HR professionals are at the forefront of what some call the “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” in which robotics, artificial intelligence, and other technology will alter forever how work gets done. Completely new jobs will be created, others will be changed significantly, and some will disappear completely. To help their organizations succeed in this new world, HR professionals must have some savvy about issues such as outsourcing, contract work, artificial intelligence, process automation, and social robotics. HR will need to be able to ensure that workers understand their roles, have the competencies they need, and are not unduly stressed out or exhausted by the fast pace of change. While technology will play a key role, HR can’t lose sight of the human side of work or the essential connection between high-tech and high-touch. They will need employees who can program and monitor new technology, as well as analyze it effectively and interpret/use data to identify opportunities for … [Read more...] about (5/10) Future-Proofing the HR Function
Study: Strong Link Between Happiness and Productivity
Money can’t buy happiness, but a few steps can help HR assess employee satisfaction and jump-start joy. In a recent study, happiness increased work productivity by 12%, while unhappy workers were 10% less productive. So how do you determine how happy your employees are? Then what can you do to increase their job-related joy? There are several proven tools to measure employee happiness, but among the most reliable are your eyes and ears, as well as those of your colleagues. When people gather in breakrooms, are they animated and laughing or are they silent or sullen and complaining? Are optional company events (such as parties or sporting events) well attended? Do team members greet each other warmly in the hallways? Do managers know their employees and take time to chat with them? You can gain real insight into how employees feel about the company and their jobs by watching and listening. One popular [Read more...] about Study: Strong Link Between Happiness and Productivity
(5/9) Tips from a CHRO: Creating a Robust Talent and Development Program with Purpose
HR professionals can help employees become purpose-driven and find meaning in their work. Start identifying ways you can support workers to expand their current role or seek new opportunities. Help them build skills and empowerment with training, mentoring, and career paths. Create a talent development framework that includes robust mentorship opportunities, career tools available on internal platforms, programs that provide a 360-degree view into the organization, and the use and support of technology. Give employees ownership of their careers by creating a pipeline to drive internal mobility. Provide them with a toolkit of resources, including social media channels customized for career engagement. Encourage ongoing conversations between managers and employers to help identify and develop talent. Ultimately, it’s all about building careers with purpose, increasing employee engagement/retention, and reducing turnover. [Read more...] about (5/9) Tips from a CHRO: Creating a Robust Talent and Development Program with Purpose
From Chitchat to Chatbots
Get a hiring edge with 24/7 real-time, personalized j0b candidate interactions. If you’ve ever shopped or sought information online, you likely have encountered a chatbot, a service that enables people to interact via an online messenger. Powered by basic rules or machine learning, the chatbot can have specific types of “conversations” with users, often eliminating the need to wait for a human response that could take minutes, hours, or even days. This can be significant for HR, where job candidates—especially those in great demand—can lose interest and go elsewhere if they can’t get prompt information or answers. … [Read more...] about From Chitchat to Chatbots
(5/8) 12 Tips to Ensure Your New Hires Start Off on the Right Foot
Congratulations! You’ve just hired some great new team members. How do get them started on a path that results in long-term satisfaction and engagement? Start with a good welcome package that outlines your organization’s values and policies/procedures and includes frequently asked questions and answers, an employee directory, and a list of important contacts (such as relevant vendors, community agencies, etc.). Consider delivering this with a little gift—a plant or bouquet of flowers, a box of candy, or a mug. Take the time to help new hires understand their place in the organization and the role they play in its success. Elsewhere: · Support employees’ success out of the office (such as relocation help). · Help them build relationships. · Communicate in advance what to expect on the first day at work. · Give them a 90-day plan. · Eliminate uncertainty by ensuring they know what to expect and giving them a way to seek answers to … [Read more...] about (5/8) 12 Tips to Ensure Your New Hires Start Off on the Right Foot
Job Numbers Are Strong But Present Challenges for Healthcare
There’s good news about the job market; but behind the positives there are some troubling realities. April marked the 103rd straight month of job gains and resulted in a 50-year low unemployment rate of 3.6%. Specifically, a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report observed that notable job gains occurred in professional and business services, construction, healthcare, and social assistance. However, underlying this in post-acute and long-term care facilities, hospitals, and other healthcare settings, labor costs are increasing and operating margins are shrinking. According to one report, labor costs in healthcare organizations represent about 60% of net revenues. At the same time, operating margins have gotten smaller as Medicare and Medicaid, instead of private insurance, have become primary payors for most patients. While technology has increased labor intensity, this hasn’t … [Read more...] about Job Numbers Are Strong But Present Challenges for Healthcare
(5/7) New Employees in Senior Living Most Highly Engaged: Study
According to a new study, first-year employees in senior living are 7.5% more engaged than their colleagues who have been with the organization for more than a year. The study also determined that the number of engaged employees stays steady from one to 10 years of service. “This shows that employees are more likely to swing to the ends of the spectrum after the first year of employment, instead of settling into the middle range of engagement,” the study authors said in a statement. These findings point to the importance of getting and keeping employees highly engaged over time via personalized rewards, opportunities for advancement and continuing education, more extensive onboarding programs, and mentoring. Read the full article. … [Read more...] about (5/7) New Employees in Senior Living Most Highly Engaged: Study
HHS Issues Final Rule on Conscience Provisions
Healthcare employees will be able to refuse some procedures, services due to faith-based objections. Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the issuance of a final rule on conscience provisions that enables healthcare employees to refuse certain medical procedures—including abortion, sterilization, and even advance directives--if they have faith-based objections. This rule replaces a 2011 regulation that, according to HHS, “has proven inadequate.” The final rule clarifies what covered entities (including federal agencies and programs, as well as state and local governments receiving federal funds) need to do to comply with applicable conscience provisions and requires applicants for HHS federal financial assistance to provide assurances and certification of compliance. The rule also specifies compliance obligations for covered entities, including cooperation with OCR, maintenance of records, reporting, and … [Read more...] about HHS Issues Final Rule on Conscience Provisions
(5/6) Will AI Be the Solution to Pay Equity?
About one-third (34%) of workers believe that managers decide what to pay them based on what they think each employee should make, instead of on their actual performance. In light of these numbers, it is important not to wait for federal laws to address pay equity. If you want to attract and keep good employees, you need to prioritize this issue now; and artificial intelligence (AI) can help. In addition to increasing transparency, AI can enable you to personalize rewards and recommend pay rates, bonuses, or other perks using data rather than feelings or observations. AI also can boost employees’ confidence in the organization and their beliefs that their employer is committed to fairness and equity. Any organization—large, small, or in-between—can use some form of AI in ways that can decrease turnover and eliminate unconscious bias. Read the full article. … [Read more...] about (5/6) Will AI Be the Solution to Pay Equity?
Facilities Brace for Star-Rating Declines under CMS Changes
Higher staffing level thresholds could cause star ratings to plummet despite quality care. In March, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it was setting higher thresholds and evidence-based standards for nursing home staffing levels. Starting with April numbers, the agency will automatically give one-star staffing ratings to any facility that has four or more days each quarter with no registered nurse (RN) on site. This a significant drop from the previous standard of seven or more days. Now the real-world impact of this is starting to come to light, and it’s causing great concern. According to recent statistics, at least 550 providers could be affected, and it’s likely that the number ultimately will be higher. … [Read more...] about Facilities Brace for Star-Rating Declines under CMS Changes