Another Day in the HR Field

Occasionally, we have the pleasure of hosting guest bloggers on this site which is what you will find here today.   The following was written by  Tina Martin of Ideaspired.com .  Coincidentally, I happen to be facilitating a webinar around this topic later in the month. The topic is Encouraging & Maintaining Remote Employee Engagement.    Click here to check it out and sign up!  Image via Pixabay One of the biggest hurdles that businesses face is reaching their customer base. If you want to maximize profits, you need the right talent and tools. If your business has moved to remote work, it is important you understand how to set up a skilled remote team. Here guide that explains how you can put one together, courtesy of Rogers HR Consulting . Imagine Your Team's Structure   As you plan to put together a remote team, imagine the types of roles you would like to fill. Each person on the team should bring specific strengths to the team. Your ...

I will be co-hosting with the UIS Continuing & Professional Education department a summer HR Workshop Series.  Each week a different topic will be presented covering COVID Workplace topics the first three weeks with the last two weeks focusing on helping employers meet the Workplace Transparency Act compliance training requirement by year-end.  Here is what is in store for the next five weeks for all those who register, grab a lunch, and sit down at their home or office computer. COVID Training Thursday from Noon-1p.m. 7/9 - Noon -1pm HR2033  Encouraging and Maintaining Remote Employee Engagement – COVID 19 sent over 68% of employees home for at least two months and many of them are still there working day in and day out either permanently or until there is an antidote for the virus.  So in the meantime, what is a manager to do when it comes to keeping those employees motivated, productive, and engaged in the workplace? We will di...

Merry Christmas! Thanks to a client who informed me of a new requirement she was made aware of at an Employment Law update training event last month, I recently research said notification and unbeknownst to me, it was true.  I was shocked because in my humble opinion it conflicts with the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act .  However, we do things a bit different here in the Land of Lincoln.  So keep reading this "Just in Time" notification that will give owners, executives, HR professionals, managers, and supervisors a holiday treat to add to your daily to do list at work! Surprise, surprise, surprise there’s another new law to follow! Unfortunately, one that has been in affect for some time now but has not received much notice and was slid in right under our HR noses! Not once but TWICE! The Illinois Department of Labor established new regulations, “ Payment and Collection of Wages or Final Compensation – Records and Notice of Requirements” in August of 2014 t...

Several new laws have taken effect in the last year that affect Public Employers primarily.  Please review this legislative update carefully and contact me for any further information you may need to ensure compliance. P.A. 100-0947 (January 1, 2019) – This Act amends the Counties Code to require that on or before June 1, 2019, every facility that houses a circuit court room shall include at least one lactation room or area for members of the public to express breast milk in private that is located outside the confines of a restroom and includes, at minimum, a chair, table, electrical outlet, and a sink with running water where possible.  This room may be the same space provided to employees. The legislation further requires the Supreme Court to create minimum standards for posting and training of courthouse staff. Construction or renovation of a court facility after June 1, 2019 shall include at least one lactation room or area that is located outside the confines of a res...

My blogging has been pretty sporadic lately! I just finished an overload semester and had a boat load of client work to handle as well. So unpaid work gets pushed aside. I hope to get more regular on this site as time moves forward. Here's a summary of some of the main points related to a program I delivered last week to over 70 management personnel. Recently, I facilitated a training event in Springfield covering the topic above. The exact wording used in the title can often be found at the end of a personnel or employment related policy reminding employees to follow the rules (i.e. policy) or else! The problem is that many times management doesn't enforce those policies because conflict for anyone is not easy and often avoided at all costs. However, the long-term costs to a company for not enforcing can lead to poor performance, attitude, increased turnover, decreased morale of other employees, unfair or inequity complaints to outside agencies or an attorney. So botto...

Since 2011, I have incorporated a social learning aspect to my HRM and Strategic HRM course.  The graduate students get to chose while the undergraduates are assigned a specific podcast to listen to each week.  Over the years, I have incorporated blog readings, podcasts, and HR related assessments.  While some have come and gone, I've decide this year to go full podcast as I think students get a chance to actually hear from various practitioners in the field.  Adding an auditory aspect to the learning helps enhance the overall learning experience especially when our online students already have to do a lot of reading! So here is this years winning list in no particular order: HR Over Coffee Talent Culture Let's Fix Work Workology HR Happy Hour HR Break Room Impact Makers HR Works Nine to Thrive HR

This morning I had a chance to talk with Brian Pierce from WMAY as a member of Local First Springfield. We talked about ice cream, management coaching, hiring and retaining employees and more.  Have a listen! Listen to "Rogers HR Consulting - 6/15/18" on Spreaker.

