According to a Leadership IQ study, it appears that the recession has impacted employees’ relationships with their supervisors and employers. The study found that 66% of employees surveyed said they have too little interaction with their bosses. That is an increase from 53% in May 2008, leading to speculation that the recession is to blame. This finding may be particularly troubling as the economy improves and the pre-recession battle for talent amongst recruiters begins to wage again, because those who said they don’t get enough feedback are 43% less likely to recommend their company to others.
Employees Need Feedback - Now More Than Ever
Three Indicators of Performance Management Issues
Successful performance management programs include several key components - setting clear performance expectations, tying pay to performance, and providing constructive feedback to employees. However, just having these components is not enough. They need to be well-designed and well-implemented, and if one component is not working, the performance management program needs improvement. So what are the indicators that can help determine if improvement is needed?
Five Most Critical HR Risk Areas
With everything that has happened in the past two years in terms of the financial meltdown and failing companies, many business leaders who have survived are asking “why did this happen, and how can we avoid it happening to us in the future?” One way is to effectively manage the risks associated with doing business. Business leaders need to take a methodical, systematic, and holistic approach to addressing a variety of risks, by identifying the financial, operational, compliance and business/strategic risks and determining ways to reduce those risks in order to operate successfully.
Employers Not Addressing Risk From Social Networking Sites
Deloitte’s 2009 Ethics & Workplace Survey addressed the issue of social networking, and specifically the risk of employees making comments online that can damage the company’s reputation. The survey revealed that although employers face a great risk to their reputations, most of them are not doing anything about it. On the flip side, it seems that many employees realize that bashing their employer online could damage their company’s reputation but they don’t care.
Seven Steps to Hiring the Right People
- Clearly define job responsibilities… To find quality employees, you must first determine what it is that you want them to do. Consider all direct and associated responsibilities and create a written job description. And be specific with the job title - the title should accurately reflect the level and the responsibilities involved.
Federal COBRA Subsidy - Update
Updated March 2010: Eligibility for the COBRA subsidy was extended to cover individuals who experience a qualifying event due to a reduction in hours or termination of employment through March 31, 2010. Bills are pending in the House and Senate to further extend the COBRA subsidy to individuals who experience a qualifying event after March 31, 2010.
Health Care Reform Summary For Employers
Click here to download our FREE summary of the Health Care Reform Law for employers. This summary includes a timeline that outlines when different phases of the law will take effect.
2010 HIRE Act
The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act was signed into law by President Obama on March 18, 2010. This act has two main provisions that impact employers - a temporary exemption from social security taxes for certain newly hired employees and a tax credit for retaining these employees for 52 consecutive weeks.
Six Steps to Effective Recruiting
- Take Recruiting and Hiring Seriously. Treat your employee recruitment efforts as seriously as you would any other business-related endeavor. A new employee is a major investment. There’s the cost of training and the cost you want to avoid - the mistake of hiring the wrong person.
Retaining Employees in an Economic Upturn
During the economic downturn of the past year, companies have taken many actions to cut costs, including cutting salaries and bonuses, mandating unpaid time off, and laying off staff. While many organizations may be finished with layoffs at this stage, salaries and bonuses have yet to recover. Employers must remember, regardless of economic conditions and especially in the wake of downsizing, your most talented employees always have options.
