Enforcement kicks into high gear - Don't leave your compliance efforts idling!

After shoring up their resources last year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are flexing their enforcement muscles ... and planning to pack a punch in 2011.

Increased staffing and a sharper focus on enforcement will mean more audits, more investigations into complaints and more inspections in the months ahead.

The EEOC, for example, received a record-high of 99,922 discrimination charges in 2010. Yet because of the EEOC’s expanded resources, the number of pending charges dropped by 14 percent. And that’s not all: Greater claim-processing procedures resulted in the EEOC collecting an all-time high of $404 million from employers last year.

ICE is making its presence known, as well. Last year, the agency conducted more than 2, 200 employer audits, which led to 180 criminal charges. And immigration enforcement continues to be a priority for the Obama administration, with ongoing goals to conduct on-site inspections (particularly businesses that employ workers with H-1B visas) and expose illegal hiring practices.

In light of these recent statistics, it’s never been more important to prevent harassment and discrimination in the workplace (via clear policies, legally sound actions and attitudes, and regular training) and to keep scrupulous I-9 records on all employees. Otherwise, you could find your company on the receiving end of a discrimination lawsuit or I-9 audit.

Enforcement kicks into high gear - Don't leave your compliance efforts idling!

HR managers have training on the brain, according to survey

Based on a survey by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service with more than 320 locations worldwide, HR departments are most concerned with training their employees right now. More than 500 HR managers at companies with 20 or more employees responded to the question, “Which of the following is your greatest staffing concern as a human resources professional?” The results:

45% - Training and developing employees
27% - Retaining top-performing employees
23% - Recruiting new employees
5% - None/doesn’t apply

OfficeTeam executive director Robert Hosking explains: "As workers take on expanded responsibilities, it becomes more important for companies to offer professional development to help their teams keep up. Training programs boost job satisfaction for employees by enabling them to build new skills and take on more challenging roles."

Especially today, companies are looking for programs that deliver the best training ROI. At the very least, these programs must be designed with a clear purpose and outline measurable objectives for employees to reach.

Any organization can use these top five employee training tips to help design their own training courses or to improve the ROI of any current programs:

1) Set clear goals. Identifying goals should be the first step to developing a new training program or enrolling employees in outside courses. A clear set of goals will ensure that employees complete the required course material and know what is expected of them once the program is finished.

2) Keep it ongoing. Employee training should be viewed as a way to continually learn and improve, rather than just something to check off your to-do list. With continuous training, employees will develop new skills and abilities that will improve their productivity and boost to your bottom line.

3) Keep it simple. Keep training programs focused on one topic at a time. If there are too many topics or too much information, you can easily overwhelm employees and turn training into a burden instead of an opportunity. If necessary, split up a large training program into smaller, more manageable courses.

4) Spend wisely. Do your homework and make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck when investing in employee training. Whether you’re using an outside resource or developing an in-house training program, ensure the materials are the best quality for your budget.

5) Follow up. After the training course or seminar is complete, managers should meet with employees on a regular basis to determine the effectiveness of the training and to monitor employees’ progress. Managers can also help employees who may be struggling with any new information.

A business is only as good as the people who work for it. Help your business succeed by giving employees the tools and training to perform at their best.

HR managers have training on the brain, according to survey

How to deliver an Olympic-worthy performance in the workplace

As I sit glued to my TV screen each night watching the highlights from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, I can’t help but draw some parallels between the performances on the ice and snow by the world’s top athletes - to those by everyday working folk in businesses large and small. Granted, the working professionals of the world aren’t competing for Olympic gold, but the challenges they face each day – and the tools they need to keep their head in the game – share some interesting similarities.

=> Let’s start with the obvious: training. Every Olympic athlete logs countless hours in local practice rinks, tracks and gyms honing their skills before they ever set foot on the world stage. Without this discipline and dedication, we’d never know the likes of Lindsey Vonn, Apolo Ohno, Shani Davis, Evan Lysacek and Shaun White.

