Employee Relations

Encourage ethical behavior as economy recovers

12/18/2009

This recession seems to have an upside: Employees are behaving better. Don’t get too excited; the uptick in ethical behavior is probably temporary. Still, HR pros and organizational leaders can try to keep the upswing going. The best way to do that is to make creating an ethical culture a business priority. Here are a few recommendations:

As boomers gray, savvy employers could see silver lining

12/16/2009

In 2011, the first of the baby boom generation will turn 65. As the rest of the roughly 70 million baby boomers follow, we’ll see a major shift in the age of our society—and our workforces. To survive and thrive in the face of these new demographic realities, employers will need to retain employees well older than the traditional retirement age of 65. Here are some areas on which employers will need to focus to help retain older workers:

How to ensure settlements are the last word: Ask lawyer to draft all agreements

12/15/2009

The last thing you want after settling a discrimination or harassment complaint is for the case to rear its ugly head again. That’s why settlement agreements should include clear language releasing you—the employer—from any further liability. Your best bet: Have your attorney prepare all your settlement agreements to make sure they meet state and federal laws.

Is an employee’s refusal to cooperate with an internal investigation a firing offense?

12/14/2009

Q. We have an employee who has declined to cooperate in a workplace investigation into an issue that could threaten our company’s operations. Can we terminate the employee for insubordination?

Can we prohibit employees from receiving private packages at work?

12/09/2009

Q. Over the holidays, many of our employees received packages at the office. We are worried that this might be a disruption. Should we ban employees from receiving personal packages at work?

12 trends to watch as 2010 economy rebounds

12/09/2009

The cost cutting and headcount reductions might not be over yet, but as the economy begins its slow recovery, HR pros are reporting fewer layoffs, a renewed focus on retention—and even a talk of pay raises! Still, the flush workplace of 2006 isn’t likely to rush back into vogue. Here are 12 lingering adjustments—all with comp and benefits implications—that could outlast the recession:

Is the U.S. workplace becoming more rude, raunchy?

12/08/2009

Boorish behavior and vulgar words are on the rise in U.S. workplaces. In fact, 38% of women say they’ve heard inappropriate sexual innuendoes and taunts in the workplace—up from 22% the year before. Such behavior can crush morale and increase turnover. Advice: Adopt a civility policy separate from your harassment policy.

Can worker ‘plead the Fifth’ in an HR investigation?

12/07/2009

Q. Two employees are refusing to participate in an internal workplace investigation. Can we discipline them for insubordination?

Fire at will: The last straw doesn’t have to be the same for all employees

12/04/2009

Some employees who break rules believe they’re immune from firing if someone else committed the same infraction and didn’t get fired. That’s simply not true. What may be a firing offense for one employee doesn’t have to be the last straw for every other employee. The key is to document—at the time—why you made the decision so you can later explain the difference between the two situations.

Tell harassment victims: Report any retaliation

12/03/2009

Even an exhaustive investigation into sexual harassment allegations may not provide enough information to conclusively determine whether harassment actually occurred. That doesn’t mean you can forget the whole thing. Instead, you must explain to the employee who reported the problem what steps you did take. And you must urge her to report any action she believes is retaliation.