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Employee Relations

Bypass progressive discipline if necessary

08/29/2025
Progressive discipline plans are great for correcting the behavior of employees in whom you have invested time and money and getting them back on track. But always leave yourself an “out” for those cases when retaining the worker just doesn’t make sense.

What 4-day workweek trials reveal about work, well-being and productivity

08/18/2025
The four-day workweek has long been viewed as a bold experiment—but recent global trials led by economist Juliet Schor suggest it might also be a smart business move.

Market stability brings retention opportunities—if managers act now

08/15/2025
Despite a cooling job market and economic uncertainty, most employees are signaling they’ll stay put over the next six months. But a sharp decline in worker confidence about external opportunities suggests that stability in the short term could mask deeper engagement challenges.

Detailed personnel records defeat bias claim

07/28/2025
Employers who keep detailed personnel records that include objective, fact-driven performance reviews often win discrimination lawsuits soon after the employee sues.

Is your employee discipline fair? A 5-question self-test

07/11/2025
Whether it’s deserved or not, the perception that management is “against” employees, once earned, is difficult to shake. That’s why it’s vital for supervisors to make sure they treat everyone fairly and consistently, especially when disciplining employees.

Documenting performance? Better date-stamp and retain

07/07/2025
Whether deleted by accident or because the employer lacks clear rules about what to toss and what to keep, having to admit to a judge that you don’t have a document may mean big fines and penalties, up to and including having the lawsuit become an automatic win for a fired worker.

‘Impossible’ PIP sinks employer’s discharge appeal

07/07/2025
Performance-improvement plans should be challenging enough to let supervisors know the employee is up to performing their essential job functions at an acceptable level. Set reasonable, objective goals that can be achieved with sufficient effort in the time allotted in the PIP.

Refocus on manager engagement to boost team-wide performance

06/30/2025
If your management teams seem more drained lately, the data supports the concern. This isn’t just a leadership issue, but an organizational one. When managers struggle, so do their teams—and it shows in performance.

Strategies to attract and keep talent from Gen Z to boomers

06/23/2025
It’s not enough to call your workplace “inclusive” when large swaths of your candidate pool feel invisible before they’ve even hit Submit.

Discover work mistakes during FMLA? Here’s what to do

06/23/2025
Employees who take FMLA leave are protected from retaliation for doing so. That’s led to the mistaken belief among some employees that they can’t be disciplined or fired while on leave. That’s not the case.