HR on the Web

Women Leaders: Removing Barriers to Success

Brenda — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Our recent Diversity Forum Breakfast, "Women Leaders: Removing Barriers to Success," was itself such a "success" that we hope to keep the conversation going. We heard from 5 influential community leaders, Lenora Billings-Harris (panel facilitator), Denise Turner Roth, Dr. Linda Brady, Donna Newton and Michelle Gethers-Clark about their views on topics such as keeping life balance, the "glass ceiling" and the best advice they received.

We invite you to comment on the morning by posting below. It could be a simple comment about the morning's event, a recommendation for future events, something that you learned from the panelists, or a story of your own.

If you would like to see any parts of the event again, you can watch our YouTube videos by going to

The HR Group's YouTube Channel

Thanks so much! We look forward to hearing from you.

Back to the Basics: Four CRITICAL Foundations for Management Training Programs

Admin — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Having the right people in the right place, armed with the right skills, has never been more important than in today's competitive marketplace. For those "right people" in your organization, nothing kills morale more than being asked to do a job for which they've not been adequately trained. While a few managers can quickly pick things up, it's a rare quality. Despite the correlation of inadequate training with higher turnover rates, companies continue to ignore the value of employee training programs crafted to equip their new managers.

"Management training programs need to start with what we call the 4 Basics of Leadership," says Sandie Bateman, CPLP®, Senior Vice President of Learning and Development at The HR Group, Inc. in Greensboro, N.C., "These "Basics" build that foundational skill set for managers who are new in a leadership role. Having a management training program without these foundations is a sure-fire path to failure."

The Four Basics of Leadership every management training program should be built on include:

1. You as a Leader: Understanding Your Own Leadership and Behavior Style

The first step in developing a sound foundation for the Basics of Leadership is for each participant to gain insight into his or her unique personality/leadership style and how that particular style affects expectations and communication effectiveness with others. Assessment tools, like the DiSC® profile, can be helpful in building this awareness.

2. Effective Communication

If you survey every successful company in America, one theme rises to the top: the need for better communication. As with most interactions, one size does not fit all. The best management training programs use case studies and specific real-world scenarios to allow new managers to practice effective ways to enhance their communication skills. Knowing what to do and, more importantly, what not to do, can help set in motion effective communication within your business.

3. Time Mastery

For most new managers, balancing the responsibilities expected by their superiors with the demands on their time by others is stressful. The third step in building the Basics of Leadership foundation is designed to help participants discern what is a priority and what is not, what they must do themselves and what can be delegated, and how best to do that. Knowing how to efficiently manage time and prioritize tasks for what matters most are crucial to successful management.

4. Coaching, Providing Feedback and Motivating Others

As the population continues to grow, so do the types and kinds of people with whom we work. If any organization expects to grow, it's imperative to leverage every person within the organization. Do your managers know how to best determine when coaching is appropriate and when a higher level of discipline may be needed? Do they know how to efficiently manage a diverse workforce and how to effectively give and receive feedback?

Adding this component into your management training foundation will keep the focus on building and establishing relationships and trust by following effective techniques for correcting behavior, generating employee buy-in, and developing capacity.

With the loss of many seasoned managers from the workforce and the entrance of new generations of workers, it is now even more critical that organizations effectively develop staff to become the best leaders possible.

About The HR Group, Inc.

The HR Group, Inc., based in Greensboro, N.C. offers extensive leadership and management training as well as employee development programs for companies in North Carolina, the U.S., and abroad. Our programs can be delivered at our HRG Academy facility in Greensboro, N.C. or on-site at your company. While we have a variety of training programs developed and ready for delivery, we prefer to partner with clients to customize the delivery and content as, needed, to ensure maximum impact. Call or email us to discuss these or any other programs we may offer at 336-292-1911 or info@thehrgroupinc.net.

#1 on the List for HR Professionals: Employee Engagement

Brenda — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Employee Engagement. No, we're not talking about workplace romances. In his article, "What is Employee Engagement" on Forbes.com, author Kevin Kruse defines it as "the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals." Kruse also states that employee engagement is not the same as employee satisfaction. A satisfied employee will still take a headhunter's call and move to a different organization for a 10% salary increase.

