Employee Relations

A 10-step ‘prescription’ to create a happier workforce

02/17/2014

Most employees feel stressed, doubtful about job security and less invested in their companies and careers. You can and should do something about it.

Consistency is key when firing for performance

02/14/2014

Poor performance sounds like a legitimate reason to fire someone. That doesn’t mean the employee won’t sue. If that happens, you must be prepared to show that other employees who held the same position and had similar performance issues were also terminated. If not, you had better be able to explain why.

Recognition firm retains employees for years

02/14/2014

O.C. Tanner, which creates employee recognition strategies and rewards programs for other companies, is putting its expertise to work on its own staff. The average length of employment at the company is between 12 and 17 years, with many employees sticking around for their entire careers.

When is it OK to punish by docking pay?

02/13/2014

Q. May I dock an employee’s pay as a penalty for disciplinary infractions?

Remind supervisors about the importance of praise

02/12/2014

“As business leaders, we do a really good job of telling people what they do wrong, and a really bad job at telling them what they do right,” says Bill Sims, author of the new book Green Beans & Ice Cream.

Changing employee behavior: 8 simple steps for ‘the talk’

02/11/2014

Smart business people know it’s more profitable to keep existing customers than constantly having to find new ones. That’s because the costs of acquiring new customers are so high. The same principle applies to employees.

Employee Handbooks: Overview

02/10/2014

HR Law 101: Employee handbooks are extremely valuable business tools. But if you’re not careful, your handbook could land you in court. In particular, employees are increasingly suing for wrongful discharge, pointing to a handbook they claim guaranteed them employment indefinitely …

Essential Topics in Employee Handbooks

02/08/2014

HR Law 101: Your employee handbook should include statements on these topics: a welcoming letter from the CEO, rules and procedures, your employment policies, compensation and benefits, safety and health rules, an affirmative action statement and an acknowledgment receipt form …

Smell alcohol on employee’s breath? What to do now

02/07/2014

When you smell alcohol on an employee, or receive reports that an employee smells of alcohol, you need to act fast to protect everyone’s safety—but not so fast that you mishandle the situation. Follow these guidelines.

When porn is ‘research,’ First Amendment may apply