SHRM Blog

I opened my eyes 5 minutes before the alarm clock sounded. 5:25 a.m. Atlanta. Still half-asleep. I was into the third day of a 3 city, 3 keynote speeches on 3 different topics stretch. Time to help a national sales organization kick of their annual Sales Summit. We finished our sound check around 7:30. Attendees were starting to fill the room to an upbeat playlist. Coffee. Breakfast. Name tags. Networking. You know the drill.

My client, the CMO of the organization walked over, smiled nervously and asked if I was ready. I smiled and answered in the affirmative....

Over the years, I have been involved in several trench advocacy campaigns on issues related to workplace flexibility.  Whether it was responding to a Department of Labor request for information on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations, garnering support for SHRM’s efforts to clarify the FMLA rules, or challenging the need for a one-size-fits-all paid sick leave mandate, I’ve engaged in my fair share of workplace flexibility lobbying battles on behalf of the HR profession.

And while another SHRM Employment Law and Legislative Conference kicks off today, there is no need to arm Capitol Hill-bound HR...

Much has been made about the ROI of business coaching with most studies returning a 5-to-8 times return on investment, as well as numerous intangible benefits. Additionally, the stocks of companies that spend aggressively on employee development and training outperform those that do not, further evidence for the dollars and cents value of coaching and development.

However, it is worth noting that “coach” is not a protected term the same way that “psychologist”, “doctor” and others are. Inasmuch as anyone who wants to call him or herself a coach can, it’s wise to have a systematic way...

The recession is taking its toll not only on businesses and unemployed Americans—it’s also affecting the employees still reporting to work, day in and day out. In fact, the stresses have grown so great that workers are starting crack under the pressure.

Employees are reporting thoughts of suicide, violence against co-workers and mental breakdowns at the highest rates seen in three years, according to Harris, Rothenberg International (HRI), a provider of employee assistance program (EAP) services.

As companies try to do more with fewer workers, employees are stretching themselves thin to meet the demands at the workplace,...