HR Industry Brief

According to a new survey, most companies say they would rather take the time to upskill current employees than hire new workers. Among other insights:

• 60% of hiring decision makers say they plan to reskill workers by the end of this year. Larger companies were more likely to say they have a focus on reskilling.
• The most common reskilling plan involves offering company-led training sessions or programs (67%), partnering with a third-party that offers training or courses (51%), and providing on-the-job training by other employees (50%).

Everyone knows staffing shortages are bad, but a new study details the extent of the problem:

• The turnover rate of CNAs in Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) stands at 45.87% this year, but the rate in nursing homes is 51.38%.
• The turnover rate of LPNs in CCRCs is 36.81%, compared with 37.67% for nursing homes.
• RN turnover is 40.45% in CCRCs, versus 41.06% in nursing homes.

Don’t wait for a free speech complaint or issue to arise. Be prepared:

• Practice due process. Don’t let your personal feelings or concerns about what will (or won’t) be uncovered stop you from investigating every issue or complaint. Avoid making a rush to judgment in either direction.
• Establish red lines. Make sure your employees understand that free speech isn’t without consequences. You can mandate that employees not do or say something that undermines the company or its virtues, cultures, and values.
• Know the law and let it be the guide. Stay on top of new rules coming from all sources (national and local) including the National Labor Relations Board, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
• Prioritize training. Make sure managers know what to do if there is a free speech complaint. Teach them to acknowledge any complaint, thank the employee for bringing it to their … [Read more...] about (9/22) How HR Can Find the Free Speech Line

More healthcare settings are reporting nursing shortages, and the problem seems to be getting worse. Among the reasons for the wave of departures from the depression:

• Stress and burnout
• Health and safety issues
• Depression
• Work-related post-traumatic stress disorder
• Growing workloads and inadequate staffing
• Mandatory overtime.

The White House recently announced the commitment of $2.1 billion in funding to improve infection prevention in long-term care settings. The funding will be used by state, local, and territorial public health departments to:

• Provide surge capacity for clinical care.
• Address staffing shortages.
• Strengthen infection prevent and control activities to prevent, detect, and contain outbreaks and provide support for COVID-19 boosters.

Half of employees say they are dissatisfied with learning and development (L&D) at their place of work. It’s not enough to toss out a few programs and some new software. Instead, start by conducting assessments and surveys to find out what is available and what employees want. Consider what L&D might be desirable and beneficial for remote and hybrid workers as well. Then think about these additional efforts:

• Review the data. Use it to set strategies and benchmarks. Successful L&D depends on facts, not feelings. The data will tell you where there are gaps and where you need to boost upskilling and development, as well as opportunities for inclusive learning.
• Forget “generationally appropriate” elarning. Don’t assume that younger workers want want edgier, more high-tech L&D. The truth is that employees of all ages want learning that is personalized, relevant, and interactive. Offer a range of coaching and development opportunities to enable … [Read more...] about (9/17) The Reason Behind the Great Resignation That No One Is Talking About

Temptations to loosen or abandon your ethics are all around you in today’s competitive business world. But there are some steps you can take to stay ethically strong:

• Start within. Take time for reflection about what your values and purpose are. What matters most to you when it comes to ethics? Write down key decisions you’ve made in life and consider what they say about you.
• Align your senior team. Talk to them about their aspirations and the kind of company they want to create. Consider developing a consensus statement to guide you.
• Be prepared to get off track. Like it or not, there will be times when feel pressured to put your ethics on hold to please a boss or the board or to advance your career. Don’t get caught off guard. Schedule regular conversations about your organization’s ethical ambitions to see how they align with yours.
• Don’t wait for the whistle to blow. Have a way for managers to lead conversations that uncover the … [Read more...] about (9/16) How to Be a Leader Who Stays True to Their Ethics

Workers have higher expectations regarding job offers, according to a new survey:

• Survey respondents say they are much more likely to say they expect to get at least one job offer in the next four months, compared to last summer.
• The average expected annual salary offer went from $54,646 in July 2020 to $57,207 this summer.
• Slightly more people (24%) report looking for a job in the past four weeks than a year ago (19.6%).
• Transitions to unemployment went from 10.5% last year to 0.4% this year.
• 7% of respondents say they’ve received at least one job offer in the past four months, up from 13.5% a year ago.
• According to survey results, workers are less satisfied with wage compensation, nonwage benefits, and promotion opportunities than they were in July 2020.

A group of researchers looked to the military for insights into how managers and their teams can survive and thrive during difficult times. They reached a few significant conclusions:

• There are three interconnected qualities that characterize effective leaders: approachability and openness, a knowledge of how processes and operations work, and the ability to balance risks to the mission and to the people.
• The most admired leaders build loyalty and trust both before and after crunch period. They take care of people and establish a high level of commitment and loyalty.
• To prepare for and recover from a crunch, good leaders make themselves accessible to the team, master how their organization’s processes work, are obsessed with their team’s professional development, and make mental health a priority.
• During the crunch, the best, most effective leaders set aggressive but achievable goals, understand and acknowledge the costs of their … [Read more...] about (9/14) Managing Through Crunch Time – Without Burning Out Your Team

A new survey shows that many employees are caring for older family members at home, and that this is creating stress and anxiety for them:

• 45% of respondents say they’ve been caring or providing support for an older loved one for more than 3 years.
• 43% of respondents say they are distracted, worried, or focused on caregivers – and not their jobs – 5 or more hours per week, while 20% are distracted at work more than 9 hours per week.
• More than half of respondents indicate that their supervisors were not as supportive as they needed them to be about their caregiving responsibilities.
• 79% of respondents did not have access to any benefits to support elderly caregiving responsibilities.
• 84% of respondents say they’re receptive to the idea of their employer offering resources, guidance, and/or support for their caregiving responsibilities.