In our latest HR news roundup, we offer items on leadership secrets, age discrimination, recruiting high-performing employee and more tools & tips from around the Web. Don’t miss news of a free upcoming legal webinar. Plus, we close out with a few lighter items for your diversion,
Google’s 5 HR secrets for identifying and developing great managers
When employees cite top places to work, Google usually leads the pack. Progressive policies and innovative perks are frequently cited. So what’s Google’s secret sauce? In his article at Inc., Michael Schwantes shares five key training practices from Google’s Manager Development Program. Most noteworthy: Not all high-performing employees make good managers.
Renewed attention’ to Age Discrimination as ADEA reaches 50th anniversary
Despite the large number of Baby Boomers in the workforce, age-related discrimination suits are holding steady. But many legal observers wonder if renewed attention brought by the 50th anniversary of the ADEA may result in a spike in lawsuits. Carol Patton of Human Resources Executive takes a look at lessons learned in three age-discrimination suits filed within the past four years.
Companies are bad at identifying high-potential employees
Are you good at identifying top talent? Maybe not. At Harvard Business Review, Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman talk about a study they conducted evaluating 1,964 employees from three organizations who were designated as high potentials, only to find that 40% did not measure up; furthermore, 12% were in the organization’s bottom quartile of leadership effectiveness. They talk about why and which characteristics were notably lacking.
Payoffs and pitfalls of working with independent contractors
Independent contractors are a fast-growth job segment, comprising more than 55 million Americans. They offer many advantages to employers, from the ability to hire a specific skill set for a short time frame to the ability to scale the workforce based on work demands. But employers must be aware of the risks, too. At SHRM, Lin Grensing-Pophat looks at the risks and rewards of hiring independent contractors.
4 Keys for making any transition insanely effective, according to 6 military veterans
Over Veteran’s Day, we spotted these great tips from Wanda Thibodeaux about how navigate change. She talked to six veterans to compile these tips. The nature of the military means that military personnel must be experts at making transitions.
And as long as we’re talking about veterans, check out these recurring myths about hiring veterans that often inhibit recruitment. At SHRM, Dori Meinert makes a strong case for why hiring vets makes good business sense.
Free webinar: “The Employment Law Year in Review”
If you read this blog, you know that we frequently cite the works of employment law attorneys via their blog postings. Now, a group of our HR go-to favorites are sponsoring a free webinar on Dec.7 from noon to 1 PM EST. Presenters include Eric Meyer, The Employer Handbook; Suzanne Lukas, aka the Evil HR Lady; Jon Hyman, Ohio Employer’s Law Blog; Jeff Nowak, FMLA Insights; Daniel Schwartz, Connecticut Employment Law Blog; and Robin Shea, Employment & Labor Insider. Register at the link above.
Quick takes: More noteworthy items in the HR news roundup
- 10 simple ways to get an employee to quit
- California: Expansive workplace retaliation law takes effect soon
- Obamacare shopping is trickier than ever. Here’s a cheat sheet.
- Pros and cons to using text messages in your recruiting process
- Regular painkillers work as well as opioids for sprains, strains and fractures
- 10 Body language myths that limit your success
- When jobs become commodities
- ADA lawsuit: Can you force an unstable employee to see a doctor?
- 3 ways to tactfully disagree
- Exercise Rx as a component of depression therapy
- 20 Ways to improve your energy at work
- BLS issues report for 2016 workplace injuries & illnesses (PDF)
HR news … from the lighter side
Getting to work on time: Many people have thrown out their alarm clocks, choosing to use their phone apps to wake up. Not everyone thinks this is a great idea. Here’s a compelling case why you should stop relying on your phone and renew your acquaintance with your alarm clock. Interesting article. But after reading it, we were curious how people woke up for work before alarm clocks? Here’s an interesting read on 7 ways people woke up, pre-alarm clock.
Enjoying your job: All hail to the “tarmac dancer”
Useful work skills: If you are a planning an upcomoming presentation, take some tips from Victor Borge. In this short video clip, he offers a lesson in phonetic punctuation.