From toxic employees and stressful workplaces to conflict management and legislative updates, we have gathered an HR News Roundup for your perusal. Plus, we’ve included a few diversions from the lighter side to end your week.
When toxic workers attack
Andrew McIlvaine, HRE Daily
“The jerk at work is at it again: Whether it’s snide comments he’s making about a co-worker, goofing off while colleagues race to make a deadline or cracking racist jokes in the office parking lot, his (or her) toxic behavior is costing your organization productivity, money and talent.”
Workplace is hostile, stressful, grim place for many Americans
Paul Wiseman, Insurance Journal
“The American workplace is grueling, stressful and surprisingly hostile. So concludes an in-depth study of 3,066 U.S. workers by the Rand Corp., Harvard Medical School and the University of California, Los Angeles.”
Great leadership approach to conflict management includes 3 principles
Chris Schafer & Brent Carter, CEO Magazine
“In a world where adaptation to chaos is a consistent requirement, leaders need an intrepid mindset – a mode of seeing, thinking, and acting that is hyper-vigilant. There are few challenging areas that need intrepid mindsets more than conflict management.”
When you discover that you employ a Nazi
Jon Hyman, Ohio Employer Law Blog
“In the wake of Friday and Saturday’s horrific, evil events in Charlottesville, the twitter account YesYoureRacist posted many riot photos and identified many of the rioters. And, as a result, some have lost their jobs.
Question: Does one participating in a Nazi rally enjoy any job protections from said participation?”
Related:
A tricky legal question for HR
Before you fire that political extremist . . .
Expansive employment laws proliferate
Allen Smith, SHRM blog
Move over, California. It turns out that the nation’s most populous state isn’t the only trendsetter when it comes to employment law. Other cities and states also go well beyond what federal rules require.
New York City, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts and New Jersey are among those on the cutting edge that merit HR’s attention. That’s because trends that start in these bellwether jurisdictions are likely to spread.
Related: Comprehensive Analysis of New York Paid Family Leave: What Must Employers Do Now to Comply?
Service Animals Gone Wild: Bring Your Boa Constrictor to Work Day
Deanna Forbush, HR Daily Advisor
“Employees with qualifying disabilities may rely on a service and/or emotional support animal for a variety of reasons, and allowing them to do so at work may be considered a “reasonable accommodation” under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), provided the task performed by the animal is needed in the workplace, it’s directly related to the employee’s specified disability, and the accommodation doesn’t cause the employer an undue hardship.
When it comes to letting dangerous and/or potentially disruptive animals enter the workplace, an employer’s duty to maintain a safe and comfortable work environment may supersede the employee’s need, thereby rendering the requested accommodation unreasonable and therefore deniable.”
Cannabis Shift Impacting Employers
Autumn Heisler, Risk & Insurance
Decisions on marijuana policy are shifting, leaving employers concerned about maintaining safe and drug-free workplaces.
Quick takes: More noteworthy HR news
- Recruiters share the best interview answer they’ve ever heard
- Large employers say health plans will cost more than $14,000 for an employee in 2018
- Solar eclipse has nearly $700 million tab for U.S. employers
- Compensation terminology 101
- Give your HR department a boost with SMS texting
- Butt-dial costs man a cushy six-figure job he ‘barely showed up to’
- 5 key tips to beat procrastination
- Study: Millennials seek employer-sponsored learning opportunities
- OSHA: Psychiatric hospital workers exposed to workplace violence
- Where the Jobs Are: The Fastest Growing Sectors for Manufacturing
- Home Sweet Home Office
- Survey: Millennials Have Extreme Anxiety About Physical Safety
- 3 Ways You Are Failing Your Remote Workers
The Lighter Side
Looking for a way to block out distractions at work? Perhaps you need the Helmfon!
You can also get the Ostrich Pillow for when you need a nap time break.
Do you allow pets in your workplace? Some work sites just seem to be a natural cat environment. Check out these bookstore cats and the Bodega Cats of Instagram.
Sometimes, it’s really fun to get a window on a workplace that is light years away from the one we are in. We had that feeling when we viewed this excellent New York Times video on What Happens Just Before Show Time At the Met Opera. It’s quite fascinating!