Tag: Compensation

Incentive Pay Isn’t for Nonexempts—Or Is It?

Variable pay is a powerful communicator of values and directions and changing business needs. However, with nonexempt employees, it is particularly important that: The amount of the incentive be market competitive and significant enough to reward in a meaningful way. The amount of incentive (aka pay at risk) is not so large that missing the […]

Bipolar Medication Side Effects? You Must Accommodate

Medications for Treating Bipolar Disorder It is often challenging to find the right combination of medications and the right dosages, says expert Tom Wootton. Typical medications include: Mood stabilizers Antipsychotics Combination of both Wootton, CEO of Bipolar Advantage, whose remarks came in a recent BLR-sponsored webinar, was joined by Maureen Duffy, PhD, a practicing family […]

Employees with Bipolar Disorder: Great One Day, Nightmare the Next

We have no accurate statistics regarding the prevalence of bipolar disorders in the workplace, especially because it is often hidden due to stigma, says Wootton. However, we do see a prevalence in creative departments, sales, legal, and management. Frustratingly, he adds, it’s often a tough call whether the employee with bipolar is an asset or […]

5 Reasons to Embrace Pay-For-Performance

Pay-for-performance is fast becoming the new normal. We are seeing it in use by more and more companies to get the most out of the reduced compensation budgets we’ve had in recent years. “Everything in our daily lives is more performance-based than it ever has been in the past. In many professions, performance pay has […]

Is Giving Shoes Away a Great Business Strategy?

Giving feels good on its own, says TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie, but it’s also a great business strategy. TOMS’ one-for-one philosophy (the company gives away a pair of shoes for every pair it sells) has led it to success, he says. Mycoskie announced at the recent SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago that […]

When Can You ‘Clarify’ or ‘Authenticate’ an FMLA Cert?

Authentication and Clarification of Medical Certifications Employers are entitled to authenticate or clarify information received on a medical certification form. It is important to note that the definitions of what constitutes permissible authentication and clarification are very limited. “Authentication” means providing the healthcare provider with a copy of the medical certification and requesting verification that […]

Our 9 Essential HR Skills—Do You Agree?

[Go here for skills 1 to 5] HR Manager’s Key Skill #6—Discrete and Ethical HR professionals are the conscience of the company, as well as the keepers of confidential information. As you serve the needs of top management, you also monitor their actions toward employees to be sure that policies and regulations are followed. You […]

Sales Compensation Plans: 5 Steps to Ensure Strategic Alignment

Sales compensation can be tackled from a strategic standpoint to ensure it is in alignment with company goals and objectives. This is important when getting started in the process. In fact, to ensure that their sales compensation plan is strategically aligned, here are 5 steps employers can take. Here are 5 steps to ensuring strategic […]

Time to Self-Evaluate—How Many of the 9 Essential HR Skills Do You Have?

This is the 2013 version of our most popular article ever, written in 2006. In no way is our list authoritative, but it is the opinion of people, including BLR® Founder Bob Brady, who’ve spent decades meeting with HR professionals, supporting their goals, and reporting their achievements. You may agree or not with our assessments, […]

Is ‘Intelligent Leader’ an Oxymoron?

I recently was reading on the subject of leadership, and one topic that came up was intelligence. So I set out to do some research on the importance of IQ in leadership. I must admit, it’s not easy to find a lot written about the intelligence of leaders. Type “leadership and intelligence” into Google, and […]