Every time I turn around, it seems there is some new system that uses technology to make an HR or workplace process easier. Think of the applicant tracking systems (ATS) many companies use now compared to the old way of managing paper applications and resumes. Technology can save time and streamline processes in ways that […]
Setting Up an Effective Corrective Action System
Corrective action is not just a matter of documenting performance problems. An effective corrective action system is also a way to help employees improve. The right approach starts with laying the groundwork with a clear policy, training of managers and follow through on the system you have set up. The End Goal is Not Termination […]
Developing Internal Candidates
Promoting internal candidates to fill open positions has big advantages. Internal candidates are already familiar with how your company works, and having a regular practice of promoting employees means you increase the chance that your best employees will stick around. In order to ensure that your current employees are qualified to fill your openings, it […]
When Good HR People Go Bad: How to Improve HR’s Bad Reputation
I have heard a lot of people complain about HR at their company. It seems to be common practice to talk about how incompetent HR people are. Let’s face it: we often get a bad rap. While there are HR people out there who give us a bad reputation, I think there are far more […]
Why is it so Hard to Find a Work/Life Balance?
Work seems to have infiltrated every aspect of our lives these days. We used to be limited with the amount of work we could take home; however, with technology giving us the ability to work from almost anywhere, there seems to be this expectation that we respond to everything right away. Many of us crave […]
Why the Zombie Apocalypse Needs an HR Director
The Walking Dead finished its fifth season in March, and I have to admit I enjoy a story that involves supernatural creatures in the apocalypse. Without giving too much away, this season saw our band of survivors joining a group of people who had built a small, walled-in community. Their leader is a politician who […]
How Employees Can Have a Good Relationship with their HR Department
I have friends who have said to me, “I never go to HR because they aren’t helpful.” While I know there are some HR people out there that warrant such a statement, I have worked with and met a number of HR professionals who dedicate themselves to improving the workplace and advocating for employees. It […]
Real Life Lessons from Fictional Workplaces
With all the years I have spent in HR, it is hard to turn off the HR part of my brain when watching a movie or TV show or reading a book. I start analyzing the fictional workplaces I encounter, and I have even used them as examples during presentations. Even though things can get […]
How I Learned to Love Workplace Investigations
It is Friday afternoon. You are sitting at your desk, sending out a few final emails, finishing up the last of the reference calls on your list and using the remaining minutes to make a list of the candidates you want to call for phone interviews on Monday. The weekend is just moments away when […]
Accommodating Mental Health Impairments in the Workplace
According to the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), 25% of adults experience a mental health impairment each year.1 Mental health impairments are invisible disabilities in that we cannot necessarily see the signs of the disability. Some employers may see this as a challenge because the accommodation the employee needs is not always obvious. In addition, there […]