Employee Relations

Resistance over return-to-office mandates intensifies

10/06/2025

A new survey from FlexJobs, an employment-finding service, shows employee resistance to return-to-office mandates has reached a breaking point.

Court: Toxic social media posts justify denying promotion

09/29/2025

Not everyone wants to spend their time deleting emails, blocking co-workers they don’t see eye to eye with or reading rants on message boards or “forward to all” emails. But employers sometimes don’t know when they can discipline over employees’ posts on and off company resources. Now, a federal appeals court has clarified some limits in a recent case.

Turning development into retention: Workforce growth strategies for managers

09/05/2025

September’s designation as Workforce Development Month reminds us that people are a company’s most valuable investment. For managers, this month offers a chance to put intentional focus on developing people in practical, measurable ways.

How to say ‘I’m sorry’

09/02/2025

Effective apologies clear the air and set the tone. They help build a new risk-taking climate as employees realize that mistakes—yours and theirs—are not the end. But if you don’t make your apology the right way, it can go unnoticed or even backfire.

Bypass progressive discipline if necessary

08/29/2025

Progressive discipline plans are great for correcting the behavior of employees in whom you have invested time and money and getting them back on track. But always leave yourself an “out” for those cases when retaining the worker just doesn’t make sense.

What 4-day workweek trials reveal about work, well-being and productivity

08/18/2025

The four-day workweek has long been viewed as a bold experiment—but recent global trials led by economist Juliet Schor suggest it might also be a smart business move.

Market stability brings retention opportunities—if managers act now

08/15/2025

Despite a cooling job market and economic uncertainty, most employees are signaling they’ll stay put over the next six months. But a sharp decline in worker confidence about external opportunities suggests that stability in the short term could mask deeper engagement challenges.

Detailed personnel records defeat bias claim

07/28/2025

Employers who keep detailed personnel records that include objective, fact-driven performance reviews often win discrimination lawsuits soon after the employee sues.

Is your employee discipline fair? A 5-question self-test

07/11/2025

Whether it’s deserved or not, the perception that management is “against” employees, once earned, is difficult to shake. That’s why it’s vital for supervisors to make sure they treat everyone fairly and consistently, especially when disciplining employees.

Documenting performance? Better date-stamp and retain

07/07/2025

Whether deleted by accident or because the employer lacks clear rules about what to toss and what to keep, having to admit to a judge that you don’t have a document may mean big fines and penalties, up to and including having the lawsuit become an automatic win for a fired worker.