April – 2011

Management Tip: Change Your Name and You Might Become a CEO

by John Zappe on Apr 29, 2011, 11:27 AM | No comments yet

Here’s a little tidbit from LinkedIn that might help you answer a Jeopardy question or fill the conversational lull between discussing the takeover of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lindsay Lohan’s upcoming stint in the morgue: Peter, Deborah, Bob, and Sally are among the most common names for CEOs.

It’s probably a totally meaningless analysis, but LinkedIn managed to get some PR mileage (and yes, I realize I’m playing right into that) out of scouring 100 million profiles to find the most common CEO names.

If the research department had stopped there, it still would have warranted a water-cooler mention. But the team must have really had fun, since it dug into the various occupations and functional areas discovering such gems as: Read more…

HR Basics, Legal Issues

Labor Department Targets Employers Using the H-1B Visa Program

by Shanon Stevenson on Apr 29, 2011, 9:57 AM | No comments yet

Shanon Stevenson is a partner in the Atlanta office of the law firm Fisher & Phillips.

By Shanon Stevenson

The U.S. Labor Department continues to target non-compliance by employers using the H-1B program to employ foreign nationals to work in the U.S. in professional or specialty jobs. Recent DOL audits have resulted in substantial assessments of back-wages and penalties.

An employer using the H-1B program must pay program employees a wage rate that is the greater of (1) the “actual wage” (the rate the employer pays to all others in the position with similar experience and qualifications), or (2) the “prevailing wage” (the wage rate DOL determines for the occupational classification in the area of employment). The employer is also responsible for paying certain government-imposed filing fees. Read more…

HR News & Trends

Weekly Wrap: Does Power Point Cause Bad Meetings? Not Bloody Likely

by John Hollon on Apr 29, 2011, 9:07 AM | 2 Comments

I can’t tell you how much of my life I have wasted sitting in mind-numbing, overlong, unproductive meetings.

My guess is that you probably have lost some of yours too, because a bad meeting, like death or cancer, doesn’t discriminate.

That’s why I perked up when I saw this article in the Harvard Business Review (also posted at BusinessWeek) titled, “The No. 1 Killer of Meetings — And what you can do about it.” This had to have some great insight for managers and HR professionals everywhere on how to help get rid of all those bad meetings, right?

Well, no – unless you think that PowerPoint is at the root of all evil, and bad meetings as well. Read more…

HR Insights, HR Management

Nursing Mothers as Lower Performers? They’re Not in My Office!

by Tim Sackett on Apr 29, 2011, 7:55 AM | No comments yet

I have something to admit. I’m a bit of an expert in regards to nursing mothers. “Really?” you say. Let me explain.

I’m in a fairly small office, 20 or so employees on a daily basis – about 70 percent female. The interesting part is that in the last few years, I don’t think we’ve gone a day when we haven’t had a nursing mother on our staff. The women keep telling me it’s something in the water – I keep yelling at our water softener rep – and yet it hasn’t changed.

That being said, I was somewhat shocked when I read a report in The Wall Street Journal titled “Nursing Moms Seen as Less Competent” which spoke of a new study claiming people perceive nursing mothers as lower performers than their peer group. From the WSJ: Read more…

HR Management, Leadership

Here’s How You Can be “Rich” – Both in Your Business and in Your Life

by Patty Azzarello on Apr 28, 2011, 12:15 PM | No comments yet

I love this book.

It is rare to find a business book that inspires you to be a better person.

In Today We Are Rich, Tim Sanders outlines how we can improve our confidence, our life, the lives of others, and our business success by investing in specific positive behaviors.

He describes this new book as a prequel to his book, Love is the Killer App, where he first introduced us to the “Lovecat” — the type of business person who is generous, kind, and respectful — the business leader who gives his way to the top, and grows people along the way.

In his new book, Tim shares with us where he got these values in the first place, through the lessons he learned growing up, from his grandmother Billye. Read more…

$#*!@ Dr. John Sullivan Says

What HR is Doing Wrong (And Needs to Get Fixed Right Away)

by John Hollon on Apr 28, 2011, 10:45 AM | No comments yet

Editor’s Note: Dr. John Sullivan has been a provocateur and strategist in the field of human resources and talent management for over 30 years. His specialty is HR strategy and designing world class HR systems and tools for Fortune 200 firms, and he’s never been shy about telling it like it is.

That’s why TLNT asked him to share his thinking in a video series titled “$#*!@ Dr. John Sullivan Says!” Look for these videos twice a week here at TLNT.

