Editor’s Note

Hiring, managing and retaining quality staff are challenging, especially during the holiday season. With the holiday shopping rush in full swing, some retailers began recruiting seasonal associates as early as August, months ahead of their usual schedule. But early hiring can only do so much when retailers’ biggest problem is engaging and retaining the people they onboard.

Broken Scheduling Fuels Retail Employee Disengagement: Here is what HR can do about it

With the holiday shopping rush in full swing, employers throughout the service industry are reminded of the challenges of hiring, managing and retaining quality staff. This year, some retailers began recruiting seasonal associates as early as August, months ahead of their usual schedule. But early hiring can only do so much when retailers’ biggest problem is engaging and retaining the people they onboard.

Workforce Management Excellence Advertisers: December 2016

Should You Offer Split Shifts And Flex-Time?: Flexible hours can boost employee engagement

In the ever-evolving business landscape, flexible scheduling has become a hot topic. The reason is simple: when workers have more control of their schedules, they have better work-life balance and thus more satisfaction on the job itself. In its 2015 Workplace Flexibility Study, WorkplaceTrends.com found that flex programs improved employee satisfaction by 87%, boosted productivity by 71%, and helped retain employees at 65% higher rates. Promising, right?

5 Signs You Need To Pay Attention To Labor Costing: Learn how to optimize workflow and reduce waste

Labor costing makes up the bulk of company expenses yet too few businesses actually pay attention to those costs. Whether they think they have a system for detecting waste or they simply trust that their costs are in line with the competition, the result is the same: wasted time and wasted money.

A Partial FLSA Wish List: Top points to consider

Presidential elections have typically sparked speculation about possible changes in employment laws and enforcement policies. But this seems to be especially true now, due in part to the discussion already occurring about revisions in the compensation requirements for the federal Fair Labor Standards Act's "white collar" exemptions.

The Absolute Best Way to Measure Forecast Accuracy: Learning the trick

Let’s start with a sample forecast. The following table represents the forecast and actuals for customer traffic at a small-box, specialty retail store (You could also imagine this representing the foot traffic in a department inside of a larger store, too). Is this a good or a bad forecast?

4 Common Problems When Managing Contingent Workers: Managing contingent labor efficiently

Experts even speculate that for some global companies, the contingent workforce may represent a higher percent of the total workforce than traditional employees. Whatever the reason for change, managing contingent labor has become strategic and imperative for many companies.

Federal And Religious Holiday Labor Laws: 4 misconceptions

Planning on taking some time off for the holidays? Make sure you’re clear on what the law allows, and what your employer allows. The following will hopefully clarify some misconceptions about vacations, religious and federal holidays, and the labor laws surrounding them:

15 Dos And Don’ts In Choosing Time And Attendance System: Saving your business unnecessary cost

1. Do track time because time in business is costly, it amounts to dollars and cents as the time ticking away. Leaving your business without a proper method to collect and track workforce’s time can expose your business to additional unnoticeable cost. With various time attendance solutions available in the market, choosing one suitable system for your company can be a tricky choice.