What I’m Hearing…Professional Dating

On a recent flight to Chicago, I read Continental Airline’s in-flight magazine (www.continental.com/magazine). The magazine had an ad for a service called It’s Just Lunch. According to the ad, “It’s Just Lunch is the dating service designed for the busy professional.” The service matches you up with other compatible individuals with whom you meet for a low pressure lunch to see if the relationship is worth pursuing.

The ad contains several facts to build the case for needing their services. Although the referenced studies aren’t cited by name, the “facts” are as follows:

1. Americans work the longest hours among industrialized countries.
2. Half of white-collar workers log fifty or more hours a week.
3. Americans take more than 405,000,000 business trips each year.
4. 42% of Americans work more hours now than they did 5 years ago.
5. Meeting someone special can be a full-time job.

The upshot? Time is precious and it’s never coming back. Waste a few hours on a bad date and your weekend is shot.

This got me thinking. First, if people are this busy, do they genuinely have the time to invest in a meaningful relationship? Or does the name truly say it all – it’s just lunch?

Second, why are we working this much? Do we work this hard because “we’re supposed to,” or do we work this hard because our work positively contributes to our lives and well-being, as well as the lives of those we impact?

Third, when did dating become a job? Isn’t it supposed to be fun? I never considered meeting someone special to be a business.

Perhaps if we took a little more time to enjoy a positive work/life balance, dating wouldn’t be as high risk an activity as the ad makes it out to be.

What I’m Hearing…The Latest from SHRM

What a week it’s been! I’m back from the SHRM conference in Chicago. It was, as expected, a great time. The conference hosted over 14,000 HR professionals from around the globe. Sidney Poitier was one of the most popular keynote speakers. The exhibit hall contained over 50 rows of vendors! And the Tuesday evening concert with Lionel Richie was entertaining, fast paced, and fun.

The SHRM conference wasn’t all fun and games, however. The Special Expertise Panels kicked off two of SHRM’s largest and newest initiatives for the coming year. The first addresses the issue of Workforce Readiness. Out of 100 students currently in the 9th grade, only 18 will receive a Bachelor’s degree within 6 years, or an Associate’s degree within 3 years of starting a program. Many of today’s graduates do not have the skills needed to perform successfully in the workplace. SHRM has begun the process of developing a response and action plan to address this major concern.

The second area of interest is developing a competency model for senior HR practitioners. Specifically what are those non-HR competencies necessary for someone below the C-Suite level to be a successful business partner?

Stay tuned to SHRM and What I’m Hearing for updates on these critical initiatives that impact you and your organization.

Point/Counterpoint: How to Manage an Office Full of 20-Somethings

First we have US News and World Report who has their view of managing 20 somethings in today's office environment:

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2008/6/24/an-office-full-of-20-somethings.html

And on our counterpoint is the always-edgy and youthful Gawker who says that the people at US News and World Report have no clue what they're talking about: http://gawker.com/tag/work/?i=396983&t=how-to-manage-20+somethings-the-real-shit

-Andrew

Executive Decisions

We're sorry we missed some of these articles, but we want to get back to you in style her at the Astron blog...

First, an old article recently reprinted in the Wall Street Journal gives some hints about what employers are seeking in Human Resource Executives: click here

Human Resource Executive Online follows up with an article about disclosing executive-pay goals: click here

HR Daily Advisor follows up on a recent SHRM discussion about when safety and religion collide: click here

Job Journal has an article about America's declining job readiness, a topic we have discussed on the blog before: click here

And lastly, following up on one of our big stories from last week...Jerry Manuel, the New York Mets new coach now has called the Mets fans a big pile of fertilizer (courtesy of the New York Post via FOX Sports on MSN): click here

This is an organization that's in need of some work...

Letterman Weighs In

One more and then we'll leave the Mets alone for now:

From David Letterman, on the firing of Willie Randolph (via Jason Stark of ESPN.com's blog: click here):

"Willie is pretty good about it. He said he's looking forward to spending more time at home being booed by his family."

A New Approach

This is a new approach from the old manager to say the least (third paragraph down):

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2008/06/18/2008-06-18_jerry_manuel_pitches_in_to_help_david_wr.html

So to get his player in line Jerry Manuel is going to threaten to cut them? Those in Public Relations and Human Resources everywhere are pulling their hair out...

-Andrew

Accountability in the Clubhouse

More on the Mets after Jennifer's great post...

The headlines aren't pretty: click here and here

And even Jon Stewart and the Daily Show have gotten into it:




And the articles about how poorly this was executed were numerous to say the least: click here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here (we'll stop here to be nice)

Willie Randolph's mother even got her opinion in here via the Journal News: click here

Journal News Beat Writer Peter Abraham thinks (and has thought) that the Mets need a Vice President of Common Sense: click here

But maybe one of the topics we need to be talking about, especially as HR Professionals, are how little accountability gets taken in this situation. The truth is that the easiest person to fire in sports is always the manager or head coach. But why wasn't it the owners faults? Or the players faults? Or, most glaringly, the General Manager's fault?

In sports (unlike a lot of other places in life) players cannot be simply and cheaply fired. In baseball, hockey and basketball you can waive or buy-out players but you still need to pay the entire amount of their contract. Football players can be waved but certain parts of salaries and bonuses still need to be paid and a certain salary cap hit still applies. Since most players that would actually change the tone of an underachieving team are the biggest stars, this can be an expensive and usually cost-prohibitive method. Trading a player is always an option but if a player is overpaid and underachieving you either get back another overpaid underachiever or pennies to the dollar in value for the guy you want to shed. A lot of marginal or young players end up getting moved because of the flexibility they retain in having a small contract. So the truth is that while the players have the largest impact by far on the end-product, and in a normal business they would be the first to go, the star players usually can escape the blame.

Owners don't fire themselves both in real life and on sports teams so that's out. But they write the checks and approve the deals and hire the General Manager, Manager and coaches.

General Managers seem to have a greater lifespan than managers (who also last longer than their coaches--who become sacrificial lambs at times). Omar Minaya showed that in this case. Minaya built the team and served as the axeman...but seemed to bear no responsibility in the end, even blaming the media in the end.

So it's the manager that goes and it brings up an issue for Human Resources: when things goes wrong and nobody is obviously solely to blame: who do you blame? who gets fired?

Many people feel like Minaya is next but the truth of the matter is that he should go just for how he handled the situation. Letting someone go is never easy to do but it should never be this difficult and drawn-out and messy and public. At this point, they are making the Yankees look like model citizens.

What I’m Hearing…The “Midnight Massacre”

Late Monday night, New York Mets fired their Manager Willie Randolph. While this news is not entirely surprising – the rumors had been flying for quite some time – the manner in which it was handled is enough to make any HR professional cringe.

First the team’s owners let Mr. Randolph begin a road trip on the West Coast. They decided to fire him the next day, 2,500 miles away from home. After the team won their game against the Angels. At midnight, local time (3 AM EDT).

Not surprisingly, the Mets lost their game last night.

Terminating an employee is never an easy task. But when did common sense, respect, and manners make a quick exit from the process? The team’s owner claims that Willie Randolph is still his friend, but this was strictly a business issue. I hope none of my friends ever treat me like that.

Certainly every employee relations issue has many factors influencing the termination decision. And in many cases, termination is the only viable option for organizational success. For the most part, though, no one wants to lose their job. Nor do most people want to terminate employees. The more respectful and swift the process, in a comfortable environment, the better the outcomes should be for everyone.

Going To The Vault

We're sorry we've missed you...but we want to update you with all the latest news in Human Resources (links and info from Vault.com)

Weekly Jobless Claims (Seasonally Adjusted), Week Ending 05/31 (reported 06/05) 357,000
Weekly Jobless Claims Change from Previous Week (seasonally adjusted) -18,000
Payroll Employment (Nonfarm Jobs Created or Lost), May -49,000
Unemployment Rate, May 5.5 percent


Six Essential Interview Questions: Vault Blogs

by Judi Perkins
An interview is a two-way street. It's not only important for the interviewer to learn if you fit them, but you need to find out if the company fits you. You also need to know if there are potential problems lurking behind the scenes. Most job seekers go to an interview prepared with questions, but not the ones which will ferret out the type of information they need to know before they begin working there.
Below area few questions that should always be asked. Not only will they help you to ascertain if the job for which you are interviewing meets the criterion of your perfect job, but the answers, when put together, will give you a fairly accurate picture of what's going on behind the interview.
Read more on Vault: click here

Unemployment spike stirs stimulus talk
The dismal jobs report on Friday has prompted renewed calls for a second congressional effort to stimulate the economy. The Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate jumped to 5.5 percent in May from 5 percent a month earlier. It was the biggest monthly increase in more than 20 years. Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill said the report shows that Congress and the Bush administration need to do more to help workers and the unemployed. Read more: click here .


Hillary Clinton shattered a political glass ceiling
A new CBS News poll shows most voters think that by making a serious run for the Democratic nomination, Clinton made it easier for other women to run for president. Sixty percent of men and 76 percent of women agree with that statement. Among Democrats, 75 percent agree; among Republicans, it's 63 percent. Overall, 88 percent of voters agree with the statement "I am glad to see a woman as a serious contender for president." In 1984, when Geraldine Ferraro made history as the first female vice-presidential nominee for a major party, a CBS poll found only 62 percent of voters were "glad that a woman was nominated." Read more: click here

Some employers helping workers ease cost of commuting
A nationwide survey released last week found that 57 percent of employers offer some workplace program to ease commuting costs. The most popular: a condensed workweek of four 10-hour days, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an outplacement consultancy in Chicago. The survey of 100 human resources executives across a variety of industries also found that one in five companies organizes employee carpools, with 14 percent increasing their telecommuting options and 18 percent subsidizing the cost of public transportation. Read more: click here

Pentagon's latest recruits: professors
Military power requires brainpower, and the Defense Department is moving to engage a new generation of scientists and engineers to conduct research that may pay off in technological breakthroughs for the nation's military. The department last week announced the selection of six university professors who will form the first class of the National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellows Program. The professors will receive grants of up to $600,000 per year for up to five years to engage in basic research - essentially a bet by the Pentagon that they will make a discovery that proves vital to maintaining the superiority of the U.S. military. Read more: click here

A third of employed Americans do not take all the vacation days that they are entitled to
A global study by Expedia.com found that about a third of employed Americans usually do not take all the vacation days that they are entitled to, leaving an average of three days on the table. About a quarter of the workers in Britain do not take all their vacation time, and in France a little less. The only difference is that the British get an average of 26 days of vacation and the French about 37 - compared with our 14 days. 137 countries mandate paid vacation time. The United States is the only industrialized country that doesn't. About a quarter of all workers in the private sector do not receive paid vacation. And the number of Americans who said in April that they were going to take a vacation in the next six months is at a 30-year low, according to their regular consumer survey. Only 39 percent of those responding said they would go away on holiday over the next half year. Read more: click here (Free subscription required).

Helping teens find summer work
Only about one-third of teenagers 16- to 19-years-old will find a job this summer, a sign of slow economic growth and higher minimum wage for all workers in the U.S. In fact, their employment rate this season is expected to be the lowest in six decades, according to a study from the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University. Low-income and minority youths will have a particularly hard time finding work. For them, the study says, the job picture may look more like "a Great Depression." Some companies are cutting back or delaying summer hiring, while a tight job market is driving unemployed older workers into traditional teen jobs. Read more: click here

Some employers get tough on workplace gossip
In workplaces everywhere, gossip remains a daily fact of life. Around watercoolers, behind closed doors, and in e-mails, employees whisper about everything from office romances to rumored mergers and layoffs. Defenders insist that this chatter is often harmless, giving workers a window on legitimate news. Critics charge that it can be insidious and malicious, lowering morale. Read more: click here

What I’m Hearing…Alumni Networks

Say the phrase “alumni network” and most people are bound to think about college. However, more and more organizations are using alumni networks to their strategic advantage. They consider “alumni,” or groups of employees who used to work for the organization, a key source of potential future talent. That potential talent would be either the former employees themselves or people those individuals know.

The other night, I passed Cipriani 42nd Street here in Manhattan. They were hosting a special event for PriceWaterhouse Coopers and its alumni network. Cipriani doesn’t come cheap, so PWC must consider the expense of catering worthwhile in terms of recruitment and retention ROI.

The event got me thinking – is it possible to go home again? If an organization is good, why do people leave? There are, of course, situations like retirement, spouses’ relocation, personal or family’s health, etc. that wouldn’t close the door on returning to a former employer. These situations aside, however, can a new relationship be as good as or better than the first time? I have seen a few instances where this is true, so the risk of spending countless dollars courting alumni must be outweighed by the potential reward. Maybe with their 70s hit “Reunited,” Peaches and Herb had it right after all.

Remembering Toby...

It's been two weeks since the Office season finale and I think I've finally digested all that happened. But after all the memories of jokes and pranks and marriage proposals, it's important to remember the main theme of the episode: Toby, the Human Resources of Dundler Mifflin Scranton left the show and is heading to Costa Rica.

Toby was Michael's foil the entire show and their juxtoposition was never more clear than in this final episode. And Michael's disdain for Toby and Human Resources in general was especialy present.

Toby's situation is a nightmarish one in many ways. He has an off-the-cuff manager who is totally politically incorrect and bordeline harassing at times to his employees. He has a workplace where employees date, bring in dead animals or weapons to work, talk back to the bosses, don't follow rules, and generally don't seem to like being there or like their fellow co-workers.

Worst of all, Toby seemed to have no power. Michael, the manager, was not only a non-help in creating a human-resource-compliant office, but he was also the cause and example of these violations. Anytime Michael or someone else should have been disciplined, Toby got overruled by someone else.

So Toby decided he had enough and made plans to leave for Costa Rica. There is a new human resource officer in town and we as human resource professionals hope that she has an easier time at it than Toby did.

Good-bye, Toby; we'll miss you.

The start of mobile blogging

Welcome to the new age of the Astron Solutions' blog...mobile blogging

So we'll now be even more capable of bringing you the most up-to-date HR news out there...not that we think we were too shabby to begin with :)

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Eavesdropping in the office....

Last week I started to talk about eavesdropping in the office...but maybe it's time to have it's own blog article...

There are many types of eavesdropping in the office. One could occur when someone overhears your personal phone conversation with a family member or friend. Another could occur when two colleagues are talking about a third worker, a client, or a potential deal and are overheard by a third party. Yet another could occur when a coworker is talking to a client and you overhear this conversation.

All of these have great potential conflicts for Human Resources. In places like New York City where space is at a premium so offices are abandoned in lieu of cubes, people's phone conversations as well as conversations with other works can be easily overheard.

And these have implications beyond privacy issues. If an investment banker is talking about a deal with Material Non-Public Information (MNPI) and another employee eavesdrops on this and uses that information in their personal or professional life in an unethical way, this could lead to serious problems for a company.

Feelings get hurt or rumors get started when certain conversations are overheard. Client's personal information can get into the wrong hands. In medical organizations, HIPPA violations can occur when this happens. And conversations in a public place like an elevator can lead to eavesdropping by competitors.

Ladies Home Journal says to always watch what you're saying because you NEVER know who's listening and gives a few examples: click here

Almost three years ago a company named "Babble" came out with a product to help drown out eavesdropping as reported in this old CNN piece: click here

And, lastly, the US Department of Energy has some advice on those that think they are being eavesdropped upon by a competitor: click here

The lesson here for HR is to make sure to tell your employees (and, even more importantly, practice this to the utmost) to remember that Big Brother is always listening and to mind what they say when others can be listening...

What I’m Hearing…Rising Gasoline Prices and Employers’ Responses

According to a recent Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey, U.S. companies have more than doubled their gas-cost related efforts as a means to attract and retain employees. With prices over $4 a gallon in New York City, and near $3.89 in Northern New Jersey, driving to work is costly. Some of the recent employer initiatives include providing higher pay raises, increasing mileage reimbursement rates, and awarding special bonuses. Other approaches to this thorny situation include encouragement for employees to use public transportation and buying buses and vans to take employees to and from work.

Interestingly, one item that didn’t make the list, but is starting to generate some buzz, is the use of compressed workweeks. Under a compressed workweek, employees work four 10 hour days, for example, to accomplish a full week’s work in fewer days. I’ve also started to hear of a three 12 hour day option.

Compressed workweeks can be tricky from several perspectives, including employee burnout and team member morale for those not working the special schedule. In addition, not all positions lend themselves to such a schedule. However, the more creative an organization can be in helping employees deal with this situation, the better their chances of attracting and retaining the talent needed for success.

Longer-term changes need to come from the broader societal and economic areas to remedy this oil situation. While individually it is difficult to make changes that impact the world, we as employers can do our part by helping employees through the short-term immediate issues, without creating negative impacts in the long-term. For instance, if we give everyone a 10% pay raise now, what happens when we stop giving those types of increases down the road? The short- and long-terms are equally at stake in this new economic climate.

Follow Up on Direct Deposit...

Way back in February, Jennifer wrote a "What I'm Hearing" post on Direct Deposit: click here

Jennifer's conundrum dealt with putting a finger on a good reason people wouldn't use Direct Deposit...

Well this week at work, I've overheard three different conversations (office eavesdropping is for another post...) of people talking about direct deposit.

The first is an employee who is new but could not figure out how to set up the direct deposit. One of the things that employers, and especially Human Resources, need to make sure to do is to allow for an easy and simple process for employees to enroll in direct deposit.

The second was from an employee who has been employed for 9 months and is not enrolled in direct deposit talking to one who is a lot more tenured and is enrolled. The formers' said she was so happy it was not only a Friday, but a payday. The latter said that since they had direct deposit, they had no clue when a payday was coming up. This is one of the hesitations of people to getting direct deposit because they lose out of the joy of the paycheck coming every other week. Some of this is remedied by the bonus checks being delivered in person or in paper form.

The last was actually a conversation overheard on the work shuttle where someone commented that they were reducing their carbon footprint by enrolling in direct deposit. Getting rid of the paper trail of checks and opting out of paper statements is a great--albeit small--way to help out the environment...and check with your bank; there may be financial benefits for opting out of paper statements/checks also...

So there are some answers for you, Jennifer :)

Scott McClellan's Exit Interview

I wonder if the White House does exit interviews or this is how their employees express their displeasure (via MyWayNews): click here

This is Human Resources worst nightmare. A former employee not only decides to air his displeasure about his former boss and many former co-workers, but decides to do so in a very public and scathing way. And this is not just any boss and any form of public rebuking, but but the President of the United States and a very well-publicized book about his behavior as the Commander-in-Chief.

US News and World report writes the McClellan is just another Dilbert, a powerless employee with a lousy manager: click here

This is not a normal employee-employer relationship where it can be easier for the former to complain about the behavior of the latter. But this certainly brings to light that employees have a hard time expressing their displeasure of their bosses while in the job but after they leave the position, feel more free and easy to express their real feelings.

Maybe Scott McClellan should have just had a good exit interview...

Career Couch

We're all New York Times for this blog...

Starting with the Career Couch, which says even though you have no internship yet, there's still time: click here

Next, also from the Times, their Preoccupation section writes about a "professional media transcriptionist": click here

Then, Shifting Careers tells you why leisure matters in a busy world: click here

We go back to the Career Couch which gives advice on a gainful way to use a sabbatical: click here

What I’m Hearing…Winning Interview Techniques

According to a recent British study, 84% of candidates bring something lucky with them to job interviews. The most common item? Lucky underwear, used by 60% of survey respondents. Interestingly, many of these 60% note that the lucky underwear they’re wearing are unwashed. Apparently, washing removes luckiness. Who knew? Now I know the error of my ways all those years. In addition to using lucky items, 73% of candidates check their horoscope before a job interview.

Here in New York, we’ve been hearing lots about New York Yankee Jason Giambi’s lucky gold thong underwear. Granted, baseball is a sport rampant with superstition, but “lucky” thoughts undoubtedly occur in your workplace on a daily basis.

As humorous as the British study may seem, I suspect the results are fairly accurate. I personally get a different feel and attitude from different outfits I own, and select my outfit for the day based on what I need to be successful with the particular audience or group I’ll see that day. This study can provide some interesting break time discussion, allowing you to learn more about your employees and what makes them tick. Along the way, they may also learn that it’s their own innate talents and expertise, and not a “lucky” coin, picture, or outfit, that makes them great.

In other news, Clearview Cinemas announced yesterday that they are going back to discounted tickets for children and seniors. The bad press and public outrage were too much. Score one for keeping the cost of living down.

Wall Street and Astronology

It's Astronology Tuesday (another Super Tuesday)...and while we encourage you to click on the link on the right and check out the newsletter, we have some other articles on our blog this Tuesday...

First from the Wall Street Journal, an article that states that relocation benefits are often negotiable: click here

Next, also from the Journal, some warning to Human Resources that when the job market improves, job hopping will heat up: click here

Lastly, Human Resources Blog, a division of Labor Law Center, has some Q&As about FMLA in small office (click here) and unfair treatment and wage manipulation (click here)=

What I’m Hearing…Rookie Police Officer Salaries

Here in New York, one of the big news items this morning is the increase to rookie police officers’ starting salaries to $35,881. In 2005, a new contact cut rookie starting salaries to $25,100. The nearly 40% increase in pay should help to address the serious recruitment issues the NYPD faces. Among other negotiated terms in exchange for the higher pay, the number of vacation days for new hires will drop from 20 per year to 10.

Recently, the City of Seattle posted billboards luring officers to relocate across the country for higher wages. The starting officer salary in the Emerald City is $47,334. The Seattle Police Department will also put in an additional $5,000 for relocation costs.

Supply and demand for labor knows no geographic boundaries. Certainly, one must give credit to Seattle for their creative recruitment techniques. However, it is good to see that New York stepped up to the plate to make these adjustments in officers’ salaries. $36,000 a year is a small salary for those who risk their lives every day to make sure we can safely enjoy ours. Hopefully this increase is a step in the right direction for attracting new talent to the field of law enforcement, and retaining the current police force.

In other news, Clearview Cinemas on Manhattan’s Upper East Side announced that child and senior movie tickets would be the same price as an adult – $12.00 – even during matinees. One wonders how far that 40% pay increase will go.

Subway Series

We just completed the first part of the subway series here in NY...and now it's time to get you caught up on HR news on our blog....

First, from the Rules of Wealth Blog, and article about handling office romances: click here

While it may be hard to have an ongoing office romance, just remember that you may not have as much privacy as you think at work according to the Wall Street Journal Career Journal: click here

Going back to an old theme, Workforce says that abuse of leave tops FMLA concerns: click here

Another blogger tells us the dark side of Human Resource Management: click here

Lastly, HR Daily Advisor gives some advice on hiring based on internet searches: click here

Workers Comp Comes Full Circle With HR

We start out here on this Tuesday (another Super Tuesday) with an article from the American Chronicle. Workers Comp always ends with Human Resources, but this article says that it also starts with HR decisions: click here

Next, the American Dream Project says that Corporate Social Responsibility needs HR: click here

Lastly, from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), who does the work when an employee does FMLA leave: click here

Home Depot's HR Cuts

First, news from United Press International that Home Depot has cut their in-store Human Resources staff: click here

This is an effect of the housing crisis. Housing building is down, so Home Depot's sales are down and Home Depot decided to cut costs by cutting HR staff....

Human Resources Executive Online thinks that this decision by Home Depot is a good idea: click here

Lastly, Guru Focus asks what took so long for Home Depot to make this decision: click here

Back to the Strikes?

The Washington Post starts us off with an old theme, with new players. The Screen Actors Guild is now threatening to go on strike: click here

The Boston Globe follows up with an article about corporate volunteers reaching worldwide: click here

Next from the Globe, advice to answer the boss' criticism as if it were true: click here

Lastly, word also from the Globe, that after an interview, the thanks should go both ways: click here

How to Strengthen Your Organizational Communication Practices

It's Astronology Tuesday!!!!

Today's Astronology is about Strengthening Your Organizational Communication: click here

You also get to find out a lot more about Astron and what is going on in the HR World so I HIGHLY recommend signing up for the newsletter. It's once every two weeks and it's some of the best information you can get. And better yet, it's free!

Employers as Babysitters

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

First, we have an article from US News and World Report's "The Inside Job" which says that although employers end up playing babysitter for their employees, they're increasingly getting in trouble for doing so: click here

This is a very interesting view on the situation which, in effect is saying to Americans "grow up"

Next, from Human Resources Executive Online, an article about what workers want from the President: click here

Also, from the Salt Lake Tribune, word on what happens if you hire undocumented workers and get caught: click here

Lastly, from a blog that is titled "Team Building is for Suckers", a question of "where in the world is SHRM [the Society for Human Resource Management]"? click here

Mayo

As we move into May, the flowers are blooming and we're churning out the articles for you here on the Astron Solutions blog...

First...from the Wall Street Journal...an article about how stay-at-home moms are filling the executive niche: click here

Next, also from the Journal, word about an interesting office perk--getting paid to volunteer: click here

Lastly, from the Baltimore Sun an article breaking down the job data that recently came out: click here

What I’m Hearing…Saving for Retirement

I met the other day with my financial planner. Among the various items we discussed was saving money for retirement. Long story short, if I want to work until 65 or 70, I’m on track. Early retirement at 55? I’ll need to save another $20,000 a year, every year. My jaw dropped when I heard that.

I’ve always been a saver. And I always thought I wanted to retire “early.” Now I’m not so sure. If I retire early, what will I do with my time? I crawl the walls after being home for more than 2 days in a row. So I’d probably end up starting another business, but that’s not “retirement” per se.

My experiences then got me thinking about the general US population. As HR professionals, we definitely need to encourage our employees and co-workers to save for retirement. Many people save little or any money. We all know that Social Security payments will be minimal at best. It is up to each person to look out for his or herself.

However, at what point do we cross the line between being cautious and missing out on life? Could I live in a lower cost of living area, or reduce the number of dance lessons I take each week? Sure. But the tradeoff of having to work a few extra years because of enhancing life now, while still being financially cautious, doesn’t sound so bad. Life is relatively short and unpredictable. Preparing for rainy days is vitally important, but it doesn’t rain every day of the year in New York City.

What I’m Hearing…HR Certifications

As many of us may know, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), though its subsidiary the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI), offers three national and two state specific Human Resource certifications – PHR, SPHR, GPHR, PHR – CA, and SPHR – CA. Currently, to sit for the PHR or SPHR certification exams, the candidate needs to have two years of exempt level HR experience.

HRCI is considering changing the exam eligibility experience requirements. The years of experience required would vary depending on which exam the person is sitting for, and what degree (e.g., Associates, Bachelor’s, and / or Master’s) the person holds. HRCI has conducted external benchmarking against other credentialing programs, considered the current experience of levels of certified professionals, and led focus groups with credential holders, employers, and SHRM chapter leaders. HRCI is currently in the process of surveying more individuals through an invitation to comment period, which closes on May 16th.

HR certification has come a long way since the time when I sat for the PHR exam (and passed!) as a recent college graduate. No longer do other HR professionals ask me what SPHR after my name means. HRCI’s steps towards elevating the experience requirement for SPHR should better align the test content with the candidates’ experiences, and truly reflect the “Senior” in SPHR.

Those considering the SPHR exam who have only 2 or 3 years of exempt level experience may want to take the exam in the Fall / Winter 2008 testing window, before the new requirements, if approved, take effect. HRCI has not stated when the new requirements would go into effect. However, why not take the initiative today and enhance your professional skills, your résumé, and your earning potential by working towards earning the certification?

What I’m Hearing…National Volunteer Week

If you haven’t already heard, this week (April 28 – May 2) is National Volunteer Week. How many times have we taken volunteers for granted? Although volunteers are unpaid, so many non-profits function effectively in the community because of their volunteers’ contributions. What would happen to your local hospital, library, or school, if the volunteers stopped helping? Volunteer recruitment, retention, and motivation are no less challenging than for paid team members. If you haven’t said “thank you” lately to the volunteers you encounter in your professional and personal lives, be sure to say something this week.

In addition to thanking those who help us, have you examined the volunteer opportunities in your life? If you haven’t been active, now is a great time to get involved. I suspect I do more than most when it comes to volunteering. Between sitting on the board of HR/NY (New York City’s SHRM chapter), helping out with special HR/NY projects, serving a 3-year term with SHRM’s Total Rewards Special Expertise Panel, and giving back as a peer reviewer for SHRM and WorldatWork publications, I sometimes think that my volunteer activities could make up a full-time job! However, giving back to the professional community, networking, and making a difference in others’ lives make the time and talent contribution worth it. Start small – either professionally or personally – and see how good it feels to give back. Once you start, you’ll be hooked.

Isiah Wins Again By Losing

Isiah Thomas lives in a fantasy world. If the former NBA star-turned NBA coach-turned NBA executive was governed by normal workplace rules, he'd probably be brought out back and shot. He's made one the NBA's most important franchises a laughing stock both on the court and off of it, lost his organization millions of dollars, and even more in bad publicity he incurred through a lovely sexual harassment lawsuit. He was bad at a GM, so they made him coach...now he's fired from both...and what's he doing now?

He's been reassigned to the team as an advisor, according to ESPN (click here), but has been banned from contacting the players...lest he try to meddle some more...

So he screws up the team as GM, gets to take on the team as coach and GM...doesn't do any better there...and gets a 3 year contract extension...then he really, really does poorly...and the team fires him...but keeps him on as an advisor....

Are you kidding me? What is he going to advise on? How to lose money? How to get sued? How to lose basketball games? How not to manage a cap? How to acquire bad players? How to not coach?

The Daily News tries to explain with a great headline reading "Isiah Thomas is not fired, just banned": click here

But Deadspin, always a good source of honest reporting and a laugh, said it perfectly in their heading "Isiah Is Smarter Than All Of Us: Isiah Thomas Pretty Much Got a Promotion": click here

The best part of the article being: "that makes Isiah a tremendously well-paid secretary (and coffee boy for Jim Dolan). Isiah is making $18 million to stay away from his employers. The man was a genius all along!"

If you are in HR...look at the history of this man and the Knicks and teach it to your colleagues as a cautionary tale

Blow That Whistle

We're in the middle of the NBA and NHL playoffs...but the most important whistleblower story may be in Human Resources...

The Washington Post starts us off this an article about the whisteblower's unending story: click here

Next, from Michigan Live, some news about a lost whistleblower case in Detroit and a document on a computer: click here

And lastly, from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, word about a hospital's large payout following whistleblower's kickbacks: click here

Blogroll pt. 3

The last entry of our blogroll has some great blogs for you to check out on the Astron Solutions blog...

First, the Laconic Law Blog has a lot of great legal information for Human Resources Professionals including news on joint employers and FMLA violations: click here

Next, Thinking HR blog has some great information for HR including this one about the IRS raising the Mileage Rate for 2008 (via BLR): click here

Bootstrapper has the top 100 HR Bloggers and we hope to be on this list if they do it again in 2008: click here

Workforce Management's Workforce Blog "The Business of Management" has some great articles including one about rethinking charging workers for smoking: click here

Lastly is Workplace Attitudes who we fixed their link (sorry about that) and provide to you for great information on articles such as why jerks kill creativity: click here

If you have any other suggestions for our blogroll, please let me know...

Blogroll Pt. 2

We're on to part 2 of 3 of reviewing our Blogroll here at Astron Solutions World of HR blog...

We start with Jim Stroud who changed the name of his blog from JimStroud to "The Recruiters Lounge" and has a new look and a new address but the same great information: click here

Also in recruiting is the Recruiting Fly Blog which today gives some diversity resumes and interview advice: click here

We have another WorldAtWork blog here for Ryan Johnson who has a lot of interesting topics including this one about Performance Reviews from a few weeks ago: click here

The HR Capitalist has a lot of interesting topics (Human Resources and not), but this recent one provides a scenario if the author had a few million dollars...they would aggregate references of a candidate: click here

And last on this list is the Industry Radar which has given us a few nice links on their website and has some great HR news on Benefits, Retirement, Health, among other topics: click here

What I’m Hearing…The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Compensation came to the forefront of the nation last night, as Democratic Presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton interrupted their campaigns to return to Washington, D.C. to vote on pending legislation. The topic at hand? The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The legislation failed to pass in the Senate, with a 56-42 vote. The bill is likely dead for the rest of 2008.

The Ledbetter Act’s main focus was to extend the statue of limitations for filing pay discrimination claims. Had the law been passed, individuals would have been able to file such lawsuits years and decades after the alleged discrimination occurred.

I don’t disagree with the need to ensure equal pay between the sexes. With all other factors being equal, paying someone less simply because she is a woman is wrong. However, the concept of statute of limitations is an important part of our legal system. We cannot allow new legislation on matters including and beyond Human Resources to erode this foundation. Otherwise, our already litigious society will become even more so, with far reaching effects including higher insurance costs, increased money spent on legal fees, greater court backlog, and general ill will. Let’s instead focus our time on preventing such discriminatory actions from occurring in the first place, and proactively remedying any that may have unfortunately already occurred.

What I’m Hearing…Administrative Professionals Day

Every day in America is a celebration of some sort, ranging from the traditional, like Mother’s Day, to the amusing, like National Waffle Day. Today’s celebration, Administrative Professionals Day, is an important one not to be overlooked. Effective administrative professionals keep our workplaces running smoothly and efficiently manage the details. Without them, our days would be longer and our work harder. Be sure to say thank you to the administrative professionals in your workplace. They are essential to success!

Saluting Our Blogroll Pt. 1

It's time to take a look at the fellow bloggers we link to on the right and give you a little idea of what they're writing about...

Blogs for Job hasn't had a post in a while, but shows that employees can be found in odd places (including one who just left a comment): click here

We realized we had an error in the address for Cara Welch's Public Policy Perceptions blog for WorldAtWork so we've relinked to there (click here) and ask you to check out her Earth Day article on Earth Day 2008: click here

Cheezhead talks about a theme we discussed recently and takes you in their latest article beyond Facebook and MySpace recruiting: click here

CollegeRecruiter.com has a great humor article today about 10 ways that the job market resembles Matzah: click here

Which reminds us...Happy Passover!!!

George's Employment Blawg touches on a subject we'll be getting into in a later post...but with the job market how it is, internships are becoming more and more important: click here

HR Web Cafe give you a full menu of articles about everything from spear phishing to bring-your-gun-to-work-day (or permanently): click here

Lastly for today, we go to HR World who asks if male and female owned businesses differ? click here

We'll be back with more tomorrow...enjoy!!!

Some Laughs for Friday

Courtesy of The Office: click here

Deepening the Downturn

Updating our post from yesterday is an article from the New York Times which says that workers are getting fewer hours, deepening the downturn: click here

This is a huge problem as not only are workers being laid off, but the ones who are still employed are getting less overtime and taking in smaller paychecks--which the Times cites as a worse problem than the layoffs....

And those layoffs continue, especially in the financial sector. After Merrill Lynch announced 4000 layoffs yesterday, Citigroup went more than double that with a planned 9000 layoffs: click here

This is going to create a big problem for the United States economy. With a weakening dollar, low interest rates and rising inflation, smaller salaried and laid off workers are going to be spending less. Less consumer spending will lead to less money going to companies. And companies taking on losses will be more likely to layoff more workers. Something needs to happen to stop this cycle from worsening soon or there will be quite a situation on our hands.

If you happen to be at a company that is currently trying to grow and expand, you've hit the jackpot. There are a lot of skilled workers increasingly having their wages cut or being laid off and these people will be more than willing to line up to be hired. Not only will this allow you to get the best workers, but probably pay a lot less in the process.

If you look at the graphs to the right, you can see how this has been playing out in the United States and get some idea of where we are going in the future if this continues.

