By Eric B. Meyer
Over the weekend, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a bill making Colorado the eighth state to have a social media workplace privacy law. (The others are Maryland, Illinois, California, Michigan, Utah, New Mexico, and Arkansas).
You can view a copy of the new Colorado law here.
The new law places three restrictions on employers with respect to access of employee and applicant social media accounts: Read more…
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve heard plenty about bullies in the workplace.
You’ve heard how bad it is. You’ve heard about the missed work days and the increased medical costs and the disability claims and the lawsuits. You’ve heard about the disruption and the drama and the colossal waste of hours employees spend managing others’ aggression instead of producing. Instead of creating. Instead of innovating.
You may have even read the statistic that workplace bullying costs U.S. employers nearly $250 million annually.
And you’ve decided that you don’t give a crap. Read more…
Last week on an upgraded flight between Denver and Orlando, I was given a warm cookie after the meal service. This is a nice touch United Airlines does and has done for first class passengers for years.
But as I examined the little brown paper sack the cookie came in, I was amused by the sentence printed on the bag: Made fresh, especially for you.
Something about that woke up the stand-up comic that resides deep within me as I began to imagine how Jerry Seinfeld might relate this story on stage. Read more…
By Howard Mavity
When Jordan Barab famously admitted that OSHA was utilizing large penalties accompanied by harsh press releases to “motivate” employers to comply, I had mixed feelings.
Fear is a great motivator. Aggressive publication of legitimate noteworthy OSHA citations has a role in the “carrot and stick” process of safety enforcement. Moreover, I understand that the former OSHA Region IV Administrator first used the phrase, and frankly, I doubt that she misused the approach. Read more…
I haven’t tried Google Glass but I’m intrigued.
As James Rivington writes in Techradar’s Google Glass: What You Need to Know, Google Glass is defined as:
An attempt to free data from desktop computers and portable devices like phones and tablets, and place it right in front of your eyes.
Essentially, Google Glass is a camera, display, touchpad, battery and microphone built into spectacle frames so that you can perch a display in your field of vision, film, take pictures, search and translate on the go.”
Are you ready for Google Glass? Read more…
More technology start-ups will be looking to hire than at any time in the last four years, says Silicon Valley Bank, but they worry they won’t be able to find the talent they need.
Even as most leaders and founders of the firms surveyed by the bank for its annual Startup Outlook report say conditions in the U.S. are better this year than last, the number of them who report hiring talent is their biggest challenge has grown. Nine out of 10 executives report finding and hiring the talent they need is their biggest challenge.
The annual survey says 87 percent of the tech start-ups reported plans to add staff this year. That’s up four points from last year, and 14 points from the first survey conducted in 2010. Read more…
As HR and other leaders grapple with high turnover rates among the Gen Y/Millennial cohort (see last week’s post here), all kinds of issues get raised.
Is the turnover due to “special” characteristics inherent in Gen Y? Is the turnover due to lack of education and training opportunities? Naivete on the part of Millennials – the world of work doesn’t match their expectations? Could a lack of thoughtful onboarding play a part?
The Aberdeen Group published Onboarding 2013: A New Look at New Hires last month and author Madeline Laurano provides data that might help organizations become more effective in retaining the youngest of their workforce. Read more…
In the last few months in my travels to lead workshops with clients and to present at various HR and strategy conferences around the world, I’m hearing a repeated refrain about employee retention.
In my (admittedly unscientific) survey of these large, global companies, the importance of culture as a main component of a retention strategy is once again rising to the fore.
Some companies have maxed out their compensation and cannot compete for talent based on pay alone. Others know the only real difference between what they have to offer top talent from the competition is the strength of their workplace culture as an exciting, innovative and appreciative environment.
Or, as a recent Chief Executive magazine article put it: Read more…
“Death by interview” is the harsh but unfortunately all-too accurate name that I give to the majority of corporate interview processes because of the way that they literally abuse candidates.
“Death by interview” is worth closer examination because harsh treatment during interviews impacts almost every working American, simply because each one of us is subjected to many interviews during our lifetime.
The hiring interview shares a love/hate status, where even though applicants initially hope to be granted an interview, once they are finally notified, they almost universally undergo a wave of stress and painful memories that causes them to stop looking forward to them. Read more…
Four states that have snubbed the federal health law by defaulting to the federal government to build new online insurance marketplaces and not agreeing to expand Medicaid are getting new jobs at call centers that will help consumers understand their new coverage options this fall.
Up to 9,000 jobs are expected to be created at call centers to support the new federally run marketplaces. A Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman said some of them will be added to existing Medicare call centers in Phoenix, Chester, Va., Lawrence, Kan., and Tampa, Fla.– all states with Republican leaders who oppose the law.
A fifth center in Coralville, Iowa and a sixth in Corbin, Ky., will also be expanded, she said. Plans are still being finalized for other locations, she said. Read more…
“Totally agree with you Erik. Thanks for the informative read. I implement integrated workplace wellness programs across Australia and have . . . ”
— Helena Davis on Employee Wellness is Simply a Matter of Employee Engagement, 39 minutes ago
“In MBTI, the letters can't be treated in isolation. The Socionics approach takes MBTI and says it's the cognitive function . . . ”
— David Arceneaux on Coping at Work: When Smart Bosses and Employees Drive Each Other Crazy, 5 hours ago
“And then there's Texas ..... that has said NO to setting up exchanges and is doing every thing possible to . . . ”
— jacque vilet on Four States That Snubbed Health Reform Gaining Jobs From It, 6 hours ago
“Hi Elizabeth - I really think that the whole emerging area of performance improvement is a competency that HR cannot . . . ”
— Carol Anderson on It’s Not Easy, But Here’s Where HR Can Add Value to the Business, 8 hours ago
“Can't disagree with that Sandra, and yes, experts are critical in this complex profession. But if the HR Leader . . . ”
— Carol Anderson on The Model HR Leader? Maybe It’s an Orchestra Conductor, 8 hours ago