Human Resource Executive magazine recently published their 2012 Survey, "What's Keeping You Up Now?" The top three concerns for HR Managers are (in order) employee engagement, retaining top talent and leadership development.

"The three issues are obviously tied together," says David Moff, CEO of The HR Group. "Also, the idea of a company holding on to its highest performers and its knowledge base is not necessarily tied to an economic downturn or recovery. It's always a concern, as it should be."

However, with the prospect of a recovery on the horizon, paired with a probable mass exodus of baby boomers, there is a lot of anxiety about what can be done to retain top talent and it's mostly about increasing employee engagement. In this year's survey respondents indicated that they intend to put significant resources into increasing employee engagement according to the following statistics:

- 60% of respondents intend to make increased employee communication a priority,

- 57% say they will provide additional training and development and

- 46% say they will assist with employees' career development.

The ROI

The real business case for increasing employee engagement lies in the return on investment. How does it affect the bottom line? A disengaged employee is more likely to leave and, as any HR Manager will tell you, turnover is a real financial drain on an organization. In addition to this one major reason, there are several other reasons that are not at all insignificant.

Decreased absenteeism
Decreased safety violations and accidents in the workplace
Increased productivity and output
Increased innovation
Better corporate image and reputation
Increased customer satisfaction, leading to even further increase in sales

How to Engage Your Employees

How do you go about increasing employee engagement?

According to Patsy Wiggins, President of The HR Group, "There are a number of ways for top management to help employees really commit to the company. For example, top management needs to communicate effectively and often with all employees, supervisors and managers should be trained well in how to lead individuals and teams, they should recognize and reward good performance, they should provide opportunities for growth and development, and make sure employees feel that there is a concern for their well-being. If the company's leadership can accomplish those five things, the rest is pretty much gravy."

What about Gen X and Gen Y?

Is it a generational thing? Yes and no. Recently, a discussion was started on a Human Resource Professionals LinkedIn Group about how to really engage the Generation Y employees. Before the discussion devolved into an argument about something else, most of the responses advised that generations are all the same...they all just want to be treated with common decency and respect and to be given meaningful work to do.

"That may be true," says Marilyn Honeycutt, SPHR, a senior consultant with The HR Group, "but there are a few differences, and if you really want to know what it would take to keep the Gen Y employees (or any employees for that matter) engaged, you might do a couple of things. First, empower them to take on a task that will truly make a difference for the company, minimize the hierarchical structure and let them work in collaborative teams and, finally, just have some meaningful conversations with them about their careers, their goals and what they would really like to do in their jobs. No need to make any big promises. Just listen."

Success Stories

Skanska USA

Offers a one-day "Great Boss" course with the purpose of developing great leaders and bosses in order to improve employee retention and engagement.

Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions have a workplace process in which front-line managers, union-represented workers and physicians work together to not only ensure that each patient has the best possible experience, but also make full use of each individual employee's expertise. This process empowers their workforce to make a difference, thus more fully engaging them in the company.

A couple more

http://www.winningworkplaces.org/library/success/bailard_turning_around_industry_rep.php

http://www.confirmit.com/success-stories/increase-employee-engagement/anthony-sylvan-case-study.aspx

Are you willing to share a success story from your company? Comment here.

Interview Training and Coaching in Greensboro, NC: How to Get Hired

Admin — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Are you in the market for a job and looking for ways to improve the success of interviews with potential employers? The consultants at The HR Group want to help you through job interview training and coaching in Greensboro, N.C. Below are some of the ways our consultants at The HR Group will help you during your interview training and interview coaching at our office in Greensboro.

1.     When going to an interview, take care to remember that the initial physical impression is important. A good way to guage the typical dress code is to visit the website and view photos. It is almost always a good idea to wear a suit or business attire. Even if the company has a casual atmosphere, wearing a suit will tell the hiring manager that you are serious about the job.

2.     Our interview training consultants also focus on body language - including firm handshakes, eye contact and friendly smiles. During training, we'll ask questions to ascertain your level of confidence and your speech patterns. For instance, if you tend to use a lot of "umms" or meander off-topic, we will make you aware so that you can minimize this sort of nervous behavior during your actual interview.

