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Training

Recouping training costs when workers leave

03/01/2008
Q. It costs a lot to train new employees, so naturally we are upset when those employees leave. They benefit from the training, and we are out the cost. Can we recover training costs if an employee leaves? …

4 new tricks for long-Distance training

03/01/2008
Thanks to flashy new tools, you can compose and distribute business slide shows online in novel ways. You may have heard about Google’s new web-based presentation tool. Here are other ways to give your bullet-point training more impact …

Where do managers need training? Find out with a survey

03/01/2008
Targeted training of managers is vital to company success. Use a survey to identify where to spend your limited training dollars.

Dow Chemical pays $861,647 in overtime for employee training

03/01/2008
The U.S. Labor Department has announced that Dow Chemical of Freeport paid $861,647 in back wages to 648 operating engineers as a result of a federal investigation …

Dealing with employees who fear HIV

03/01/2008
Q. How should an employer deal with an employee who refuses to work around a co-worker or customer who is HIV-positive? …

Simple ways to salvage ‘Below-Standard’ employees

02/26/2008
Every manager has employees who perform below standard. They’re not terrible employees, but they’re not achieving the quality or quantity of work they’re capable of. Try these tips for letting underachieving employees know what’s expected and get them moving in the right direction.

Praise Your Way to Success: 6 Steps to Effective Employee Recognition

02/05/2008

Many managers can muster up praise for their workers only during annual reviews … if at all. That’s why you need to teach supervisors how to give employee recognition and give them the tools to make it easier. Here are the six steps …

FLSA doesn’t require pay for optional training that prepares for advancement

02/01/2008

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to compensate employees for any time spent on the job that benefits the employer. There are, however, some exceptions. For example, if employees use their own time to study materials that will qualify them for promotions, that time generally doesn’t have to be paid …

An age-Old problem: ‘Stray remarks’ have a way of coming home

02/01/2008

Conventional wisdom has been that isolated or “stray” remarks alone by an employer do not prove discriminatory intent. Conventional wisdom may be wrong. A recent 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals case (Tomassi v. Insignia Financial Group, Inc., 478 F.3d 111, 2007) has clarified what it deemed a misconception of the true meaning of the term “stray remarks”  …

Trainer uses drill sergeant tactics? Make sure it’s ‘Equal opportunity pressure’

02/01/2008

Some managers, especially those with extensive military training, may rely on techniques straight out of boot camp. Under the right circumstances, they can be very effective trainers, who get results and create an effective team. But loud, intimidating and in-your-face behavior comes with a huge risk …