Everyone carries implicit biases and they impact recruiting and hiring, shares Roy Mauer. He offers assertions from two inclusion and diversity experts who spoke during a recent conference. Bias is your own internal algorithm, based on assumptions and associations. Implicit bias does not mean being racist. Everyone has biases . . . The question is, how do you recognize it, and … [Read more...]
Women are experiencing a mental health crisis. What that means for employers.
Beyond the day-to-day personal and interpersonal stressors, several macro issues are at play and impacting everyone’s mental health, including social, political, economic and technological stressors. Kathryn Mayer says women are coping with all those issues and they are also being exposed to a series of other stressors more prevalent for women. Source: SHRM, October 8, 2024. … [Read more...]
Nearly 50 percent of full-time workers don’t make a living wage
“Only 46 percent of those in health care make a living wage . . . generally defined as having enough cash flow to cover their monthly bills,” shares Kathryn Mayer in this article. She highlights pronounced disparities for women and people of color. Only 56 percent of full-time workers in the U.S. are making a living wage, while 44 percent are not earning enough to cover … [Read more...]
Employers budgeting for 3.5 percent pay raises in 2025
Responses to Payscale’s new Salary Budget Survey of compensation professionals in more than 1,500 organizations found they are planning a pay raise average of 3.5 percent, reflecting a cooling labor market. Source: SHRM, August 13, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: More than 60 percent of working adults are animal owners <Link> who will feel the softening raises as much as … [Read more...]
Walmart adds bonuses for hourly employees
In a move to improve retention and employee well-being, Walmart will offer a financial bonus of up to $1,000 to full- and part-time employees. The longer an hourly employee stays with the company, the higher the bonus. Source: SHRM, June 14, 2024. Link. Also see: Here's how much Walmart employees get paid in 2024, The Street, January 17, 2024. Link. The average hourly wage … [Read more...]
Employee Appreciation Day is March 1st
Employee appreciation is directly tied to job satisfaction. Various sources indicate more than one-third of employees say personal recognition would encourage them to be more productive. The articles here share various ideas to celebrate employees. It is crucial to avoid giving the impression that your expressions of employee appreciation are merely perfunctory gestures … [Read more...]
Benefits that can keep older workers on board
A shift is emerging in how companies see and value older workers as labor shortages continue in certain industries and roles. Some companies now recognize that their Baby Boomer population represents a talent pool that should be nurtured. Lin Grensing-Pophal shares perspectives on ways to reinforce and add benefits that appeal to older workers. Employers are recognizing that … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 8, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, February 1, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the February 1st AHD Bulletin – A plan is not a strategy. Link. Studies: Early social housing helps dairy calves thrive. Link. Using standing equine CT in veterinary diagnostics. Link. Do it NOW! Link. ============================================ … [Read more...]
8 tips for avoiding conflict in email
Common examples of email or texting bad behavior include belittling others, finger-pointing when things go wrong, stealing credit for ideas and contributions, and disrespectful language and behavior toward colleagues, writes Joseph Romsey. He offers advice to maintain professional, civil communications including keeping your email structure simple, avoid politics and being … [Read more...]
How to attract and retain older workers
With not enough new workers to replace those who are leaving, employers are taking a more serious look at retaining and attracting older workers, writes Kate Rockwood. By 2030, an estimated 150 million jobs globally will have shifted to workers older than 55. So, companies must look to mature job seekers to solve their labor needs to survive and thrive from now into the future. … [Read more...]
Understanding active listening and distractions
Commentary With all the distractions of checking personal devices, social media and other interruptions it's a wonder any work gets done at all. Consider these articles as you head into meetings and travel to VMX. Active listening involves mastering a host of other skills, writes Amy Gallo. It includes reading body language and tone of voice, maintaining your attention, … [Read more...]
Half of candidates back out after accepting a job offer. Vet Assist seeks to improve this.
Sponsored Content A recent survey <Link>* found that 50 percent of candidates who accepted a job offer between May 2022 and May 2023, backed out, then started working for another employer. Among nearly 2,000 respondents who recently started new jobs, 47 percent said they were still open to other job offers, and 42 percent believed they could find a better job if they … [Read more...]
Here’s how much workers are demanding for a new job
Employers might be eyeing smaller raises than they have in the past couple of years, but don't tell that to employees: job seekers are expecting record-high offers. Workers' average reservation wage, the lowest salary employees say they would take for a new job, has risen to $78,645 and college graduates expect even more. Source: SHRM, August 23, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
The inside-out approach to customer centricity
Being customer-centric sounds easy but it is tough to execute well. These authors share five customer centricity models indicating there is more than one way to be customer-centric. The article is good perspective as strategies are modeled for 2024 and beyond. You can’t transform your customers’ experiences unless you align the organizational culture—especially the day-to-day … [Read more...]
What employers need to know about the new I-9 form
Citizenship and Immigration Services has a new Form I-9 that employers should use beginning on August 1 when it will be available to download. It has been streamlined. Concurrently, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule that allows the agency to create a framework under which employers can implement alternative document examination procedures, such as … [Read more...]
States outlaw noncompete agreements
Some states are banning noncompete agreements which leaves employers to grapple with a patchwork of state-level requirements, as well as pending federal rule changes. Leah Shepherd shares what companies need to do now and considerations for the future to protect trade secrets. Source: SHRM, July 10, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Research: Female leaders not likely to recommend their own company
Linkage, a women’s leadership development firm, reported findings collected from a survey of more than 3,000 women. It showed that women who ascend to director or senior director are less likely than they were earlier in their career to recommend their employer as "a great place for women leaders to work." To better support women, organizations can support female workers in … [Read more...]
An ethical filter for addressing questionable situations in the workplace
Personal reflection and career introspection are crucial when faced with moral dilemmas at work. Reasoning ethical and moral questions can be profoundly complex, writes Paul Falcone. He shares a consistent framework to help leaders feel more confident and objectively think through the implications affecting their decisions. "Psychologists have a concept called 'pluralistic … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 8, 2022
Last week’s most read post KCAHC #AHSummit22 exceeds expectations. Link. Last AHD Bulletin - Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, September 1, 2022. Link. =================================== Leveling the parental-leave playing field Source: SHRM, June 6, 2022. Link. The lack of paternal leave-taking not only affects the well-being of new parents and … [Read more...]
Form I-9 alert: Policy allowing expired documents scheduled to end
Beginning May 1, employers will no longer be able to accept expired identity documents when verifying an employee's work eligibility on Form I-9. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is ending its temporary Covid-19-related policy of allowing employers to use expired List B identity documents for I-9 purposes. List B identity documents include driver's licenses and state ID … [Read more...]
Making sure mentoring works
Employee development topics abound as society faces the great resignation, work-life balance and employee retention. Results from Harvard Business School research found that new hires who received effective mentoring were able to outperform their non-mentored peers by 18 percent. What’s more, the mentored employees also stayed with the organization longer than their … [Read more...]
There’s no traffic jam on the extra mile
The Golden Rule is getting a makeover in some companies. Brian O’Connell says these company leaders say they instill their own golden rules at work and strive to make them stick. They're gratified when they see their employees follow those rules in the workplace. Source: SHRM, October 12, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Anger, masked with a smile: How to handle passive-aggressive workers
Passive aggression can manifest in multiple ways, but it typically involves avoiding direct conflict. The passive-aggressive person is motivated by their fear of expressing their anger directly. It is a defensive and ingrained behavior. Fortunately, managers can learn to recognize the patterns of passive-aggressive workers, then deftly guide them to change that behavior, … [Read more...]
4 tips to limit party liability
Still have a holiday party to attend? With the potential for great fun and bonding with colleagues, comes the opportunity for some missteps, as well. Lisa Nagele-Piazza, JD, SHRM-SCP suggests four tips to limit party liability. One is to carefully plan the day and time of the event. Setting a timeframe helps maintain control. Another is to manage alcohol consumption for … [Read more...]