Employee Relations

When you learn you employ a Capitol rioter

01/14/2021

Imagine you learn one of your employees was part of the hoard of rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in an act of open rebellion against the United States. Can you fire this person?

HR supports work flexibility even after vaccine is deployed

12/28/2020

Ninety percent of HR leaders surveyed Dec. 9 said they plan to allow employees to work remotely at least part of the time even after covid-19 vaccines are widely available. Plus, 65% told the Gartner business advisory firm their organizations would continue offering employees flexibility on when they do their work.

It’s up to HR to foster workplace civility

12/03/2020

American society is as polarized as it has been in decades. We have just completed a bitterly divisive election. Public discourse and even private conversations are angry. That same coarseness can permeate the workplace unless employers intervene. But employers must be careful not to chill protected speech when they try to enforce civility.

Scuttlebutt may hold bits of truth

11/25/2020

Here’s a common situation: An employee informs you of a co-worker’s faults or misdeeds. Although most of the tale sounds like gossip, some details sound as though they could be true. Certainly you don’t want to support gossip, but you have to get at the truth. Try this approach.

How to raise employee engagement by 300%

11/24/2020

When goals and accountability are clearly communicated to employees, they are 2.8 times more likely to be highly engaged in their jobs, according to a Quantum Workplace review of 1.2 million employee engagement surveys at 12,000 companies.

Zoom fatigue starting to take a toll on workers

11/24/2020

Seventy-six percent of professionals surveyed said they participate in virtual meetings, and a full 30% said they spend one-third of their workday on camera with business contacts or colleagues.

Improve productivity in and out of the office: 5 tips

10/29/2020

It’s more important than ever to create an environment that engenders engagement and improves productivity for all of your staff. These five tips can help you do just that.

Ensure remote work policy addresses tech

10/22/2020

About one in five employees works from home these days. Yet, too few employers have an effective telecommuting policy that addresses the technology issues that arise when employees use laptops and cell phones to work from home.

Managing pre- and post-election angst: 7 tips for HR

10/15/2020

Political discussions will happen among co-workers, just as they happen among families and friends. Thus, instead of trying to stop them, employers should be promoting ground rules that hold employees accountable for their behavior, focused around one key theme … civility.

Document performance problems to justify RIF list

09/24/2020

Use objective criteria when deciding who will keep or lose their job during a reduction in force. Then be sure to document your specific, business-related reasons for handing out pink slips. That will help you prevail in court if an employee sues, alleging a RIF was based on discrimination.