Tag Archives: Employee Management

It seems like we’ve been talking or hearing about Millennials for most of my career.  Millennials are now in their 20’s and 30’s.  It is estimated they will comprise 30% of the workforce by 2020, and many are entering management roles. Once characteristic touted as “millennial” is they perceive themselves invincible, although that has alwaysContinue Reading

As a kid on the playground, it was easy to spot a bully.  He or she was the one stealing lunch money, pushing others down in the sandbox, or the ringleader of the group pointing and laughing at the little guy with glasses.  How easy is it to spot a bully in the workplace? ResearchContinue Reading

Were you the kid in school with perfect attendance?  I envied them.  Those kids were rare, only one or two in each class.  They got accolades and a nice certificate signed by the principal, just for showing up!  There was one girl in my elementary school that did not miss one day from First GradeContinue Reading

Workplace diversity has been a hot topic for decades.  Most of us have been through diversity training once or twice.  So, what’s different now?  The social climate. Interracial marriages account for 12% of U.S. marriages according to Pew Research Center, and are celebrated this year, 50 years after becoming fully legal in all U.S. states. Continue Reading

Growing up in Texas, you often hear, “If you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes. It will change.”  Inclement Weather from hurricanes along the Gulf Coast, to tornadoes across the Central Plains, to fires in the Hill Country, flooding, ice, and snow, Texas has it all.  Being prepared isn’t just about bottled waterContinue Reading

As Human Resources professionals, you are involved in the lives of the employees.  Your job can at times feel like you are basking in sunshine and flowers.  Many times, you are the first person to say, “Welcome to the company”, “Congratulations on your promotion”, and “Best of luck in your retirement.”  Unfortunately, you are alsoContinue Reading

It’s February, and in the world of human resources, payroll, and taxes, it’s time to take a breath.  W2s are mailed (and possibly online), forms are filed, and fees are paid. If your company is structured with HR and payroll functions in-house, you’ve seen the burning of the midnight oil.   For some small businesses, havingContinue Reading

Small-business entrepreneurs have a love-hate relationship with teamwork. It’s gets even harder as they grow into a big enterprise. Too little teamwork creates skill and knowledge silos, too much to duplicated efforts and bland conformity. Achieving a balance is difficult. Getting the ball rolling in the right direction takes more than a little push. ForContinue Reading

What kind of stats do you need to measure your employees’ abilities? What is enough? And how do you apply them when looking for new talent? Those who’ve seen the movie Moneyball know the devil’s out there, somewhere, in the data. Most businesses, however, don’t track their employees as if they were baseball players, norContinue Reading

New federal rules that control when workers are paid overtime wages are changing what it means for employees to be “on the clock.” For Texas businesses, the changes signal a whole new set of regulatory compliance challenges come December 1, 2016. Overtime pay is common among hourly employees, who typically earn time-and-a-half wages for hoursContinue Reading

As the vast body of labor regulations continues to grow and ratchet ever tighter, companies must keep abreast of and comply with hundreds of new workplace requirements each year. This means hiring bigger HR departments, contracting with more outside experts, or both. To staunch administrative outflows and cut through the complexity, many businesses are lookingContinue Reading

You love setting goals — too much, perhaps? Yes, goals can be great. Used the right way they bring teams together, drive effort and announce to the world your intentions to achieve. But there is a darker side to goal-setting, one that can undo everything it’s meant to accomplish. In 59 Seconds: Think a Little,Continue Reading