Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
When HR managers at the recent SHRM conference in Chicago were asked what their most challenging problem is, virtually all responded, “Finding and keeping good people.” How can you locate and hold on to top performers in a tricky economy with a diminishing number of qualified candidates? Many experts suggest that so-called “passive” candidates are […]
by David Micah Kaufman “Oh my!” my lunch colleague exclaimed after glancing at her Blackberry (R) during a break in the conversation. “I am being invited to Candidate X’s fundraiser by my boss. Why does she think I support him/her?” ‘Tis the season — election season — when perfectly normal people who usually would never […]
A bunch of our most senior workers are preparing to retire in the next few years, and I’m frankly worried about what’s going to happen to our company when they’re gone. They possess years of experience and know-how that we have no idea how we’re going to replace, and new hires are harder and harder […]
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady BLR CEO Bob Brady’s “Commitment” column generated some surprisingly strong backlash. Here’s his response. In last week’s column I wrote about “commitment” in the workplace and tried to make a joking comparison about male-female relationships. My offhand attempt at humor backfired and provoked a mini-controversy. In the column, […]
We’re in the middle of election season and the race for the White House. When you’re deciding between McCain and Obama, perhaps it would help if you treated the election like what it really is: a job interview. Sometimes the questions the candidates are asked are ridiculous (boxers or briefs), and sometimes the answers the […]
To ensure that individuals who join [Company Name] are well qualified and have a strong potential to be productive and successful employees, it is [Company Name]’s policy to investigate the backgrounds and employment references of applicants. In addition, [Company Name] may conduct background investigations when employees are being considered for promotions or transfers, or in […]
What legal right do bosses have to monitor their workers’ communications, especially when sent through new technologies? The answer (as usual) is: It depends. Yesterday’s Advisor briefed you on the subject of electronic surveillance of your employees. We summarized the pros and cons of looking at your employees’ e-mails, instant messages (IMs), and other communications, […]
Recently, Lynn Noyes, a permanent software developer at temp agency Kelly Services in Nevada City (near Sacramento) won a massive $6.5 million verdict when a jury found that Noyes’ manager failed to select Noyes for promotion because she lacked certain religious beliefs held by that manager. Evidence in the case showed that the manager also […]
Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka reviews the book It’s Our Ship: The No Nonsense Guide to Leadership by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff. Standard book on how to manage transforms to inspiration for HR to fight corporate bureaucracy. The title of It’s Our Ship: The No-Nonsense Guide to Leadership, another in the series by Captain D. […]
When it comes to electronic surveillance of employees, as the TV ad says, “Just because you can do it, doesn’t mean you should.” Most companies now have the means to conduct electronic surveillance of their employees’ at work, since so much that employees do passes through company computer networks. But should you peek? Susan Heathfield, […]