Employee Relations

Retention: Understand why employees decide to stay or go

05/05/2023

Gallup has uncovered some key trends that should interest managers determined to retain their best employees. The research makes it clear: Your employees are keeping their eyes open for new job opportunities.

What not to say to older workers: ‘You’re overqualified!’ ‘When are you going to retire?’

05/01/2023

Even as the baby boom generation ages, many older workers are finding they must delay retirement because they can’t afford to quit working. That should raise red flags for employers. Boomers have a powerful federal law on their side—the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, which makes it illegal to discriminate against employees and applicants over age 40 because of their age.

Focus on employee experience to bolster retention

04/26/2023

In today’s strong job market, employees have lots of career options. If they feel unhappy or unfulfilled at work, they will look elsewhere. That makes it more important than ever for leaders to create a work environment that fosters employee support, connection and empowerment.

Check for possible retaliation before approving discipline

04/17/2023

Before approving a termination, always review the case details. Be on the lookout for signs that the action might be motivated by a supervisor’s attempt to retaliate against the employee.

Case of the Week: Ensure HR reviews, signs off on all PIPs

04/17/2023

When an employee needs to do a better job, supervisors are often the ones charged with creating a performance improvement plan. Since PIPs are often a last-chance option for underperforming employees, it’s common for them to include stringent attendance requirements. But allowing supervisors to set the terms of a PIP without close HR supervision can be a big mistake.

Never mind a possible recession: HR leaders still confident about hiring, retention

04/10/2023

Chief human resource officers are optimistic about hiring and retaining workers over the next few months, according to the Conference Board’s CHRO Confidence Index for the first quarter of 2023. That confidence comes despite expectations of a recession in 2023 and news of layoffs.

Understanding what motivates your direct reports

04/07/2023

It’s clear that motivating your direct reports yields many benefits, but how do you know what works for each employee? After all, everyone’s sources of motivation are different, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach for your team. But there is a list of effective techniques for discovering what motivates your direct reports.

5 phrases smart managers avoid writing

04/07/2023

Emails and texts give modern managers an easy way to communicate with team members. Remember, though, that words have consequences. Think about what you write before hitting send. A better solution is to eliminate potentially problematic phrases from the get-go.

5 phrases smart managers avoid saying

03/30/2023

We’ve all heard the evergreen advice “think before you speak.” Words have consequences, and managers who hastily toss out statements run the risk of killing morale, damaging relationships and genuinely hurting feelings. Even if you later feel remorseful, taking things back once said proves difficult. A better solution is to try ridding your vocabulary of certain phrases.

Set your employees up for success with a strong onboarding program

03/29/2023

You’ve spent a ton of time crafting a compelling ad and clear job description, interviewing numerous candidates and analyzing their job fit assessments, and you’ve identified a great candidate. What’s your next move to ensure they turn up on day one and stay for a while? The answer is your onboarding program.