And without regular, focused training to keep their individual technical skills sharp, and their contributions in line with the company's goals, most employees will remain merely average. Employee training and development is the biggest opportunity you have for increasing productivity, improving morale and boosting employee commitment. Neglect this and some of your best employees (or, potentially, your best employees) may forever remain in the shadows and on the sidelines.

=> Right on the heels of training comes tools. What are the resources you’re providing employees to get the job done? An Olympic figure skater wouldn’t arrive at the rink with broken skates, or an alpine skier to the slopes with a cracked ski. Neither should your employees expect to do their best with outdated equipment and tired processes. You know the saying, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”? Athletes are constantly tweaking their training routines and trying out the latest sporting equipment in the hopes of performing faster, stronger, higher, longer. Perhaps it’s time to explore some new, affordable HR resources to give your employees a competitive edge and keep your business running more smoothly.

=> With nearly every sport, the coach plays a huge part in an athlete’s development and ultimate victory. In the interviews following a winning performance, an Olympic athlete almost always gives credit (often with a lot of tears and fist-pumping) to the coach. Are your managers acting like coaches – supporting and inspiring their direct reports on a daily basis, but also playing tough, when necessary, and pushing them to perform better? It’s a delicate balance that sets the great managers apart from the good managers. Again, with the right tools and training, your finest managers can achieve that balance and become something even more valuable to your organization – leaders.

=> Feedback is another important part of the athlete-coach relationship. In fact, it’s the essence of effective coaching. Athletes don’t practice in a vacuum, expecting their coaches to remain silent as they struggle with a certain move – or on the flip side, failing to cheer them on when they nail a difficult maneuver. Your employees need constant dialogue from their managers and supervisors, too. They should have the advantage of working side by side with someone that understands their challenges, praising them when they do well and providing thoughtful intervention and support when they fail. Performance management isn’t a once-a-year occurrence at review time but rather, a day-to-day dynamic that keeps the lines of communication open between an employee and a manager.

=> Finally, there’s the main event. After years of training and selfless dedication, the Olympic athlete gives the performance of a lifetime, beating all odds and leaving the rest of us speechless. Later, we swell with pride as these awe-inspiring athletes step up to the podium and graciously receive their gold, silver or bronze medals. And while the achievements in the workplace may never compare to the latest, gravity-defying trick on the half pipe or the fastest time on the Super G, they’re just as crucial to the advancement and success of your business. Don’t assume your best-performing employees know their worth and that’s enough. Reward them with the thanks and recognition they deserve – either through inexpensive perks now (such as a desktop award, title change or nicer office) or monetary benefits later (such as a raise or extra paid days off) when the economy picks up again.

So what about you? When the 2010 games officially close on February 28, and the Olympic torch is extinguished, will you remember the many lessons our top athletes have taught us? Let’s honor their accomplishments and keep a little of that Olympic spirit alive right here in our workplaces!

How to deliver an Olympic-worthy performance in the workplace

How engaged are your employees?

The better question might be, "Do you know how to measure employee engagement?" Too many business owners and managers try to gauge employee engagement by walking the halls and making judgments about what they see. But monitoring water cooler activity or the number of cars in the parking lot after 5 p.m. or how long employees are taking for lunch doesn’t always cut it.

I think the answer is part psychology, part productivity. First, you must understand what makes your employees tick and the type of work environment that keeps their head in the game.

What does “everyone humming along, feeling like their work matters” employee engagement look like? The Gallup Organization’s Q12, a 12-question survey that identifies strong feelings of employee engagement, can help you peel back the layers.

Consider how your direct reports, your team, your department might answer these questions:

• Do you know what is expected of you at work?
• Do you have the materials and equipment you need to do your work right?
• At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
• In the last seven days, have you received recognition or praise for doing good work?
• Does your supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about you as a person?
• Is there someone at work who encourages your development?
• At work, do your opinions seem to count?
• Does the mission/purpose of your company make you feel your job is important?
• Are your associates (fellow employees) committed to doing quality work?
• Do you have a best friend at work?
• In the last six months, has someone at work talked to you about your progress?
• In the last year, have you had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

A negative response to any of these questions could reveal gaps – and of course, opportunities for improvement - in the areas of training and development, performance management and motivation and recognition. What deserves more attention from your managers and leaders to turn these negatives into positives?

