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Employee Relations

Tell supervisors: You can’t just make up your own performance appraisal standards

09/05/2008

Employers that let supervisors add to or alter the way they conduct performance appraisals are playing with fire. For example, supervisors should never be allowed to assess things like tardiness and attendance using anything but official HR records …

Salaries up slightly in ’09, with more pay for performance

09/05/2008

Despite the economic gloom dominating the headlines, three new national salary surveys predict that U.S. employers will generally hold salary increases steady in 2009. The surveys show employers plan to award average pay increases at or near 3.8% next year, nearly identical to raises given in 2008 and 2007. But smart employers aren’t handing out 3.8% across the board …

Survive the ‘perfect storm’ by matching pay to performance

09/05/2008

If your organization has plenty of employees but not enough of the ones with the skills you need to survive the economic downturn, you’re going to have to change the way you pay them. Make three changes to weather the tempest …

Appeal to older workers with these 4 health plan ‘Extras’

09/05/2008

Health care coverage becomes increasingly important to employees as they get older. If you’re courting mature, experienced workers to join your team—or if you want to retain the ones you have—you might need to tweak your health benefits so they appeal more to over-50 employees. Here are four health-related perks that could help you seal the deal …

Free daily lunches help retain staff

09/05/2008

Employees of

Copanion

in Andover, Mass., rarely go out for lunch. Instead, they enjoy catered meals every day—right at work. Employees eat and talk together in the company’s two lunchrooms … 

Flex Fridays allow employees time to unwind after traveling

09/05/2008

After a business trip, employees of Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Humantech get the following Friday off, just to unwind. The workplace ergonomics consulting firm’s business travelers earn the extra day off when they make extended trips or work odd hours while on the road …

Disability insurance kicks in on Day 1 at Virginia firm

09/05/2008

A short- and long-term disability-income protection plan kicks in the very day an employee starts work at Snagajob.com in Richmond, Va. The company pays 100% of the insurance, which lets employees receive 60% of their salary while on disability leave …

Team-building trips bolster software company’s retention

09/05/2008

Team building is a core value at DAXKO in Birmingham, Ala., where each employee gets $50 per quarter to participate in a group activity with co-workers. Teams have gone white-water rafting, wine tasting or horseback riding …

Management Circa 1943: Is Your Workplace Still Stuck There?

09/03/2008
"Hire married women; they’re less likely to flirt." "Give women frequent breaks to touch up their hair and lipstick." A lot has changed since 1943, when that outlandish management advice actually appeared in print. Yet plenty of managers still hold outdated beliefs—and in the 21st century, they could land you in court. BONUS! 11 tips from yesteryear on how to manage women!

Manager’s racist comment may seal the deal on hostile environment

09/03/2008

If you don’t punish it right away, even a single racist comment by a manager can result in an employee filing a racially hostile environment claim. Here’s why: If the employee on the receiving end is also being dealt with harshly by her boss, she can effectively link the comment with the other poor treatment …