HR Spending on the Rise
Eric Short: “Human resources spending is on the rise at many organizations, according to a new report. HR spending per employee jumped to $1,995 in 2013, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers Saratoga practice study, compared with $1,923 in 2012. The study, PwC’s “Human Capital Effectiveness Report,” surveyed 375 companies.”
Did you hear the joke about the CEO?
Peter McGraw: “And any good HR manager can tell you that workplace satisfaction — not compensation — is the best predictor of employee retention. Humor can be a powerful tool in inter-office communications, as research has shown that it’s a useful way to cope with pain, stress and adversity (in other words, staff meetings).”
Managers Beware: What Toxic “Jane” or “Joe” Can Do to Your Team
Dr. Marla GottschalkInfluencer: “The interpersonal dynamic established within any team is a “make it or break it” element. As we all know, establishing this critical balance can be hard fought. But, when that dynamic is held hostage by the negative behaviors of one team member — everything the team is working toward can be put at serious risk.”
In Hiring, Algorithms Beat Instinct
Nathan R. Kuncel, David M. Klieger, and Deniz S. Ones: “Humans are very good at specifying what’s needed for a position and eliciting information from candidates—but they’re very bad at weighing the results. Our analysis of 17 studies of applicant evaluations shows that a simple equation outperforms human decisions by at least 25%. The effect holds in any situation with a large number of candidates, regardless of whether the job is on the front line, in middle management, or (yes) in the C-suite.”
Conversations and stay interviews are the work of a leader
John Keyser: “The stay interview is one of the most important conversations we can have with our valued team members. It is a very positive approach to keeping our good people, and we gain key insights, ideas and advice which we can definitely use as we continue to strive for improvement. In essence, a stay interview is saying to a person, “We appreciate your good work and dedication, you are an important member of our team and we would like to learn from you.”
The Surprising Secret to Employee Engagement
Matt Tenney: “Ever since the Conference Board began studying it in 1987, employee engagement has steadily declined. A recent Gallup Poll reported that only 30 percent of Americans are actively engaged while at work. Have you ever wondered why this is happening?”
Leading Across Cultures: Learn to Adapt Your Style
Erin Meyer: “In today’s global business environment it is not enough to be either a low-power-distance leader or a high-power-distance leader. You may find yourself leading a team with both Dutch and Chinese employees (as well as Italians, Swedes and Mexicans). You need to develop the flexibility to manage up and down the cultural scale. Often this means going back to square one. It means watching what makes local leaders successful. It means explaining your own style frequently. It may even mean learning to laugh at yourself. But ultimately it means learning to lead in different ways in order to motivate and mobilise groups who follow in different ways from the folks back home.”
De Blasio Daughter Talks Depression and Addiction
NY Mayor de Blasio’s 19 year-old daughter Chiara recently began speaking about her struggle with depression and substance abuse. It’s testament to the fact that a loving family, money and privilege are not insulation from mental health issues. Here are her own words in an essay that she wrote: I’m Chiara de Blasio And I’m A Young Woman In Recovery.
Related: We Must Change the Way We View Addiction – Joe Avellone, Democratic candidate for Governor of Massachusetts and Steve Tolman, President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO: “The ability to stop this tragic epidemic is within our means. But, it must start with removing the stigma. Changing our approach virtually pays for itself, and can save the lives of so many of our fellow citizens. We need a call to arms.”
Compliance corner
- CT Paid Sick Leave Gets “Healed” By General Assembly
- Regs to clarify O-Care eligibility for people leaving jobs
- Your contractor is a sexual harasser? You may still be on the hook
- Do you have a Donald Sterling in your midst?
- Racist Comments at Work: What Can Employers Do?
- Doctor Doctor Give Me the News, Is My Employee Fit for Duty After FMLA Leave?
- What Does At-Will Employment Really Mean?
News Briefs
- Quirky Question #228, E-Cigarettes: To Vape or Not to Vape at the Workplace
- The link between bullied and armed students, in one chart
- How to Get the Best From Virtual Employees
- 10 Challenges Ahead for Workers’ Compensation
- Crisis of veterans’ suicides is too often ignored
- Biking to Work Increases 60 Percent Over Last Decade, Census Bureau Reports
- Going the Distance: How Improving Your Health Helps Improve Your Bottom Line
- The Secret to a Three-Day Workweek
- ‘Tis the Season to Prepare for Summer Job Seekers
- Study: Majority would trade pay for a pension
- Company Data Breach Now Costs $3.5M on Average: Ponemon Study
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Want to ensure a winning team in your organization? In addition to help for your employees, ESI EAP offers a full suite of tools for supervisors and managers, including our ESI Management Academy. Trainings cover compliance issues, management skills and more. If you want to learn more about how ESI can provide more employee EAP benefits and more employer services, call us at 800-535-4841.