I had the opportunity to speak with some senior HR professionals and CEOs during this year’s Great Place to Work Small and Medium Business Conference. Every single person I spoke with said their biggest challenge is managing growth. Not just growth in terms of products, services and customers. But growth in terms of employees and morale. But they’re changing all the time. Michael C. It’s truth. MORE

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Is it unprofessional to write notes on my hands? work in a fast-paced environment that’s semi-open to the public, and am frequently running around the office and public area juggling urgent tasks and sudden requests. To keep track of things-I-must-not-forget-but-can’t-do-right-this-very-second, I write on my hands. A lot (palms only). I was meeting my mom after work earlier this week after an incredibly busy day, and had one palm covered in notes (nothing really legible – mostly strings of numbers or a word or two to job my memory. Post-its? MORE

The holidays can be joyous of many it can also be offensive to others. We all come with our own set of belief systems. Regardless if we all agree with each other on holiday celebrations, we all belong to the same workplace team. Creating a workplace that excites and inspires everyone is a tough feat […]. Productivity diversity holidays in the workplace workplace holidays MORE

Year-end is always a full time for HR. There are various open enrollment efforts, reports and social events. Throw into the mix that we’re in the midst of the holiday season which brings it’s own set of emotions ranging from positive to stressful. At a time when you’d hope people would be more open and gracious, you may find just the opposite. When did this happen to us? MORE

Prepared using APQC’s Open Standards Benchmarking® portal, this table highlights key human capital management benchmarks for organizations in the petroleum/chemical industry. Human Capital Management Benchmarks and Metrics 6.0 Develop and Manage Human Capital Print Chemicals Petroleum/Oil/Gas MORE

Why Money Is a Bad Motivator and What Works Better. What Motivates Employees? Hint: It Isn’t Money!). For years, businesses have operated under the assumption that money was the primary motivation for employees to remain with an employer, dedicate themselves to the company’s success and strive to produce exemplary work. Why Money Does Not Matter More. What Works Better than Money. MORE

Join me on December 6th at 1pm ET for a webinar panel discussion with three very smart Millennials as we discuss how this generation is viewing the workplace differently, particularly in the context of membership organizations MORE

Remember the letter-writer in August who was trying to figure out how to keep his young star performer without being able to promote him or give him much more money … while his slower, less skilled coworker earned almost double? Here’s the update. To clarify some things, my company has a two-tier partnership structure. There is the Ownership tier that own around 80% of the equity and responsibilities to simplify are sales and finance. Then there is a Principle tier that is responsible for running each discipline: Structural, Mechanical, Civil, Electrical. We each have around 5%. MORE

Employee engagement is a popular topic in the HR space and has become a major challenge for businesses. A new generation in the workforce demands it, widespread use of technology enables it and a fast-paced environment makes its meaning ever clearer -- all the factors contribute to employee engagement becoming more important than ever. the bottom line clearly proves its efficacy. MORE

Finding and hiring the right talent has never been more difficult. The skills shortage, increased job market competition and diversity in the expectations of prospective job candidates have highly complexified the recruitment and selection process for HR managers. Despite the situation, recruitment represents a great area of opportunity for HR who are under a constant pressure to realise cost savings and need to work around budget constraints. Our ability to make good decisions is naturally pivotal to ensure business success and sustainability on the long term. Emphasise on Culture. MORE

Companies, departments and people all have personalities; some are tech-savvy and seek out the latest-and-greatest technologies at every turn. However, others need a little coaxing and coaching in the realm of technology. For those companies in the latter camp (and often it's even departments), it's important to shift paradigms from fear-based to enthusiastic about what technology can do to improve the workplace. To help get laggards on board, here are ways to frame the benefits of technology. The results should help build a culture of people who welcome the latest tech with open arms. MORE

In our recent 6 Ways to Check Your Background Before You Apply for Jobs post, we talked about the importance of fact-checking your own records. Red flags in your academic, employment, criminal, driving, credit, financial, and even social media history can prevent you from landing the hourly job you want. The focus for today’s post is on cleaning up your social media accounts. Not quite. MORE