicate, that is.

September 2, 2021
The 2021 SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition is a week away. **GASP** A WEEK! 
 
Let’s go back for just a moment to 2020.  There was so much anticipation and excitement around SHRM20 in San Diego – which started during #SHRM19 in Las Vegas. 

And then…. COVID-19. 

September 2, 2021

First, let’s address when it’s NOT a good idea to create a new policy. When a manager or supervisor thinks it’s easier to make a policy than deal with a performance issue with one or a few people, they are going to find themselves in a heck of a mess.  It’s not a good idea to subject everyone to a policy that is generated by the misdeeds or misunderstandings of a few.

September 2, 2021
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In 1984, I was working as a budgeting and finance manager in a headquarters program office for the U.S. Navy. Although I’d had exposure to computers a decade earlier in high school, the most sophisticated piece of technology in the workplace at that time was the IBM Selectric typewriter, with removable typeface balls that allowed the user to change fonts (relatively) easily.

September 2, 2021

Why do we have so much resistance to change for the flexible workplace?

Social innovations and the adoption curve

To date, all the surveys and data show that 75% of employees would prefer working from home at least half the time. Even more powerful data underscores that minorities would prefer working remotely to escape tensions at the office.

September 1, 2021

 

In this interview, Alex Powell, Director of Client Culture and Engagement at Reward Gateway, discusses results-focused recognition for a distributed workforce. 

September 1, 2021