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HR Management

Upside of the downturn: How HR can help weather the ongoing slump

08/23/2011

HR pros have an important role to play in helping their companies weather the economic downturn. Whether sitting in on C-Suite meetings, offering one-on-one counsel to decision-makers or training employees, you need to know about the strategies successful companies use to survive and thrive in tough economic times.

Handbook make-over: 4 guidelines to follow, 5 policies to include

08/23/2011

Each year, new employment laws go on the books and courts write thousands of decisions interpreting old laws. Yet, year after year, HR pros reach up onto a dusty shelf to hand new employees the same old employee handbook someone wrote years ago. It’s time for a rewrite. Here’s the guidance you need to get started.

How would you rate the stress you experience as an HR pro?

08/23/2011
More than half of HR pros who participated in our poll just deal with the stress that comes with the job.

Not all employee online musings are ‘protected’

08/22/2011
While you shouldn’t punish employees who complain about working conditions (pay, perks, supervisors, etc.) on social media sites, you don’t have to tolerate overt insubordination or workers who violate confidentiality rules.

Can we require grooming standards without being guilty of religious bias?

08/18/2011
Q. Our company requires male employees to keep their hair short. However, a recent applicant has stated that his religion does not allow him to cut his hair. Will requiring him to cut his hair to get the job violate federal law?

Arbitration agreement should stand on its own, separately from employee handbook

08/18/2011
Even if an arbitration agreement is fair and evenhanded enough to meet California standards, employers still have to clear the hurdle of showing that employees knew about the policy and agreed to it. That means making sure that employees actually read the document—or at least sign off that they did or had the opportunity to do so.

Back to school … with your office supplies?

08/16/2011
If you’re the person who orders office supplies in your organization, take a look at your month-to-month purchasing in recent years. Do you notice a spike in spending—triggered by a drop in inventory—from mid-August to early September? Our new “HR Soapbox” blog offers ideas for stopping “back-to-school” pilferage.

HR CSI: Conducting a post-mortem of a legal claim

08/16/2011

If you’ve ever been caught up in an employment lawsuit, chances are you couldn’t wait for it to be over. Yet every case presents a valuable opportunity to prevent future problems and improve HR effectiveness by conducting an “autopsy” of the claim. Jathan Janove tells you how.

Overcoming the challenges of not having an office

08/16/2011

Being in HR requires the ability to maintain confidentiality. This can be challenging if you do not have an office with a door that you can close and lock. Here are some ways you can overcome the challenges of working in a cubicle.

Providing (Gulp!) Upward Feedback

08/15/2011

Holding rank-and-file employees accountable for their inappropriate actions (or getting their managers to do so!) is a pretty standard part of your job. But what happens when it’s necessary to direct your critique upwards — to address the inappropriate behavior of your boss or other high-level executive? As uncomfortable as it may be, it’s important that you not shirk this duty.