Employee Relations

Bill would target nurses who dodge drug diversion

02/27/2014

Following reports of numerous Minnesota nurses continuing to practice despite failing to abide by the state’s substance abuse diversion requirements, State Rep. Tina Liebling has introduced legislation to require regulators to suspend noncompliant nurses.

Foster friendship to achieve results at work

02/25/2014

While vigilant HR pros might bristle at the notion of “work friends” and office romances, cubicle camaraderie can be awfully good for morale—and, it turns out, the bottom line.

Could manager’s telecommuting ban be bias?

02/24/2014

Q. We have a bunch of employees who telework. One manager wants to follow the approach Yahoo took last year and eliminate teleworking. He believes that employees are not actually working and that their inability to see the whites of each other’s eyes is limiting their collaboration. He’s made some comments in the past that make me think he really worries that female employees are spending work time caring for their children from home. What should we do?

Consider alternatives to your formal annual review process

02/24/2014

Many companies—including Adobe and Netflix—have abandoned annual reviews, focusing instead on continuous performance management. Could this process work for you?

Discrimination hotline won’t protect against lawsuit

02/20/2014

Merely creating a hotline for reporting discrimination isn’t enough to protect an employer against harassment and discrimination claims.

Managers commit 60% of all workplace misconduct

02/18/2014

In a poll of 6,400 U.S. workers, 41% said they have observed misconduct on the job. Then they named the culprits.

A 10-step ‘prescription’ to create a happier workforce

02/17/2014

Most employees feel stressed, doubtful about job security and less invested in their companies and careers. You can and should do something about it.

Consistency is key when firing for performance

02/14/2014

Poor performance sounds like a legitimate reason to fire someone. That doesn’t mean the employee won’t sue. If that happens, you must be prepared to show that other employees who held the same position and had similar performance issues were also terminated. If not, you had better be able to explain why.

Recognition firm retains employees for years

02/14/2014

O.C. Tanner, which creates employee recognition strategies and rewards programs for other companies, is putting its expertise to work on its own staff. The average length of employment at the company is between 12 and 17 years, with many employees sticking around for their entire careers.

When is it OK to punish by docking pay?

02/13/2014

Q. May I dock an employee’s pay as a penalty for disciplinary infractions?