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Whistleblowing has been front-page news in recent weeks. As an impeachment investigation roils the nation, we’ve heard debate about the handling of confidential complaints, speculation about the whistleblower’s identity, and discussions of the validity of the claims. What we haven’t heard, at least not yet, is a report from the whistleblower that he’s been retaliated […]
Two Supreme Court decisions from 2010 and 2014 gave freedoms and powers to corporations that had until then been reserved for individuals within the United States. The long and short of those decisions have been encapsulated in a common phrase: corporations are people. If corporations really are people, what kind of people are they? The […]
When you think about the future of work, what comes to mind? Do you picture a room full of robots typing away at computers? (Actually, that sounds redundant when you consider the fact that computers are a form of robotics, but I digress.) Regardless of what you imagine the future of work will look like, […]
Businesses in the United States compete in a top-notch, knowledge-based economy against both domestic and global rivals. For the most part, competitive advantage is based not on having the best machinery, the most productive land, or the greatest access to natural resources but on having the best people: the smartest, the most driven, the most […]
Agility generally refers to the ability to move or change quickly and easily. It could reference physical movement or mental agility—thinking and understanding new ideas quickly.
HR seems to be more than a job; it’s a mission. To do the kind of work that HR professionals have to do, they really need to have a clear, organizing principle to how they approach their jobs. That’s how today’s guest feels about her job. Meet Amy Roy, the new Chief People Officer at […]
Let’s face it: We can’t necessarily expect work to be fun and relaxing. We go to work to get a job done, and sometimes, that can be stressful. Particularly in for-profit companies, there is always pressure to keep costs down and to increase revenue.
Many times, when employers receive an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citation—if not most times—they claim it wasn’t their fault, but rather the employee did something stupid. OSHA recognizes such a defense, called the “employee misconduct” defense. It is an affirmative defense, meaning the employer has the burden of proof in establishing the misconduct.
Training programs can fall victim to the same trap as many other company initiatives: Someone identifies a gap or a need; an initiative is put into place to address that shortcoming; and, without anyone taking ownership of that initiative, it slowly loses momentum and becomes another obligatory exercise the organization goes through out of habit.
We talk a lot about the importance of training, and it certainly is important; however, we thought it would be appropriate to address a common pitfall many organizations encounter when it comes to employee development and organizational change: adhering to the misconception that training is a silver bullet to solve company ills.