Workplace wellness program are popular with employers. They are offered by about 80% of large companies, and they account for $8 billion in spending annually. However, they may not be packing the bang for the buck that employers had hoped for. According to a new study out of Harvard University, people who worked at sites offering wellness programs exhibited higher rates of some healthy behaviors (such as regular exercise and weight management), but there was no significant difference in other behaviors. For instance, they didn’t have better body mass index, blood pressure, or cholesterol; nor did they have lower absenteeism rates, better job performance, or reduced health care use/spending. The researchers suggested the need to better understand how to encourage healthy behavior. In the meantime, they observed, while it is appropriate for employers to have and promote these programs, they should temper expectations about their impact. [Read more...] about (4/19) Workplace Wellness Programs May Help People Change Certain Behaviors But Do Little to Improve Overall
CMS Announces Enhanced Focus on Patient Safety, Quality of Care
As CMS moves forward on initiatives targeting safety and outcomes, HR can help teams thrive. In a recent blog, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Seema Verma detailed her commitment to maximizing safety and quality in long-term care. Her comments have triggered conversations about these issues; and they also present an opportunity for HR to get involved and promote safety and quality care in their organizations. Verma stated that her agency is “not settling for the status quo.” She said, “I have directed my team…to undertake a comprehensive review of our regulations, guidelines, internal structure, and processes related to safety and quality in nursing homes.” She talked about CMS’s “five-part plan to ensure the care provided in America’s nursing homes is of the highest possible quality.” This plan involves strengthened … [Read more...] about CMS Announces Enhanced Focus on Patient Safety, Quality of Care
(4/18) Why Hiring Managers’ Expectations for New College Graduates May Be Unrealistic
Employers may be expecting too much from new colleges graduates, mostly because they are putting emphasis on the wrong things. Depending on the job, the prestige of the candidate’s educational institutions or degrees, GPA, and other academic achievements may not be as meaningful as other factors. These include internships serviced, a proven track record of creativity and problem solving, and related real-world experience. To address this, experts suggest identifying jobs prone to degree inflation (e.g., jobs where experience and skills could substitute for degrees); identify job-related competencies (e.g., soft skills such as communication, creativity, innovation abilities, time management, and organization) that are important to job functions and weigh these with degrees; develop in-house or external training programs, apprenticeships, and internships to enable promising novices to gain or sharpen these skills/competencies; and invest in strategies that focus hiring on competencies … [Read more...] about (4/18) Why Hiring Managers’ Expectations for New College Graduates May Be Unrealistic
(4/17) From Paycheck to Purpose: Three Big Ideas for Purpose-Driven Culture
Increasingly, employees need more than money for job satisfaction. They want a purpose at work, an opportunity for authentic connections, and the ability to make a difference in their community and the world. A few steps can help you achieve this. Start by identifying your company’s purpose and communicating this to employees via storytelling and values-sharing. Promote a people-first culture where everyone, including leaders, live and breathe a collaborative, empowering, and inclusive workplace that recognizes people as the most valuable resource. Motivate and inspire informal leaders as well as first-time managers, encourage workers who want to advance, and seek ways to help people realize their dreams. Read the full article. … [Read more...] about (4/17) From Paycheck to Purpose: Three Big Ideas for Purpose-Driven Culture
Companies Are More Talk Than Action on Employee Rewards
Are workers surprised or disappointed by how you recognize them? There is lots of talk about employee recognition, but a recent survey suggests that employers could do a better job of walking the walk on worker rewards and appreciation efforts. According to research from the staffing firm OfficeTeam, only 43% of employers think their company is very effective at recognizing employees for good performance. Over one-tenth (14%) said they are not at all or not too effective at celebrating workers. This is a particularly relevant topic during this Administrative Professionals Week (April 21-27), with employees wondering what their company will do to recognize them. According to the survey, 43% of respondents said they plan to organize a celebration or lunch at work, 35% said … [Read more...] about Companies Are More Talk Than Action on Employee Rewards
(4/16) Reinvigorating Volunteer Programs
April is National Volunteer Month, and it’s the perfect time to review, re-engineer, and reimage how you attract and use volunteers in your organization. Just last year, 77 million Americans were estimated to have given $184 billion in services to their communities. These people represent all ages, skills/abilities, educational levels, and stations in life; so if you are thinking that volunteers are just retirees and high school students, think again. Consider freeing your volunteer managers and staff to think outside the box, create new programs, and access tools to executive their vision. Use this month to thank your volunteers and seek their ideas and suggestions for new programs and activities. You may have great innovators just waiting for the chance to shine. Read the full article. … [Read more...] about (4/16) Reinvigorating Volunteer Programs
Survey: Lead as a Social Enterprise, Reinvent Human Capital for Future Success
Employees want socially conscious companies. Are you ready? According to findings of the 2019 Global Human Capital Trends survey of nearly 10,000 CEOs and executives, future success means reinventing organizational approaches to human capital with a focus on employees’ continuous learning, accelerated development, and personal and professional growth. More than three-quarters (86%) of survey respondents said they believe they must reinvent their ability to learn, and 84% said they need to rethink their workforce experience to improve productivity. At the same time, 80% said they believe that they need to develop leaders differently. When asked to rate their most important measures of success in 2019, respondents almost unanimously said “impact on society, including income inequality, diversity, and the … [Read more...] about Survey: Lead as a Social Enterprise, Reinvent Human Capital for Future Success
(4/15) 6 Tips for Effective Employee Referral Programs
Your employees can be valuable in assisting with talent acquisition by referring their friends and acquaintances for job openings. Consider some guidelines for a successful employee referral program. Start by giving employees information and materials about the organization that they can share with others. Make new employees hiring ambassadors from the start; have them provide a list of individuals they think would be good assets to the company. Make sure employees understand details about the referral program, including who can participate and how, what rewards will be offered for referrals, etc. Offer incentives that will motivate people; according to research, cash is the most popular. Get buy-in and support from executives, managers, and team leaders by giving them data and feedback on the program’s outcomes. [Read more...] about (4/15) 6 Tips for Effective Employee Referral Programs
What Is the Impact of Workplace Drug Testing?
Stats are alarming, but HR can help by following tips for testing. Positive workforce drug tests hit a 14-year high last year. According to Quest Diagnostics, a national diagnostic information service company, marijuana is the most commonly detected illicit substance across workforce categories (general U.S. workforce, federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce, and combined U.S. workforce) and in all specimen types (urine, oral fluid, and hair). Positivity for post-accident urine testing went up more than 51% between 2017 and 2018 and increased nearly 81% between 2014 and 2018. This increase was likely driven by the addition of prescription opiates to the panel addressed in testing. … [Read more...] about What Is the Impact of Workplace Drug Testing?
(4/12) Managing a Multigenerational Workforce
According to a recent study, 25% of managers say that managing a multigenerational workforce is a challenge. At the same time, 77% of employees say that different work expectations are a main concern they have about working with colleagues from a different generation. Indeed, mentoring and communication styles can vary, and even clash, across generations. While an age-diverse workplace can be a tremendous asset, it does present some management challenges. It is important to recognize that each generation has its own ideas about what respect looks and sounds like. Consider two-way mentoring to bring older and younger employees together so they can address their differences and work toward common goals. Read the full article. … [Read more...] about (4/12) Managing a Multigenerational Workforce
