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Employee Relations

Exclude FMLA leave from attendance discipline

03/29/2012

Here’s a basic way to avoid FMLA trouble: Before punishing an employee for poor attendance, double-check whether any of the time she’s missed was for FMLA leave. That way, there’s no question about whether FMLA leave was a factor in discipline.

The ‘Great Boss’ checklist: How do you rate?

03/23/2012
Great bosses aren’t born, they’re made. Becoming a great boss requires honest self-analysis and periodic reassessments. The following check­­list was designed to guide you in that analysis. Use it to take stock of your people skills. Be honest with yourself.

Warn bosses: Your snarky email could cost us a lawsuit

03/22/2012

It used to be that managers picked up the phone when seeking HR’s input on how to handle an employee problem. These days, they send an email. That can spell big trouble. Email, unlike a phone conversation, leaves a perfect record of what transpired. And courts don’t hesitate to use email as evidence.

When merger looms, focus on evaluations

03/19/2012
HR professionals are often among the first to know that big organizational changes are on the way. If you learn about an upcoming merger, don’t spill the beans, but do diplomatically prod managers to complete all pending performance evaluations.

Track what happens to everyone on a PIP

03/19/2012
Here’s a tip if you use performance improvement plans (PIP) before termination. Track what happens to everyone who’s on a PIP. Note those who quit instead of facing discharge.

10 ways to help employees feel less overwhelmed

03/19/2012

Employees who survived the downturn have absorbed work left behind by laid-off co-workers. “Overwhelmed” is here to stay. As an HR pro, you might not be able to help employees embrace that sad fact, but you definitely can help them manage it. Here’s how:

8 tips to gain CFO’s wellness program buy-in

03/14/2012
If you want the C-suite to support employee wellness programs, show your chief financial officer the money. Here are eight suggestions that can help you convince your organization’s top brass that programs promoting health and wellness are good for your business’s bottom line:

Which of these HR issues causes the biggest problems in your organization?

03/13/2012
The day-to-day squabbles of the working world cause the biggest problems for most HR pros.

How often do you review and revise job descriptions?

03/06/2012
The need to hire someone new is the major impetus to revise job descriptions.

Details, details: 5 online tools to help employees focus

03/05/2012
Increased workloads … tighter deadlines … fewer resources. All of these have conspired to put a premium on employees’ ability to remain focused on the details of their jobs. Here are five free or low-cost sources designed to measure and improve attention to detail.