Today’s topic: What can HR do better?

“I once wrote an article once entitled “It’s Time to Fire HR,” Dr. John says, “and I got a lot of crap for it. … But how well are we doing? We need an objective standard (for HR) — what we are doing right, what we are doing wrong.” Read more…

HR News & Trends, Legal Issues

New Philadelphia Law Restricts Criminal Records Checks on Job Applications

by Celia Joseph on Apr 28, 2011, 9:15 AM | 2 Comments

By Celia Joseph

Earlier this month, Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter signed the Fair Criminal Screening Standards Ordinance, which will change both the application and screening processes for entities with employees working in Philadelphia. This ordinance will become effective on July 12, 2011.

The new law establishes limits and requirements for the screening of criminal records by certain Philadelphia employers, and will likely change both the application and screening processes of many employers. This law generally prohibits unfair discrimination against persons previously arrested or convicted of one or more criminal offenses which are not then pending against the person.

The City of Philadelphia passed this law in the hopes that it will help qualified ex-criminal offenders obtain access to employment opportunities, reduce recidivism, increase public safety and stabilize city neighborhoods. Read more…

HR Management, HR Technology

Are You Flexible With Employees When it Comes to Their Tech Devices?

by Lance Haun on Apr 28, 2011, 7:45 AM | 1 comment

Once upon a time, I worked for the student computer support department at my university. It was a pretty good job for a student and it helped me realized I never wanted to do any sort of computer support as a career.

When The Wall Street Journal wrote a piece about supporting personal technology devices at work, my old computer support ears perked up about the issue:

For lots of workers, the company BlackBerry just doesn’t cut it anymore.

As people pack increasingly sophisticated smartphones in their personal life, they’re clamoring to use those gadgets in the workplace as well. And many of their bosses are loosening up. They’re ditching the traditional BlackBerry-or-nothing policy and allowing a wider range of mobile devices, including tablets such as the iPad.”

If you don’t think this is an HR issue yet, just wait. It will eventually come your way.

Navigating the Treacherous Waters of Employee Termination

by Sara J. Fagnilli on Apr 27, 2011, 11:15 AM | No comments yet

Fisher & Phillips attorney Sara J. Fagnilli

By Sara J. Fagnilli

To fire or not to fire, that is the question, and while it might have been an easy one for Shakespeare, it will rarely be an easy question for any employer to answer.

While every situation presents its own unique challenges, the single most important rule that any employer should follow when considering firing an employee is to be exceptionally careful and to take the time to think through the steps.

Not only are you about to affect someone’s livelihood, but the company also generally has a significant investment in the employee, not to mention a significant interest in avoiding the aftermath of potential litigation and/or administrative proceedings that can follow a termination.

So what do you do . . . and how? Developing and maintaining a checklist to use in these situations can be important and extremely helpful to navigate all the potential steps and issues along the way. Read more…

HR Management, HR News & Trends

Taking Your Daughter Or Son To Work Tomorrow? Better Think Twice

by Lance Haun on Apr 27, 2011, 9:55 AM | 3 Comments

Tomorrow is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work day and if you are thinking about participating (either for yourself or overall as an employer), I would encourage you to consider alternatives to the program.

In the past when I’ve talked about the issue, I’ve been accused of being a kid hater. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Of course, kids can be an obnoxious liability when added uncontrolled in the work environment, but I do think children deserve an opportunity to learn about the types of careers that are available at an early age. It should be done in a way that actually accomplishes the goals of the program too.

What I’ve seen from most executions of the program though are bored kids, unproductive parents, and an opportunity sorely missed. And if we can’t do better than that, then we shouldn’t do anything at all.

Management Tip: Change Your Name and You Might Become a CEO

Labor Department Targets Employers Using the H-1B Visa Program

Weekly Wrap: Does Power Point Cause Bad Meetings? Not Bloody Likely

Nursing Mothers as Lower Performers? They’re Not in My Office!

Here’s How You Can be “Rich” – Both in Your Business and in Your Life

What HR is Doing Wrong (And Needs to Get Fixed Right Away)

Today’s topic: What can HR do better?

New Philadelphia Law Restricts Criminal Records Checks on Job Applications

Are You Flexible With Employees When it Comes to Their Tech Devices?

Navigating the Treacherous Waters of Employee Termination

Taking Your Daughter Or Son To Work Tomorrow? Better Think Twice

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