05/16/2013
About 15% of email at work is considered gossip—defined as “the absence of a third party from a conversation"—according to a Georgia Institute of Technology study.
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04/25/2013
Q. An employee has brought to my attention that another employee seems to be spending much of the workday posting to a social media site, to the point where he could conceivably be spending at least three to four hours a day doing something other than work. Apparently, the website doesn’t require being someone’s “friend” to see their social media activity. Is it OK if I sign up with the site to monitor his use?
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03/15/2013
The bad news: Up to 80% of employees’ time spent on the Internet has nothing to do with their work. Worse news: Having just a policy won’t deter them.
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03/12/2013
Q. One of our account managers writes a blog geared toward our clients as a marketing tool. It’s linked to our website and shares our brand identity. All of the content goes through an approval process before posting. If he were to leave the company, could he take the blog with him?
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02/07/2013
With people generating more than 340 million tweets daily, Twitter has become a social media phenomenon … and an employment liability risk. One important issue: Who owns an employee’s Twitter handle? And if your employees post on their work-related Twitter accounts, can they “take” the followers when they leave?
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01/22/2013
Amendments to Labor Code Chapter 2.5 implementing AB 1844 took effect Jan. 1. The amendments bar employers from asking employees or job applicants for any social media account information.
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01/14/2013
Complaints from employees, customers and competitors are nothing new. Until recently, if complaints crossed the line from mere opinions to downright lies, companies could threaten a defamation lawsuit. Today, however, companies face a more insidious and growing problem: Internet libel, commonly known as “cyber-slander.”
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01/08/2013
Fight procrastination ... Bring all your calendars in sync ... Don’t ignore LinkedIn recommendations ... Tighten up security for online passwords ... Need a refresher on finance and accounting? Check out these sites ... Shut off the alerts on your phone to become more productive.
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12/12/2012
Q. We recently received a complaint that one of our sales reps had sent false emails and texts about one customer to another. We determined that the emails and texts have been sent from the cellphone we provide to the sales rep. We asked the service provider to send us copies of the emails and text messages. The service provider refused our request. Why can’t we get that information?
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11/29/2012
A major overhaul of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s HR system began as an attempt for the university to create an HR system separate from the Wisconsin state government’s, in part so it would have greater flexibility to reward and retain talented employees.
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11/08/2012
Q. We have surveillance cameras in several locations in our workplace that record activity, but no sound. The images can be viewed over the Internet by supervisors and HR personnel who have the password to the site. What should our privacy and electronic communications policy say about access to the camera feed?
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10/26/2012
Cyber Monday, the online version of deal-hunting Black Friday, is Nov. 26. Last holiday season, 50% of people said they spent time shopping online at work. Clarify your expectations and company policy with employees before the holidays begin.
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10/12/2012
Only 21% of employers set formal policies that limit employees’ use of cellphones and tablets during nonworking hours, and 26% have informal policies limiting their use, says a new SHRM survey.
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10/08/2012
The iPad can be a great tool for your employees, especially if they move from place to place or are on the go all day. Here are the essential business apps for any employee, according to PC Magazine:
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10/04/2012
Why should HR worry about what the IT department does? After all, you’re about people ... they’re about hardware and software. But there is one time when HR must collaborate with IT: when the system goes down.
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