Month: September 2012

Do Your Managers Need Some Refresher Training?

Your managers are the keys to your employees’ productivity and engagement. How well are they doing? A consultant whose opinion we respect—Bill Lee of Lee Resources, at BillLeeOnline.com—recommends a book he thinks is the best manager-improvement product he’s come across. It is The Control Theory Manager, by William Glasser, M.D. (HarperBusiness, 1994), and it’s short […]

Don’t mistake activity for achievement

Early in my career, I worked for a boss who, every time he returned from vacation, measured the productivity of his staff by the number of reports and memos he had waiting from each person. It didn’t take long for his staff to realize if you wanted to impress upon him that you had worked hard […]

Feds Should Improve Hiring Practices and Set Goals for Contractors, Says NCD

The federal government should finalize its proposed hiring goal for federal contractors, the National Council on Disability said in a report to President Obama. But the feds also need to improve their own hiring practices, the council said. These are among the recommendations contained in the council’s National Disability Policy: A Progress Report, released Sept. […]

Three Dwight Circus

Litigation Value: Andy’s vocal hatred for Nelly = fodder for her brewing constructive discharge and breach of contract case; New versus Old Dwight dynamic = possible future age discrimination issues; watching Old Dwight’s jealous alter ego attempt a terrifying stunt in the parking lot to put New Dwight in his place = priceless. The Office […]

Independent contractor’s behavior can lead to criminal liability for employers

By Antonio Di Domenico On Christmas Eve 2009, a swing stage (a work platform) suspended on the 14th floor of an Ontario apartment building collapsed. Four workers including the site supervisor died after falling to the ground. Metron Construction was charged with criminal negligence causing death under Canada’s Criminal Code. The company’s owner and sole […]

What You Can and Can’t Do About Workplace Campaigning

It’s that time again and your employee pundits are getting rabid—without careful attention, it’s the end of productivity until the election is over. Fortunately, employers can control political activities at work to a large extent, but there is a patchwork quilt of federal and state laws that governs this area. And, as always, this patchwork […]

Sept. 23 Is the Key Date to Know the ABCs of SBCs

In some years, Sept. 23 represents the Autumn Equinox, but in 2012 for health plan sponsors and administrators, it triggers the compliance date for a key disclosure requirement under health reform: the distribution of summaries of benefits and coverage, beginning with open enrollment periods and/or plan years that begin on or after Sept. 23. Here […]

Consistency—Authenticity Others Can See and Feel

Oswald, CEO of BLR, offered his thoughts on consistency in a recent edition of The Oswald Letter. Webster’s defines consistency this way: “steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form, etc.” Consistent leaders have a steadfast adherence to the same principles each and every day. It doesn’t matter the situation in which they finds themselves, […]

Why Employees Should Attend Wellness Training (Video)

In this video, we provide an animated skit which contains a trainer/HR professional’s inquiry with an employee as to why he didn’t attend a training session on weight management, the employee’s attempt to illustrate why he didn’t find it necessary to attend, and his realization that he could have benefited from the training. Diana: Tony, […]

Incentive Pay for Non-Exempts? Sure, But …

Cherry and Green, both of whom are principals at HR consultant Hay Group, offer the table below to show how incentives fit into the total rewards picture. They offered their remarks at a recent webinar hosted by BLR/HR Hero.   Compensation type Comment Value of being a member of the organization Benefits/ Perquisites Little flexibility, […]