HR Industry Brief

Political differences and heated debates didn’t end with the election, and—despite your best efforts—they can spill into the workplace. Consider a few steps you can take to restore workplace harmony across the political divide:

• Apply workplace policies regarding political discussion fairly and consistent across the board. A worker’s support of or opposition to a candidate or issue shouldn’t result in disciplinary action or termination. At the same time, however, bullying, threats, and harassment must not be tolerated. Hold everyone accountable.
• Make health and wellness priorities. Make sure employees know about mental health benefits and wellness resources available to them. Encourage them to seek help (as needed) with anger management, anxiety, and stress.
• Embrace and share conflict resolution techniques. Manage conflicts fairly and consistently. Encourage workers to seek common ground and practice mutual respect.

  Here’s the latest from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) regarding COVID-19 vaccines:

• Employers must first seek an accommodation for employees who refuse vaccination for disability or religious reasons before taking any action against them.
• Employers can’t jump to terminating an employee who refuses the vaccine based on a religious belief or disability issue. They most conduct a detailed assessment to determine if the person poses a direct threat.
• Four factors to help determine if there is a direct threat are: severity of potential harm, likelihood the potential harm will occur, and the potential harm’s imminence.
• Employers can’t exclude a worker from the workplace “unless there is no way to provide a reasonable accommodation (absent undue hardship) that would eliminate or reduce this risk, so the unvaccinated employee does not pose a direct threat.”
• Before terminating a worker, employers must … [Read more...] about (12/18) EEOC Issues Updated Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccinations

It’s been a long, hard year; and you and your employees are tired. While traditional holiday celebrations are out, you can help everyone remember happier times, find some holiday joy, and bond with their colleagues. Consider some of these holiday happenings that engage remote workers and onsite teams alike:

• Exchange gifts. Have a Secret Santa via mail. Set a price limit and a deadline for mailing. Make sure addresses are up-to-date.
• Bake for each other. Invite employees to sign up to mail cookies to each other and include the recipe in the package; or consider sending employees recipes and ingredients and have them post pictures/stories of the finished products.
• Exchange e-cards. No time for shopping or baking? Exchange e-gift cards. Set a price limit and have participating employees list 4-5 sites they’d like cards from.
• Exchange virtual cards. Share information about (free) sites where employees can create virtual cards. Encourage … [Read more...] about (12/16) 10 Ways to Celebrate Holidays with Remote Employees

Don’t assume that your managers all have similar attitudes about mental health issues in the workplace. According to a new study, male managers are more likely have negative attitudes about depression. In fact, the more senior the position, the bigger the share of men with negative attitudes. At the same time, women in more senior positions are also less likely to be empathic about employees or coworkers with depression. Specifically:

• 24% of male respondents express negative attitudes toward depression, compared to 12% of female leaders.
• Men are more likely to agree that they feel uncertain around co-workers with depression, that these employees are a burden on the workplace, and that these employees should not work while on medication.
• Male managers say they are less likely or unlikely to appoint/hire anyone with a known history of depression.
• Both male and female managers say they feel personally stressed if a worker has … [Read more...] about (12/15) Proportionally More Male Bosses Negative Toward Depression

A new workplace survey identifies some trends for 2021:

• Employers want guidance on wellness issues, including benefits, paid time off, and employee assistance program.
• Resilience is here to stay. According the data, the more workplace disruptions workers experience, the more resilient they feel.
• Safety continues to be a top concern for workers, and this isn’t likely to go away in 2021. Employers need to consider long-term solutions for disinfection, physical distancing, and other safety-related issues.
• Diversity will continue to be an important priority for employers. In 2020, companies increasingly sought data about racial and cultural demographics of their workforce. At the same time, more businesses are seeking partners to close the diversity gaps in their workforce.
• Flexible work policies have grown in popularity in 2020, and more employees want this to continue into the new year.

  Even during a pandemic when work often looks different and employers expect something more or different from employees, some interview questions are still illegal. Be careful and make sure that you and your hiring teams aren’t asking questions that compel people to reveal protected/private information. Here are a few questions you can’t ask:

• Do you have kids? If so, what arrangements will you make for childcare/schooling during work hours?
• Are you planning to start a family soon?
• Are you a native English speaker?
• Do you have any health conditions?
• How old are you?
• How often do you typically take sick days? Have you had an extended medical leave?
• How many kids do you have?
• Do you have a partner or family member to help with caregiving?
• Have you ever been treated for any mental health issue?
• Have you ever experienced or been treated for … [Read more...] about (12/11) It’s Illegal to Ask These 14 Questions in an Interview (Even During a Pandemic)

We have suspected it, but a new survey confirms that the pandemic has had a negative impact on long-standing workforce issues in senior living and long-term care. Among the key findings:

• 67% of industry professionals surveyed say that finding and hiring quality job candidates is the top workforce issue moving into 2021.
• 57% of respondents identify employee turnover as their top concern.
• Twice as many respondents in 2020, compared to 2019, cite staffing to meet resident care needs and managing excess labor costs as top workforce challenges.
• 74% report difficulties with consistently filling shifts, with 33% saying that some shifts do not have enough staff despite their best efforts.
• 71% of respondents say that finding qualified employees will still be problematic or even worsen next year, while 68% say the same thing of managing labor costs and 65% about retaining employees.

Let’s face it. This has not been a year for optimism. However, 2021 is on its way; and there is reason for hope. When you or your team need a boost, consider the following:

• There is less uncertainty. We have learned much about COVID-19 and how to manage a pandemic in the past eight months; and we now have the promise of a vaccine coming in the new year. While we’re still not through the tunnel, there is a light at the end that should give us hope.
• A crisis can upset the status quo, and that can be a good thing. Take a minute to look at the positive efforts, activities, innovations, and changes that have come about because of the pandemic. Which of these might benefit your organization if they’re implemented on a long-term basis? For instance, what meetings can be better held remotely? How might you use these to cut travel expenses or give more workers access to conferences and educational opportunities?
• Spring is on the way. Do some forward thinking … [Read more...] about (12/9) The Case for Optimism in 2021

  Pressure, stress, and extra demands on your time can make it challenging to fairly evaluate employee performance during a crisis such as a pandemic. Snap judgments and ambiguity can interfere with fair assessments. These 3 steps will make this process easier for you and fairer for employees, even as the pandemic rages on:

• Define effective criteria before making critical decisions about workers. Consider what is important for each role, then create definable, measurable metrics for success. For instance, instead of “creative new avenues for communication,” use “establish strategic plan for employing social media and other platforms and document increased engagement over time.”
• Align decision makers. Bring managers together to ensure everyone is on the same page and shares definitions, then discuss how they will evaluate performance on each measure. Shared metrics will help prevent bias and ensure fair evaluations.
• Engage others in being … [Read more...] about (12/8) How Do You Evaluate Performance During a Pandemic?

What is keeping your HR team awake at night? According to a new survey, recruiting and hiring worries are at the top of the list. In fact, 66% of HR leaders say that recruiting and hiring will either be “somewhat” or “very” challenging in the year ahead. Among their other concerns:

• Workforce planning (59%)
• Workplace health/safety/security (55%)
• Employee leaves (54%)
• Remote workforce (53%)
• State and local compliance (51%)
• Diversity and inclusion (48%)
• Employee benefits (41%)
• Data privacy (31%)
• Employee handbooks (29%)
• Immigration (16%)
• Sexual harassment (16%)