The morning after a day in Jamaica starts off with a bang in Julie Pugh's session covering Harassment in the Headlines most recently refenced by hashtags #MeToo and #TimesUp.  Her session was titled Have Your Life Jacket Handy: The HR Professional's Role in Addressing Pre-Lawsuit Procedures. Whew! That's a mouthful! However, being prepared is a big deal and deserves our attention, understanding, and consideration to avoid a mouthful of curse words (quietly of course) when you get handed your first EEOC complaint or lawsuit.  Believe me, they are not fun to deal with! I have personally had my share of harassment (especially sexual) complaints during my tenure in HR.  So far this year, I have delivered a couple of programs as well as conducted a couple of investigation and it's only February! The stories I could tell would make you wonder what type of work is actually being done in the workplace.  Matter of fact, I shared one of them in the session that helped Jul...

The following was originally written in 2011 and posted on the Women of HR site here: http://womenofhr.com/is-the-good-ol%E2%80%99-boy-network-just-a-myth/ As I prepare for a program on harassment and discrimination to be delivered at the Danville Community College later this month, I was reminded of this post and thought I would share again here. From the archives: From Women of HR By Donna Rogers, SPHR, SHRM-SCP The following are a few hypothetical (not really) life stories related to human resources, being a woman in what is still in some circles ‘a man’s world’ and organizational behavior. At the end of each story, I challenge you to put yourself in the position of anyone in this story and comment on whether or not you think the “ good ol’ boy ” network is a myth or has a touch of reality. There are no right or wrong answers. Have fun! Myth or reality? A fully qualified female non-commissioned officer applies for a commissioned officer position within a department for which she ...

The following was originally written in 2011 and posted on the Women of HR site here:  http://womenofhr.com/bride-to-be-discouraged-employee/ As I prepare for a program on harassment and discrimination to be delivered at the Danville Community College later this month, I was reminded of this post and thought I would share again here.  From the archives (although updated slightly with number of years married, etc. By Donna Rogers, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Last week (in 2011), I was teaching a two-day Certified Public Manager session for a group of association members.  The session was called Human Resources: Productivity and Quality.  During one of our discussions regarding compliance related issues we covered the process of an HR Audit which included as one of many tasks, a review of posters that need to be posted at work sites.  One participant mentioned a poster that drew quite a stir when it first came out, which I personally was not aware of, pictured t...

To continue our focus on Disaster Preparedness this month, I would like to introduce guest author, Kendall Herbert who specializes in Emergency Management and will be in the job market next Spring after graduating with his Bachelors degree in Emergency Management.  Look for other topics along these lines to come. Evacuation and re-entry are important parts of keeping organizations prepared for disasters. It can be the different between a long drawn out process leaving everyone confused, or quicker one which would allow more time to work. Being prepared and taking time in advance can save organizations time and money in the long run. For example, when there is a gas leak within a building what steps are people immediately going to do? ·          Evacuate the building, ·          meet up in the designated location, and ·          wait until told...

The following is from our local SHRM Chapter.  I thought I would share it as a member to help others who are working on Disaster Plans this month: While we thankfully do not have hurricanes in Illinois, the events along the coast reminds us of the importance of emergency preparation.  This is true of our companies as much as for our employees.  Just as businesses have developed disaster plans to limit down time and loss of productivity, we can help our employees be better prepared as well.  By encouraging their preparation, you are reinforcing that they are a valued employee. Listed below are links for you to share with your employees including GO Bag  instructions.      Also listed are links for businesses to begin or evaluate business disaster plans.  Make - Be Ready!  A part of your company discussions.   For employees https://www.ready.gov/ https://www.illinois.gov/ready/plan/Pages/GoBag.aspx https://www.ill...

I am often contacted about what I speak on and since I rewrite a new paragraph or two every time, I thought I would document it here for those who have interest. I cover any topic related to management and especially as it relates to employees via human resources management.  You can see some topics listed  on my website at www.rogershr.com or blogsite https://donnarogershr.blogspot.com/ .  The most recent topics include: Reasonable Suspicion Empathy in the Workplace Conducting a Workplace Investigation The Bermuda Triangle of HR: FMLA, WC, & ADA Harassment & Discrimination HR Issues or What’s Hot in HR Now Getting What You Want in the Workplace Managing Workplace Conflict I am working on preparing one on Bereavement Leave that I will deliver in February at the 2nd annual OHSHRM HR Cruise.  I have spoken recently for Women Entrepreneurs,  General Federation for Women’s Club and Women in Communications linked above.  I tailor...

