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Electronic Delivery of Compliance Communications: How to Tell If It’s Right for YouUnder Department of Labor regulations, certain information about employee benefit plans can be distributed electronically both within—and outside—the workplace. However, there are very specific rules about what types of information can be delivered electronically, who can receive such information—and how such information can be delivered. A careful review of these rules can help you decide whether electronic delivery makes sense for you.
LATEST JOB AND UNEMPLOYMENT ESTIMATES FOR LABOR MARKETS IN THE COMMONWEALTH The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported that job gains were recorded in September in nine of the of the Commonwealth’s twelve areas for which unadjusted job estimates were published.
The Conference Board Employment Trends Index (ETI)™ Edges Up in SeptemberThe Conference Board Employment Trends Index (ETI)™ increased 0.3 percent from the revised August number, the first increase since January 2008. The index now stands at 88.5 and is down 15.6 percent from a year ago.
Online Job Demand Down 101,800 in September, The Conference Board Reports Count Your BlessingsHow is your stress level? How do you handle it in the workforce? Patricia Wheeler shares how to keep stress in check.
Employee Morale and Productivity Take a Hit Due to Recessionary CutbacksEconomical challenges are not the only hurdles companies are facing during the current recession, many organizations have seen employee morale fall. Globoforce shares more from a recent study.
Why Managers Should Care about Employee Loyalty A recent study showed that only a quarter of US employees think their employer has earned their loyalty. Timothy Keiningham and Lerzan Aksoy share more.
SaaS Quickly Becoming Primary Offering for Value Added ResellersSaaS.com Establishes Partnership with Workforce Express LLC
Transforming Conflict: Replacing Blaming “You”s with Tactfully Assertive “I”sIn conflict situations, the most effective communication invariably blends both head and heart. The Stress Doctor, Mark Gorkin is "in" and explains more.
Organizations Fail to Manage Cross-Cultural ConversationsFew companies have prepared leaders to deal with cross-cultural conversations within their organizations. Career Innovation shares its study.
Don’t Let the Nattering Nabobs of Negativism Get You DownDespite the negative headlines, the world really is making good, positive progress, says Jim Clemmer.
Paradox Underscores Continued Need for Training in Ethical Decision-MakingA recent poll from Deloitte and Junior Achievement found that most teens think they can make ethical decisions, yet many believe it is okay to cheat and lie.
Long Haired Freaky People Need Not ApplyWhich workplace grooming standards can employers legally implement? Pepper Hamilton LLP explains more.
The Insala Outplacement industry forecast for 2009With world economies tumbling and layoffs looming, what is the outlook for the outplacement industry? Is it enjoying a resurgence? What is the forecast for layoffs? Who is being hit the hardest? What’s new in layoff legislation? How are outplacement firms transforming to meet changing market demands?
This cutting-edge article answers these questions - aggregating factual data from the most current prominent studies into a powerhouse of knowledge.
Employee Relationships: Workplace Communications Critical in Good Times and BadThe financial infrastructure is collapsing and there isn't an employee in any organization that isn't nervous. What is the employers’ role during these times? They need to have a plan says Daniel G. DePuydt of Oi Partners.
Obama Presidential Election Victory Could Lead To Dramatic Increase in Unionization of Employers It looks likely that the Employee Free Choice Act will be enacted, in one form or another, in 2009 in the United States. Employers need to begin now to prepare. That process starts with understanding the dangers of the law, but it also entails in-depth management analysis of employment practices and strategies as well as immediate auditing of the risk of potential unionization. Littler Mendelson shares this report.
Managing a Difficult Boss (Part I)How big is the problem?
A difficult boss is the greatest obstacle most workers will encounter in their professional life. The unmanaged impact of a daily encounter with him or her can be devastating to a person's career, worth, health and overall well-being.
A short article such as this is insufficient for exploring the range of impact a difficult boss can have on an individual or organization. So we will explore only two aspects "health and financial impacts."
There is hardly a more potent and pervasive workplace stressor than a difficult supervisor. A recent survey by Mental Health America (formerly known as the National Mental Health Association) identified employment issues as the third main source of stress in American life.2 SkillSoft, a leading online learning provider, commissioned a third party to examine the top ten stressors and irritants in the workplace. Six of the ten irritants "managers changing their minds about what they want, lack of support from managers, pressure from managers, feeling put upon by managers, interruptions by managers and bullying behavior by managers" are related to the boss's action or behavior.3 All of these issues could be managed in a healthy relationship with an effective boss.
