HRMagazine back issues from June 2005:
Career advice from a poet, a hockey player and an artist.(hr professionals)
Jun 01, 2005; ... More than 100 years ago, the poet Robert Browning wrote that mankind's reach should exceed its grasp. That simple thought captures an important aspect of all human achievement: The reach that exceeds our grasp challenges us to new heights. It is that reach--when combined with ...
Be careful what you wish for.(From the Editors)
Jun 01, 2005; ... For years, business experts have called for companies to involve HR professionals more quickly in proposed mergers and acquisitions (M & As). And despite mounting evidence that expected M & A economies of scale might never be realized if "intangible" factors--such as warring corporate ...
No fear and loathing in the EU.(From the Editors)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Horror stories abound when it comes to European works councils. One that leaps to mind is the 2001 case of U.K.-based Marks and Spencer (M & S), which publicly announced 4,000 layoffs at its stores in Europe (half of them in France) only 30 minutes after it told employees. An ...
On the docking block.(From the Editors)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Admit it: There are a lot of duties that come with the job that you would rather not do. And enforcing a court order to garnish an employee's wages is probably high on that list. Garnishing wages requires a high degree of competence in two important HR skill sets: legal ...
Health costs' new players.(From the Editors)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Many employers have decided they can't simply watch health coverage costs head skyward without taking action now. But many wonder how to do it. This month's Special Report on Health Care, beginning on page 92, offers three distinct perspectives on how employees are taking steps to harness ...
They keep going (and going ...).(Executive Briefing)
Jun 01, 2005 ... Gone are the days when executives looked forward to retiring at age 50--or even 60. According to a Korn/Ferry International survey of nearly 2,000 global executives, almost half (44 percent) plan to continue working past the age of 64; 15 percent plan to work past 70. A majority ...
CEOs more confident about the economy.(Executive Briefing)(Brief Article)
Jun 01, 2005 ... While the gain is narrow, the numbers are moving in the right direction. The Conference Board's first quarter 2005 measure of CEO confidence inched up slightly to 62. CEO confidence had slipped to 61 in the final quarter of 2004. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The confidence ...
Developing leaders is key to success.(Executive Briefing)
Jun 01, 2005; ... The best companies for leaders are the ones with a strong focus on leadership development and CEOs who are actively involved in the process. 3M Co., General Electric Co. and Johnson & Johnson head a 2005 list of the 20 U.S. companies that are best at developing leaders. The ...
Female executives lead differently from men.(Executive Briefing)
Jun 01, 2005 ... Female leaders operate differently in the workplace than their male counterparts. Women tend to be more assertive, persuasive and willing to take risks, and they have a stronger need to get things done than male executives, according to a new study conducted jointly by Caliper, a ...
Stock options are not income.(Executive Briefing)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
Jun 01, 2005 ... The runaway escalation of executive salaries in recent years can be attributed in part to corporate boards and their compensation committees, which have allowed executives to treat stock options and stock awards as income, says Bruce R. Ellig, author of The Complete Guide to Executive ...
A healthy new direction: how UnitedHealthcare is changing the way people think about their health.
Jun 01, 2005 ... Every year America seems to get caught up in some new health craze. But is cutting carbs and sipping diet sodas really helping people get healthier? Apparently not. A recent survey indicated that, largely because of the growing rate of obesity, the average life ...
Disconnect noted in workers' desires.(From Readers)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 01, 2005; ... In the April cover story, "Find What Workers Want," isn't it interesting to note that "job security" was No. 4 on employees' "importance" list, yet "contribution of work to organization's business goals" ranked No. 17? I don't think we, as employers, are doing a very good job of conveying ...
Know when not to deal with cards.(From Readers)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 01, 2005; ... An important step was left out of the answer to the question about union authorization cards in April's HR Solutions. If a union attempts to provide an employer with signed authorization cards, he or she should not talk to the union representative, accept the cards, look at or ...
Adoption slow of Hiring Metrics.(From Readers)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 01, 2005; ... In 1959 my master's thesis dealt with the effectiveness of college recruiting, and urged adoption of a set of measures that were both quantitative and qualitative. The measures then used by the organizations that I studied were quite elementary and, in my judgment, did little to help them ...
