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Employee Relations

How to discipline despite ‘protected’ activity

07/02/2020
Employees who know they are about to be disciplined sometimes think the best defense is going on offense, filing internal discrimination, harassment or whistleblower complaints. If you follow your usual disciplinary rules, treat the employee just like other similarly situated workers and keep detailed, dated records, it’s unlikely a court will find retaliation.

Off-duty worker ignores social distancing: How to respond

06/18/2020
If you discover that employees have flaunted local COVID-19 guidelines outside of work, can you place them on an unpaid leave of absence to quarantine before they return to work?

Due to COVID, some firms detach pay from performance

06/18/2020
Last year, a great majority of employers (85%) said they link employees’ pay directly to performance, according to a Mercer study. But the consulting firm says some companies are now incorporating a “compassion factor” in how they calculate goals and performance.

Date and time stamp every discipline decision

05/21/2020
Smart employers immediately and precisely document every employment decision. For example, it’s not enough to merely note the date you decided to terminate someone. Record that actual time the decision was made.

During discipline, ask productive questions

05/14/2020
A useful framework for having disciplinary conversations is to state evidence of the problem and immediately pose a question. It may help uncover the reason for a problem and engage the employee in framing the issues, owning his behavior and identifying solutions. Here are some examples.

OK to discipline for leaving work ‘feeling sick’

05/14/2020
If a worker tells her supervisor she’s having a flareup of a serious health condition and must leave, that may invoke the FMLA, the ADA or both. But a run-of-the-mill, “I feel sick and am going home” declaration isn’t protected activity.

Work from home: To track productivity or not?

05/14/2020
For many employees and employers, the transition to remote work has been less than seamless. Employers—striving to maintain output under difficult circumstances—must balance business needs against human factors.

4 videoconferencing blunders to avoid

05/08/2020
We’ve all quickly learned both the efficiencies and quirks of videoconferencing. But how are we personally perceived inside that medium? Keep these tips in mind so you come off better when accepting that next video invite.

Working from home is the new normal: Projected trends for the future

05/07/2020

By now, organizations and teams have adjusted to working remotely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Some came to this point more grudgingly than others. Astute organizations will come out stronger and with a different view on how to approach the work experience. Here are some other trends likely to emerge.

Maintain productivity by helping managers address employee fears

05/05/2020
Many people who have kept their jobs during the coronavirus turmoil are grateful just to still be employed. But don’t for a moment think health, safety, financial security and other COVID-19 concerns aren’t on their minds—and affecting their performance.