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Hot List: New York Times Bestselling Hardcover Business Books

The following is a list of the bestselling hardcover business books as ranked by the New York Times with data from Nielsen BookScan on May 23. 1. Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul by Howard Schultz with Joanne Gordon. Schultz tells of his second stint as the C.E.O. of Starbucks […]

Don’t Terminate Without the Right Policies

Terminations — where the rubber meets the road in HR. The most angst, the most tears (or screams), and the most lawsuits. Your terminations policy is critical. Today, courtesy of BLR’s SmartPolicies® program, we’ll review the key elements your policy should cover.

ADAAA Effective Tomorrow—Ready for Its 9 Rules of Construction?

The final regulations issued by the EEOC implement the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (the ADAAA) are effective tomorrow, May 24. The new regs feature 9 “Rules of Construction” to help employers determine whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity. The new rules reflect the ADAAA’s broader definition of “disability.” As a result, […]

Pay for Performance May Not Support Labor Cost Control

In recent years a growing number of companies have invested a lot of time and effort creating a performance-based compensation system. If yours falls into that category, then sales personnel and managers likely feel a strong link between the company’s overall perfor-mance, their departmental performance, their own individual performance, and their paychecks. Good job! But […]

Additional Compliance Responsibilities and Costs: Where to Find the Money

The notices seem to come in waves. Yes, they’re designed to protect participants in your employee benefit plans, and you likely appreciate that worthy aspiration. But with each subsequent notice, you may feel a slight tightening in the benefits budget. Each additional analysis, restriction, or requirement seems to cost more money. And times being what […]

45% of Companies Do Not Have a Written Strategy for Recognition Programs

According to the latest Trends in Employee Recognition report released by WorldatWork, 75% of the 600+ professionals surveyed believe that their recognition programs are successful, but only 45% have a written strategy for their recognition programs. Only 14% say that their organizations trains managers on recognition practices. This, says Strategic Consultant and blogger Derek Irvine, […]

Salary Cuts Made Whole by Year’s End Thanks to Teamwork, Renewed Resolve

For Root Learning, 2008 was one of its best years on record. The Sylvania, Ohio-based company was able to pay off its debt and award debt-retirement bonuses to its approximately 100 employees. However, the celebration was short-lived. With the downturn in the economy, sales dropped 30 percent during the first quarter of 2009, leaving company […]

Bad Economy + Fewer Employees + More Overtime May Not = Lower Costs

If you’re not careful, you may get a little depressed when you think about keeping your company viable. You may feel like there aren’t many alternatives left. At this point, you’ve probably already cut expenditures everywhere you can find room—from office supplies, advertising, and incentive awards to insurance premiums. What’s left when everything has been […]

Bank Saves Time, Money by Not Following ‘The Paper Trail’

Part 1: The Problem with Paper When our saga begins, the paper is new. It is made into a three-part form: one pink, one canary, and one the palest of blues. No one really knows why it has three parts, but everyone who sees it appreciates its delicate hues. After a few months in a […]

Sales Compensation: The Last Bastion of Manual Processes

Hey, sales compensation team: We know your little secret. We know about the shame and guilt, about the many hours you spend alone in your office. Don’t worry, we won’t tell. What we will do is help you find the motivation to change. Once and for all, put away that spreadsheet, whether handwritten or on […]