Strategic Planning

Unseen lawsuit peril: Too much performance input from too many co-workers

05/09/2013

Seeking performance appraisal input from too many employees can cause problems if you’re sued by a terminated worker. The wider a net you cast, the more likely someone will be called to testify about his or her opinion of the discharged employee’s performance. The problem: If any of those co-workers retire, quit and move on, you may have trouble tracking them down.

4 steps to link variable pay with performance

04/24/2013

Bonuses are back, according to research conducted by the Hay Group. But with a pragmatic nod to today’s austere business environment, employers are taking a hard look at why they’re dishing out variable pay, what they want it to accomplish and how they decide who gets how much.

Boost HR productivity to become a true strategic player

01/22/2013

Execs in your organization constantly look for ways to reduce labor costs and improve workforce productivity to keep up with competition. Most likely, those bosses don’t ask your advice … and you don’t give it. To start playing a role in improving productivity, take these steps.

Inside the C-Suite: 10 CEO secrets HR needs to know

01/15/2013

Ever wonder what your CEO is thinking and what he or she wants from you? Sue Meisinger, a consultant and former CEO of SHRM, has sat on both sides of the CEO/HR fence. She shares 10 things your CEO will likely never say to you, but you need to understand.

5 comp and benefits New Year’s resolutions for 2013

01/02/2013

Smart comp and benefits pros are resolving to make 2013 a year of thoughtful, deliberate change. Here are five important New Year’s resolutions to consider.

Health insurance under new rules: Will you pay or play?

11/20/2012

President Obama’s re-election ensured that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health care reform law will remain in effect. That means the nature of health insurance benefits will change dramatically by 2014, and HR executives have some huge decisions to make about their options.

Tout your successes in an annual HR report

11/02/2012

Midsize employers can benefit by following the lead of large HR departments, colleges and government agencies that create annual reports detailing HR’s goals and accomplishments. Use these seven tips to produce reports that increase HR’s influence.

Lesson of Hurricane Sandy: It’s time to update your crisis-management plan

10/30/2012

Hurricane Sandy is a powerful reminder: Natural (and man-made) disasters can threaten at any time. Smart employers make contingency plans so they can stay up and running even when normal work operations are disrupted. Here are eight key pieces to a crisis-management plan, which you can coordinate with the appropriate departments.

‘Flex’ benefits business, not just employees

10/16/2012

Flex is becoming as coveted by businesses as it is by employees. Organizations, it seems, need as much flexibility when it comes to staffing as employees do when it comes to balancing work with personal commitments. Here are seven ways your organization can benefit as much as its employees do from offering time-and-place flexibility.

Half of firms delaying decisions until after election

10/15/2012

Is your organization putting off major decisions—whether to add or reduce staff, make a major investment, etc.—until after the Nov. 6 election? If so, you’re not alone.