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HR Management

After hours: How to regulate employees’ off-duty behavior

11/29/2011
Employers can regulate what employees do away from work—but only within narrow limits. There are often good reasons to. Some off-duty acts reflect poorly on employers, raise insurance costs and create conflicts of interest. Here’s how to make the call.

Cupid in the workplace: You can terminate supervisor for lying about personal relationship

11/28/2011
What if you suspect a supervisor/subordinate relationship, but the two people deny it? You probably can’t do anything more than reiterate your workplace rule against it. If it turns out the supervisor lied, you can certainly terminate him or her—both for breaking the rule and then lying about it.

Can we collect employee cellphones at the door?

11/25/2011
Q. We’ve had it with all the texting and social networking by employees when they’re supposed to be working. Can we just make them check their electronic devices at the door? Telling them to stop when we catch them isn’t working.

Your HR career: Think strategically to avoid being ‘outsourced’

11/24/2011
Issue: As outsourcing grows and gains popularity, you need to prove your value to the organization.
Benefit: Protect your job and build a reputation as a “big-picture” …

Proving the ROI of wellness programs just got easier

11/24/2011

Every employer seems to be jumping on the wellness bandwagon in an effort to curb health care costs. But it’s always been hard for HR to prove its wellness investment is worth it. Reason: the inability to nail down a return on investment (ROI) on wellness programs. Now, a host of new approaches and tools have come to the rescue.

12 tips to scare off Ghosts of Christmas Parties Past

11/24/2011
Every year around this time, the Ghost of Christmas Parties Past comes clanking down the hallway, dragging in its wake a chain of dread for employers and employees alike. Here’s advice on hosting a fun—yet legally safe—party this year:

Is it OK to use SSNs as ID numbers?

11/23/2011
Q. A few employees have complained that we use their Social Security numbers (SSNs) as their ID numbers. They’re concerned about identity theft. Is it legal to use Social Security numbers for ID purposes?

Do you recommend anti-harassment training?

11/23/2011

Q. Our company is considering anti-harassment training for all employees. Some managers and executive are concerned that this will stir up lawsuits. Do you recommend such training?

For kicks: Aon ‘passes it on’ to global colleagues

11/22/2011
Employees of HR consulting firm Aon Corp. are kicking three soccer balls across six continents in eight months. The goal: to demonstrate Chicago-based Aon’s global connections among colleagues.

It’s up to you to ensure your employees are retirement-ready

11/17/2011
Dealing with an aging, financially unprepared workforce is a reality that should concern employers. It’s in the best interests of employers to improve the re­­tirement outcomes for their employees by creating a culture of retirement readiness. Here’s a six-step plan that works: