Blogs / 2008 / February

With five kids, two of whom are teenagers, I worry a lot about their futures (and my future having to pay for all of them!). How do we provide a balanced life for them to be responsible, ethical and hardworking? How do we instill qualities like co... More...

( The Beacon Group - Feb. 29, 2008) What's the problem with talented employees? A lot of them already have great jobs and aren't necessarily out there looking for another one. That's a huge source of lost talent. How can companies get these candi... More...

The Blackberry - or shall I say, "Crackberry" - has truly revolutionized modern-day communication and enabled individuals to maintain a constant state of connectivity. But there's a reason people call it a "Crackberry" - it's highly addictive. A rece... More...

RealtyTrac’s January 2008 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report™ , reports that foreclosure activity in 2008 is “up 57 percent from January 2007.” In real terms, this translates into foreclosure filings on 233,001 properties and represents “an increase of ... More...

On my blog I recently dealt with the results of the Hudson Report for the 1st QTR 2008. This has a similar format to most surveys with specific information about changes in salaries, turnover and retention rates. The focus was on the Asia Pacific r... More...

As tax season approaches, an increasing number of people plan to file their federal taxes online, according to the Consumer Internet Barometer. Forty percent plan to file online, up from 34 percent three years ago. More than two-thirds of consumers r... More...

A December 2007 survey conducted by the Korea International Labor Foundation found that of 80 foreign firms polled in Korea, one third cited rising labor costs as the largest deterrent to investment in Korea. While some firms are looking to move fro... More...

Dear Joan:I am 55 years old and have been a legal secretary for the past 21 years. I had excellent job stability until two years ago when my firm was forced to downsize. I have had three jobs since then; the last two hell on earth. I was recently ... More...

Usually there is a flood of feelings that come with losing your job. Shock. Denial. Anger. Betrayal. Fear. Guilt. Sometimes even relief. It's traumatic. Your sense of self-worth, and for many, men in particular, your entire identity has been attacked... More...

Recruiting experienced professionals remains a concern for many companies, a survey shows. Forty-three per cent of chief financial officers (CFOs) polled recently said finding skilled staff will be their greatest challenge in the next 12 months, clos... More...

Delayed retirement and longer lifespan are contributing to the buzz over multigenerational workforces. Experts advise us to take the time to understand any critical differences between the generations and adapt our talent management approaches accord... More...

Dear Joan:There are worse things we could call our co-worker than "call girl," but that term sums things up. We are four women in our early 50's, all hired within the last two years, as was a young woman in her early 20's. This is her first job. We'r... More...

As employers continue to struggle with rising health care costs, many are considering bringing primary care services into the workplace. Workplace health centers support employees and their covered dependents by partnering with human resources, benef... More...

Fred Whittlesey Compensation Venture Group, Inc. After the last entry "Change is Possible" - check this out: Committee to Hold Hearing on CEO Pay and the Mortgage Crisis The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hold a hearing titled, ... More...

"Life leaps like a geyser for those willing to drill through the rock of inertia." -- Alexis Carrel When I was 10 years old, our family vacation was to Yellowstone Park in Wyoming. I remember watching in awe as the Old Faithful geyser of its own free... More...

If you’re involved in hourly hiring, telling you that turnover is a problem is like telling you that sometimes when your employees call in sick, they’re actually not. (Especially if they recently purchased a Wii.) The problem is that as soon as you ... More...

Legal issues regarding testing apply to all “selection procedures” defined by the US Government’s Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures as: “Any measure, combination of measures, or procedures used as a basis for any employment decisi... More...

Generally, the blog is for factual information but I felt I had to share this story. This was a phone call we received from a prospective client who had questions about our services and what we did. It seems that this gentleman ran a company that w... More...

Many professionals struggle with the notion of balancing a busy career with family life, hobbies or leisure activities. We often refer to this as our "our work life balance. As we explore this topic, let's review some interesting statistics from th... More...

Excerpted from Indiana Employment Law Letter and written by an attorney at the law firm of Baker & Daniels Although the types of misconduct that employees can engage in is unlimited, some disciplinary issues occur over and over again. Among the m... More...

Here are some suggestions when you to start the mediation process. None of these ideas is particularly profound, but they are thoughts gleaned from ten years experience conducting hundreds of mediations. They are surprisingly simple, but apply to all... More...

Companies are increasingly turning to music to inspire creativity and foster innovation with their workforces. With so many large corporates scheduling their annual 'kick off' meeting in Q1, the most common message leaders are sending to their senio... More...

QUESTION: How Do I Tackle Negative Feedback?Dear Merry,I've been a leader at a Fortune 500 company for quite some time. I have a reputation for being tough but loyal to my staff and committed to their success. I just received some feedback and was... More...

Avoiding tough conversations has become the norm for many organizations. As most have found, problems are rarely solved when they are left unaddressed. In fact, they take on Moose-like size and increase in complexity. Moose on the Table: A Nove... More...

In October 2007, the Project Management Institute (PMI ) began offering its first credential that demonstrates skills in the emerging discipline of program management, the Program Management Professional (PgMPsm). I say emerging because, while progra... More...

Tags

News

The state of our youth, merger and acquistions and much more

Notching-Up the Stakes

Avoiding the Technology Junkie Trap

Dealing with Mortgage Foreclosure

Participation Preferable to Reading

Online Tax Filing Continues to Grow

Foreign Firms Cite Labor Regulations as Setback to Investing in Korea

Joan Lloyd's HR Words of Advice: Career Goals

Laid Off? Tips on Getting a New Job

Survey Shows Recruitment as the Top Concern for Executives

Pearls of Wisdom from the GI Generation

Joan Lloyd's HR Words of Advice: Seasoned Veterans

The Trusted Clinician at the Workplace

Look Who's Coming to Dinner..or maybe a late continental breakfast

Seven Calculated Choices to Make Your Career Leap Like a Geyser

Turning turnover on its head

Test Right – The Legal Issues Regarding Employment Testing

A Really, Really Bad Day!

The Irony of Achieving a Work/Life Balance

Three Tough Disciplinary Issues

Mediation Practice 101: How To Be Successful

Music Fosters Innovation and Strengthens Teams

Ask the Coach – Issue 56: Tackling Negative Feedback

Moose on the Table: Call of the Riled

Navigating the New PgMPsm Credential

	Good Guy = Bad Manager :: Bad Guy = Good Manager. Is it a Myth?

	Base Pay Increases Remain Steady in 2007, Mercer Survey Finds

	Online Overload: The Perfect Candidates Are Out There - If You Can Find Them

	Cartus Global Survey Shows Trend to Shorter-Term International Relocation Assignments

	Rewards, Vacation and Perks Are Passé; Canadians Care Most About Cash