So Spooky We're Seeing Double

That's how it is on the Two for Tuesday on Halloween...we'll trick and treat with you here at Astron Solutions

First, from Proskauer Rose LLP, an interesting article summarized thusly:

In a split decision handed down on Tuesday October 24, 2006, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed a lower court decision that had been part of the foundation for the growing trend of challenges by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to waivers commonly used by companies in employee separation agreements.

to see how this effects your company: click here

Another from the New York Times talks about the way to raise labor's voice at the annual meetings is to give them a say in who are the directors of their company: click here

Enjoy and Happy Halloween!!!!!

Monday Isn't All Bad

Monday can still be OK because you know you're getting a full dose of Astron Solutions' articles from the weekend...

First, Amy Joyce of the Washington Post looks into hiring people with cognitive disabilities: click here

Next, also from the Washington Post, an article that looks (as Astronology did) at midterm elections and shows how wage initiatives are shown as favoring democrats: click here

And lastly, also from the Washington Post, an article looking at human resources mistakes made by the Washingotn Redskins in the past...interesting read for sports fans and Human Resources professionals alike: click here

From Sea to Shining Sea

We're scouring the globe on the last Friday in October to find you some great articles on Human Resources...

First we go to London for an article from Accountancy Age about employee benefit packages. Stock benefits packages have had their day. HR experts must consider developing bespoke benefits because people are looking for different things at different times in their lifecycle: click here

Back to the US and to Arizona where we have an article which talks about what federal agencies to turn to if you get denied benefits: click here

And lastly, checking out other blogs on the internet, we found one man's opinion that says that Human Resource professionals are keeping the skilled out of the workforce...do you agree?: click here

What are you wearing?

Following up on a theme in our Astronology and our blog, this article is a New York Times Q&A about office dress codes: click here

From Education Week, an article about new employees with just high school diplomas, and even some employees with four-year college degrees, lack the work skills needed to succeed in a global and increasingly competitive workplace, suggests a survey of corporate human-resource officials: click here

And lastly, from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, an article about how companies are providing other benefits to employees in lieu of a shrinking amount of health benefits: click here

Back in El Pais

After a trip to Barcelona, we're back and better than ever with two articles from the Boston Globe:

First an article based on the old economics 101 adage, there's no such thing as a free lunch: click here

Next an article about loyalty to individuals being fine, but what happens when a team is involved: click here

Monday Means It's a New Week

And a new week means great articles from Astron Solutions!

First from China an article about the Chinese government finally stepping up and providing Human Resource assistance to Central Asian countries. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that China's reserves will reach $1 billion, but China has been historically stingy about spending them, even for the benefit of it's own people: http://english.people.com.cn/200610/22/eng20061022_314077.html

Next, from the Washington Post's Amy Joyce, an article about how the Redskins could learn a little bit from Business 101: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/21/AR2006102100098.html

Lastly, also from the Washington Post, an article about how a Domestic Bill of Rights bill lacks sufficient backing and what it passing could mean for the rest of the job market: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/18/AR2006101800862.html

Sorry about the presentation (we know it's usually so neat and tidy) today, but enjoy the articles!

Greetings From Barcelona

The World Traveling continues and so does the Astron Solutions blog with a great mix of articles for your Thursday!

First, a story from The News Journal of a bank which got a great return once they started hiring employees with developmental and learning disabilities: click here

Next, an article from the Ledger of a librarian with an interesting dress code...and some interesting body are: click here

Lastly, from PR.com, an article that spells out exactly how expensive it will be to hire people who cost you money: click here

Greetings from Milan

Greetings from a stopover in Milan!

Three great articles await you on this Wednesday all with an abroad theme to them

The first is from The Free Lance Star and talks about how one worker is realizing that all of his company's jobs are heading overseas: click here

Next is from Ireland which says that Sales and Marketing skills are most in demand in Europe right now: click here

And lastly, from Personnel Today magazine, an article about how European base salaries are taking a back seat to increases in training and development: click here

Arrivederci!

The Problem With Office Romances

The Boston Globe starts off this Two For Tuesday with an article about how office romances are full of complications: click here

Also from the Boston Globe a great article about a worker who has moved but misses their old space...an interesting read: click here

Enjoy!

Ants Marching

On this Monday we first look into the Boston Globe which says that slowly, in an office setting, we all begin to think, act, look, and talk like one another. Is this a good or a bad thing for an office? On the one hand everyone is in the same state of mind and on the other it may not be great for having a dynamic, diverse office...you decide: click here

Also from the Boston Globe, word about a new way to sell in today's market: with ideas...an interesting read, especially with the talk of the merger of Google and YouTube, and maybe something to think about when hiring new employees: click here

And lastly, from the New York Times, about the training of workers to fix computers and giving them a new lease on life...part of the old adage of giving someone a job or the skills to do ajob being the best form of charity because then they can provide for themsleves...check it out: click here

Friday We Head to DC

...with three great articles from the Washington Post....

