SHRM Blog

Developing Strong Relationships Through Intercultural Empathy

by Jennie WalkerOn March 14, 2012 0 comments

“Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion.” Daniel Goleman knows a thing or two about developing empathy, as the author of Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships. Showing a genuine interest in others and actively listening to them are clearly key components of empathy. But when we are talking about global leaders who work across many cultures, how does one develop intercultural empathy? It’s an important question, since social expressions and behaviors vary widely among cultures. For global leaders, the answer to this question is more than just interesting. It’s critical to leadership success,...

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Flexibility, Agility and Operational Success

by Robin SchoolingOn March 13, 2012 0 comments

Quite often, including here at We Know Next, when the term “flexibility” is used with respect to the workplace, it’s often in the discussion of worklife balance initiatives that serve as benefits to the employer and employee. In this arena, we think about telework, co-working, ROWE, and other employer-supported program to give employees more control over how, when and where they work. Having a flexible workplace is now viewed as something that smart companies do in order to support their culture, increase employee engagement and loyalty, and ultimately drive business success.

But flexibility, as an attribute of a...

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Why Good People Do Bad Things

by Kevin KennemerOn March 12, 2012 0 comments

There was an unscientific experiment conducted in the 1950’s by Candid Camera to determine the impact of group behavior on individuals. The experiment took place in an elevator in what appears to be an office building. Without knowing they were being filmed, each subject walked into an elevator with complete strangers.

The first subject faces towards the closing door but he notices everyone else in the elevator is facing the opposite direction towards the rear. You could tell he was uncomfortable and confused. Without asking a question and within seconds, he turned 90 degrees and faced the rear...

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Virtual Collaboration is Not For Everyone

by Rick LepsingerOn March 9, 2012 0 comments

Many organizations have migrated toward telecommuting and virtual work due to rising travel costs, a global customer base, and the dispersion of talent. While numerous organizations have made significant investments in virtual teams and the technology to support them, a surprising number of virtual teams are not successful.

OnPoint Consulting surveyed 48 virtual teams across industries and found that specific characteristics are required to lead and work effectively on virtual teams. Unfortunately, many organizations do not put as much thought as they should into their team leader decisions. In fact, we often hear stories about team leaders who...

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#NextChat Recap: BYOD - Managing Devices for A Mobile Workforce

by SHRM StaffOn March 8, 2012 0 comments

Smart phones, mobile sites and business applications continue to impact the way employees use technology at work. Many organizations are shifting away from company-issued devices and adopting BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies, which allow employees to use the mobile technology they’re most familiar with. There's a lot of buzz around the benefits of BYOD in an increasingly mobile workforce, but little discussion around the policies needed to establish rules and guidelines for usage.

On March 7, #Nextchat invited special guest Kyle Lagunas (@KyleLagunas) to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of BYOD policies in the workplace.

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SHRM: March LINE Report

by SHRM StaffOn March 8, 2012 0 comments

According to the SHRM Leading Indicators of National Employment (LINE) Report for March 2012, the hiring rate will rise slightly in manufacturing, reaching the highest rate since 2006, yet the hiring rate will fall in the service sector. A net of 50.5 percent of manufacturers will add jobs in March and the sector’s index will rise in a year over year basis by a net of 4.8 points.

In the service industry, a net of 24.7 percent of service-sector companies will add jobs in March, but the...

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You Better Be Good

by Ryan EstisOn March 7, 2012 0 comments

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....

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Card Checks and Balances

by Michael Layman On March 6, 2012 0 comments

Since the demise of the Employee Free Choice Act (or “card check bill”) following the 2010 midterm election, the Obama Administration has increasingly pushed labor-management relations policy through the executive branch. Throughout 2011, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued significant case decisions and substantive regulations.

One of these recent NLRB actions is its election case procedures rule, which was published on Dec. 22, 2011, and is not-so-affectionately known as the “quick election” or “ambush election” rule. The final quick election rule is a narrower version of the proposed rule released in June 2011, but it intends to...

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"Advocating" for Workplace Flexibility

by Lisa HornOn March 5, 2012 0 comments

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...

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We Know Next Weekly Recap, February 27 - March 2

by SHRM StaffOn March 2, 2012 0 comments

In case you missed it, here’s what happened on We Know Next.

Mike Aitken, SHRM’s Vice President of Government Affairs, shares his thoughts on key issues surrounding the 2012 political landscape as they relate to HR and business professionals.

Meanwhile, U.S. military veterans are being hired, yet not targeted in recruitment, according to a recent military poll conducted by SHRM.

We saw text messages resurface in employment law litigation, reminding employees to be aware of the need for appropriate professional relationships in their communications at work.

And despite the importance of the old-fashioned resume,...

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