3.     It is always a good idea to have provide us with a job description in advance to your interview coaching session, so that we can best help you be as prepared as possible. During interview coaching, we will help you practice by asking questions catered to your job description. Depending on the type of job you are applying for, you may be subjected to different types of interviews, including one-on-ones, group interviews or round-robins where you are directed to multiple one-on-ones. We'll eliminate potential intimidation by asking you sample questions and introducing you to the types of interview situations you may encounter.

4.     Don't be afraid to ask for clarification. Sometimes you may find you do not completely understand a question or the relevance of a question to job performance. At The HR Group, we want to assure you that it is ok to pause and think or ask for the restatement of a question.

5.     You will be asked many questions during an interview, but come prepared to ask your own. This shows initiative on your part and helps you to be more familiar with the culture and environment and determine whether you can see yourself working there. The HR Group can help you develop these types of questions during interview training. You can write down the questions and take them with you to keep up dialogue and reveal your own interest in the company during the actual interview.

6.     During our interview training sessions, we encourage clients to be persistent. At the close of your interview, ask about the time frame. You may want to follow up with a phone call and politely ask about the status on the position. If an employer is deciding between two close candidates, the likely choice will be the individual that shows the most persistence.

7.     Don't forget to send a thank you card after the interview. Express your thanks for the opportunity to come in and highlight the reasons why you are a good fit for the position.

At The HR Group, our interview training sessions are customized for you according to the position for which you are applying. If you are looking for a job and need help preparing, don't hesitate to contact us and make an appointment with the The HR Group's Career Services Department in Greensboro today!

What are you passionate about changing?

Brenda — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0400

At our recent Diversity Forum Breakfast, we heard about the importance of being change agents from graduates of IMPACT Greensboro. After watching a short video titled "A Peacock in the Land of Penguins," we participated in group discussion around the following questions:

Have you ever been a Penguin? What was in it like?
Do you think of yourself as a Perry the Peacock? Why?
Can you think of a time when you were pushed aside because you were different?
What would you like to CHANGE and how will you go about it after today?

Among those who shared their experience with the group, we heard from one "penguin" who had been in the military where change only happened from the top down. We heard from a "peacock" who had to learn to speak up in order to be a more proactive change agent. We also heard from a "peacock" who felt that the US did a superior job of assimilating those who come here from other countries. A few others shared experiences with the group, and we all have stories of being a peacock or a penguin. What we DIDN'T get to discuss was the last question, "What would you like to change and how would you go about it?" We want to hear your answers to this question, especially regarding issues that are local to the Triad. WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT CHANGING? Please enter your comments below and keep checking back to see what others have posted.

Executive Search Firms, NC: What's size got to do with it?

Admin — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Recently, The HR Group was named one of the largest executive search firms in the Triad by The Business Journal (2012 Book of Lists). It’s quite an honor, and we’re excited about it.

But what exactly does this distinction mean? And what is the added value of a recognition like this for you?

The Business Journal defines size, in the executive search and recruitment category, by number of searches completed, not by the physical size of the firm.

To start, this distinction points to meaningful accomplishment instead of empty numbers. The Business Journal’s criteria are right on: size should be determined by the level of experience and success, not number of workers or building footprint.

When you’re looking for executive search firms to help your North Carolina company recruit and train dependable, innovative leaders, your best bet is to look first for level of experience.

Why?

1. An experienced firm finds the best candidates.

Executive search and recruiting is about more than finding candidates - it’s about having the wisdom to find the best candidates. When your company’s leadership and future are at stake, you want an HR firm that can match consultant talents and abilities with the specific needs of your business in order to find the most qualified candidates.

A firm can have hundreds of employees but lack the search experience to find the best fit for your business.

2. An experienced firm reaches farther.

Yep, we’re based in Greensboro, NC, but we strategically cover the Triad, the Triangle, Charlotte and beyond.

We aren’t like a fast-food chain - a store on every corner - but we do position the resources we have to serve the widest possible area without sacrificing depth of service value.

The sweep of our executive search and HR experience enables us to serve every region of North Carolina without overtaxing our resources, so you get the best help, no matter where your company is based in North Carolina.