After psychology, there’s the matter of productivity. Assuming employee engagement means more is getting done, you need a way to measure that output. Businesses small and large are well-served by systems that allow them to evaluate real-time productivity and key business performance analytics. This type of information can provide a much clearer snapshot of employee engagement and performance than laps through the building to see who has his nose to the grindstone and who is lingering too long at the coffee machine.

Again, having the ability to review division, department and employee performance data helps HR managers and company leaders identify areas of strength and weakness. Top performers are easier to identify (and ideally, be recognized and rewarded) and weaker employees can be given a chance to improve.

How engaged are your employees?

When weak management pushes top performers out the door

Steady Eddy. He’s reliable, hard-working and never complains. He’s also very predictable. What you see is what you get – and not a bit more. Then there’s Soaring Sally. She’s a real go-getter – sharp, ambitious, highly motivated. But she’s also impatient and restless, especially when she disagrees with her manager or the company’s decisions.

Chances are, you have a combination of these employees in your company: the “pluggers” and the “top performers.” In his blog, I Quit-Now What?, Steven DeMaio makes an interesting point about the latter:

“… top performers spend most of their time living with the day-to-day decisions
of their direct managers. What distinguishes a top performer is that she often
has the talent to do her manager's job and a keen ability to assess her
manager's choices. That makes her more likely than other employees to seek a
change in her work situation if she perceives those small matters as hindrances
to her performance, even if the big factors pass muster.”

He goes on to list the things top performers deem job drawbacks with management (and that may ultimately lead to their departure), including:

• Managers who “drop the ball” regarding various workplace priorities and expect their employees to pick up the slack and keep these balls in play
• Managers who ignore the tough questions, which can come across as a sign of weakness or poor reasoning regarding the bigger issues
• Managers who rely more on data (“number crunchers”) than a fair assessment of all the factors at hand
• Managers who are uneasy with their employees’ leadership potential, or worse yet, unwilling to groom them to advance

So no surprises here. While a “one-size-fits-all” management approach may keep your pluggers cranking along, it can also squelch the efforts and attitudes of your strong performers. To keep the bar high with your superstars, the bar needs to be that much higher with the managers who are guiding and, hopefully, inspiring them each day.

When weak management pushes top performers out the door

The Carnival of HR is in town! Welcome!

Step right up! We have an amazing carnival for you today! Experience the thrills of new opportunities, the heartbreak of termination. See the magic shows, costumed clowns and daring feats on the high wire. Welcome to the Carnival of HR!

Staging the show

A great carnival depends upon everyone doing their part to make the show great. And not everyone can be the stage manager. Learning how to be an excellent cast member is the subject of Dan McCarthy’s post on 10 Ways to be a Great Follower

Clowns get to hide behind make-up and costumes, but in our online world, should bloggers get to do the same? Trisha McFarlane explores the concept of anonymous bloggers in her post.

Then blogger Lance Haun deals with other side of the issue in his post on the Workplace Implications of Facebook Friending/Defriending, where he suggests that a little bit of costuming might be preferable to the complete transparency of a Facebook connection with coworkers.

That theme is echoed in Jessica Miller-Merrell post about maintaining a Social Media Mullet (business in the front, party in the back) whenever we connect with colleagues online. And Melissa Prusher serves up advice on using Twitter as a part of that online conversation with clients and colleagues. (No sign of the popcorn and cotton candy, yet, Melissa. Sorry!)

What's your show about?

Every carnival needs a description of the shows, performers and events. And the same applies to the workplace. Creating clear and accurate job descriptions is critical to the success of the show as well as the performers, according to blogger Becky Regan in her post The Single Most Important Tool You Need to Practice Sounds HR Management.

One of the keys to a successful carnival is keeping it fresh. Problems need to be addressed as they arise, shows need to be reviewed and plans need to be made. That on-going process of adjustment works for your employees, too, according to Louise Barnfield in her post on transforming the dreaded annual review into a constantly updated tool for growth.