Stay tuned to see how this situation continues to develop...

UPDATE: A really good point from a fellow blogger: click here

Facebook and the Office

What happens when social networking and the office combine? Well...it can be an awkward situation, as written here in the Boston Globe: click here

Let's say that situation does come up--you are a boss and one of your subordinates tries to friend you on Facebook or MySpace or one of the other social networking websites or you are an employee and your boss sends you a friend request...what do you do?

Well first things first, whether you are a high school student, college student, young professional or "old" professional, you should scrub your social networking profiles. You never know who is looking at it.

If you think you're exempt because you are a student...just check out some of the articles from this Google search: click here

And if you think you're exempt because you're in the job world, just check out some of the articles from this Google search: click here (or, if you prefer, Myspace: click here)

And as I wrote way back in July 2006 for Astronology, the New Age of Background Checks has moved on to social networking websites: click here

So the truth is, make sure that everything in your profile is Kosher because the last thing you want is to have something meant from your friends, end up in your workspace: it could end up costing you your job.

Dissecting the Current News

Sometimes it's best to just dig into the current events and find out how it applies to Human Resources...so we'll get right to that..

First, the economy. A topic that should be the hot-button of the presidential race, especially if this downturn (read: recession) in the market continues, took another turn with today's job numbers, as reported by Bloomberg: click here

This is going to have a ripple effect on the entire economy. As people continue to foreclose on homes and pay higher prices for gas, one thing they certainly cannot afford is to be out of work. This will lead a lot more people to switch out of industries such as housing which are in a lull right now and cause even more competition in other fields. This, combined with a class of '08 graduation will create even more turmoil in the economy. So while we may not be predicting the next Great Depression...let's just say: hold on to your seats.

This next story from the New York Times has HIPAA violations written all over it: click here

HR Professionals should definitely check in with their health insurance plans to make sure that their employee's information is not leaking out to the world or they will have to start lining up at the courthouse for lawsuits

Lastly, in a story that doesn't seem to go away, sexual harassment in the workplace is not necessarily confined to just the traditional workplace. As People Magazine reports, this Rob Lowe story isn't going to end anytime soon with accusations and counter-accusations and claims of abuse and extortion: click here

The lesson to be learned here for HR is that even if you don't have a traditional workspace, there may still be sexual harassment issues and a proactive approach is always the best way...

References

We start off in another direction and go with the Karen Burns, Working Girl blog's article about why references are still relevant: click here

Did you have a good April Fools prank in your office? Human Resource Executive says to grin it and bear it: click here

The Career Diva has some interesting (read: extreme) ways to get a job: click here

Online Colleges and Universities tells you why career management is right for you: click here

Lastly, the Providence Journal leaves us with an article about HR and continuing education: click here

What I'm Hearing...Salary "Surveys"

If your Sunday newspaper carries Parade magazine, you undoubtedly read their annual report What People Earn. The story contained some interesting information, as well as some facts and comments that I, as a compensation professional, already know.

I had a few concerns with the story, though. First, I did not see any quotes or source material from compensation or benefits firms. I’m left wondering where the author obtained the data she used.

Second, as this was a nationally distributed piece, there should have been some discussion around how salaries differ. One of my clients recently called this “your mileage may vary.” To read the story, I might think that my pay should be the same as, or higher than, what’s reported. However, so many factors influence pay – performance, tenure, compensation philosophy, geography, etc. – it is misleading to the general public to not mention such factors.

What did you think of Parade’s story? Take a peek and let us know!

How to Make 2008 Great---Employment Branding

First we link you to our Astronology for this week about Employment Branding: click here

If you're not already signed up for Astronology, make sure to click on that link and do it ASAP

Next, from Yahoo! Finance and US News and World Report, an article about what to do with a boss like Michael Scott from The Office: click here

And here's something that would eternally annoy all your co-workers: click here

10,000 Visitors!

You like us...you really, really like us...

We just reached 10,000 hits on our site which is big news for us here at Astron Solutions. Thank you for making our blog a part of your Human Resource news!

Doing Some Moving....

....and that's why I've been a bit tardy on the posts...but I'm going to try to keep you updated with everything big in Human Resources....

First, from HR Daily Advisor, an article about how to detect and deal with FMLA fraud: click here

The Washington Post follows up with some advice to be encouraged by boss's attempts to grant vacation requests: click here

Lastly, we have word of another Human Resources blog entering the blogosphere: click here

What I’m Hearing – Tolerating Poor Performance

If you follow basketball, you know that the New York Knicks have not been doing too well the past few years. Between numerous losses and the Anucha Browne-Sanders sexual harassment case, it’s been rough for the team and the fans.

Yesterday, the Knicks’ owners announced that Donnie Walsh will take over Isiah Thomas’ role as President of basketball operations for the team. Word on the street says that Mr. Walsh will also become Head Coach, ending Isiah Thomas’ tenure.

Undoubtedly in our own organizations we have an “Isiah Thomas,” someone whose attitude or poor performance drags down the department or the organization as a whole. Should we allow these individuals to stay on in their roles long after it has become obvious that the employment relationship isn’t working to everyone’s advantage?

Watson Wyatt has conducted research showing that top performing organizations terminate employees who perform unacceptably. Certainly, losing an employee can put additional strain on the remaining group. However, in many cases the team works more effectively after removing negativity and ineffective relationships. Why then do we tolerate poor performance?

Let’s hope the Knicks fare better next season, and that we use their experiences to better our own organizations.

So That's What Those Pirates in that Commercial Were Singing About!

The FreeCreditReport.com guys will be happy with this article from Forbes which says that you should get your Credit Report checked before your employer does: click here

(Well at least they should pay those guys so they don't have to be pirates anymore...)

Next, from the Sun-Times News Group and the Naperville Sun, an article about a Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) that warns that no one is immune from sickness: click here

Lastly, from USA Today's On Deadline section (referring to a 2006 Forbes article),would you like to bring your baby to work every day?: click here

Colbert Fills In

We usually like to try to give you some Jon Stewart and Daily Show for your Tuesday, but today we're going with Stephen Colbert of the Colbert Report...

First, from Indecision 2008, Stephen looks at the controversial issue of...Southsourcing:



Next, Stephen has a note for those striking outside his studio:



And then sings them a song with some famous guests:

Judgment Calls

Harvard Business School and the Conde Nast Portfolio Insight Center starts us out on this Monday as we close out March with an article about making difficult judgment calls: click here

The Boston Globe continues with an article about employers using personal references to attempt to limit liability: click here

The Washington Post picks up our strike coverage with the actors (not the writers this time) who are facing some opposition: click here

What I’m Hearing…Going Topless

This morning the radio announcer shared an interesting story out of Silicon Valley. Apparently, 40% of firms in the Silicon Valley area have gone “topless.”

It’s not as risqué as it sounds. The policy bans using mobile communication devices, such as laptops, Blackberries, cell phones, and the like, in meeting rooms.

Kudos to the firms that have instituted such a policy. When individuals use their high tech devices during a meeting, they are distracting to their colleagues, disrespectful of others’ time, and rude to the meeting facilitator. These individuals also send a message, consciously or not, that they and their business are more important than the meeting. Checking voicemails during a meeting break is one thing. Text messaging someone during a meeting is another.

