Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
It’s been a hot summer here in California—and in many workplaces, the rise in temperature has ushered in a rise in inappropriately dressed or scantily clad employees, which can lead to flirtatious behavior and even to a general decline in productivity and office professionalism. What can you do to keep dress code standards up when […]
M. Lee Smith Web Editor Wendi Watts reviews the book The Truth about Profiting from Social Networking by Patrice-Anne Rutledge. How to use Facebook and other social media websites to communicate with employees, customers, and coworkers. Regardless of whether you are a Facebook addict or are challenged to add an attachment to an email, if […]
Managers’ expectations of their employees—often expressed in subtle ways—are key factors in how the employees perform and how long they stay, says today’s expert, Susan M. Heathfield. It’s called “the self-fulfilling prophecy.” If you have high expectations of your employees, they will change their behavior to meet those expectations, thus fulfilling the prophecy. And, of […]
By Tina Giesbrecht and Lana Jackson McCarthy Tetrault Employers often ask whether they should give employment references to employees and former employees. This decision can be a difficult one with possible negative consequences for either course of action. Whatever decision is made, it’s important to consistently apply one policy regarding reference letters. Q. What are […]
Yesterday’s Advisor looked at alcoholism in the workplace. Today we continue with specific accommodation tips and an introduction to a program that has already written your alcoholism policy, plus 100s of others. Yesterday, we noted that under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if alcoholism limits any of an employee’s major life activities, it could […]
The following is a list of the bestselling paperback business books as ranked by the New York Times on July 14. 1. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell. How and why certain products and ideas become fads. 2. Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their […]
One minute it’s acceptable social drinking at a business function; the next, it’s unacceptable drunkenness embarrassing to the company. How do you deal with alcoholism? By government estimates, nearly 14 million Americans abuse alcohol or are alcoholic, and millions more are close to being so. That means, odds are, some of them are working for […]
by Gary Jiles Q. How do I go about starting a 401(k) plan for my employees, and what are some of the general requirements? Keep up with the latest changes in laws regarding employee benefits with the Benefits and Compensation Law Alert. A. Choosing to offer a 401(k) retirement savings plan for your employees is […]
We have an “aggressive” employee who seems to make her co-workers uncomfortable by loudly criticizing them; we think we have a bully on our staff. Is workplace bullying illegal? Do you have any tips for us to recognize and prevent bullying at work? Thanks. — Sara R., Oakland Bullying exists on school playgrounds, but […]
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Most companies consider the end-of-year performance appraisal the crucial one. But BLR’s CEO advances a different idea. I experienced a “duh” moment a while attending the 6th Annual NY HR Week. Gary Koca, vice president of GRA, Inc., Silver Spring, Maryland, was speaking on the (ever-engaging) topic, “Performance […]