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HR Management

Formal policies, flex help cure absenteeism

09/14/2012
Absenteeism costs American businesses approximately 9% of payroll, according to several estimates. Here are a dozen ways to keep employees coming to work as scheduled, reserving sick leave for health problems—not as a catch-all bank of time off.

Avoid a frightening lawsuit this Halloween

09/13/2012
One simple way to give employees a morale boost is by loosening the dress code for a day and allowing employees to dress up for Halloween. It doesn’t cost any money or time—except for the few minutes you’ll need to set a few ground rules so this Halloween treat for employees doesn’t become a bad trick on the company.

Take your employee handbook online: 8 tips

09/13/2012

Turning your handbook into an electronic document can cut costs, make updating easier and give employees a convenient place to access policies. Going electronic isn’t technically difficult. But the process involves more than simply transferring written documents to a database or internal website.

At work and online: NLRB restricts employers’ social media rules

09/10/2012

Many employers have social media policies that attempt to control what employees say on social media. Poli­­cies that overreach may violate the NLRA. In response, the NLRB has issued a memorandum summarizing key points in its recent decisions concerning social media.

Fight in-house fraud by knowing who–and what–to watch for

09/04/2012
There are plenty of ways for organizations to lose money—bad business decisions, tough competition, fickle markets. But one of the most insidious fiscal perils: employees who steal. Here’s a sketch of whom and what to watch out for in your workplace.

Make sure training is available to all

09/04/2012
Everyone who is qualified should have a chance to participate in your training programs.

The HR I.Q. Test: September ’12

09/04/2012
Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, comp & benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz …

What’s the value of a tweet or a Facebook ‘like’?

08/31/2012
Employers are jumping on the social media bandwagon … and they often ask HR to drive. What’s the No. 1 challenge when it comes to launching a social media initiative?

Hotel staff learns about better service by mixing drinks

08/30/2012

Boutique hotel chain Affinia Hotels has hired a bartender to teach its staff about customer service. A mixologist uses drink-mixing exercises to demonstrate the power of maintaining both a positive attitude and a focus on the task at hand.

5 rules for documenting HR decision-making

08/25/2012
The best way to prevent lawsuits or to get a quick dismissal of unfounded charges is to document every employment decision carefully. Following these five simple rules can convince judges and juries that your HR decision-making is legit, above board and fully in line with the law.