Imagine how much more productive and faster meetings would be if all organizations had a policy of going topless. Hopefully more organizations will move in this direction in the coming months.

To Tattle?

The Washington Post, in its "How to Deal" section, has an article that says that when asked to tattle, to tell the truth: click here

The Washington Post follows up with an article that says the rising healthcare costs are cutting into workers wages: click here

Lastly, the New York Times has an article about tension building (and it's almost Monday): click here

The Onion

Oh...and because we want you to laugh a little: click here

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

It's about 30 degrees but many miles away, in Japan, the baseball season started today. We here at Astron are made up of a few loyalties. But the majority of us root for the Yankees. So let's hope that Joe Girardi can be a good manager (had to add in the HR theme) and get the Yankees to the World Series.

So we'll go and start with the New York Times today where we have an article which says that health plans put the onus on the insured: click here

Also from the New York Times, their Home Front section talks about those determined to find a new beginning: click here

Lastly, from the Christian Science Monitor, if you're going to start an office romance, first sign a contract: click here

Getting Back to the Swing of Things

Sorry for being away from a while, but we're back here at the Astron Blog and we're dipping into the Vault for some depressing news on jobs...

First, from the New York Times, word that Silicon Valley is losing middle wage jobs: click here

The Christian Science Monitor says that the best U.S. factory jobs are increasingly in jeopardy: click here

Next, from the Wall Street Journal, an article that says that for some, suburban jobs prove subpar: click here

From USA Today, news that the housing slowdown puts day laborers in limbo: click here

Hopefully your job news is a little more optimistic than this...

Talking About Addiction

The Wall Street Journal starts us off with an interesting article (actually a reprint from 2006) about talking to your boss about alcohol abuse: click here

This article from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) talks about the Mental Health Bill and how SHRM sees its merits: click here

Lastly, the Gothamist has an article about the court upholding the firing of a guy who must have been addicted to surfing the web: click here

What Not To Say Pt. 2

We had Part 1 back in November, but this HR Daily Advisor article says what you can't ask in an interview...and how to get around that: click here

Next, from Freelance Writing Jobs, on the same token, if you're in an interview, do you correct the interviewer?: click here

From Human Resource Executive Online, an article about talent and transformation: click here

Workplace Violence News, a fellow blogger, says that screening should be taken to the next level: click here

Lastly, from CoachBlog...is coaching really working? (I think I know where they'll side): click here

Oops

Not sure if this video will make you laugh as well...but wow was Jim Kramer wrong...

Laughing About the Writer's Strike

Jon Stewart and the Daily Show's views on the writer's strike and how it affected the Daily Show:

Of Bad News and B-ball Pools

We start you out this week with an article from CondeNast Portfolio and the Harvard Business School which talks about a better way to deliver bad news to your employees: click here

Next, an issue you will have to deal with this week is talked about in this New York Times article about dipping into the betting pool and the NCAA basketball tournament brackets in your company: click here

I agree with the idea that this helps people meet and brings them together, but it also has to be for a small amount and done in a way that makes people all feel welcome and comfortable. You never know if someone is getting over a gambling issue, has a financial issue, or is feeling left out by not being asked to be in the pool (among other issues) so as a Human Resource Professional, this could be a tough issue to deal with.

Lastly, from the Boston Globe BostonWorks Hiring Hub, advice on the best way to terminate high level employees: click here

Executive Privilege

Did I say every Tuesday? I meant every week on a day that starts with "T":

Imagine a man works at a place where his work is assessed and the process by which he makes controversial decisions has to be justified or there will be consequences...





Thousands of illegal aliens demonstrate their fierce desire to work in this country by taking the afternoon off.



Enjoy!

Podcasting!!!

Adding to our Web 2.0 personality here at Astron Solutions, we have our first podcast courtesy of Workforce Management about managing the unpredictability of talent in today's world: click here

From the Business Wire, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) will be surveying presidential candidates on key workforce issues: click here

Also, make sure to check out some other podcasts on Daxle's website of business podcasts...some good stuff there: click here

Lastly, the Baltimore Sun's "On the Job" has an article about sick and vacation days all being in the same bank: click here

And since we decided we needed some representation between New York and DC, we're adding the feed of the Baltimore Sun's career section on the right...

What I’m Hearing…Employee Tenure

More and more these days we hear that it’s nearly impossible to expect an employee to stay with an organization for more than 2 years. Succession planning is therefore unrealistic. An employee would not want to stay with one organization a relatively long time. It's just not done.

Last night the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame held their 2008 induction ceremony. Madonna, my favorite recording artist, was among those inducted. Her speech covered a number of topics, including how she got started in the business, fond memories of past accomplishments, musings on what’s to come, and “thank you”s to key players in her career. Imagine my surprise when Madonna announced that she wanted to thank Warner Bros., the record label she’s been signed to for her entire 25 year career. She also thanked her Publicist, with whom she has also been for 25 years. Both milestone achievements she announced with a sense of pride and the “you thought it couldn’t be done” attitude that Madonna exudes so often.

I was pleasantly shocked to hear these comments. From an HR perspective, there perhaps would be few employees more demanding than a mega recording star such as Madonna. However, these three parties have created a loyalty based on met professional needs.

Can we expect to have successful, 25 year loyalty with our employees like Warner Bros. has enjoyed? Probably not. However, if Warner Bros. can met a superstar’s needs successfully, and find positive ROI for their organization in the process, it is possible for us to work with our employees to gain perhaps 5 or 10 years of successful professional relationships.

More links!

Yeah...we got more links for you...

First a blog about the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM): click here

Next, from Boston Globe, Monster.com, HiringHub, word on finding the best talent: click here

HR Daily Advisor has 7 stupid things that supervisors say and then get sued: click here

From SHRM, word on what that blogger was talking about above: click here

ITtoolbox has some advice on what every IT manager should know about HR: click here

MSNBC says don't wear blinders when dealing with your boss: click here

HR Daily Advisor is back with 3 vital things that supervisors should say: click here

Lastly, the Business Review of Western Michigan (via Michigan Live) has an article about getting and recruiting talent from elsewhere: click here

That should last you for a while ;)

Adding To Our Blog Family

Passed on to me by Jennifer...and now passing onto you (and will be a permanent fixture over on our blogroll):

WorldatWork announced a new blog designed to help HR professionals and business leaders anticipate and address workplace regulations and legislation. The blog, "Public Policy Perceptions," is written by the association's director of public policy, Cara Welch, Esq., and can be found at http://www.worldatwork.org/waw/adim/blogs/cara_welch/html/blog-cw.jsp.

What I’m Hearing…Monday Morning Fun

Things have been busy here at Astron, so I’m a bit behind on my leisure reading. This weekend I enjoyed last week’s Time Out New York. One fun feature in their I, New York section particularly caught my eye – The Formula. This issue’s formula is “I’m worried I’m about to get fired! How can I know for sure?” The writers at TONY have determined that your risk of being fired is directly related to how much you IM at work, if you have personal relationships with co-workers, the Dilbert-ness of your boss, and the amount of overtime you put in. The Formula is definitely amusing! If only more things in HR were so quantifiable.

HR Links Galore

We hadn't given you a lot of links in a while...and we at the Astron blog love to update you on what's going on around the US...so here you go:

A job outlook from the Providence Journal: click here

A pro-office romance article from the Gazette: click here

Word from the CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM): click here

From the HRM Guide, word that few firms actually define diversity: click here

From Systematic HR...is it Job or Performance: click here

From HR.BLR, a bill to support employee verification: click here

From HR World, word that SHRM has backed this bill: click here

From the New York Times and Inc., word that diversity is unclear at small firms: click here

And lastly for today, from Forbes, word that most retirees will look for other jobs: click here

Enjoy!!!

We'll have more for you soon...trust me

Clinton and Obama as Managers

Leave it those Neanderthals over there at Harvard to bring in another aspect into the mudslinging of candidates in this political race between John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama: click here

(Just kidding on that...I went to Brandeis so we have much love to our brethren down the Charles River...and even more love for their business cases)

Without getting into a real political discussion here, it's amazing that this hasn't been brought up more often. Especially the "Managing People" aspect. President Bush has done an unbelievably inept job at this in his time as President between "Scooter" Libby and his two Attorney Generals (the latter of which got into a lot of hot water over his "Managing People" skills) and the scores of other officials around him (don't forget FEMA and the whole Katrina disaster) who turned out to be incapable of handling their job, incapable of managing others, or just totally inept.

And lets not forget Bush hasn't done a great job at "Managing Money" either, as highlighted by this article in the New York Times: click here

Mr. Robert Hormats [vice chairman of Goldman Sachs International] mentioned Social Security and Medicare, saying that both could have been put “on a more sustainable basis.” And he cited the committee’s own calculations from last fall that showed that the money spent on the war each day is enough to enroll an additional 58,000 children in Head Start for a year, or make a year of college affordable for 160,000 low-income students through Pell Grants, or pay the annual salaries of nearly 11,000 additional border patrol agents or 14,000 more police officers.

We'll let that sink in.........

Ok...and let's also not forget the whole "Managing Expectations" aspect either: click here

So do I agree with the article? Not completely. Leaving McCain out of the article completely but instead referencing him in passing at the end was not exactly the most even-handed way to do it.

And I think that both Senators Clinton and Obama both have "Managing People" problems. Obama's have definitely shown up recently with his association with Tony Rezko and Clinton's are most prevalently with her own husband--which is another story completely (and could go towards keeping those under your watch under wraps and in control).

And while "Manager" may be a broader title, for the Human Resource aspect the money management realm, while important, is not really relevant.

But the idea is a good one--which candidate would make a good Human Resource Manager. Because those thirsty for change, don't want President Bushes running their country and those in charge won't want President Bushes running their companies.

Update: Yeah...about "Hilldog" and her ability to Manage People: click here

What I’m Hearing…Generational Spending Patterns

Ever since I was a small child, I’ve always believed in saving things that might be valuable to me in the future. Plastic bags, office supplies, nostalgic items, and my most favorite thing to save – money. When I was about 6 or 7, I received a toy safe for Christmas, which I loved. I put all my dollar and five dollar bills in there, along with some business plans for the ideal restaurant I wanted to open when I grew up. I still have those plans. Perhaps that will be my second career after I retire.

So when I recently heard on the radio that one-quarter of Generation X workers live paycheck to paycheck, I was floored. The notion of living that close to the edge is something very foreign to me. I’m wondering if this is an HR issue, a cultural issue, or a combination of factors.

Looking at this issue through an HR lens, we can take several steps to prevent or mitigate this spending trend. We need to pay our employees equitably and fairly, as per our organization’s compensation philosophy. Annual market updates ensure external market competitiveness. We should also provide options for employee education on personal fiscal management.

More and more I’m seeing individuals who want to buy everything…right now. That type of spending approach will certainly lead to a lack of savings. I understand that the younger members of our workforce are juggling a variety of expenses, including cars, cell phones, rent, and student loans. While we as HR practitioners cannot directly change these social / cultural issues immediately, we can provide the tools to help our employees move away from the dangers of living paycheck to paycheck into something more secure.

What I’m Hearing…Paid Family Leave

I heard on the radio this morning that New Jersey is in the process of passing a paid family leave bill. According to the plan, employees would be able to receive up to 6 weeks of paid family leave, at a maximum rate of $500 per week.

One cannot argue that America is not as progressive as other nations when it comes to paid leave and work/life balance. We have much room for enhancement. However, should the government mandate such programs? With a maximum payout of $3,000 under the New Jersey guidelines, would it make more sense for organizations to voluntarily offer such programs, or provide special bonuses of an equal or greater amount without government interference?

Retaining good employees is becoming more difficult every day. Examining options in the area of paid family leave may become a necessity for successful organizations to continue, without intervention from the government.

You, Your Health & You

Gotta love The Daily Show...but you definitely have to love old school Daily Show...

So we decided to go back and get some Human Resources clips from way-back-when...

Enjoy:







Just in case you had a case of the Mondays...and in case you're wondering, we'll be giving you more of these fun video clips every Tuesday to make your week just a little better :)

What I’m Hearing…Résumé Objectives

When I was in college, career services taught me the importance of having an objective on my résumé. However, this never felt quite right. I certainly couldn’t put down my honest objective – to get a job to make money and gain experience with any organization willing to take a chance on me. What if someone judged me solely on the contents of that one elaborately created sentence? Why was that one sentence so important to everyone but me?

Now that I’m on the other side of the table, I again question the value of the résumé objective. I’ve seen many résumés that mention another company’s name, a field we’re not recruiting for, a desire to work in a different part of the US, or statements that tell me right away that the person is not looking for a job at Astron (e.g., seeks a high growth sales position with a Fortune 500 company on the West Coast). Résumé objectives may be helpful in weeding out candidates who won’t be a good fit, but more often than not they don’t add positive value to the recruiting equation.

According to Vault.com, résumé objectives are dead. Résumés should sell you and your personal brand by making you more appealing to prospective employers. Employers don’t want to hear what you want to do. They want to know what you can do for them. Vault.com recommends using a tailored summary of your skills as your personal marketing tool. It will be interesting to see if the tailored skill summary approach takes hold over the next few years. I’d like to see more résumés use this format.

Looks like back in college I was just a little ahead of my time with my thinking on résumé objectives.

March On

Marching on here on the first workday in March as we update you on some Human Resource news that we had previously touched on here on the blog...

First from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and their study titled "2008 Flu Prevention in the Workplace Study" say that 33% of offices send their employees home if they come to work sick to battle against presenteeism...but just 10% actually offer the employee the telecommuting options that would allow them to work from home: click here

While most of them (59 percent) say their companies offer free flu vaccine to employees, other options are reported. Eighteen percent of companies encourage employees to get a flu shot offsite and 10 percent will pay for it. Nineteen percent offer shots onsite, but at employees' expense. Three percent do the same, but subsidize part of the cost.

"Employers recognize the benefits of keeping their employees healthy and productive during work hours," said Susan R. Meisinger, president and CEO of SHRM. "Flu season is a real threat to all businesses, so prevention is top of mind for HR professionals."

Educating employees on preventative measures to reduce the spread of flu at work is an initiative reported by 47 percent of HR professionals. Other common prevention efforts include making hand sanitizer and tissues easily accessible (52 percent).

Lastly, we turn to another one of our fellow bloggers for advice saying to make sure to protect yourself from lawsuits which can be costly, time consuming and bad for business and your company's public image: click here