For example, when Mecklenburg County wanted help increasing their workforce diversity, they contracted The HR Group to conduct an organizational assessment, design a diversity program and deliver diversity awareness countywide.

It was a big job, requiring curriculum development, training for hundreds of employees and implementation of a recommended program. Because of our strong team, stretching across the state, we were able to deploy more than adequate resources, meet the need and help Mecklenburg County achieve measurable results.

You can read the full letter from Mecklenburg County HR director Chris Peek here (www.hrgroupinc.net/assets/Uploads/Testimonials/Mecklenburg-Co-Batemandiversity.pdf).

3. An experienced firm stays in touch.

Besides depth of experience and breadth of reach, what’s the one other thing you want to find in an executive search firm?

The same thing you look for in any company – the personal touch. The assurance that you will be heard by real people who take your calls and make you their priority.

No matter how many executive searches we complete for businesses in Greensboro, Charlotte, Raleigh and across NC, or how many staff and affiliates we employ, our core value is the same: we take the time to find the perfect match between your needs and our team’s expertise.

The result? Personal, custom HR service supported by the knowledge and strength of our entire team.

Now that’s an experience worth having.

For more information about our executive search capabilities, please contact us:
info@thehrgroupinc.net.

OSHA's New GHS: Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals

Brenda — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

In a press release issued by OSHA on March 12, 2012, OSHA announced compliance with the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, commonly known as "GHS."

According to the OSHA website (www.osha.gov), "the single most important force that drove the creation of the GHS was the international mandate adopted in the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), often called the "Earth Summit". The harmonization of classification and labelling of chemicals was one of six program areas that were endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly to strengthen international efforts concerning the environmentally sound management of chemicals. It was recognized that an internationally harmonized approach to classification and labelling would provide the foundation for all countries to develop comprehensive national programs to ensure the safe use of chemicals."

Are employers concerned about the implementation of this new system? In a recent poll posted on several compliance related websites by David Casavant, Executive Director at Workplace Safety Awareness Council, most respondents were concerned with capturing / providing MSDS. Quite a few were concerned with the time frame for compliance.

Compliance with GHS will be an addition to and a revision of OSHA's HAZCOM standard and will be fully effective in 2016. However, EMPLOYERS must train employees on the new label elements and safety data sheet (SDS) format in the next 18 months. Deadline for compliance on this training is December 1, 2013. The HR Group will be offering GHS compliance training several times over the next 18 months. If you want to be alerted when this training is available, please click here.

Why the buzz about pre-employment testing?

Brenda — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

In the last couple of weeks, I have noticed several posts on the LinkedIn Group, "Human Resource Professionals: The ‘Unofficial' Forum for SHRM Members," from members (both fairly new to their HR careers) wanting information from the collective wisdom of the group on pre-employment testing.

It occurs to me that this may be a trending topic for two reasons. One, companies are beginning to hire again. And two, there are SO many unemployed folks out there looking for and applying for jobs. Consequently, HR and hiring managers need all the help they can get in weeding out and finding the absolute BEST candidates for the job. They know that a bad hire can result in a great deal of lost revenue for their company.

There are a number of pre-employment tests on the market these days. Whichever instrument you choose, make sure it includes the following:

An assessment of the candidate's cognitive abilities, interests and behavioral traits
A benchmark (sometimes called a "performance model") that identifies the individual attributes of those who display the competencies associated with successfully performing the job.
A method of determining the level of honesty with which a candidate completed the test.

A good pre-employment test can also be of value past the employment phase by:

Helping develop effective work teams
Allowing for the design of optimal training programs based on the trainees' style of learning
Helping supervisors determine which approach will work best when working with a particular employee
Helping develop succession plans.

The HR Group uses the suite of assessment instruments created by Profiles International when we hire staff at our own office as well as when we recruit job candidates for other companies. We highly recommend them. To read the Executive Summary for one of the tests, the Profiles XT, click here. Or to see a Sample Report, click here.

If you've had challenges or successes with a particular pre-employment testing instrument, we would love to hear about it - and so would all those young, newly employed HR professionals - so please put your comments below.