Record growth in outsourcing of HR functions.(HR News)
Jun 01, 2005; ... The trend of organizations outsourcing human resource functions to those with substantial HR expertise is expected to see record growth in the United States, according to a survey by Hewitt Associates, a global human resources services firm based in Illinois. Its survey of 129 ...
Liability for employee identity theft is growing.(HR News)
Jun 01, 2005; ... A group of Michigan employees recently broke new legal ground when a jury awarded them $275,000 for the disasters that befell their lives when their union neglected to safeguard their Social Security and driver's license numbers. The verdict against Michigan Council 25 of the American ...
2004 study: FMLA cost employers $21B.(HR News)
Jun 01, 2005; ... The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) cost employers an estimated $21 billion in 2004, and the actual figure could be significantly higher, according to a newly released study by the Washington, D.C.-based Employment Policy Foundation (EPF). EPF, a nonprofit research ...
Dot-jobs domain still under construction.(HR News)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Employ Media LLC, a key partner with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in the creation of the new dot-jobs Internet top-level domain, is working on details of how companies will be able to apply for the new web addresses. They hope to announce that information this summer or ...
Calif. paid leave law gets mixed reviews.(HR News)
Jun 01, 2005; ... When the nation's first paid family leave law took effect in California in July 2004, opponents predicted doom and gloom for employers while supporters touted the new law as a wonderful economic boost that would free working parents to take time to bond with their babies or care for sick ...
Bullying: it's not just on the playground; Bosses report being targeted in the workplace.(HR News)(human resource)
Jun 01, 2005; ... A subordinate ignores a manager's instructions, does not deliver messages to the manager, makes sure papers are not delivered to meetings in time, spreads lies about the supervisor, and changes documents to remove their supervisor's contributions in planning meetings. ...
Dozens who failed surprise drug tests were fired, but RV plant keeps rolling.(HR News)(human resource)(Keystone RV Co)
Jun 01, 2005; ... When employees flunk the drug test administered by a northern Indiana manufacturing company, they're out the door. In a move leaving no doubt about its policy on illegal drug use, Keystone RV Co. in Goshen shut down production at one of its plants for a day in April to drug-screen ...
Interview answers get weirder, wackier.(Human Resource News)
Jun 01, 2005; ... They could be potential scenes from the new NBC show "The Office," the American version of a British workplace comedy: the job candidate who touted her reign as high school prom queen as among her top accomplishments, the person who serenaded the interviewer, or the woman who constantly ...
Travel pay, data security, lines of authority.(Human Resource Solutions)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Q We are sending a nonexempt employee to mandatory off-site training. What hours do we pay for? A The quick answer is that under the Fair Labor Standards Act, you generally do not have to pay a nonexempt employee for the time he or she spends traveling from home to work. And you ...
A fitting role: HR is helping businesses puzzle through the difficult process of a successful merger or acquisition.(human resource)
Jun 01, 2005; ... As the economy brightens, experts predict that the recent flurry of mergers--including high-profile mega-mergers like SBC Communications/AT & T and Procter & Gamble/Gillette--will increase throughout 2005. And this time around, unlike the last merger-frenzy period in the late 1990s, ...
Focusing on customers: the ultimate measure of HR programs is how well they help attract and retain customers and improve their satisfaction.(Strategic HR)(human resource)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Imagine you have just returned from an HR conference full of ideas for a new initiative. You assemble a task force and implement the companywide initiative. After some initial resistance, the ideas take hold, and the program becomes part of the way HR does its work. You declare victory and ...
Standards bearer: Eaton HR head Sue Cook wants the company's values to be so pervasive that they are 'in the water.'.(Profile)(human resource)
Jun 01, 2005; ... When Sue Cook, now vice president of human resources at the Eaton Corp., began looking for a new job 10 years ago, she had a list of requirements. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Topping her list was "a values-based company that doesn't just have a nice brochure about ...
A duty to dock pay: for employers, court orders to garnish wages create yet another legal vulnerability.(Employee Relations)
Jun 01, 2005; ... It was late on a Friday afternoon when the phone on Jeannie Barrineau's desk rang. The voice on the line was frantic: "The sheriff's in my office. He's going to arrest me!" Barrineau's heart started pounding. "I don't want to be the reason that this guy goes to jail," she thought. ...
