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by Mark I. Schickman Advertising is a cool job because there is a legal concept associated with it called “puffing”: You generally can’t sue somebody for advertising that they are great or huge or the best because a consumer has no business believing that stuff anyway. How liberating! HR is supposed to be different, right? […]
by Jo Ellen Whitney Sometimes it seems you can’t turn on the television, open a magazine, read a newspaper, or look at the Twitterverse without hearing all about the latest diet craze. Despite what marketers have been selling for ages, we all know that none of those promises is true. Any kind of drastic change, […]
Surveillance cameras have become so common that people barely notice them even when they’re in plain sight. Cameras frequently hum at traffic signals, parking lots, stores, even offices and factory floors. They’re not always obvious, though. Employers may want to use hidden cameras to secretly monitor workers–especially if workers are suspected of misconduct and the […]
When human resources professionals ponder what would make their jobs easier, having effective supervisors is likely high on the list. But what can HR do to help build better supervisors? Author and consultant Sandra Crowe has some ideas to pass along. Crowe, principal at Pivotal Point Training and Consulting, Inc., addressed the issue in a […]
by Dinita L. James In this digital age, I keep a paper calendar. It’s a letter-size one with a black cover and tabs for each month that folds open to display a full week, with appointment time slots under each day. I know I could set up Outlook to display the digital calendar I also […]
Feeling agile? Crystal ball gazers are predicting more employers soon will answer that question with a robust “yes.” According to a new study from staffing firm Randstad US, both employers and employees see the world of work turning to “agile” work—scenarios in which traditional full-time permanent workers increasingly share duties with contractors, consultants, temporary, and […]
by Connor Beatty “I guess the atmosphere that I’ve tried to create here is that I’m a friend first and a boss second and probably an entertainer third,” muses Michael Scott, the main character of the hit comedy and mockumentary The Office. Scott is known for his well-meaning but often ill-advised attempts to connect with […]
No one argues the importance of communication in the workplace, especially communication that results in colleagues learning from each other. Sometimes, though, the communication is more condescending than educational. If one party is trying to impart wisdom but the other party is more knowledgeable on the topic, resentment—not learning—is likely to result. An exact definition […]
by Judith E. Kramer and Sean D. Lee With the election of Donald Trump, there is no question that there will be upheaval in many areas of the law. Even in the discrete area of labor and employment law, the prognostications could fill many blog posts. In this article, we focus on the employment-related Executive […]
by Jodi R. Bohr As we put another year is in the books and look toward the promise of a new year, we may make (and hopefully keep) personal resolutions. But as HR professionals, we ought to make resolutions—or at least consider changes—to improve the processes we use daily, weekly, or even annually. Take this […]