TELL US YOUR STORY

Brenda Thompson — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The HR Group recently held a Diversity Forum Breakfast at First Presbyterian Church on January 24, 2012. The breakfast was organized by The HR Group, Inc. and sponsored by BB&T. The speaker was David Fraccaro, Executive Director of FaithAction International House. The program was titled “From Stranger to Neighbor” and discussion was on making Greensboro an immigrant-welcoming community. Please don't stop reading here! We want to hear your story so please read the full post.

At the breakfast, many stories were shared about personal experiences of encountering or being an immigrant in Greensboro. For those of you who did not get to share your story, we want to give you the opportunity and the encouragement to do so here.

We would love to hear your story about your encounters with those who have immigrated here from other countries, or if you are an immigrant, we’d like to hear your story about how you have been received here in the US. You can share your story in the “Post Your Comment” section below. If you post a story and sign your name, you will receive a complimentary pass to the next Diversity Forum Breakfast in April. Keep checking back to read stories from other folks.

Also, check out:

Results of a survey that was conducted as a result of the Diversity Forum Breakfast.

The 12-minute YouTube video with excerpts from the Diversity Forum Breakfast.

NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD TAKES ACTION ON “AMBUSH” ELECTIONS

Graham Dail, Senior Consultant, The HR Group, Inc. — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

In a November 30 action that was approved along party lines, the NLRB approved "Ambush" elections. The vote was 2 to 1 with Chairman Mark Pearce and Craig Becker (both recent appointees) voting for the resolution and Member Brian Hayes strongly dissenting. The scheduled vote was a "race to the finish line" that was intended to pass the procedural change by the end of Becker's recess appointment, which expires at the end of this year. The resolution passed over Hayes strong objections based on a number of long standing NLRB practices and precedents and his objection to ignoring 75 years of tradition that supported not passing a rule with only two votes in favor.

Currently, the Board has only 3 members, the minimum required by law to enact changes. Two of these (Pearce and Becker) are democratic party appointees and one (Hayes) is a republican appointee. Once Becker's recess appointment expires at the end of this year, the Board will only have two members (Pearce and Hayes) and will effectively be out of business until the President appoints replacements. However, the Congress is not likely to approve his appointments at this point.

Republicans and business groups said their main gripe with the plan was that it would prevent employers from challenging certain aspects of union elections before the voting occurs, including whether certain workers are eligible to vote and be part of a bargaining unit. For instance, employers sometimes argue that certain workers should be classified as supervisors, and therefore aren't eligible to unionize.

While this limited resolution was passed based on Pearce and Becker's votes, it did not include some of the more onerous provisions the Board has been discussing, such as requiring employers to provide email addresses to unions.

In supporting this resolution, Chairman Pearce stated that "workers have a right to a secret ballot election" and Becker commented that "employers should not be allowed to use unnecessary delay and wasteful litigation to prevent them (workers) from voting. Hayes commented that the proposal was unacceptable and "fundamentally flawed."

The Republican dominated House continues to seek ways to limit the authority of the NLRB and recently took action to limit the results of the Board's decision by introducing legislation that:

Provides employers with at least 14 days to prepare and present their case before a NLRB election officer and other rights throughout the election process.
Guarantees workers have the ability to make informed decisions by requiring that no election will be held in less than 35 days.
Reinstating the definition of bargaining unit by defining which employees will vote, preventing the possibility of "micro-unions".
Empowering workers to choose the type of personal contact information that can be provided to unions.

This most recent decision by this NLRB continues the Board's tilt and, according to some Board watchers, push for unfair and overreaching when it comes to ambush elections and micro-unions.

EEOC Announces Records Hit in 2011

Brenda Thompson — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The EEOC recently announced the following:

"The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finished fiscal year 2011 with a ten percent decrease in its pending charge inventory—the first such reduction since 2002, achieved the highest ever monetary amounts through administrative enforcement, and received a record number of charges of discrimination, the agency reported in its annual Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) filed today.