Exercise options: is an on-site exercise facility or an off-site reimbursement program better for your organization?(Health & Wellness)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Denise Townsend personally tested the theory that exercise boosts productivity at work. Townsend, a community relations coordinator for The Regence Group, an affiliation of health care plans in Portland, Ore., says exercise improves her performance. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
Working together: building relationships with European employee groups takes time, money and effort--but can pay off in trust and improved operations.(Global HR Management)(human resource)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Rabobank, one of the Netherlands' largest financial institutions, faced an unpleasant task: In changing its pension plan, the bank decided that employees--who had never before been asked to make pension contributions--now needed to cover one-third of the cost. Seeking employees' ...
Shaving health costs: employers try to eke out savings through spousal surcharges, increased prescription drug co-payments and tiered health plan premiums.(SPECIAL REPORT: Health Care)
Jun 01, 2005; ... As employers continually explore a wide array of potential health benefits changes to curtail ever-rising costs, some are working at the margins, chipping away at expenses and redistributing them among employees. Generally, these less-sweeping efforts come down to small yet ...
Getting personal: with health costs still rising, employers are adopting aggressive approaches to involve employees in managing their own health.(SPECIAL REPORT: Health Care)
Jun 01, 2005; ... The rate of increase in health coverage expenses has eased a bit lately as employers have shifted costs to employees and reduced benefits. But experts warn that these efforts have gone about as far as they can go, and employers will have to search for other ways to reach long-term ...
Informing decisions: to help employees cope with the complexities in making medical choices, employers are offering health education.(SPECIAL REPORT: Health Care)
Jun 01, 2005; ... It's now a core tenet of employer-sponsored health care: The more employees know about their health options and their own health status, the better off everyone is. With good health education resources, experts say, employees can make more-informed decisions about medical ...
Workplace diversity: leveraging the power of difference for competitive advantage.(2005 Research Quarterly)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Abstract Workplace diversity has taken on a new face. Today, workplace diversity is no longer just about anti-discrimination compliance. Workplace diversity now focuses on inclusion and the impact on the bottom line. Leveraging workplace diversity is increasingly seen as a ...
Budding relationships: formal global buddy programs can help ease the transition for expatriates and improve retention and productivity.(Global HR Management)
Jun 01, 2005; ... On one of his first outings in England, South African expatriate Ferdinand Heugh got lost. Fortunately for him, Tony Marsh, his official relocation "buddy," was there to help him find his way. With Marsh's help, Heugh has navigated a variety of other relocation challenges as ...
Take a closer look: that 401(k) plan you're overseeing may have some hidden weaknesses that only a specialized audit could bring to light.(Retirement Plans)
Jun 01, 2005; ... The pressure is on--just about all the time--for benefits professionals who administer 401(k) plans. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Participating employees want the best investment returns for their accounts. Employers want plans to run efficiently. Federal agencies want ...
School's in at work: working in partnership with school districts, companies are creating workplace schools that benefit everyone--working parents, children, employers and the community.(Benefits)
Jun 01, 2005; ... At nearly 50 workplaces around the country, it's "take your child to work day" every school day of the year. No, these companies aren't breaking child labor laws; they're recognizing and fulfilling a need for working parents to balance work and family and to give their children a good ...
When it's time for anger management: training can help all employees--not just the worksite hothead--deal productively with emotions.(Safety & Security Agenda)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Turnout was good at Aon Services in Chicago when the company brought in a psychologist to give workshops on anger management. But Chet Taranowski, the company's internal employee assistance program (EAP) coordinator, noticed something odd: "A lot of people who came had someone else in ...
Hiring older interns: with career-switching on the rise, your internship applicants might be more experienced than you'd expect.(Employment & Staffing Agenda)
Jun 01, 2005; ... In a recent survey of more than 2,500 people looking for work, Right Management Consultants found that 56 percent were thinking of making a significant career change. Among the survey's more unusual findings, however, was that the workers who expressed the most interest in setting a new ...
Starting small, thinking big: smaller companies need software that can grow when they do.(HR Technology)(human resource)
Jun 01, 2005; ... To compete with the largest firms in their markets, small and midsize businesses need in-house technological solutions that not only enhance their daily performance but also grow as the businesses grow. For one small firm, growth drove a desire for applications that would let it ...
