Category: HR Strange But True

Catch up on the latest odd, offbeat, and humorous HR stories.

Martha Stewart’s Company Terminates Employees Before Holidays, but They Look Good Leaving

No, it’s not “a good thing.” The new CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has given layoff notices to a sizable percentage of its staff right before the holidays. The cuts have been reported to involve 70 to 100 employees, or about 15 percent of the company’s workforce, including some from upper management. The company […]

Give the Gift of ZZZs

Nearly 70 percent of respondents to a BLR poll believed that taking a nap during their shift would make them more productive workers. However, many workplaces—assuming they would allow naps—may not have a suitable place for employees to sleep. There have been some extravagant products we reported on, like the EnergyPod—a reclined pod-like chair that […]

Minding Employees’ Hearts During the Holidays

Holiday parties can be a great way to show your employees’ you appreciate them and inspire a sense a camaraderie at your company, but the gathering can also bring forward a host of HR issues related to alcohol, religious issues, or even sexual harassment. A new infographic looks at a—perhaps underestimated—threat at holiday office parties, […]

Tis’ the Season for Peculiar Presents

Twenty-two percent of workers plan on exchanging gifts with coworkers this holiday season, while 21 percent are buying a gift for their boss, according to a new survey. Now for the strange part—Respondents were asked to share the most unusual gifts received from coworkers. Here are a few odd gifts:

Celebrate Worldwide, Come On

What’s the most common holiday celebrated worldwide? Survey says, New Year’s Day. Shown in infographic form on Mercer.com, ringing in the New Year was celebrated by 60 out of the 63 countries that were analyzed.

Hey Applicants—Orange Is Not the New Black

There has been a lot written about how job applicants’ attire can affect employers’ first impression of the candidate. For example, one study reported that 80 percent of hiring managers reported that shoes are “extremely important” to one’s interview appearance. Apart from shoes, there are a whole host of general no-no’s, like appearing messy or baring […]

Would You Take a Bullet for Your Boss?

A recent online survey of over 1,100 employees in the United Kingdom asked “Would you take a bullet for your boss?” Over 70 percent of respondents answered “No.” The survey was conducted for the website Bodyguard Services, and David Simmons, creator of the website, is not surprised that employees would not put themselves between a […]

Is Your Laptop Running Low? Start Pedaling

It’s not breaking news. Sitting all day at work can take a toll on your health. One study tracked the health of 123,000 Americans between 1992 and 2006 and found that men and women who sat 6 hours or more per day had a much higher overall death rate (overall death rate was around 20 […]

The Workplace Accident Seen Live by Millions

Sure, your workers suffer accidents on-site, but you probably have never seen one actually happen. Well, countless people just witnessed a workplace accident—on live TV. Sure, the “worker” could have been wearing personnel protective equipment, but it would have taken the festive nature out of the holiday happening. Celebrity chef and Food Network star Giada […]

Children’s Books Helped Shape the American Workplace, Says the DOL

To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the federal Department of Labor developed an initiative, “Books that Shaped Work in America,” in conjunction with the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress. And books you would find in the children’s section of a bookstore have made the list! Along with books about presidents and secretaries […]