Month: December 2021

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has published new practical guidance on hybrid working. The guidance covers areas as varied as recruitment, health and safety, and ensuring policies and practices are inclusive and fair. The new guidance, commissioned on behalf of the government’s flexible working taskforce, comes in the context of significant movement
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Human Resources leaders are always being asked to look into a crystal ball and predict the future. You probably don’t have any super powers. But your Spidey sense might be telling you that a few trends that are surfacing are likely to stick around through the new year, 2022. The coronavirus pandemic has changed your
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On Dec. 7, the government in Ontario, Canada, extended the “COVID-19 Period” and the temporary measures introduced by O.Reg. 228/20: Infectious Disease Emergency Leave under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) until July 30, 2022. The temporary measures introduced by the regulation were previously set to end on Jan. 1, 2022. The “COVID-19 Period” has thus far been in effect since
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​While news about the coronavirus dominated headlines in 2021, many businesses continued important work in diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I)—though others found their efforts falling short. A report showing organizations are not holding themselves accountable for DE&I initiatives was SHRM Online‘s most-read DE&I article this year, followed by the announcement of the creation of a
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Workers join unions to ensure fair labor practices and standards. These groups work together to negotiate payments, rules, and regulations. Sometimes, there is great tension between employers and unions. This puts HR leaders in a tough spot.  However, if you educate yourself on unions and their role in the Labor Movement, you can prepare yourself.
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When Professor Hsiu-hua Shen of National Tsing Hua University in Taipei, Taiwan, went to Beijing to conduct research on gender discrimination issues, she started hearing stories from friends looking for jobs. The women told her that they often weren’t asked to come in for interviews, or if they were, the topic would drift to their
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Union enrollment has been dropping for the last three decades, yet several recent high-profile union votes have companies wondering whether labor is finally making a comeback. In 1983, 20.1% of employed Americans were members of a union, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Yet by 2019 that amount had dropped to 10.3%. New data
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As many people work from home to avoid the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ontario government has passed legislation to help workers disconnect from their employment responsibilities after work hours. The right-to-disconnect provision takes effect June 2, 2022. Ontario is now the first jurisdiction in Canada to establish policies that prioritize workers’ mental
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​For decades, companies have celebrated a “Christmas shutdown” by closing for several days around Dec. 25. Shifting to calling the time a “holiday shutdown” recognizes that not everyone celebrates Christmas, but some employees may still feel like one religion’s celebration takes precedence over others.  “The reality is that most organizations consider employees of different backgrounds
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The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is striking a blow to the best-laid HR plans for 2022. Over the weekend before the Christmas holiday, businesses began to close their doors and reconsider their return-to-office policies. Google, Apple, and Citigroup all returned to remote work and abandoned previous timelines for returning to the office, according to NBC
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The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is striking a blow to the best-laid HR plans for 2022. Over the weekend before the Christmas holiday, businesses began to close their doors and reconsider their return-to-office policies. Google, Apple, and Citigroup all returned to remote work and abandoned previous timelines for returning to the office, according to NBC
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Today’s world moves quickly, with constantly-evolving technology and a business landscape that seems to change dramatically every few years. One of the departments hit the hardest is Human Resources (HR). The development of tools that can help track employee progress, performance and engagement, among many other important elements of the employee experience, have been an
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During this historic labor shortage, often referred to as the Great Resignation, Human Resources leaders are searching for ways to attract top talent. And they often turn to innovative benefits. Many are at least considering off-the-beaten-path ideas that provide practical solutions to employees’ biggest problems. Recently, Goldman Sachs made headlines for its rollout of new
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​Using “fire and rehire” as a way to implement changes to terms and conditions of employment has become increasingly controversial in the U.K. in recent years. In October, the government blocked legislation that would have made it unlawful for employers to dismiss employees and re-engage them on worse terms. The government instead asked the Advisory,
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​Facing a new coronavirus surge, Germany recently implemented significant pandemic-related restrictions affecting workplaces nationwide. Notably, as of Nov. 24, employees may enter their workplaces only if they show so-called 3G certification that they’re vaccinated against COVID-19, have tested negative or have recovered from the coronavirus. German lawmakers also established a new work-from-home obligation requiring employers
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