FOB: friend of boss; When you manage a friend, keep in mind the boundaries between work and personal dealings.(Management Tools)
Jun 01, 2005; ... In a true Hollywood story, Walt Disney Co. CEO Michael D. Eisner hired longtime close friend Michael S. Ovitz to the No. 2 position at the company. According to court reports, within 60 days, Eisner's and Ovitz's business and personal relationships had completely unraveled. ...
Pharmacists are 'professionals' not entitled to overtime.(Court Report)(Baxter Pharmacy Services Corp)
Jun 01, 2005; ... De Jesus-Rentas v. Baxter Pharmacy Services Corp., 1st Cir., No. 03-2679, March 9, 2005. First to consider the issue, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has held that discretion makes pharmacists exempt professional employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and, ...
Harassment case proceeds despite failure to report.(Court Report)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Clark v. United Parcel Service, 6th Cir., No. 03-6393, March 9, 2005. An employer may be liable for sexual harassment--despite having a thorough sexual harassment policy--if lower-level supervisors observe offensive behavior by a higher-level manager but do nothing to stop it, ...
Review tied to lesser raise is adverse action.(Court Report)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Gillis v. Georgia Department of Corrections, 11th Cir., No. 04-11014, Feb. 18, 2005. An evaluation that directly prevents an employee from receiving a significant raise is an adverse employment action under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court ...
Non-pregnant employee can sue for pregnancy bias.(Court Report)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Kocak v. Community Health Partners of Ohio Inc., 6th Cir., No. 03-4650, March 11, 2005. An employee who had previously resigned due to pregnancy complications was entitled to bring her pregnancy discrimination claim under Title VII as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act ...
Post-offer medical exam was premature.(Court Report)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Leonel v. American Airlines Inc., 9th Cir., No. 03-15890, March 4, 2005. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a post-offer medical examination may not be conducted until a contingent offer of employment has been made and all nonmedical prerequisites for employment ...
Beware bashing bloggers: a heavy-handed approach to off-duty blogging invites legal and employee relations problems.(Legal Trends)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Diane is a stellar employee who works very hard during the day; she loves to blog at night. That is, she has created a web log--"blog"--in which she airs her strong political views. Greg also is an excellent employee. He too blogs at night, not expressing political opinions, but ...
Global conference gives HR a wide worldview: speakers share perspectives on global economy.(Inside SHRM)(Human Resource)(Society for Human Resource Management)
Jun 01, 2005 ... HR professionals are uniquely positioned to shape changing business practices around the world, according to speakers at the 28th Annual Society for Human Resource Management Global Forum Conference and Exposition, held April 11-13 in Chicago. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
EMA conference targets staffing professionals.(Inside SHRM)(Employment Management Association)
Jun 01, 2005 ... Staffing professionals soaked up discussions of leadership and personal and career development at the 36th Annual Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Employment Management Association Conference and Exposition, held April 20-22 in Dallas. Keynote speakers introduced "big picture" ...
Volunteers connect with SHRM online.(Inside SHRM)(Society for Human Resource Management)
Jun 01, 2005; ... The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has launched its online Volunteer Opportunities Center to match new and current volunteers with positions ranging from State Council leaders to speakers at chapter events. When developing the Volunteer Opportunities Center, SHRM ...
June.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
Jun 01, 2005 ... 13-17 Center for Creative Leadership: Leadership Development for HR Professionals, Colorado Springs, Colo. 19-22 57th Annual SHRM Conference & Exposition, ...
2005 SHRM board of directors.(Inside SHRM)(Brief Article)
Jun 01, 2005 ... CHAIR Johnny C. Taylor Jr., J.D., SPHR McGuireWoods HR Strategies LLC IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR David B. Hutchins, SPHR, CEBS, CCP U.S. Federal Credit Union TREASURER Clinton R. Gurney, CPA Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ...
The Future of Human Resource Management.(Books in Brief)(Book Review)
Jun 01, 2005; ... The Future of Human Resource Management Edited by Mike Losey, Sue Meisinger and Dave Ulrich Society for Human Resource Management/John Wiley & Sons, 2005 List price: $34.95, 400 pages, ISBN: 0-471-67791-4 What is the future of HR? That's the ...
