Employee Relations Articles

Having a crisis communication plan is a vital part of keeping your organization prepared for the future. While each of us hopes that we will never have to deal with a true crisis for our company or employees, updating and reviewing your strategy is something you should do on a regular basis.

Regardless of what kind of crisis you and your company might experience, whether an accident, natural disaster or business crisis, it is vital that you have a way to communicate important information at all times with your staff, clients and community.

Human Resources professionals are used to handling all kinds of uncomfortable employee relations situations. They may be called in to deal with inappropriate workplace behavior, break up fights, or cope with the occasional “total meltdown”. However, even a seasoned HR manager and benefits specialist can find it challenging to handle one delicate situation: an employee who is dying - and still wants to work.

This year a lot of companies are saying “humbug” to the traditional holiday party. It isn’t that companies want to deny their employees a good time to gather and celebrate, but after the year we’ve had it would just be downright fiscally irresponsible for many companies to spend money on a winter bash.

It’s that time of year again. The leaves have changed color, the air is a little cooler (or a lot!) and Thanksgiving is almost upon us. It has certainly been a tumultuous year for individuals and businesses the world over and many people may be feeling like there haven’t been a lot of positives that have come since last year’s turkey meal. However, if you take the time to really consider what we’ve been through this year, you’ll see we really do have a lot to be thankful for.

There aren’t a whole lot of folks in the business world that will be upset to see this year come to a close. It’s been a difficult year and most of us are looking forward to starting over clean in January. While it’s true that the year is almost at a close and that signs of stability seem to indicate next year will be better all around, it isn’t too late to take stock and make the most of year end.

The end of the calendar year is always known for a few things around the corporate world: the closing of the financial books, the planning of next year’s initiatives and the doling out salary increases or year end bonuses. For a majority of companies, raises and bonuses won’t be making an appearance this holiday season and employers in every industry are searching for ways to prevent a morale meltdown.

As an employer, you understand the value a talented team of employees can bring to your business. You can’t afford to miss out on attracting top job candidates from every cultural background. However, many companies do just that when they fail to create a welcoming atmosphere for a diverse workforce.

In an increasingly global marketplace, an exclusionist attitude is neither profitable nor desirable. Whether you are hiring workers from one of the many cultures within the U.S. or immigrants from other countries, here are some things to keep in mind.

Many organizations have volunteerism or community activism as integral parts of their mission statement. It isn’t difficult to determine that helping support volunteer causes is a great way for your company to give back for some of its success. It’s also a good lesson on the importance of ethics and involvement. What may surprise you is that volunteering can also prove to have an incredibly effective business ROI.

As any good HR recruiter knows, hiring the best candidates is only the initial step in the staffing process. Unless a new employee is matched well to his/her job duties, performance will be lackluster. In addition, each worker must be on board with the company’s objectives and find a “home” within the larger framework of the organization. Discover how to fine tune employee alignment in 3 critical ways.

If your company is going through a period of significant changes, crafting an effective employee communication strategy is a top priority. Your first step is to decide what an “ideal” response from your workforce would look like. Do you just want employees to acquiesce to the inevitable or do you expect a fully engaged response? Simply distributing information broadly and persistently may achieve the former goal. However, a different approach is needed for change communication that involves an enthusiastic exchange of ideas.