The cast and crew

Before you accept your role in the carnival as a given, Steve Boese’s HR Technology blog offers advice on getting a better deal at work. We may not be famous athletes or even the star of the show, but his post “Help You, Help You” offers suggestions about applying the techniques professional agents use to negotiate the big bucks.

Everyone wants to be a star, right? Wrong! Some people are choosing to pass up a chance at that management position, especially when they see current managers struggling with insufficient resources, lack of training and minimal support from higher-ups. That's the subject of HR Bartender Sharlyn Lauby post. (Oh and thanks for the mention in your post! Like all performers, we like seeing our name out there on the marquee...or at least in a post or two.)

We all know there's no show without the performers, right? No matter what their position, making sure your people are committed, content and creative is the message behind Melanie Quinn's post on Keeping Your Employees.


When the show goes wrong

Even in the best of carnivals, shows will flop, rides will break and even the clowns will cry. PunkHR blogger Laurie Ruettimann offers advice on seeing these as chances to grow and develop character in her post Coulda Been a Contender.

And when that crash takes the form of a termination, Gautam Ghosh offers some advice on exit interviews, and why they can't tell as much as we think.

Feeling like your safety net is full of holes? Grab on to your trapeze and fly over those job gaps, lay-offs and career changes with grace, thanks to the advice being offered up in Amit Bhagria’s post on managing resume dilemmas.

Stage directions and union rules

Even in the world of carnivals, there are rules and procedures that keep the rides going and the games stocked with unidentifiable stuffed animals (is it a bear, a dog or a…duck?) The same is true in our HR world (minus the ducks), as we try to stay on track with ever-shifting federal and state rules and regulations.

Blogger Giressh Sharma offers some advice on determining FMLA eligibility amid a fun-house of regulatory changes and employee recordkeeping.

PseudoHR's April Dowling brings us an example of a rule gone mad, in her story of exempt employees required to punch a time clock. Risks of legal repercussions aside, she explains why sometimes what looks like a little rule can do big damage to morale.


Tricks of the trade

Everyone knows that side shows rely on smoke and mirrors to perform their magic. Blogger Wally Brock thinks the current hype around the concept of employee engagement would fit right in with those ever-popular acts.

Jon Ingham offers a different view, with the mirrors stripped away, and a clear spotlight on the value of employees in his post on The People Factor.

Kelly Dingee's post on finding time for sourcing even when there is no time available goes beyond advoce to recruiters, and offers something we all need to do if we want to succeed -- Find the time to do what needs to be done to take our careers, companies and clients to the next level.

When the lights go down

After the crowds leave, it's time to count the money. Cathy Missildine-Martin thinks that even after the economic recovery, CEOs will be expecting a lot more counting and numbers from HR, as the focus on metrics continues.

_________________________

We're stepping out of the ring for now. Enjoy the show, visit all of the talented performers who contributed posts, and let us know what you think.

Thank you all for coming to our carnival. We appreciate the participants, and you the readers. Y'all come back now, you hear?

The Carnival of HR is in town! Welcome!

Employees just say ‘no’ to management

Preparing the next generation of managers has become one of the leading workplace issues since the recession began, but many employees are lacking preparation and/or interest in taking the next step toward management.

In 2009, 52% of employees surveyed for the annual Randstad World of Work survey felt there are not enough qualified managers in their organizations and 45% see a shortage of qualified managers in the future.

The survey also revealed that a majority of employees don’t want to become managers.

“It’s roughly a 50/50 split but it’s still a pretty startling realization. Up until now the assumption has been every employee aspires to become management, to work up the corporate ladder and end up in the corner office with a window. But it seems they don’t. And at this point, the people with the most experience are the least likely to want to become a manager.”

Why not? Increased stress was the number one reason why employees don’t want to enter management. When asked why they don’t want to be managers, employees said:

- Increased level of stress (82%)
- Handling disgruntled employees (74%)
- Increased paperwork (63%)
- Having to terminate or layoff employees (63%)

What can be done to change employees’ perception of management positions? According to the survey results, it may involve a rethinking of management all together.

The desire to become a manager is not driven by money or power, said most survey respondents. Instead, the top two reasons for wanting to become a manager were sharing knowledge with others and having more responsibility for the success of the organization.

“It seems that employees are asking their companies to reconsider and rethink the job of “manager” and how that person relates to the workforce. Just over half of the employees surveyed in 2009 felt the roles of managers need to change. Fifty-two percent saw a difference between the managers of today and the ones of tomorrow. Employees are looking for more than a new generation of managers; they are looking for a new generation of role models.”

Employees just say ‘no’ to management

Job training program opens new doors in Michigan

Last month, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm passed a bill allowing community colleges to create training programs for businesses adding new jobs or new businesses coming into the state.

Under Michigan’s New Jobs Training Program, participating businesses and community colleges would pay nothing. Tuition and training costs will be financed through bonds sold by the colleges and paid back with employer withholding taxes.

Companies may participate under the condition that the training is for newly created jobs, as part of an effort to build up the state’s job base. Trainees can’t be replacement workers for existing positions.

From the Lansing State Journal:

"This is not a hit to the state, because these are new jobs," said Michael Hansen, president of the Michigan Community College Association. "The state was never going to realize that income tax anyway. The jobs wouldn't exist except for this program."

Modeled on a successful program in Iowa, the initiative "is a win for the community college, because they develop training capacity," he said, adding that several of the state's community colleges, Lansing Community College among them, have already expressed interest.

"It's a win for the company, because they get their workers trained for free," he said.

The New Jobs Training Program is modeled after a successful program Iowa began in 1983. In Iowa, companies adding new jobs can make agreements with local community colleges to train a set number of employees. The colleges issue bonds to the employer, which are repaid by the trained employees’ state income taxes. Training is received at no cost to the employee, and their company takes responsibility for repayment if the training contract is broken.

In the 25 years since the Iowa program began, “employers working with community colleges have received over $560 million from the Iowa New Jobs Training Program for 2,000 training projects and more than 138,000 planned new jobs, some of which pay salaries averaging nearly $40,000 annually,” according to SHRM.

When signing the legislation, Michigan Gov. Granholm pointed out that the state “must do everything we can to help our citizens get the training they need for good-paying jobs in this challenging global economy. These bills are another part of our plan to ensure that we have a strong workforce that can compete and win in the 21st century.”

Job training program opens new doors in Michigan

Access to technology keeps workers creative and efficient

The majority of U.S. workers place a high value on technology in the workplace, some would even take drastic measures to work for companies that value technology in the same way.

Almost 40 percent of workers would consider changing jobs to work for a company that is more committed to providing access to and training in the latest technology, according to a national survey commissioned by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA).

Key findings of the survey include:

• Four out of five workers said access to technology is important to their ability to be creative (78%) and productive (80%) at work.
• 80% of workers said that such technology gives their employer and edge in the marketplace.
• 39% of workers would consider leaving their current jobs for an employer that makes better use of technology with access to more up-to-date technology.
• 37% would contemplate a job change if better technology-related training were offered.

Retaining top performers is key to an organization’s success and is many times their top worry during a recession. Holding on to prized employees is a top concern for employers, even in today’s economy, according to a survey developed by Robert Half International.

Nearly four out of 10 (39%) of senior executives cited employee retention as their greatest staffing concern, according to the survey.

Another top concern included bringing in new employees (22%) along with productivity and employee morale (17%).

“Many firms are operating with lean teams in which every staff member plays a key role in the business, making retention a greater concern,” said Max Messmer, chairman and chief executive of Melo Park, Calif.-based Robert Half International. “Companies that lose top performers may not only experience declines in productivity but also incur significant costs in replacing these professionals.”

If your business is concerned with retaining top performers, maybe it’s time to take a look at the technology your employees are using to complete their daily tasks. Making an investment today to update your in-house technology and offer technology training may save you thousands of dollars in diminished productivity and the hardship of losing top performers in the future.

Access to technology keeps workers creative and efficient

Improve teams, invest in talent with corporate training in a recession

Businesses are coping with the economic downturn in a number of ways from slashing budgets to downsizing. It is more important than ever to get the best return on investment in every aspect of your business.

Industry experts like George Colony, CEO of Forrester Research, advise companies to deal with the economic recession by investing in existing talent.

At a recent dinner Colony hosted for top CIOs, discussion on politics and the economy led to a list of recession strategies companies can use to successfully ride out an economic slowdown.

In a recap of the dinner on Colony’s blog, some of the best practices for a recession include:

• Outsourcing is not a silver bullet. Use the recession to build internal skills.
• Use a slowdown to improve the team -- look to bring in great people who have been laid off elsewhere.
• Cut training and development last. That resource is critical to success in the post-recession period.

Instead of limiting the development of your team by cutting training programs, learn how to stretch your training dollar in a free webinar from Training Time - Squeezing the Most Out of Your Training Budget: Corporate Training in a Recession.

Training and development should remain a priority during tough times because:

• Trained workers perform more efficiently with less errors and delays
• Training boosts employee loyalty by encouraging career development
• Employees taking on extra work quickly learn how to get up to speed with the right training
• Training improves employee morale and confidence
• Your best asset in business is a well-trained employee

Experienced training professionals will share tips and ideas to find better, more cost-effective training opportunities including the pros and cons of in-house versus outside training, the benefits of group versus individualized training, virtual training and tapping into expert talent within your company.

Good training doesn’t have to be expensive. Join us on Wednesday, October 15, 2008, at 1 p.m. EST for the free webinar - Squeezing the Most Out of Your Training Budget: Corporate Training in a Recession. Space is limited, reserve your seat now.

Improve teams, invest in talent with corporate training in a recession

Agencies step up outdoor workplace inspections in rising temperatures

For outdoor workers, high temperatures can pose life-threatening risks. In the past weeks, extreme heat in California has prompted officials to increase state-wide heat illness prevention inspections.

Cal/OSHA investigators have named Fresno, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Napa, Sonoma, Yolo and Santa Clara as the first targeted counties. Officials then plan to increase outdoor workplace investigations in Kings, Tulare and Kern counties.

“California is the first state in the nation to have regulations to protect outdoor workers from exposure to heat. We have done an extraordinary job in raising awareness of what heat illness is and in ensuring that outdoor employers are trained to detect and respond to heat illness,” said John Duncan, Director of the Department of Industrial Relations.

This year Cal/OSHA has conducted almost 1,300 heat illness inspections across all outdoor industries, surpassing the 1,018 total number of inspections last year. Officials have issued almost 350 citations for heat illness prevention and expect more.

OSHA requires all employers to provide a safe environment for employees. Unsafe workplaces put employees in danger and employers at risk of hefty OSHA fines for workplace safety violations.

To protect workers from the dangers of extreme temperatures, employers should:

• Develop a written employee safety policy and outline procedures if workers fall victim to heat-related illness. Enforce policies to ensure the safety of every worker.


• Implement employee safety training. Train supervisors and workers on how to prevent heat illness, how to recognize heat illness symptoms and what to do if they or a coworker exhibits symptoms of heat-related illness.


• Post safety posters reminding employees of the dangers of extreme temperatures. Workplace safety posters and notifications promote awareness of heat-related dangers and help employers comply with mandatory Cal/OSHA standards.


• Provide workers with ample amounts of water and shaded areas for rest when working outdoors. Encourage workers to stay hydrated and take frequent, short breaks to stay safe in the heat.

Employers can find more information at the Cal/OSHA website, OSHA website or at your local OSHA office. For extreme heat exposure kits and more employee safety training solutions, visit GNeil.com.

Agencies step up outdoor workplace inspections in rising temperatures

Workplace deaths down, OSHA proposes new PPE rule

On-the-job deaths in 2007 dropped to a historic low, evidence that worker safety and health programs are working, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Last year there were 5,488 worker deaths, the lowest number the Bureau of Labor statistics has seen since they began tracking the statistic in 1992.

"This is continued evidence that the initiatives and programs to protect workers' safety and health, designed by and implemented in this administration, are indeed working," Labor Secretary Elaine Chao said.

The most dangerous jobs in the U.S. (fatal injuries per 100,000 workers) are:

• Fishers and related fishing workers (111.8)
• Logging workers (86.4)
• Aircraft pilots and flight engineers (66.7)
• Structural and steel workers (45.5)

In the private sector, the construction industry is the most dangerous, with 1,178 deaths in 2007, a five percent decrease from the previous year.

In related news, last week the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced in the Federal Registrar that it is taking public comments on a proposed rule regarding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and training standards.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) clarifies that when OSHA requires an employer to provide PPE for an employee, the employer must do so for each employee subject to the requirement.

OSHA requires employers to use and train employees on PPE to reduce employee exposure to hazards. The new amendment clarifies that each unprotected or untrained employee may be considered a separate violation under OSHA penalties.

OSHA is accepting public comments on the proposed rule at the Federal eRulemaking Portal until September 18, 2008.

Workplace deaths down, OSHA proposes new PPE rule

Remodeling morale at Home Depot

In the midst of a struggling economy, home improvement giant Home Depot is remodeling from the inside out, with employee morale and sense of ownership at the top of their “fix-it” list. HR chief Tim Crow has his hands full renovating training programs, expanding cash bonuses and increasing employee/customer face time.

In a recent Q & A with Workforce Management, Crow talked about the difficulties Home Depot has had to face while the country suffers through the “weakest housing market in more than 25 years.” This year company profits fell over 60%, forcing the company to halt expansion plans and close stores, impacting the lives of 1,300 employees.

While the company and country struggle financially, Crow has kept his focus on creating a sense of ownership among employees, improving employee product knowledge and strategically using rewards and recognition programs to revitalize morale.

Home Depot’s morale building strategies include:

Success Sharing. If stores make their sales goals, everyone gets a cash bonus. In 2007, Success Sharing bonuses totaled $63 million.

Homer Badges. Badges, named after the company mascot, to recognize store associates for living the company’s values. If employees earn three badges, they get a cash bonus.

Aprons on the Floor. An company-wide initiative encouraging employees to find new ways to cut costs so Home Depot can spend more on staffing. The company cut its HR staff by more than half, with four HR managers overseeing 6 to 10 stores each.

Read the complete Workforce article on how Home Depot is keeping training and employee morale high priorities during tough economic times.

Remodeling morale at Home Depot

Protect employees from dangerous summer heat

As outdoor temperatures continue to rise this summer, so does the risk of heat-related illness and death. Employees who work outdoors must deal with environmental factors that may cause serious danger including working in direct sunlight, high temperatures and humidity, physical exertion and lack of sufficient water intake.

Overexposure to heat can cause heat cramps, rashes, heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Symptoms of heat exposure include confusion, irrational behavior, loss of consciousness, dry skin and abnormally high body temperature. Simple actions like drinking cool water, reducing physical exertion, wearing appropriate clothing and taking regular rest breaks in a cool area can lessen the dangerous effects of working in hot summer temperatures.

To help combat heat-related illness and injuries, OSHA has published two fact sheets: Protecting Workers from the Effects of Heat and Working Outdoors in Warm Climates. Both fact sheets can be downloaded from the OSHA site and offer tips on how to protect employees from the dangers associated with the outdoors and summer heat.

Protect employees from dangerous summer heat

The impact of social media on corporate culture

In a recent post, Rob Paterson at the FASTforward Blog did a mini case study on how one company is successfully using the social networking tool Twitter in their corporate environment. It opens up new ideas of how strong the impact of social media on corporate culture will be, especially with more Gen Y and Millennial employees taking their place in the corporate world.

Zappos is an online shoe retailer that expects to bring in more than $1 billion this year. The company touts it’s success on superior customer service - promising free, four-day delivery, free returns and an outstanding call center where customers get through to a real person on the first try.

More than 300 Zappos employees use Twitter to let friends, colleagues and customers know what they’re doing at any given time in the day. This informal and immediate conversation benefits the company culture by keeping employees connected and promoting collaboration.

For those out there who missed the bandwagon - Twitter is an online, social networking tool where users update their status by answering one question (“What are you doing?”) in 140 characters or less. Tweets, as they’re called, can be made online or by text message for those employees on the go.

Take a quick look at Zappos’ Twitter page and you can find customers raving about the new boots that just arrived and the “Grt cust svc” they experienced. You’ll also find employees discussing treats outside the lunchroom and recent NPR features about the company.

Zappos also keeps a running “Inside Zappos Blog” to keep employees and customers updated on the happenings inside the company. Yesterday’s post, “Happy Birthday & Happy Graduation Young Squire,” is a congratulations to a young graphic designer for passing his New Hire Training test and his birthday, complete with a toilet-papered working area.

Other large companies, like T. Rowe Price and Best Buy have incorporated various Web 2.0 tools in their daily routines.

During each tax season, T. Rowe Price hires 1,500 workers who all go through an extensive training program. The trainers transferred the entire training program to a wiki where employees can add notes, comments and recommendations. The company estimates they save millions in wasted call time.

Best Buy created the Blue Shirt Nation (BSN), a secure and private social networking site for more than 100,000 of their employees. The company adopted the site as a way to engage employees to share new ideas that could improve the business. “In general, they talk about how to make Best Buy a better place. Improve on the things we don't do well, share the things that we do do well, talk about and express the culture that we have, talk about customers- both good and bad,” said founder and sponsor Gary Koelling.

Generation Y and the Millenials are making their way into the corporate world and bringing along all of their favorite social networking sites. Keeping these young employees engaged and connected is not tough ... if you’re using the right tools.

The impact of social media on corporate culture

Build employee morale during good times and bad

Everyday, more and more industries are facing layoffs and major downsizing. Paired with a looming recession, employees are more stressed than ever.

Keeping employee morale high during times like these can be tough, but those at Harvard Business Online say good leaders should be able to inspire no matter what.

“Good morale does not require people to be happy.” Instead, the definition of good morale is that individuals’ emotions contribute to the unit as a whole in order to achieve goals. A leader’s job is building team focus and dedication, according to the author.

This can be achieved if you hold on to four truths:

Employee efforts contribute to making someone else’s life better. People work their hardest when they know they are making a difference in another person’s life. Show your employees the good work they’re doing with examples. Something as small as a positive customer review can make an employee feel proud of what they do.

The company depends on their ideas. After downsizing, it is usually a company’s top performers who are left to keep the business moving. Let these employees know that their ideas are crucial to the company’s success and be open to listening to new ideas.

Bad times will end soon. Most of the time, employee layoffs happen before a company is in financial trouble, and used as a means to cut costs before profits plummet. Let your employees know that the downsizing is only temporary and when you foresee an end to the job cuts.

Good times are just around the corner. During a downsizing, employees may take on roles and responsibilities they may not have had under any other circumstances. When good times roll back around, managers will notice how these employees have stepped up and possible promotions may follow.

Build employee morale during good times and bad

Free product and service listings at TrainingTime.com

TrainingTime.com, a new vertical search and shopping website, is offering free advertising opportunities for employee training and development solutions providers through September 1, 2008.

TrainingTime.com provides a one-stop resource for businesses to find, compare and select different types of employee training and employee motivational products within an intuitive, easy shopping experience. It also gives providers of training products and human resource seminars a highly targeted, engaged audience of professionals ready to buy.

“TrainingTime.com lets you shop for training products, classes for training consultants and employees, and the best business seminars the same way you’d shop for the latest electronics on familiar sites like PriceGrabber and Shopzilla.”

In addition to training providers, TrainingTime.com welcomes training consultants, professional speakers and meeting planners to promote their services — allowing them to explore new, faster ways to reach a more targeted audience.

Read the full press release here.

Free product and service listings at TrainingTime.com