HR Industry Brief

According to a new study, one-third of the U.S. workforces uses prescription pain medications.  The study also showed that alcohol abuse and dependence rates exceed the problematic use of pain relievers and other prescription medications. However, excess absences associated with pain relievers were greater than those related to other substances. The problematic use of pain relievers was associated with 2.0 absences, or 1.2 excess days per month compared with non-users. Beyond concerns about opioid use, the study puts a spotlight on the problem of pain among the U.S. workforce and their use of medication to treat it. Read the full article.   … [Read more...] about (4/22) How Widespread Is Pain Med Usage in the Workplace?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Encouraging and enabling new employees to take on real responsibility and deliver results in the first week can get them up and running quickly. Start by setting up a mentor relationship, such as with a friendly, knowledgeable peer, to get newcomers started and help them feel comfortable. Give them a simple task right away, but also consider giving them something a bit more challenging to do as well. Depending on the worker, a group project might be more productive than an individual assignment. This group effort helps new employees to get to know their co-workers, engage in teamwork, and jump on a big project right away. Get new employees involved in the company culture by helping them see how their job relates to organizational mission and goals. Let them know about opportunities to engage with co-workers socially, such as a company softball team or lunchtime walking group. … [Read more...] about (4/11) Onboarding: First Week Tactics That Pave the Way to Success

In a recent survey, 4% of 6,500 HR professionals said their organization practices continuous screening and rolling background checks. The vast majority (92%) of survey respondents said they conduct background checks, mostly pre-employment. These searches generally included issues such as criminal records. Only 15% of respondents said they rescreen workers annually, 13% conduct checks after a triggering event, such as after a wage garnishment or other legal issue. One reason that more employers haven’t embraced rescreening is the cost. It is an expensive undertaking, and it still leaves employers open to risk. One option is the use of continuous monitoring technology that will alert an employer within an hour of someone being booked into jail. Users of this technology suggest it can protect companies from fraud, theft, and reputational damage. [Read more...] about (4/10) Employers Slow to Pick Up Trend of Continuous Screening

Experts suggest that color can make a difference in the workplace, increasing productivity and energy, reducing stress, and boosting mood. Consider a few easy ideas: Use brighter colors in lobbies to create a lasting impression; use neutral colors to create a relaxed, calming atmosphere; primary colors can generate energy; and yellow is connected with positivity and happiness. You can use color to create a more casual or homelike atmosphere or to support branding. You don’t have to paint entire rooms or hallways. A red accent wall here, a yellow sofa there, and tan seating in the employee lounge can all make a difference and create a positive ambiance for all employees without significant expenditure. Read the full article. … [Read more...] about (4/9) Office Space: Why HR Should Dabble in Color Theory