• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Strategic Planning

Solo HR pros: Seek a mentor to advance your career

10/01/2007

You’re the entire HR department and barely have time to keep up with basic daily duties. There’s precious little time to think strategically, develop new initiatives and stay current on HR trends. Plus, you feel professionally isolated because you spend so little time talking to other HR professionals. Here’s one way to come out of the HR wilderness: Find an HR mentor who will offer advice in areas where you need the most help …

It’s time to figure out who will replace the boomers

09/01/2007

Despite what you’ve heard about would-be retirees clinging to their jobs long into their golden years, the average retirement age is 62. That means the boomers are going to start racing into retirement. How many employees is your organization going to lose? Chances are, you don’t know. Most organizations don’t know how old their employees are or when those in their 60s plan to retire. Supervisors may know on a case-by-case basis, but what the organization needs is an overall profile so a mad dash out the door doesn’t catch anyone by surprise …

Increase HSA enrollment by sweetening the plan

09/01/2007

Enrollment in health savings accounts (HSAs) is flat, and employee satisfaction with the pretax, consumer-directed plans is low, reports the Kaiser Family Foundation. Yet more organizations are offering them because employees who do participate have been found to spend less on health care than others. Here are five ways your organization can boost employee enrollment and satisfaction in HSAs …

Incentives for health assessment get employees into wellness

09/01/2007

To help create a culture of wellness, the Pepsi Bottling Group in Somers, NY, offered employees who participated in a health assessment a MasterCard prepaid with $75. The incentive worked: 70% of 33,500 U.S. employees participated …

Want to become strategic? Know the 3 projects to tackle

09/01/2007

Only 23% of execs say HR plays a key role in shaping company strategy and affecting operating results, says a new Deloitte survey. The key for you: “Pick a project that impresses executives, impacts the bottom line and makes good use of your time,” says Dave Ulrich, co-founder of the RBL Group and a University of Michigan business professor …

Plan now to reduce impact of flu pandemic in the workplace

09/01/2007

It’s a doomsday scenario worthy of a movie: A virus spreads around the globe, killing millions and sending millions more to hospitals. Panic ensues, infrastructure breaks down and commerce comes to a halt. But this isn’t a scriptwriter’s invention. Many scientists believe this nightmare is only a matter of time—when the next influenza pandemic hits. What should businesses do to prepare for a pandemic? Employers must be proactive and consider how they will sustain their operation in truly trying times …

Do You Need More ‘Think Time’ in your day? A 16-Question Self-Quiz

08/21/2007

As summer winds down, the pace of work and life picks up. But living life at too fast a pace can hurt your career and your health. To find out if you need to reserve more quiet "think time" in your day, take this simple 16-question self-quiz.

What’s the Correct HR-to-Employee Ratio?

07/23/2007
Is your HR department understaffed or overstaffed? Here’s a formula to correctly calculate your organization HR-to-employee ratio.

AARP finds Georgia’s work force is getting grayer

07/01/2007

Jobs will grow in Georgia over the next two decades, according to a recent report from the AARP, but filling them will be a challenge …

Adopt ‘Green-Collar’ mentality to attract eco-Aware staff

07/01/2007

Don’t keep it a secret if your organization does good for the community and the environment. Let employees and job applicants know about your corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts …