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Human resources Tagged Articles

2010; Getting Past 2009 and Working Smarter Going Forward

How do we focus on growth and revenue in a way that will allow organizations to increase and decrease staff levels in a socially conscious and fiscally responsible way? Even if you have no staff now - your goal is to grow your business and make it a viable, prosperous business. That means that we have a responsibility to consider the impact of our people decisions to hire or not - to terminate or not, etc. People give us their best and then in a downturn, sometimes find themselves on the street with mouths to feed and mortgages to pay. Somehow we must prepare them to take care of themselves while remaining committed to the organization's goals.

Basics of Credit Reports and Background Checks

Many employers would like to have a credit report before hiring, However, for job applicants, a credit report can seem like an invasion of privacy and unfair. The bottom-line is that employers need to approach credit report with caution and only use them if there is a business necessity, and further understand that here can be errors or items not related to employment. Job applicants also have rights when it comes to credit reports. Job applicants need to understand that credit scores are not part of an employment credit report and that employers do not request credit reports just to find ways not to hire. A credit report is only requested once a candidate is a finalist and there are certain positions where a requesting a credit report does make sense. This article surveys the use of credit reports and hiring.

Why Screen Employees? Employee Problems are Caused by Problem Employees
As any employer or human resources professional know, a great deal of time is spent dealing with employee problems. Howebver, problem employees usually cause employee problems. An employer is certainly ahead if they can try to minimize the problem employees in the first place.

The #1 Thing That Engages Employees
Can you succeed in "the great recession" without engaged employees? Maybe, but only if your competitors' employees aren't engaged either. Engaged employees' willingness to give their all is what unlocks the greatest potential for competitive advantage.

Scaling Efficiencies and Reducing Redundancy by Connecting People with Products

People often have a hard time grasping the idea that marketing and training are more similar than they are different since historically the two have always operated in silos strictly independent of one another. One department always handles the “people” while another takes care of the “products.” On one level, that’s fine since each involves its own specialization. But at the same time getting the full potential out of employees and products should not entail too divergent an approach.

Organizational Alignment: The Importance of Building HR Infrastructure

Companies seem to inherently value the role, presence and necessity of infrastructure when it comes to their technology, financial and other operational systems. But human resources is a vital a system too, one that provides just as much support to a business as any other, if not more. Yet often times HR gets overlooked because it’s considered “soft” which usually translates into “less important.” Except, how can the very system upon which all others depend not be important?

Employee Motivation Programs - Top Reasons Incentives Work

Employee motivation programs - more than likely you have know of them, however if you are not implementing them inside your small business, you are making a dangerous mistake. You see, while you will observe that these reward programs will require a monetary investment on your part, they might bring you incredible returns in the extended run. From incentives to unique prize giveaways, there are so many numerous ideas that you might get your own employee motivation program started and here are a few of the best reasons to do so.

A Secret To Increase Profits
What is the main reason some labor intensive companies fail and how you can use this secret to avoid making the mistake that spelled their demise?

Trust me, everything will be all right.
Trust is a cornerstone of human comfort, satisfaction and success. Human resources are the most important asset that any business has. A workplace without trust is a recipe for disaster; what us standing in your way?

To Outsource or Not? That is the Question!
With human resources departments getting leaner and leaner, yet they are still expected to do more and be more strategic, is human resources outsourcing the answer?

Energy and Utility Talent Aquisition Demands

Energy and Utility companies are exhibiting a high demand for leaders who understand the need for the industry to be more customer-focused and who have the experience to bring such varied skills as sales, marketing, finance, human resources and engineering are essential to growth and success. The looming need for new and cleaner power plants also points to the need for executives adept at negotiating with both regulatory and legislative bodies.

Overview of Human Resource Planning
Human resources planning is the process by which an organization ensure that it has the right number and kind of people, at the right place, at the right time, capable of effectively and efficiently completing those tasks that will help the organization achieve its overall objectives.

BOOK REVIEW: Abolishing Performance Appraisals: Why They Backfire And What To Do Instead (By Tom Coens & Mary Jenkins, Berrett-Koehler, 2000, ISBN #1-57675-076-0)

Abolishing Performance Appraisals boldly presents the skepticism shared by a growing number of managers, human resource professionals, consultants and researchers: appraisals don’t do what they are purported to do and they cause a lot of other damage in the meantime. As the authors make a strong case for getting rid of formal appraisals altogether, they also address obvious concerns around rewards, compensation, and documentation to support legal action. This is a provocative and convincing read. Prepare to have your paradigms poked.

12 Lessons in Leadership From The Wizard...
12 Lessons for enhancing leadership and personal performance from the Wizard of Westwood and Coach Bru's accompanying questions and insights.

12 Lessons in Leadership Part Two...

March Madness is underway, brackets are busted and there have been more first round single digit victories and upsets this year than ever before in tournament history. Consequently there are still multiple Cinderellas looking to advance to the big dance. The lesson from round one is outmanned does not automatically mean outmatched. If you're not the #1 seed in your industry, this must energize you and your team.

Change Management - Obama Style
In the end President Obama got what he wanted-significant change in health care legislation. What lessons can change managers in organizations learn from the year long battle between the Republicans and the Democrats over this issue? And what grade can we give the Obama administration for managing the process. John Kotter’s change model is a useful analysis tool for this job.

Career Development and Playing the Banjo
Three years ago I started taking banjo lessons. Don’t ask me why. I guess the idea of being totally unfashionable just appealed to me. I didn’t know what I was getting myself in for! My teacher just happened to be a former world champion banjo player, and although I thought I was pretty hot stuff because I played guitar pretty well, he soon cut me down to size.

Employee Motivation is Volatile: Employers Must Both Create and Sustain It!
CEO's must understand the impact of employee engagement upon the bottom line and attainment of strategic organizational goals. Too often CEO's overlook the relationship - and sometimes inherent opposition - between financial and human resources. The key to ROI here is understanding the difference between core (fixed) and situational (variable) motivational factors.

Students Worldwide Looking for Job Security
A recent study reveals that three-quarters of university students value job security to be more important than pay and benefits, when choosing an employer.

If you don’t take care of your employees… they won’t take care of your customers
Delivering the brand from the inside out ---- ensuring that every employee is engaged and motivated to consistently deliver on your brand’s promise ---- is crucial to driving customer loyalty.

Getting the Performance Appraisal Right
This article discusses how HR Managers can create a Performance Appraisal System that adds true value to the organization and becomes a useful and strategic employee development tool.

Consequences of Embracing Technology
As companies embrace various technologies to serve guests better, increase productivity, or work more efficiently, employers must realize that these systems must work correctly ---- or there will be bottom line consequences.

Money is King in 2010 and Beyond?
When money is tight, cash is king. As economies slowly recover, we expect to see a shift back to the importance of customer service and time off for external and internal customers respectively

Our Increasing Mobile Workforce
Mobile worker penetration in US, Japan has essentially peaked. The most significant gains will be in the emerging economies of Asia/Pacific and other regions including Latin America that currently have low penetration.

Cyberbullying---a Growing Problem
Not only will cyberbullying intensify, but it will also proliferate into new media, as they emerge. Governments will attempt to crack down on this problem, however only a system of transparency will truly help.

Resorts Going Green
Going green is not just a good idea for impressing guests and supporting the environment, but energy-saving practices also often benefit the bottom line.

Caregivers' Cost Companies Billions
Smart employers need to look for more creative ways to support their caregiving employees, including flex time, flex place, and administrative support to handle the administrivia of caregiving.

Green Banks Thrive
Expect more financial institutions and other enterprises worldwide to join in this green movement; it makes organizations more attractive to both internal and external customers

Company Vision, Mission, and Values, What’s the Difference?

I was asked recently by a friend to explain the difference between a vision statement, a mission statement, and a values statement. I must confess that I struggled to answer the question as many organizations seem to use these terms interchangeably. Then my parochial school education kicked in - I had heard a lot about people with a mission when at Catholic school - they called them “Missionaries”. So what was their mission? It could be described as to carry out the “Vision of Jesus of Nazareth” (he was certainly a visionary) and to do this in accordance with the values he espoused.

Bereavement Leave Is A Benefit
When a death happens in the life of an employee, how should that be handled? Do you have a policy for bereavement? What does it entail? After losing both parents in less than 3 months, Betsey discusses bereavement from the viewpoint of Human Resources as well as someone who's grieving.

Compliance Issues Threaten Internships
The DOL subsequently issued "Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs under the Fair Labor Standards Act" (April 2010)which clarifies their employer guidelines about what constitutes "trainee status" to qualify for a compensation exemption. The reaction has ranged from confusion to uproar.

Human Resources Outsourcing & Small Employers: A Perfect Match in a Tough Economy
As we face an uncertain economic future, one thing is for certain - employers must remain focused on cost-containment and improving efficiencies. One way businesses are addressing these employment challenges is through Human Resources Outsourcing.

Six Areas to Consider When Hiring a Professional Employer Organization
If you are at the stage of investigating if a Professional Employer Organizationis right for your company, there are six important factors to take into consideration. An outsourcing relationship can continue for many years, so selecting the right firm is a serious decision that should be given a great deal of thought.

Big Bird’s Guide to Change Management - Learn your A, B, C, Ds

In the 1950s, psychologist Albert Ellis introduced Rational Therapy in which people were taught the A-B-C-D approach for dealing with uncomfortable situations. The A-B-C-D approach states that when a person is confronted with an adversity A, their beliefs B, will influence the way they respond to that adversity and lead to emotional and behavioral consequences C. If the beliefs B, are rigid, absolute, and unrealistic, the consequences C, will likely be self-defeating and destructive. If the beliefs B, are flexible and constructive, the consequences C, will likely be self-helping and constructive. People can change their lives and their consequences by D, disputing and challenging their beliefs.

The French Open and Customer Service Training

Did you know that the word discussion comes from the Latin root “dis,” which means “apart,” and “quatere,” which means “to shake,” so the word discussion literally means: “to shake apart.” This, of course, is what we do to each other when we are having heated discussions! The word dialog, on the other hand, comes from the Greek root “dia,” which means “across,” and “legein,” which means to “speak” – literally “to speak across” (i.e. – to engage someone in a conversation by reaching across to them).

Organizations and Dunbar’s Number: Two is Company, 151 is a Crowd!

How many people do you know? By that I mean how many people do you recognize by sight, know their name, and a little about their background? 40? 60 ? 100? 150? How many people do you think you can possibly know before you start forgetting names and faces? (If you are like me you will probably recognize more faces than remember the names) These are interesting questions, and the answers have important implications for how we organize ourselves in groups, teams, and society in general. Robin Dunbar, a British anthropologist was one of the first researchers to look into this phenomenon and he theorized in an article in 1992 that the average person could meaningfully interact with about 150 others. More than 150, Dunbar said, and we are not be able to remember who is who!

The Foundations of a Strategic Competency System for Leadership Development
Nurturing competency in leadership becomes â€œstrategicâ€ when organizational objectives match the competency development required to achieve them, and, the efforts are coordinated with human resources.

Staring Down The Change Elephant - Just Letting Go!

The single biggest reason for the failure of organizational changes is that no one has thought about endings! When changing things for the future many people forget they must let go of some things in the past or present. While the first task of change management is to understand the desired future, the first task of transition management is to convince people (maybe yourself) that you have to leave the past behind.

Would you get A Tattoo of the General Motors’ Logo?

When was the last time you were really excited about the customer service you received? A recent survey showed that 44% of people rate the customer service they usually receive as dull and bland. Most customer service experiences are, well ok, and we unusually come away somewhat satisfied from the experience. This is all well and good, but most of your competitors are already doing this. To stand out from the competition you need to demonstrate customer service on a dramatically different level: service that is anything but bland and dull! Think Disney, Harley Davidson, or Apple.

Lesson #2: Develop an A-Team
“At Microsoft, there are lots of brilliant ideas but the image is that they all come from the top,” says Gates. “I’m afraid that’s not quite right.” While Gates has been the famous face of Microsoft for over thirty years, it took the help of numerous other trusted individuals to help realize the company’s success.

Lesson #5: Build a Great Team
“Good employees will energize you and your business,” says Stewart. With over 650 people working for MSLO, Stewart has become a bonafide expert in the realm of human resources. Some have been with her from the very beginning and some have joined along the way, but all of Stewart’s employees share the talent, energy, passion and optimism that Stewart herself has for her businesses.

Revving its Engines: Harley-Davidson Goes Hog Wild

After the success of their first three models of motorbikes, Harley and the Davidson boys all plunged themselves wholeheartedly into the newly formed company. Walter Davidson became the company’s first president, while his brother William handled much of the human resources, and Arthur handled sales and the establishment of a dealer network. William Harley served as the company’s chief engineer and treasurer. Together, the four worked day and night to get their business off the ground and running. “We worked every day, Sunday included, until at least ten o’clock at night,” recalled Walter Davidson. “I remember it was an event when we quit work on Christmas night at eight o’clock to attend a family reunion.”

Human Resource Heroes – Do they exist or have they all Sold Out?
CEOs come from three functions in most companies - sales, finance and operations. Ever wonder why so few human resources (HR) executives are chosen to sit in the corner office? Has the position of HR been devalued to an ancillary function on the executive team? If so, how did it get this way?

Six Competencies to Covet
You want to build a successful organization. You want a strong team to deliver "Gaspworthyness' to you Fans. What should you be looking for in the people you recruit?

Personnel Policies and Procedures for Nonprofit Organizations

Every nonprofit organization should have personnel policies and procedures, in addition to its regular policies and procedures. Policies state what the organization believes in and supports, and reflect those laws they need to adhere to. Procedures are the steps or actions that need to be taken to support a specific policy. This article provides a list of personnel policies and procedures that all nonprofit organizations should have in place.

"Arrogant Al": The Condescending Internal Customer

Most of us have ‘internal customers' - people in our own company who rely on us to provide them with some level of service or support. For many of us, working in administration, human resources, IT, training, etc., providing internal customer service is our primary role. Unfortunately, just as there are difficult external customers, there are also difficult internal customers. One of the common situations we see are internal customers who simply appear to not respect the roles of their internal service providers. They come across as condescending, dismissive, arrogant and sometimes plain rude. It is a recipe for a poisonous workplace atmosphere. What do you do?

Education: The Key to Empowering Your Human Resources
Most entrepreneurs realize the role continuing education has served in their personal and professional growth. This growth accounts, in turn, for personal and professional success. Hence learning has become an important component of survival in the new economy. Education can be made affordable for almost every budget. Consider hiring a speaker to conduct a seminar on the premises.

Executive Coaching for Creating a State of Flow at Work

One of my CEO executive coaching clients is working with his executive leadership team to create an organizational culture that unleashes employees' intrinsic motivation and state of flow. I am coaching him to become more effective at appealing to employees' intrinsic motivation and core values, and helping leaders at all levels of the organization become more fully engaged in creating a culture that supports flow. The CEO knows that for the organization to thrive depends on creating an organizational culture and climate that nourishes constant innovation. Human Resources is partnering with me in supporting senior leaders to motivate people by building authentic relationships.

Transforming Employees Into Advocates
Employees who actively live the company's brand create significant benefits for both the customer and the organization. Customers of organizations with employee brand advocates enjoy better customer service, greater anticipation of and ability to have their needs met, and more attentiveness to their voice and feedback. Learn how to transform your employees into advocates.

Culture Shock
Do your People align with your Corporate Culture? Why do people stay with organizations and why do they go? What prompts someone to join a company or move to a new one, particularly if there isn’t much difference in salary or position? Thinking about these questions, I began to reflect back on my recent vacation.

Merger Miseries Four Do Do Diligence

Due diligence is a process used in mergers and acquisitions to reduce the potential for surprises or miscalculations in purchase price. The process is more of an art than a science. One observation I have made is that there is heavy emphasis on the tangible assets like buildings and inventory. Less emphasis is typically placed on the critical human resources assets. I believe that is a mistake. This article explains why and suggests an alternative.

Experienced human resources expertise
If someone tells you there is only one way to do something...run! No seriously, ask some clarifying questions. Is there only one way for legal, performance or other reasons? Why is there only one way? Make sure you understand the reason and that it makes good business sense - or don't do it. Trust the instincts that have made you successful to this point.

Merger Miseries 5 Mini Mergers
Every day we read and hear about the mergers or acquisitions going on between the behemoth companies. They show up on the international radar due to their size and impact. Less visible, but equally impactful in the aggregate, are the hundreds of thousands of small restructurings that go on within organizations every day. This article discusses the smaller mergers and their impact.

A Guide for Employee Appraisals
Employee Appraisals are a very necessary part of a company's managment system. This guide will assist you in developing a system that helps the employee determine his value to the business.

The REAL top 5 reasons employees choose to stay

We asked friends and colleagues on LinkedIn what they thought the top five reasons were for employees choosing to stay with a company rather than look elsewhere. From their answers we created a summary of their top five reasons on our blog. So we thought we’d reveal the real top five reasons, taken from a list of 20 published in Love’em or Lose’em. Getting good people to stay, 2002. What were your top five? Do they match up?

Merger Miseries 6 Bean Counters and Bubbleheads
This article focuses on the lead people who work early in the merger process. They are usually the financial types. I believe this is a mistake. In this article I describe why.

Human resources horrors: When HR goes bump in the night

As an experienced team of human resources consultants we have confronted many HR horrors in our time. Although Halloween is a short-lived occasion, the horrors of human resources gone wrong can be anything but. Our experiences have shown that many businesses don’t just have cobwebs in their employee handbooks; they’re often hiding skeletons in their closets, monsters under their desks and all sorts of scary practices behind closed doors.

HR Trends for 2010 and Beyond
Economists predict that recovery is unlikely until 2011. As the economy continues struggle, what should HR professionals expect to see through 2011?

Finding the Right Fit: A Leadership Selection Model for the Redesigned Organization
Over the past several years, companies across every industry have sought ways to improve profitability and service while decreasing costs. As labor expenses usually account for the single largest segment of the company's budget, downsizings are one of the first options that senior executives consider when trying to cut costs. By Kenneth R. Cohen, Ph.D.

How To Write a Job Description
Think of a job description as a “snapshot” of a job. The job description needs to communicate clearly and concisely what responsibilities and tasks the job entails and to indicate, as well, the key qualifications of the job – the basic requirements (specific credentials or skills) – and, if possible, the attributes that underlie superior performance.

A Virtual Human Resources Assistant Can Save You Money and Get the Job Done!
A Virtual Human Resources Assistant offers businesses a way to keep their department functioning even when layoffs have been done. A Virtual Human Resources Assistant works as needed and is only paid for the work performed, lunch breaks are on their dime!

Who is On The Bus After a Merger
If you have ever been through a merger, acquisition, or even just an internal restructuring, you know it is a tense time for most people. One topic that fills the airwaves is who is going to survive and who will be let go. This article gives three tips for how managers can keep the right talent in the organization.

Human Resource SWOT Analysis
With many smaller sized organizations not having a full-time in-house Human Resource representative, the choice may be to outsource this function to an HR Consultant. Choosing to go this route is a wise investment. But how does one know where to start in terms of the organization’s human resource requirements? Well, complete a S.W.O.T. Analysis, of course!

Making The Rubber Hit The Road- "Re-Branding" HR
Description of how to rebrand Human Resources.

Do you speak the universal language of business?

Communication is one of the obvious cornerstones of a successful sales career. You need to speak the language of the country where you're doing business. You need to know and understand each industry's specific lingo. You need to have a solid grip on the unique dialect of executives with different functional responsibilities. You need to be particularly fluent in the one language common to every decision-making executive.

Be in Business for yourself, but not by yourself
You want to start your own business, but are worried because you don't know what will happen if you run into a problem. Buying into a franchise gives you a stable parent company to utilize if you ever need anything. Here, I discuss why it is best to buy into a franchise rather than starting from scratch.

California Labor Law Challenges and Solutions
California employers need to be aware that California Labor Law differs from federal law in significant ways that can make life even more difficult, if not downright treacherous, for businesses with limited human resources expertise. That is why California employers are turning to HR Outsourcing experts for protection and support.

Sexual Harassment Awareness Increases, But Risks Still Abound
Following the highly publicized lawsuit brought last year against Isiah Thomas and the New York Knicks, sexual harassment has once again reared its ugly head. Despite strides to reduce harassment in the workplace, employers must still do more to educate themselves and their staff. Professional HR consulting and outsourcing firms such as CPEhr provide such a solution.

Undocumented Worker Legislation - A New Reality for California Employers
Employers face new challenges following the Department of Homeland Security’s announcement it will levy larger fines against businesses that employ undocumented workers. HR Outsourcing has become a viable option for small employers to remain in compliance and avoid costly penalties.

Leadership: These Seven Challenges Help Managers Succeed
We learn best from experience. Even though the school of hard knocks is time consuming and expensive, no amount of management training can completely prepare you for what you will experience as a manager. These seven challenges and experiences help managers succeed.

Classes to Motivate and Manage a Team:
Team management courses will focus on skills to help the team building. In all team building, training seminars, managers need to develop a course of team dynamics and also learn how to use the dynamics of their team as a tool to improve communication and performance.These classes train members how to use many techniques to motivate and create team unity.

HR: The Problem Collaborators
HR should not be problem solvers. They should be problem collaborators.

Writing Tip: Use a forecasting subject line
When you want your emails to get things done, begin with a forecasting subject line. This simple step will turn your readers from passive to active. It often determines whether your email gets read or not.

SMEs and Flexible Working: the Perfect Match?
Flexible working could be a match made in heaven for small but ambitious companies because it allows staff to grow with the business. One company tells why it works for them.

Why Managers and Supervisors ARE NOT the Best Communicators During Times of Change
Most of the programs fail to manage change within organizations...Here’s why managers & supervisors are not the best face to face communicators during times of change.

Recruiting Through Social Networking Sites
Social networking sites such as Facebook have really changed the way people interact with each other over the last few years. Many employers are now seeking to utilise these kinds of websites as a recruitment opportunity. Here’s how to do it right.

How to Write an Eye-Catching Job Advertisement
Writing a job advertisement is very much like writing sales copy. The product you're trying to sell is a job, and all the fancy borders and screaming fonts will not attract that 'to die for' candidate.

Online Business Success: Advisory Board Primer (Part I)
Would you like to have industry leaders give you FREE business advice on a regular basis? Read this article and learn all about the power of advisory boards.

Improving employee performance
How to get the most out of your employees

Should I Franchise My Business
It is an important business decision whether or not a company should indeed franchise their business model. This article will provide some guidelines on how this can be accomplished.

Flexibility---Increasingly Important Benefit
New study finds that the stronger the culture of flexibility, the lower the voluntary turnover rate.

What Are You For?
Resist. Resist. Resist. That seems to be the congressional model these days. Whatever one party is for, the other is against. Before an idea makes it to the blogosphere, opposing party political pundits are railing against whatever approach or bill or stance was taken.

Learning To Be More Profitable
Every business will succeed or fail because of the quality and motivation of their most important resource - their people. Investing in the lives, learning and encouragement of the human resources of a business, government or not-for-profit group through seminars, workshops and retreats can be the difference you need.

Effective Business Marketing Is Not Rocket Science
A business marketing plan does not have to be lengthy, academic or take a long time to put together. This is definitely a case where size does not matter!

Why an Outstanding Resume is Not Enough to Get an Interview: Reason 6
Many people think that a powerful, well written résumé is sufficient to give them the edge needed to secure a job interview. While an outstanding résumé is absolutely necessary, it may not always be sufficient. This is the sixth in a series of short articles which outlines the factors, other than your resume, which could determine whether you will be amongst the chosen few from the multitude.

Why External Diagonal Career Moves are Rare

An external diagonal career move occurs when someone moves into a more senior or broader role in a different organisation in either the same or a different industry. For example, if a Marketing Manager in an organisation moves to become a General Manager or Chief Operating Officer or CEO in a different organisation, I call this a diagonal move. They are rare. Most of the time people move either vertically or horizontally.

8 Warning Signs That an Outsourcing Job is Failing

While outsourcing specific skills can be a great alternative for businesses, the realities of human resources can still sometimes rear their ugly head. Just as new hires for in-house positions can turn out to be unproductive, outsourcing freelance placements have that same unfortunate potential. Rather than letting these issues scare you away from outsourcing to freelance contractors, use the following tips to help your outsourcing outcomes to be successful. Ultimately, these warning signs are relevant for in-house jobs as well as those jobs which you are outsourcing.

Riding the Waves of Uncertainty
Doing business in tough times seems to be the major focus of every conversation these days. Three strategies for getting through any economic storm ahead.

Employers of Choice - Why They Attract Employee Loyalty
Far from business determining the future of the workforce, the workforce now determines the future of business. While earning money at work is still vital, commitment to one employer is not. People want more than money - they want employment that enables them to achieve their personal goals.

What Makes An Employer of Choice?

Far from business determining the future of the workforce, the workforce now determines the future of business. The dollars that come from work continue to be of major importance but not so the commitment to any one employer. The workers want more than money - they want employment that enables them to achieve their personal dreams and goals. Employers of Choice understand that every employee, or potential employee : – is on their own personal journey through life, only some of which is spent in the workplace – has a unique set of life aims and objectives – chooses workplace cultures that best help them achieve those goals, and – sees work not as an end in itself but as a means to other ends.

Doing the Right Thing in Leadership

Many times, doing the right thing has penalties. In leadership, those penalties are magnified because there are less safety nets for team members in leadership positions. People in leadership positions are more visible so when they face issues of ethical penalty, it is more widely known. Although you can never avoid the penalties for doing the right thing, there are a couple of skills that can be embraced to reduce the impact of them.

Empowerment, Autonomy & Discretion – Oh My!
Granting autonomy and loosening the apron strings can be scary. After all, this is your company we’re talking about. However, a company where employees have a reason to feel that what they are doing is important is a company on its way to greatness.

RISKY BUSINESS

Human Resources is its own quagmire of risk. Compliance, employee relations, interviewing, and on and on. There are certain basic rules in the world of hiring and managing employees where risk-taking is not advisable. You can’t afford to not do background checks. You can’t afford to not have employees sign release forms, you can’t risk classifying your employees incorrectly, or guessing about the proper way to implement a disciplinary policy.

Why Human Resourses Protect
HR departments are established to protect workers and companies.

The Fundamentals of a Successful Corporate Social Media Policy
Whether your corporate culture embraces social media or not, it is crucial to implement a social media policy in the workplace. Any business that does not have a solid policy in place exposes themselves to significant risks. Learn about the key elements of an effective workplace social media policy.

Using Your USP When Writing Job Ads To Attract Great Employees

I have heard many businesses moaning that they haven’t had a single application to an ad – and yet some businesses are snowed under with applications. What’s the difference? The smart business knows that in a candidate poor market you have to sell the benefits of working for your company BEFORE the candidate will consider applying for a job with you. This is where your USP or unique selling proposition comes in.

Ideas! And How To Deal With Them In Your Business
Ideas. Business meetings are scheduled around them, water cooler discussions are dedicated to them, and in the end very little, if anything, is accomplished. So why do we keep entertaining ideas?

Networking woes
There are many thoughts on networking. What is it, does it work or is it just a waste of time? Here are my ideas on the issue.

Interview Tips & Tricks for Companies
Finding the right person for your company is a time-consuming challenge, and expensive when things don’t work out the way you hoped. Here are some tips for leading a successful interview.

A new approach to staffing
Ever been in the situation where your company is temporarily overstaffed and you're faced with making people redundant or acception you have to pay for idle time and take a hit on your bottom line? Wouldn't collaborating with companies in the reverse situation with a view to sharing skills make sense? Here's how, and why, the pooling of human resources makes so much sense.

Using a Coach
Professional coaches aren’t just a perk for executives or athletes. Anyone with a strong personal commitment to achieving results can benefit from working with a coach.

Coaching Panorama

In this study, I offer the definitions of the following methods of human development: What is Coaching? What is Consulting? What does a Consultant do? What is Organization Development (OD)? What is Mentoring? PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC TRENDS: What is Psychotherapy? Gestalt. TA (Transactional Analysis). Gordon. Psychodrama. NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). Emotional Intelligence. Assertiveness. Supervision. Based on my own approach of coaching I investigate the following: What is Coaching? 1. Who have “discovered” coaching? 2. Coaching types - business coaching; 3. Coaching is not consulting; 4. The language of coaching; 5. Coaches in the corporate sector, abroad and in Hungary. 6. Competitive spirit, performance motivation in Hungary.

How To Get Change Management on the Project Management Agenda
Change is successful when it is seamlessly integrated into the way the organisation operates... the essential ingredient for any successful change program is management and leadership commitment to the proposed strategy.

Operationalizing the Brand - Aligning Promise with Reality
This articles discusses the importance of aligning your organization around the delivery of the desired brand experience, i.e., operationalizing the brand promise made publicly.

Outsourcing-how to work less and make more.
Learn how to affordably outsource tasks you don’t like to do and where to find outsourced help.

How to Make 2008 Great – Employment Branding
As American organizations continue its switch over from an industrial to a service-based, employment branding continues to grow in importance. In this article you will find the basics of employment branding and three tips to help your organization stay on top of this important issue.

The Role of HR in Mergers
One of the benefits of any merger is the ability to reduce headcount in redundant staff functions. I believe it is a mistake to reduce HR staff during the process. In addition to their traditional functions in the steady state organization, there are numerous critical functions that must be handled well for the merged organization to survive.

Do You Want to Train Your People or Do You Want to Fix the Problem?
Training is not a panacea for all the ills of an organization. Often companies consider training to solve their problems but sometimes it is just a bandaid fix which only lasts as long as the bandaid!

Wal-Mart v. Dukes: 7 Employment Takeaways from the Recent Supreme Court Ruling
The recent case of Wal-Mart v. Dukes impacts the way employers address human resources practices, and other HR policies and procedures. Even if a company has recently updated its employee manual and management practices, they should once again review these policies in light of the Supreme Court decision. Here are seven important takeaways.

Five Tips for Selecting an HR Consultant
Are you thinking about hiring an HR consultant? Here are five tips you can use to make sure you enlist the services of a professional consultant who can provide the assistance that you need.

Managing Change in Organizations: Lessons from the Best
IBM's Making Change Work Study survey draws some very powerful lessons on how best to bring about successful change in your organization.

The Value of EPL Insurance to Protect Your Business Against Employment Lawsuits
Year after year, employment lawsuits lodged against American businesses continue to skyrocket, with no end in sight. In the past year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received over 65,000 charges of alleged sexual and raced-based discrimination alone. Employee Practices Liability Insurance is a valuable insurance policy to protect your business against employment lawsuits.

Harassment Training and the California Labor Law Requirements (AB-1825)
On January 1, 2005, California’s Sexual Harassment Training law (AB-1825) went into affect. When AB1825 was passed it became more than an expectation, it became the law, requiring the management teams of businesses in California with 50 or more employees to be trained according to specifics as outlined by AB1825.

Three Tips for Teaching Audio Conference Training Sessions
Do you need to learn how to deliver training via an audio conference platform? Here are three tips to help you get started.

How To Help The Newest Hire Feel At Home

Do you remember your first day at your job? If you do you likely remember how stressed and anxious you were going into that day. Starting a new job is an exciting time of change and opportunity but it is also often uncomfortable and stressful. There is a reason why people always say the first day is the hardest. As an employee there are steps you can take to help new people feel more comfortable and to more quickly incorporate them into the team.

The Five Best Hiring Tips for HR

HR has just received several new applications for a position. The problem: there are lots of applications and only one job. How does HR decide who to hire? How does HR make sure they have chosen the best person? By following the five best hiring tips for employers as outlined in “The Five Best Hiring Tips for Employers.” The article name explains exactly what the article will describe, ways to ensure that the newest employee was the best choice for the position. One of the best tips is Tip #4: Utilize HRMS software. Many HR professionals use HRMS software for help with everything from payroll to appraisal performance for current employees, but they can also use HRMS during recruiting for future employees.

The Importance of Succession Planning
The resignation of Steve Jobs as the CEO of Apple has brought the subject of Succession Planning to the forefront of conversation. This article explores the importance of succession planning to organisations

Free Labour - but is it right?
There is an increased use of interns, both paid and unpaid. This article explores the use of interns within organisations

Value Begets Value
This article explores the value that we place on people

The Bribery Act Does Affect You
The Bribery Act recently came into force in Britain. This article explores its significance.

Hiring the Right People
Ken Cohen explains one of the most cost-effective ways employers can get the most from their available resources...accurate hiring.

The Role of Self-Awareness
We are fortunate to live in a world that offers unlimited opportunities and where dreams can be achieved at every turn. So, why is it that many people feel frustrated, unable to accomplish much? Usually the reason is that these individuals have vested little time in reflecting within themselves to find and develop their own potential. Astronology guest writer Stacey Jerrold explains.

6 Months on Capitol Hill
Every year Astronology examines legislation coming from Capitol Hill, and how these changes influence Human Resource practices. Two major developments in the first half of 2011 affecting Human Resources are the possible adjustments to Healthcare reform, such as the CLASS Act, and the Legal Workforce Act of 2011. What challenges should we expect as a result of these pieces of legislation?

Preserving the Dignity of Our Workforce

We Americans celebrate Labor Day each September as a reminder of how those who toil daily are important to their families and to the country. I might offer to you that the first Monday in September is also Employers’ Day, for without employers, there are no employees. We in the human resource profession find ourselves in a no-man’s land as both an advocate for our employees and an instrument of our employers. Guest Writer Richard Virgilio explains.

Attracting Passionate Employees

Do you feel like it’s really hard to find great people? And after you find them, to keep them? Great people–people who are passionate about what you do and about their own contribution, and who have the ability to add value–have always been hard to find and keep. They have the most options, they’re the most in demand, and they know it. They are first rate and don’t have to accept a second-rate situation. This article will give you the basics on how to attract these in-demand individuals.

What Is Wrong with Performance Appraisals?
How effective are organizations at driving superior performance from their employees? If we are to believe human resources professionals, the answer is that our performance management systems are failing to make the grade. This is the sobering conclusion from Sibson Consulting\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s worldwide survey.

Performance Appraisals and Compensation: A Deadly Mix
The annual jostling for pay rises based on employee performance is often described as ineffective by HR professionals, largely dreaded by managers and treated with suspicion by employees. So why do organizations still engage in this annual exercise?

Employing Restaurant Menu Strategies in Human Resources
Just imagine if you, or your HR team, spent time focusing on the types of services you deliver versus the type you'd prefer spending time. We all say we want to spend more time on strategic initiatives so it makes sense that the first step is a plan of action that uses some of the restaurant menu design tactics to steer our internal customers to choosing for us to do that work.

Top 10 Reasons To Love HR
My observations on the things HR does that our people love.

How Top Management Views Performance Appraisal Systems
How important is your leadership team's support of the performance management system in your organization? A recent study into the views of HR professionals towards their appraisal system sheds interesting light on the value of top level endorsement.

Conclusion: Constraints of growth-oriented enterprises in the southern and eastern African region
Enterprises that are about to grow and employ 5-15 people and enterprises that are in the process of growing and employ 10-30 people, both claim that their most important constraint is short- and long-term capital.

Human Resources : Constraints of growth-oriented enterprises
Human resources are very important for enterprise growth (see e.g. PAPA, 2000). This becomes increasingly important the higher up in the organization one gets.

Managers Helping Themselves
Many people end up in leadership positions without the skills of knowing how to work with others, or how to improve themselves so the job is at least somewhat easier. This article addresses some of those issues, as well as gives recommendations for moving forward.

THE VIRTUOUS CIRCLE OF HUMAN CAPITAL FORMATION, INWARD FDI, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS
The past two sections described how host developing countries attract MNEs. It is found that while basic education for all adults is the key starting point, a demand driven HRD at a higher level is necessary to attract higher value-added MNEs including those in the recently growing services sector.

New Small Business Loans

What’s the most difficult part of starting a business? Some will say it’s coming up with a winning idea. Others will say that it’s getting the word out about your new company. Personally, I’ve always found the most challenging aspect of starting a company to be finding the financing you need to get your idea off the ground and running. There are a number of avenues out there that you could pursue, so long as you know in what direction to look. If you’re applying for new small business loans, this article will summarize some of the things you need to know before you get started.

Managing trade-offs
Achieving both profitability and strong social performance is the ultimate promise of microfinance. It is not impossible, but neither is it easy, and relatively few micro-lenders are there yet.

Advertising Jobs

Many people overlook this part of the human resources process, but it is in fact one of the most important steps to making sure you have the best team you can have behind your company. Advertising jobs that are available within your business doesn’t have to take long. With the myriad of ways to advertise online, it could all be done with the quick click of a mouse. But, what about for those of you entrepreneurs that are serious about finding the best fit for your company? Here are some tips to make sure you’re attracting the best and the brightest.

Empowering Managers to Implement Workplace Flexibility

During the past decade, a significant portion of work-life research has been dedicated to identifying and measuring the bottom-line benefits of workplace flexibility on an organization and its employees. Unfortunately, there has been little attention paid to the challenges managers face when working to integrate flexibility into their work groups. This article outlines the importance of equipping managers with the tools and training needed to successfully prepare for the mobile workforce and provides examples and resources your organization can begin using today.

Human Resources Manager

As the human resources manager of any small company, you are responsible for creating a solid backbone for that business. It is a challenging job, but not one that you have to do alone. Great people have come before you and have even written books about their experiences! So, here I’m going to outline for you what I have found to be some of the most useful and informative books to help you succeed in this role!

Human Resources Degree

You know you want a career in human resources, but you’re not sure whether to get a specialized education in it or not? It’s a tricky question that many people in the industry are asking these days: just what exactly is the value of a human resources degree? Because this industry is so diverse and one job title rarely means the same thing across companies, the educational requirements are equally as variable. While some may see this as a dilemma, I would encourage you rather to see it as an opportunity for a myriad of choices and the chance to find the one that is best for you.

Human Resources Job

Advertising a human resources job available within your company is the same as any other position, and key to all of them is writing the most adequate and best possible job description that you can. Today, in a business world that has become so muddied with legal complexities, writing a job description is often delayed as much as possible, left to the last minute, or done with very little thought at all. But, by denying yourself an excellent job description – and yes, they can be excellent – you are potentially denying your company that one person that could be the difference between success and failure down the road.

Human Resources Planning

When it comes to human resources planning, one of your most important tasks is to make sure that you hire the right people for your company. You want top quality and reliable workers. Without that, everything else you try to do will go completely out the door. But, just how exactly do you find these people? As competition gets more and more fierce, how to you make sure you’re getting the best people on board?

Getting Employees to Focus
As a business leader, you know how much time, money, and energy is spent trying to bring in the best team members possible. Now that you have them on board, how do you keep them engaged? Getting employees to focus is all about providing clear communication using every available tool.

The Blueprint For Better HR
HR professionals continue to bemoan the fact they aren't in the boardroom. But it's time for CEOs to pick HR up by the bootstraps and get more out of their HR - it may be the only way HR can force their way into the boardroom.

Metrics: Not Just a Year End Excercise

Organizations who whole-heartedly incorporate evaluating various metrics into their self-assessment plans often look at the end of the year as the time to do a careful look at their performance based on how they did in terms of the measures they set up a year ago. However, this routine can be one that misses many opportunities to discover performance information other than what was targeted when the measurement plan was initiated. A little bit of creativity and basic arithmetic can find insights in places where no one ever looked before. Richard Virgilio explains.

What To Do With a Troublemaker?
Here comes trouble! Does your organization have that one person with the reputation of being a troublemaker? How are employees supposed to respond to such an individual? And how can an organization protect itself from inadvertently hiring such individuals? Astronology investigates the dynamics of the office troublemaker.

Does Office Etiquette Exist?

Does the treatment you receive from your co-workers affect your productivity? According to one Forbes article, 48% of poorly treated employees have at one time intentionally decreased their productivity due to ill treatment. Additionally, 12% confirmed that rude behavior caused them to quit their jobs. This unintended turnover can result in an estimated loss of $50,000 per worker. Who would have thought that office etiquette could be such a large factor in organizational productivity! Given the potential bottom line impact of office etiquette, what can organizations do to successfully manage interpersonal relations?

Top Seven Warning Signs of Poor Organization Design
Today’s Astronology article comes to us courtesy of Tim McConnell, a Managing Partner with McConnell HRC Inc. Do these symptoms exist in your office? Let’s examine the case of ABC Agency, whose name has been protected for purposes of this article.

Whistleblowing in 2012
Whistleblowing. In today’s world this word can be synonymous with “snitch” or “truth-teller,” depending on which side you stand. Why is this subject so controversial? What can Human Resources do effectively act when faced with a whistleblowing situation?

Work Share VS. Layoffs
The idea of a layoff brings sheer terror to employees…and headaches to employers. Yet in unsteady economic conditions, many organizations have been faced with this consideration. As we move into our new normal of ongoing economy uncertainty, any organization could possibly face a layoff in the future, if they have not gone through one or more already.

Effectively Dealing with Poor Management

While many individuals assume that pay or benefits are driving factors in employee dissatisfaction and turnover, research points in another direction. A Gallup Management Journal article highlighting excerpts from the book, First, Break All the Rules, reveals what is often the source of turnover. Employees join companies…but leave managers. The idea that a manager could affect whether an employee stays loyal to an organization isn’t a new concept. What made this article special was that it used a real life example of why one graduate of Stanford and Harvard left a well-known company after working there for only one year. The former employee said of her manager, “He’s not a bad man; He’s just not a manager. He’s insecure and I don’t think you can be insecure and be a good manager.” Her comment should alert all organizational leaders.

The Challenges of Teamwork
Teamwork is unavoidable. While many people enjoy the collective experience of accomplishing goals as a team, there are many who find this facet of work challenging. What is it about teamwork that makes some avoid it like the plague, and others enthusiastic for the opportunity? Astronology takes a look at the challenges of teamwork.

Human Resources Consulting

Whether it’s for education, training, or data management, handling legal affairs or drafting policies, human resources consulting can help organize your company so that it is better able to reach the next level of success. But once you recognize that you need some help, what next? How do you go about finding that right consultant that will not only work well with your corporate team, but will be able to provide you with the appropriate steps to take to be able to move forward?

Human Resources Jobs

Human resources jobs are like the pearl in an oyster – they are not extremely visible to the outside world, but without them, few companies would be what they are today. Indeed, they are often a secret weapon of the corporate world. Though they don’t directly make any money for the company, you can be sure that they are helping to build up its overall revenues. If you think one of these positions is for you, then read on to discover what they mean out in the real world.

Human Resources Career

Hiring and firing employees, creating benefits programs, managing employee communications, training and compensating workers – these are just a few of the tasks you could be in charge of with a human resources career. As employees become considered more and more of a competitive advantage in the world of business, the human resources industry has grown in strategic significance. It is a highly competitive industry, but if you have always dreamed of a human resources career, there are a number of steps you can take to get ahead.

Human Resources Outsourcing

As small business owners, we have all come under the dual crunch of time and money pressures. Often times, when we’re trying to run an entire company, we can barely find the time to look after ourselves. How many of us out there have gone to work in the morning with different coloured socks? Or maybe even forgotten to bring our Blackberry? As such, how on earth are we supposed to find the time to manage all of the other people who work for us? Well, that is where human resources outsourcing comes into play.

Human Resources Software

We’ve heard it all before: it takes almost three times as much money to recruit and train new employees than it does to retain and train the ones you already have. As such, small business owners are often willing to do whatever it takes to streamline their operations and ensure they are looking after their staff. Productive and efficient employees are those that are not only well qualified and trained, but also managed. To achieve that, many entrepreneurs turn to human resources software to help them better understand how their company’s human resources are performing, and where improvements need to be made.

Human Resources Software

Human Resources Training

Starting a new job is never easy, but it is all the more difficult if your employer has not provided you with adequate human resources training. As a small business owner, you need to make sure that each and every single one of your new workers feels comfortable with both their new tasks and their new surroundings. Often times, we don’t like to put forward the money it costs to train employees. But, trust me, in the long run it will be worth it for your company. No matter how stellar someone’s qualifications may appear on paper, beginning without the proper training could lead them to crash and burn.

Some Considerations for Outsourcing

A few years back I learnt that Buckinghamshire County Council was outsourcing its recruitment services in order to improve its efficiency. Following on from this, I went on to read an article which mentioned the promotion of outsourcing as a good thing. Finally, I was called by an agency setup which was setting up an event to promote Lean Government, requesting that I participate The agency explained to me that Central Government is currently pushing for Local Government outsourcing in order to safe costs. This led me to reflect on some of my experiences of outsourcing and its impact.

Profit Boosting Tip - Beware of Catch-all Jobs
Think you are managing your money and your resources tightly? Are you sure you know what all the jobs are actually doing – and that they actually build your profits. You may find “catch all” roles in your business that surprise you.

How Human Resources can Resource Humans.
Despite our best intentions so much of what we practice in Human Resources, including training and development, does little more than reinforce that the organisation views its people as resources first and humans a distant second.It doesnt have to be this way.

How Human Resources can Resource Humans.
Despite our best intentions so much of what we practice in Human Resources, including training and development, does little more than reinforce that the organisation views its people as resources first and humans a distant second.It doesnt have to be this way.

Profit Boosting Tips - Cut out layers
One of the worst things you can do for your business is build a structure that puts lots of layers between you and your customers. They rarely add value – and nearly always cost you more money than you can get back in profits.

The Feds are Checking Employer Background Checks

On April 25, 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued new rules concerning employers who conduct criminal background searches of job applicants & employees. This is the EEOC's first new rules on the matter in 20 years, so employers should take notice. Although the rules aren't fundamentally different from the EEOC's current rules, these new rules probably signal an increase in scrutiny & enforcement of criminal background screening, as well as credit checking & not hiring the long term unemployed.

What are Human Resources Labor Employment Law Labor Employee Relations and Why Should It Matter to You
An article defining human resources and human capital, labor and employment law, and labor and employee relations, and discusses their importance to business. Explains theory and applies the concepts to the real world.

Establishing A High Motivation Human Resources Program
This article provides the nuts and bolts of establishing a high motivation human resources program which can enable a firm to attract the best employees available and create a positive work environment in which employee morale and productivity can be maximized.

Training as a Cultural Experience

Participating in training and development programs either as a trainee in the early stages of my business and academic life, or as an instructor when I became more mature and qualified enough to instruct, provided me with an excellent exposure to different cultures. I found out that even when a workshop or a training program had a preset agenda and topics, once the trainees start to interact, the program turns into a very rich cultural and learning experience that ingratiates those of the participants who attended with a spirit to discover new terrains of knowledge.

7.6 ILO Convention No. 142 and Recommendation No. 150
The International Labour Convention No.142 and Recommendation No. 150 concerning Human Resources Development, which deal with vocational guidance and vocational training in the development of human resources, are the key ILO policy statements on VET.

The Metrics of Recruiting
With the role of human resources shifting from service and administration to strategic planning partner, we need to take on more accountability for how we impact the success of the business. The biggest impact we can make is on the "human" resources the organization employs to maintain the business. Therefore, we must assess the quality and cost of recruiting and retaining these resources.

Coaching In The Workplace
Actually coaching in the workplace helps to manage the most prized resource within the organization and that is the human resource. If human resources are well looked after then all other resources such as raw materials, capital, land, etc can be well maintained and be used optimally. However the opposite is also true. If you do not manage your people well, then the end result will be chaos.

Is Outsourcing HR Right For Your Business?
Whether you currently have a full-time Human Resources professional on board, or an office manager who is handling basic HR responsibilities, an external Human Resources consultant, such as Instant HR Solutions, can complement your existing structure or lack thereof.

Outsourcing Human Resources: Smarter – and More Cost Effective - than Keeping HR In-House
Employers are turning to Human Resources Outsourcing firms, or PEOs (Professional Employer Organizations) to manage their company's HR processes for them. The HRO firm employs a team of experts that is able to manage the complete gamut of human resources administration more efficiently and cost effectively than private employers.

Human Resources Outsourcing: A Client Case Study
Human Resources Outsourcing continues to grow as one of the fastest growing BPO (business process outsourcing) sectors. Despite years of recession and corporate cut-backs, outsourcing human resources grew over the same period of time. Here is a case study of a business that utilized human resources outsourcing to reduce risk and cut HR overhead.

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