The EEOC received a record 99,947 charges of discrimination in fiscal year 2011, which ended Sept. 30, the highest number of charges in the agency’s 46-year history. EEOC staff also delivered historic relief through administrative enforcement—more than $364.6 million in monetary benefits for victims of workplace discrimination. This is also the highest level obtained in the Commission’s history. The fiscal year ended with 78,136 pending charges—a decrease of 8,202 charges, or ten percent. In previous years, the pending inventory had increased as staffing declined 30 percent between fiscal years 2000 and 2008."

What does that mean for us Human Resource Professionals? David Moff, CEO of The HR Group says, "Companies need to make sure their house is in order. The EEOC is really ramping up its enforcement as are all other agencies charged with enforcement of Employment issues. One of the biggest violations we see is misclassification of employees as Exempt or Non Exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act."

You can read the full announcement from EEOC by clicking here.

And please don't hesitate to call us or post a comment here to discuss any questions you might have on this or any other emloyment issues.

Are Your Bulletin Boards Up-To-Date?

H. Graham Dail, Senior Consultant, The HR Group, Inc. — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Keeping up-to-date notices on our bulletin boards has always been a challenge. The only way to describe this problem is “constant change”. Every employer should include an HR audit entry that ensures bulletin boards are inspected periodically (at least annually) for compliance.

Recent federal revisions include six (6) new / revised notices:

NLRA Employee Rights Notice (Effective 1/20/2012)

Equal Opportunity is the Law Notice (New GINA regulations effective 1/20/2011)

IRS Notice 797 (Revised 1/20/2011)

Federal Minimum Wage Notice (Released 7/24/2009)

USERRA Rights and Benefits Notice (Revised 11/08)

Family and Medical Leave Act – for employers of 50 or more employees (Released 12/08)

IRS Notice of Withholding/Earned Income Credit (Revised 1/20/2011)

Some Other Federal Notices are:

Employee Polygraph Notice

U.S.C.I.S. Discrimination Notice

Employee “Right to Know” Notice

Emergency Numbers

Payday Notice

North Carolina State Notices Include a recent mandatory change to the North Carolina Wage and Hour Laws notice:

NC Unemployment Insurance

NC Wage and Hour Act

NC Workers’ Compensation

NC Safety and Health Protection on the Job

NC Employment Notice / Benefit Rights

Posting regulations require the display of up-to-date notices as they are issued by the appropriate federal or state agency. If any of these posters / notices are not posted or are defaced, the employer can be fined up to $17,000. There are many sources for the classic “all-in-one” notices. One source is www.personnelconcepts.com, but several others are also available.

Federal Contractors Beware: WorkKeys Litigation

Brenda — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

If you are a Federal Contractor who uses WorkKeys (pre-employment assessment tool) at work, please read the two articles below. In the September/October 2011 issue of "The Employment Law Authority," Leigh Nason says, "OFCCP recently filed suit against a manufacturer for its allegedly discriminatory use of WorkKeys, a pre-employment assessment tool frequently endorsed by state and local governments. The company claims that WorkKeys is "valid and legal"; however, OFCCP's administrative complaint asserts that use of WorkKeys has an adverse impact on African-American, Asian and Hispanic workers. Sure to be a closely-watched case, contractors would be well-served to evaluate the use of any pre-employment assessments, ensure consistent and well-documented recordkeeping, and be prepared to defend such measures as "job-related and consistent with business necessity" if adverse impact is detected."

If you do use WorkKeys, please give us a call to discuss your pre-employment process. We'd be glad to help! If you know anyone else who uses it, please pass this along to them as well.

Here are the articles:

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/OFCCP20111291.htm

http://www.ogletreedeakins.com/publications/2011-10-13/recent-developments-ofccp-federal-contractors-beware

NLRB Issues Final Rule for Notification of Employee Rights

H. Graham Dail, Senior Consultant, The HR Group, Inc. — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The National Labor Relations Board has issued a FINAL RULE requiring most private-sector employers to post a notice informing employees of their protected rights guaranteed by the National Labor Relations Act. The notice was posted in the August 30, 2011 Federal Register and will be effective on November 14, 2011.

The posting requirement applies to all private-sector employers (including labor unions) subject to the National Labor Relations Act, which excludes agricultural, railroad and airline employers. The final rule takes effect 75 days after it is announced in the Federal Register, which is November 14, 2011.

