Training

Employee training: When must it be paid?

04/09/2012

If you offer extra off-duty training to your hourly employees, pay extra attention to the rules that explain when those hours must be “paid time.” In most cases it will, but the Fair Labor Standards Act does give you a four-step ladder to climb to a pay exemption.

Tech training goes online for Verizon employees

03/14/2012

Verizon employees have logged more than 9 million training hours, including more than 60,000 hours for front-line sales and service representatives who learned to use new computer technology.

More than just paper: Sexual harassment policy won’t work without supervisor training

02/15/2012

Employers can create all the anti-harassment policies they want and still end up liable for sexual harassment. The key to a successful policy is action. The policy must work. And the policy won’t work if supervisors ignore it or aren’t trained how to implement it.

‘Voluntary’ training time: To pay or not?

12/20/2011

Do you offer extra off-duty training for employees that, while technically voluntary, is strongly recommended? If training participants are hourly employees, chances are you will have to pay them for this time.

Leave shameful history in the past: Warn bosses against any reference to nooses

12/02/2011

Objects can become powerful symbols. That’s certainly true of nooses, which black Americans see as infamous reminders of a past in which lynchings were relatively common, especially in the South. That’s why you must instruct supervisors and managers: Any reference to hanging, ropes or nooses is absolutely forbidden in the workplace.

Do you recommend anti-harassment training?

11/23/2011

Q. Our company is considering anti-harassment training for all employees. Some managers and executive are concerned that this will stir up lawsuits. Do you recommend such training?

Quit guessing at training ROI: Use this simple formula instead

11/15/2011

Employee training represents an act of faith for many organizations. They know it’s important, but few can quantify the return on investment. Still, HR is pushed to prove that training pays off. Use this formula to prove to senior managers which training produces results and which doesn’t.

Workers required to attend ‘voluntary’ training? Be prepared to pay nonexempt employees

10/18/2011

Do you require or strongly recommend that employees attend training sessions outside their regularly scheduled shifts? If training participants are hourly employees, chances are you will have to pay them for their time. Simply calling the training voluntary isn’t good enough …

Better meetings 101: Prep participants to arrive engaged

10/11/2011

By changing the way attendees show up for meetings, you can help transform the work that happens inside of them. Help team meetings run more smoothly by making sure attendees come into the meeting room ready to engage. Try these two tips.

How to recoup training costs when new employee quits

09/13/2011

It’s expensive to train employees, especially if the job is highly specialized. Smart employers protect their investments by having new employees sign an agreement to repay training costs if they leave soon after receiving the valuable benefit. Here’s how to recoup those costs.