Jeffrey Tanenbaum of Nixon Peabody LLP Joins the Secure Talent Executive Advisory BoardThe board welcomes its labor and employment law expert.
Tips for Dealing with Desk Rage -- Theirs and YoursWorkplace morale is at an all-time. The threats of layoffs and rising fuel costs have created a rising level of frustration. What results is a rage that isn't seen on the roads: Desk Rage. David Wolf explains more.
KEITH SMITH NAMED DIRECTOR, EMPLOYMENT & LABOR POLICY AT NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERSKeith Smith has been named Director, Employment and Labor Policy at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the nation’s largest industrial trade association, NAM President John Engler announced today. Smith replaces Jason Straczewski in this position.
Vacation WarsVacation is important and for many it is special. It doesn’t just affect the staff themselves but the people they plan vacation and leave with. Vacation and leave scheduling directly affects how staff think, feel and perform for the organization well into the following leave year.
March Madness Fuels Office Gambling; Impacts ProductivityIt's March and time to jump into the pool... office pool, of course. And it seems it's a popular thing to do in many workplaces. Isabelle Duguay of Bensinger DuPont & Associates places her bets and shares her thoughts.
More Affairs by the WatercoolerA new Vault.com study finds that 48% of employees are aware of a married colleague who is cheating with a co-worker.
Shift to E-mail in Business Makes Crafting Meaningful Messages More ImportantYou are reading this... so you are clearly online. Does that mean that you fall into the category of someone who emails more than he/she talks? The OfficeTeam shares the results of a recent survey that has found voice mail to be a thing of the past.
Communicating Collaboratively in Cyberspace:What Couples Counselors Can Teach About EmailNetiquette. . . it's the set of rules that guide email users in the proper way to express themselves in emails. David A. Hoffman shares his advice.
Connelly Sheehan Harris LLP Joining Drinker Biddle's Chicago OfficeProminent Boutique's 13 Lawyers Add to Growing National Employment Litigation Practice
More Companies Developing Sense Of ‘Family’Among Their Employees, Survey FindsThey aren't your co-workers, they are your family members... or at least that's what many organizations say they are experiencing.
Where Are Tomorrow''s Jobs?-Over the next 10 years, 2.5 million new jobs will be in mathematics and computer science and another 2.1 million new jobs will be in teaching.
Worried At Work: Generation Gap In Workplace Woes-According to a recent survey, how American workers feel about their role in the company differs with the generations.
Culture and your Hispanic Workforce: Cross-cultural Communication SkillsBecause Latinos are a rapidly expanding workforce, there are new challenges for company management.
New Book Identifies Hot Areas for HiringWith the job market constantly changing, it can be difficult for job seekers to know where the hottest opportunities for employment are. The newly released book Today's Hot Job Targets quickly tells readers which cities are sizzling with employment growth and offering the best job opportunities, based on the latest information from the Department of Labor.
Survey Shows Working Capital Improvement Stalled REL/CFO Magazine survey shows working capital improvement stalled for the first time in a decade. The study shows it was driven by slowing sales growth and increases in overseas manufacturing.
Worker Confidence Plunges to Lowest Level Since SeptemberMore workers are concerned they are going to lose their jobs, while confidence among managers dropped, according to the Hudson Employment Index.
Financial Concerns Continue to Weigh on U.S. Workers Hudson Employment Index Edges Down 0.6 Points in May.
Finance Concerns Continue to Weigh on U.S. Workers Hudson Employment Index edges down 0.6 points in May.
Jobs Galore in BC Technology Industry, but Talent Shortage Threatens GrowthBritish Columbia's growing technology industry will offer thousands of new jobs in the upcoming year, but will have a hard time filling them if serious skill shortages are not addressed, a new report says. The study, TechTalentBC: Labour Trends in the British Columbia Technology Sector points out that the technology industry, which employs approximately 65,000 workers today, forecasts adding 15% more employees in the upcoming year and shows no indication of slowing down.
Oxfam America Launches Online Catalogue of Gifts with HeartFrom Camels to Coffee Mills, Oxfam America Unwrapped Offers Unique, Affordable and Fun Gifts This Holiday Season
The United States of StressOur workdays are longer, often starting earlier and ending later in the night. Even when we are not at work, cell phones and Blackberries keep most Americans connected 24X7. Simply put, the 8 to 6 workday, which seemed a ridiculous extension of the 9 to 5 schedule, no longer exists; from Ed Jensen, Accenture.