Employee rights protected by the National Labor Relations Act will apply to both union and non-union workplaces subject to NLRB jurisdiction except small businesses not large enough to have a more than slight effect on interstate commerce. Jurisdiction standards are summarized in the rule.

The “notice of employee rights” will be provided at no charge by NLRB regional offices or can be downloaded from the Board website, www.nlrb.gov.

A New View on Video Interviewing

Zebulon Perrell — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Having a desk full of Resumes is nothing new in the world of job interviewing. Calling each job applicant to set up a phone interview can be very stressful, especially when time is involved. Going through all the results of these interviews and picking the best-qualified person to come in to a face-to-face interview will make your hairs stand on end. Recently, a new form of job interviewing has been developed that can make the job of picking the right candidate a whole lot easier.

Developed over the past couple of years, virtual interviewing is currently rising in popularity. Having the ability to screen candidates initially over the web has made it much more convenient for businesses to find the right person for the job. Not only does it save time during the first stages of the interview process- it can also save businesses money. Virtual interviewing is a very broad term as it can mean using Skype to do an interview or even your cell phone. However, one specific virtual interviewing tool is changing the way businesses conduct job interviews. This tool is Video-View^TM.

Video-View^TM is a brand new interviewing tool that lets a business interview the candidate online via a one-way or two-way interview, and the questions are customizable to fit a business’ needs. Jenny Stokes, a former employee at the United Way of Greater Greensboro has experienced firsthand how Virtual Interviewing and Video-View^TM has influenced her way of obtaining the right candidate for the job. "Video View^TM helped me narrow down and streamline my interview/hiring process. I had fewer face-to -face interviews and saved a tremendous amount of time,” said Mrs. Stokes when asked how her interview processed has changed since implementing Video-View^TM.

Virtual interviewing is not intended to replace a face-to-face interview, but should be used as an additional screening tool to the interview process. Many people have commented that, with virtual interviewing and specifically with Video-View^TM, that they can get to know a candidate on a better level. Mrs. Stokes commented that the most significant impact of Video-View^TM on her work was “efficiency and getting a feel for the candidate.” In addition, Mrs. Stokes added that Video-View^TM “saved me lots of time and energy and scheduling of in-person interviews so I could carry out the busy nature of my work.”

Virtual interviewing and tools like Video-View^TM are taking over the interview process by storm as they are helping companies save time and money in their hiring process. Going through and finding the right candidate for the job can be extremely frustrating and time-consuming but as virtual interviewing is showing, it is helping the interview process become more convenient.

New Law Requiring E-Verify

Brenda — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The Governor recently signed into law House Bill 36 that requires counties, cities, and employers to use the Federal E-Verify program to verify the authorization of newly hired employees. This bill requires North Carolina employers with 25 or more employees, including counties and cities, to verify that newly hired employees are legally authorized to work. The requirement to use E-Verify is effective on October 1, 2011 for certain state government employers and applies to employers on a graduated schedule beginning on October 1, 2012. The requirement will include all employers with 25 or more employees after July 1, 2013.

The HR Group, Inc. is holding a half day workshop on this issue, how this new law will impact NC Employers and I-9 record keeping requirements, and what employers need to know about E-Verify. This workshop will also explain the enrollment process, forms, MOU, and selecting administrators.

Information you need to know all in a Half Day workshop!

You Don't Want To Miss This!

Date: October 18th

Time: 8:30am-12:00pm

Location: At the HRG Academy

216-3 S. Swing Rd,

Greensboro, NC

Call 33-292-1911 for more information!

Price: $99

Includes a binder with workshop materials.

Discount available if multiple people attend from an organization.

What documents need to be stored, and for how long, from the hiring process?

Ellen Schlosser — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Answer (from Ellen Schlosser, Senior Consultant with The HR Group): First of all, we recommend that all employers use a job application form that collects consistent information on candidates as well as providing the appropriate “legal” disclaimers from those candidates. Resumes are just not sufficient. We also recommend that you do not use or keep unsolicited resumes.