First, how turning down the chance to move up in your company may be a good move: click here

Next, a ban on child labor begins in India and thinking about what this may mean for your company's hiring practices: click here

Lastly, within this article, news of the Office of Personnel Management finally digitalizing their system and saving them from the problems they've had in the past with pension payments: click here

Enjoy your weekend!

Creativity and Psychology

On this Thursday we delve a little into the brain for some great articles.

First from the Boston Globe, an article about an agency that's showing its creative side and how they encouraged people to do so: click here

Next from the New York Times, an interesting article about creative ways that business travelers get past the "no liquid" security requirements and how lip balm has become a medaphor for fear in the post 9/11 world: click here

And lastly, from the New York Times, an executive spotlight of a woman who had a passion for psychology and took that to the top of her industry: click here

One last thing before the end of the post today. A plane crashing into a building in New York City is always a chilling reminder of 9/11 but for a lot of people in the baseball community, this one stung even more due to the passing of Cory Lidle. His time with the New York Yankees was short, but Lidle will always be remembered as a guy with not great stuff who went out there every time and competed and never wanted to give up the ball. It's another sad day for New York.

Motivating Bosses

After reading the Astronology from yesterday, you may have figured out how executives motivate employees, but how do you motivate executives?

According to the New York Times, paying them based on performance, but not necessarily on stock price is a way that Deere & Company handles their business: click here

In other news, and continuing a theme for the past month, the Boston Globe reports that gay workers are feeling more welcome in the workplace: click here

And lastly on your Humpday, an article from the Brampton News which says that many smaller companies may do better by outsourcing their human resource needs: click here

Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid

That's the theme of our Two for Two-sday on 10/10 (you give us 10 minutes, we'll give you the best in HR news from around the world...or something to that effect)

Sometimes the gossip news, according to Amy Joyce of the Washington Post, is better off left at the door and not brought into the office: click here

And sometimes the blind admiration of bosses and the things that may be said because of it, are best off not said, according to the New York Times: click here

The search for talent

This is an unusual post. Usually we post articles for you to be able to see online. But today (after spending an entire day in the London airport), the focus is on a magazine and articles from there that every Human Resource manager should read.



That magazine, as you may have guessed by the picture, is the Economist. In this weeks issue, a 15-page special report on the search for talent, why it's getting harder to find, where people are finding it, and how they are successfully recruiting it are discussed.

The recommendation of this blogger is to pick up this issue and read through it. It may not pertain to you right now, but with the baby boomer generation retiring, this is going to be a huge problem in the not-so-distant future for many firms and organizations who rely on skilled labor to do their tasks. If you don't start thinking about the problem now, it may be too late.

We're Going Big

"Go Big or Go Home" is a saying we like...we're going to do both on this Thursday...

Double dose of HR articles for you and then we're taking it home for the weekend....

First comes from the Boston Globe from the summer and says that training teaches workers...to hate training, something to think about when structuring training programs for employees: click here

Next from the Washington Post, an article about a problem with D.C. officers who work only part time but collect full-time pay: click here

Then from the New York Times, an article about adding a personal touch to hotel etiquitte and how that passes on added value to the consumer: click here

Penultimately, from Management-Issues News out of London, a follow up on a theme we've explored on this blog: telecommuting hitting the corporate mainstream: click here

And, lastly, from the Boston Globe once again, salary trends for 2006: click here

A Little Change of Pace

A couple of articles about different topics than jobs and hiring for today...

First is from the New York Times about couples who run the house for other couples...interesting article: click here

Next from the New York Times is about a CEO who makes hearing aids and how he got to doing that...interesting progression: click here

And, lastly, from the Boston Globe, an article about virtual offices being about what you make it...interesting idea: click here

Working From Home

2 for Tuesday ends the Boston/New York rivalry for this year as the baseball playoffs begin tonight!

How to know if working for home is right for you or your boss? The New York Times has some advice for you: click here

And from the Boston Globe, a large decision for women in the workplace: be female or be funny: click here

Somebody's Watching You

Picking up a theme from the past and for the future, employee privacy is a thing of the past and pre-screening and on-the-job survellience are coming to the forefront of American debate...Amy Joyce looks into this in the Washington Post: click here

SHRM has come out with a study that says that entrants to the US workforce "ill prepared", sorely lacking in basic academic skills, reported by MSNBC: click here

And lastly, an article from the Boston Globe that says that great bosses don't manage, they lead: click here