China’s Trade Unions Advance with High-Profile VictoriesThe All-China Federation of Trade Unions, an organ of the Chinese government, made headlines in August 2006 with its successful unionization of Wal-Mart in China; from Pacific Bridge.
7 Common Sales Challenges that Prevent Executive Level AccessMany companies are finding their best sales and marketing strategies are highly diluted by the time they reach their customers, and their sales professionals are not connecting to the power in the executive suite, writes Jeff Thull.
Moms Returning to WorkMany women want to restart a career after beginning a family, but the job search process can seem downright scary causing many women to stay on the sidelines. That won't happen to you if you start with a workable action plan, writes Robin Ryan.
Building a Case for Ergonomic Office Chair PurchasesThe responsibility of purchasing office chairs is often the role of the purchasing department. Â However, the Human Resources (HR) department is becoming more involved in this process to ensure that the health of office workers are properly looked after, writes Terry Cassaday.
Is Your Stress Management Program Stressful in Itself?Some simple advice-and pass-along strategies-for reducing stress in the workplace, from G. Gaynor McTigue.
Watch Your Mouth in the WorkplaceAre you in compliance with the federal Anti-Cursing and Profanity in the Workplace Act? OK, before you call your lawyer asking why she hasn´t told you about this federal law, there´s no such beast. But is cursing or profanity something that you should have on your radar? From M. Lee Smith.
Time Management 101: Managing Time? Now there´s a misnomer!!An interesting concept, and a topic that Solutions EAP is asked to present fairly often in a workshop format; by Rebecca Harris.
The Don´ts of Dos(With thanks to the Washington Post for the title idea.)Hair styles are a big deal to many people´s identities; Whether tied to race, religion-and any other way in which we declare our identities-hairstyles frequently play a major role in defining such identification, writes Sylvia Henderson.
Idiocy and the Four TrapsWe´ve outsourced our voices to HR, legal, marketing and anyone else with a formula for how to sound corporate...the original purpose was to keep us from ruffling the wrong feathers or committing to something we hadn´t intended. But the outcome is a sort of porridge of business speak that defies interest, writes Jon Warshawsky.
The Value of Financial Planning and Debt Reduction Services for Employees and Employers"Employers can no longer afford to ignore or underestimate the effects that personal financial problems have on their employees Ultimately, the bottom line is affected." Erica Sandberg explores the issue.
What do I do about a randy employee?Office romances are fairly common these days because people spend so much time at the workplace. Handled well, workplace romance can lead to a meaningful relationship. Handled badly, it can lead to a lawsuit for harassment.; from M Lee Smith.
Can Cosmetic Enhancements Advance Your Career?This WaterCooler Scoop rant began when Monster.com sent me the results of a recent survey asking visitors if they felt plastic and cosmetic dentistry (or lack thereof) could assist them in advancing their careers, writes Krista Milne.
Blogging: An Emerging Workplace IssueThis article by Rick Warren, Ford&HarrisonLLP explores various issues you face when confronted with blogging at work.
Water Trends in the WorkplaceThere´s no question that water consumption is on the rise. Whether as part of a health and nutrition regimen, or simply because they prefer the taste, more adults are drinking water than ever before, writes Barry Bleahen, ARAMARK Refreshment Services.
Delivering Service to Keep your Job From Being OutsourcedOne of the top concerns people in the job market have today has to do with outsourcing and globalization. Scott Brown discusses this in the context of adding value to avoid losing your job.
Launch a Career With the Right ConnectionsIt turns out who you know really does matter; from Robert Half International.
Intergenerational Dynamics in Your Workforce-Challenge or Opportunity?Think age diversity doesn´t affect your workplace? Before you respond, read the following from Roberta Chinsky Matuson.
Survey Finds 85% of Senior Managers ´Live´ Their Company´s BrandEmployees are more likely to understand their role in delivering high levels of customer service in organisations where senior staff ´live´ their company´s brand, according to a survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.
Hope Rising: On Becoming More HumanThis revolution is a silent revolution - one in which you will likely never know why the best people choose not to work for you and your best employees choose not to stay, cautions Andrew Razeghi. Â Â Â Â Â Â
Employees Call for Improved Benefits Communications Based On Life StageMetLife´s recently released Employee Benefits Trend Study 2005/2006 highlights significant findings: more than 80% of employees believe their companies need to provide better benefits education to enable workers to select the best benefits options.