Secondly, the number of years that you should retain records depends on a number of factors, primarily, the number of employees. Many nonprofit organizations have policies that they intend to comply with the spirit of anti-discrimination regulations, even though they may not be legally obligated to do so. According to SHRM, the national human resources association:

Major federal antidiscrimination laws addressing the retention of employment records and, specifically, hiring records, include Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Title VII and the ADA apply to employers of 15 or more employees. The ADEA applies to employers with 20 or more employees. Employers covered under any, or all, of these laws must retain hiring records for each position for at least one year from the date of the hiring decision (i.e., the date the position was filled). Hiring records include, but are not limited to, all applications and resumes considered for the position, selection testing (employment tests, drug tests) and investigations (reference checks, background or credit checks). In addition, under the antidiscrimination laws, if there is a pending charge or claim of discrimination against the organization, all relevant hiring records must be retained until the conclusion of the case.

Retention periods are the same for hardcopy as well as for electronic versions of documents. As a general rule, we recommend that you keep documents that are used in the employment process for the current year plus four years.

As a general rule, we recommend the following process for managing recruiting documents:

Accept resumes and applications ONLY when you have a valid job opening. Unsolicited resumes and/or applications that are received other than in direct response to a specific job opening should be properly discarded upon receipt. You are under no legal obligation to respond to people who send unsolicited resumes. You may send them a letter, but would do so only as a courtesy. The caution here is, as in so many things related to human resources, to be consistent. If you send letters or notes to one, be prepared to send them to all. Again, we don't recommend the practice of responding to unsolicited applications.
Be sure that, if you do anything with a candidate beyond the first review of the resume, you make sure you get a signed application from the candidate. In other words, if you choose not to interview the candidate, you do not need to obtain the application. Again, be consistent - follow the same procedure for all candidates.
Proper documentation of the hiring process is essential for defending your hiring decision should you be challenged later on. Never make notes in margins or on documents that could be construed as discriminatory or that identify protected characteristics, such as race, sex, national origin, etc. Proper documentation means that all notes should be strictly job related and not make reference to any protected class characteristics. A helpful tool to ensure that your documentation is proper would be a decision matrix for the job where you list the essential qualifications and aspects of the job then rate each candidate against the various items on your list. Such a scorecard helps to keep your decision focused on bona fide job requirements.

Hiring Persons with Disabilities

Brenda — Tue, 10 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

In our May newsletter, we published an article by Steve Black, a member of the Greensboro Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities. The article highlighted the Walgreens Model for hiring people who are "differently abled." If you haven't read the article, click here to read it. Then, we would love to hear your feedback on this article, or to hear your stories, successful or otherwise on this topic. Just click on the red Comments above or below this text to post yours. Walgreen's Outreach Staff will be monitoring the comments to this post as well.

HealthCare Reform

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0400

CEO David Moff spoke at the Chamber of Commerce last week about Health Care Reform. Check out his thoughts HERE! Tell us what you think about Health Care Reform and how it affects your business.

Video View

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Would you like to cut down on hiring costs? Interview people at your own conveinence? To learn how to save time and money check out what video view is all about on our youtube channel

Tell us your thoughts! What do you think about interviewing over a webcam? Would you be interested in doing/giving an interview this way?

Are you using blogs or social media in your business?

Brenda — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

We hope you'll follow our blog and we'd like to follow yours too. Let us know if you have a company blog and how to access it.

Welcome to our Blog

Admin — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Welcome to our blog! The HR Group is getting into the social media scene so we can connect better with our current and future clients. We will be posting information about future events, current HR news, and tips for a successful workplace. We encourage visitors to engage in our posts and share their input. To respond to a post click "view full post" and fill out the information below. We look forward to hearing from you! Please check out our Facebook and Twitter page for more information about what The HR Group is doing!

Legal Briefing

Admin — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The HR Group is hosting an event on March 2nd. The topic will be on Five Problem Areas for Compensation of Non Exempt Employees. Understanding which employees are exempt and not exempt is confusing and could cause serious legal actions if filed incorrectly. If your company or you personally have been affected by a compensation issue or if you would like to learn more about this topic, please attend this event! You can register by clicking on the following link. Register for Legal Briefing

If you have any comments about this please share!