Moral Intelligence.(Books in Brief)(Book Review)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Moral Intelligence By Doug Lennick and Fred Kiel, Wharton School Publishing, 2005 List price: $24.95, 247 pages, ISBN: 0-13-149050-8 Finding and following your morals not only is good behavior but also is good business, Doug Lennick and Fred Kiel contend ....
It's Not What You Say ... It's What You Do.(Books in Brief)(Book Review)
Jun 01, 2005; ... It's Not What You Say ... It's What You Do By Laurence Haughton, Doubleday, 2004 List price: $24.95, 238 pages ISBN: 0-385-51041-1 Whatever strategic choices companies make, success depends on one thing: following through. Research that tracked ...
Aggression in the Workplace.(Books in Brief)(Book Review)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Aggression in the Workplace By Marc McElhaney, AuthorHouse, 2004 List price: $29.95, 234 pages ISBN: 1-4184-6195-4 Workplace violence costs American businesses billions of dollars every year in health and workers' compensation claims, legal ...
Get Your Ship Together.(Books in Brief)(Book Review)
Jun 01, 2005; ... Get Your Ship Together By D. Michael Abrashoff, Portfolio, 2004 List price: $25.95, 200 pages ISBN: 1-59184-074-0 A boss who took his organization from a 28 percent retention rate to a 100 percent retention rate while cutting expenditures, ...
The Enthusiastic Employee.(Books in Brief)(Book Review)
Jun 01, 2005; ... The Enthusiastic Employee By David Sirota, Louis A. Mischkind and Michael Irwin Meltzer, Wharton School Publishing, 2005 List price: $26.95, 363 pages ISBN: 0-13-142330-4 Find out what employees want and give it to them. The result will be ...
Peopleclick Inc.(Affirmative Action)(Brief Article)
Jun 01, 2005 ... Peopleclick Inc. has released version 3.2 of CAAMS, a comprehensive affirmative action software tool designed for businesses with multiple locations and divisions. The new version of the software includes an enhanced impact ratio analysis function for all race categories and a new ...
Jigsaw Data Corp.(Business Resources)(Brief Article)
Jun 01, 2005 ... Jigsaw Data Corp. has launched one of the first online marketplaces specifically created for trading and developing business contacts. By using a technology platform similar to the auction web site ...
Namescape Corp.(Business Resources)(Brief Article)
Jun 01, 2005 ... Namescape Corp. has released rDirectory, a new software tool designed to help employers create flexible, secure and searchable staff directories. By using rDirectory, HR departments can combine employee information such as phone numbers, e-mail addresses, ...
Vertafore Benefits.(Compensation And Benefits)(Brief Article)
Jun 01, 2005 ... Vertafore Benefits has launched a new web-based software tool called Benefits Administration. This online application, which includes a new self-service portal for employees, is designed to help benefits brokers and agencies maximize ...
OnlineBenefits Inc.(Compensation And Benefits)(Brief Article)
Jun 01, 2005 ... OnlineBenefits Inc. has released its new online software tool, Real Value Statement. The software is designed to give employers of all sizes an easy and cost-effective way to produce web-based compensation and benefits statements. Once the statements are placed online, employees then have ...
HRToolbox Inc.(International HR)(Brief Article)
Jun 01, 2005 ... HRToolbox Inc. has developed and released a new version of its HRToolbox software for managing short-term international assignments. The new software tool is designed to help employers customize their policies for tracking and reporting and thereby can ease the challenges of managing ...
Recruitmax.(Performance Management)(Brief Article)
Jun 01, 2005 ... Recruitmax has announced that its new performance management software tool, Impact, is now available. Impact is designed to provide the tools employers need to develop and retain top-notch talent. The new software allows users to analyze skills, competency, performance and succession ...
Softscape.(Performance Management)(Brief Article)
Jun 01, 2005 ... Softscape has launched SoftscapeNow, a new human capital and performance management tool designed specifically for organizations with 500 to 5,000 employees. SoftscapeNow offers users an efficient and cost-effective way to implement and track human capital management strategies. The new ...