Is Workplace Happiness a Business Decision?Authentic Happiness Coach JoAnna Brandi says these 8 tips will increase "Business Resilience."
Handling Employees Who are Hard to HandleTrouble employees - everyone has them. Employers are constantly faced with situations in which employees create unnecessary problems in the workplace; Workforce Q&A from M Lee Smith.
Workplace Stress StudyAccenture HR reports on findings of a telephone survey among a nationally projectable sample of 493 adults in the United States.
Less Sunlight Saps Employee Productivity During Winter Months, According to ComPsych PollLess hours may mean less work for winter-bound employees.
Thought Leader: John O´Donohue on "Creating the Environment for Inspired Work"John O´Donohue is an Irish poet, author, and Catholic scholar who recently spoke with HR.com's Leadership analyst Karen Elmhirst. He lectures and holds workshops in Europe and the US, encouraging audiences to become artists of their own deepest possibility.
Workforce Showing Improvement in Weight, Eating HabitsU.S. Workforce Showing Signs of Reduced Waistlines and Better Eating Habits, According to ComPsych Employee Health ReportCard(SM) -- Slight gains realized in employee diet and overall weight as workplaces become more health conscious
Compartmentalization at Work: Strike a Balance that WorksA hateful boss or an irritating colleague; or perhaps problems with a significant other, family or friends; any one of these things can result in odd behavior at work that negatively impacts your performance and how you´re perceived by colleagues and higher ups, writes Krista Milne.
Mobile Tech Gadgets Pose Challenges to HRAdd iPod nanos and thumb drives to the list of issues that human resources managers need to worry about. John Rossheim, Veritude´s Workforce Insights regular contributor reports.
Workplace Ridicule: Trending UpwardRacial and ethnic slurs and other inappropriate comments made in the workplace failed to decline last year, according to an annual telephone survey by Novations Group.
Bright Horizons Launches Back-Up Care AdvantageExpanded emergency care offering include in-home child and elder care.
Most Executives Believe Workplace Equality for Women Still Lags Behind MenDespite belief in existence of "glass ceiling," women report being as personally satisfied as men in their professional careers, Accenture study shows.
Back to Work: Reserve Forces Returning From Active DutyThis article is  going to address some of the issues related to co-workers who are either in the military or co-workers in a relationship with a military person on active duty.  From Marcia Eager, Solutions EAP.
Dear Mr. President: Five Steps Toward A Stronger WorkforceRay Roe, president of Adecco Group North America, has some suggestions for motivating and retaining the American workforce.
Competence, Balance, and ImpactNo matter how you get there, impact seems to be what most people want in the end. Carol Ross charts the journey.
Employer or 'Big Brother'- 'Can I be Fired for What I do on My Own Time?In an attempt to control costs, employers are responding by implementing policies to limit their costs related to off-duty conduct. Â Â Suzanne H. Stenson asks, at what point do employer attempts to limit their own liability reach too far into the personal lives of their employees?
Stress and Overwork Making US IT Workers RestlessCompanies with strong workplace management cultures can offset the trend by providing clear career opportunities for disaffected IT staffers.
Execs Say Physical Fitness is Critical to Career Success; Obesity Considered a ´Serious Impediment'On-site health clubs deemed modern-day corporate responsibility according to survey by executive jobs web site TheLadders.com.
Holiday Season Triggers High Depression, Anger, Anxiety and Domestic Violence Rates Among EmployeesWarrenShepell Research Group examins seasonal trends in presenting psychological issues.
When It Comes to Holiday Gifts, Professionals Fret Most over BossKorn/Ferry Survey Also Reveals Seven in Ten Expect to Do Work While on Vacation
Number of Corporate Holiday Parties Decline for First Time Since 2001Some businesses' holiday plans include donations to relief efforts, According to a new study by Battalia Winston International.
Holiday Depression-Five Easy Tips for Beating the Post-Holiday BluesMillions of Americans report experiencing Holiday stress and depression. Many times, stress and depression are a result of unmet expectations. Follow these easy tips for getting in front of Holiday depression from Jeff Standridge.
Bensinger, DuPont & Associates Reports Rise in Holiday BluesDuring the 2005 Thanksgiving holiday, Bensinger, DuPont & Associates reported a 17 percent increase in employees experiencing mental health and stress related issues as compared to the same time in 2004.
Healthy Sense of HumorIt's always a nasty surprise.