The following is a guest post from Lisa Green. She can be contacted directly at  lisagreenbradyfan@gmail.com . The world of social media grows by the second and with every growing second, there are more and more comments, pictures and videos posted that could potentially hinder an applicant's chances of landing their dream job. Finding a job was once a simple process but now, companies all over are screening their applicants on everything from their criminal history to their driving records, and even their social media presence . Different types of career fields choose different types of screening that apply specifically to their job requirements and many are now using social media as a way of seeing if an applicant’s personality will mesh well with their current staff. Jobs That Require Social Media Checks In 2015, more than 80 percent of companies use social media checks as part of their screening process. For those companies, they say it’s a great way to see...

The following is a guest post from a very hard working, dedicated, and friendly man in uniform that I am honored to know and work with: Joe Schweickert As a veteran myself serving from 1985-1993 this is a deeply disturbing HR issue that the military personnel records have been exposed. www.federalnewsradio.com By now, most of us have heard about the OPM (Office of Personnel Management) data breach, in which hackers (allegedly sponsored by China) gained access to personnel records of current and former federal employees. A recent interview with Jason Miller, Executive Editor at Federal News Radio, discussed the two different breaches, and the federal response to improve security for information systems.  www.opm.gov First, it is important to understand that there have been two separate breaches at OPM. The first, and more widely reported, involves personnel records on up to 14 million current and former federal employees, dating back to the 1980s. The second ...

A Letter to Family, Friends,Clients, & Business Associates: The summer HR intern and I have been conducting a full client file review for all organizations Rogers HR Consulting (RHRC) has worked with and/or provided proposals for since I began the business in 2001. While this was a big project and well overdue it was essential to learn from each client where we stand as a vendor and see how we can support the organizations goals in the future. What we discovered in this process was just how lucky RHRC has been to support such a vast variety of organizations over these past 13 years. Most of our success is because of the word of mouth from people like you. We don't have a budget to advertise and frankly don't have time due to my teaching responsibilities throughout the year in addition to client work. Thus your referrals are and will continue to be greatly appreciated! The following is a summary of the services we have provided to over 100 organizations in order from m...

This is a post I started in April and just getting a chance to publish. My apologies for the delay.  It's been a few years since Tami Ireland and I started the state legislative conference with then ILSHRM Director, Carolyn Spherl.  With continued support we have had our ups and downs but yesterday put a smile on both of our faces for a couple reasons. Those reasons center around two things: 1) Growth & 2) Opportunity.  Both of us have visited Capitol Hill in DC during the SHRM sponsored Lobby Day and have mirrored our approach as closely as possible. However, some years  have not even come close to this year especially as it relates to opportunity.  If you compare the picture of our first year to this years, you can see the growth in number of participants. It's obvious to us that even though growth has been slow it is still growth. Can't wait to see what the 2015 ILSHRM / CICSHRM legislative event will bring next Spring.  The opportunity I was referri...

Well that was a blast! Hanging with long time HR friend, Dave Ryan, talking about Running an HR Department of One down south in the state of Louisiana. It was more than a blast...it was a great learning experience. I have always considered Dave mentor on areas of HR where I had little experience. One of those areas is Labor Relations. This go around I learned a lot about some new technologies that will help get the job done more effectively and efficiently.  Among my list of takeaways from Dave include Smart Recruiters, Work for Us, Flubaroo, and Google Docs. Mobile apps have been the rave for a couple of years now but Smart Recruiters seem to have an edge on the recruiting space. The app allows cost conscious HR professionals to post job openings for free and then get picked up by a host of other online job banks. On top of your return on investment for a pinch of your time, it's relatively easy to learn and use. Another related Facebook add on is called Work For Use which do...

I  admit, I am not the most polished among my peers in the HR speakers community. Nor do I attest to "know it all" or have the most interesting "stories". I especially have not worked at a Fortune "any number" organization which usually are the only ones who actually get paid to speak. Well there are those who have authored a book who get paid. I'm not there yet either.  What I do know is how to pick a great partner in crime, what topics are not usually to the level of detail I feel is sufficient and how to dress for the occasion. Like the latter even matters, right? Well you will find a few shopping trip posts on social media where it has mattered to some (myself included).  I also admit that less than a handful of speaking gigs hardly qualify one to be "on the circuit". What I confess to be true about speaking at a conference is:  *I have a fabulous time helping others.  *I meet a great deal of wonderful HR professionals as w...

As I  publish this post, I noticed how long it has been since I wrote anything on here and all the blame is on my crazy schedule since the conference season started and the semester began. My last post was about ILSHRM in August.  Since then I have attended three additional state conferences and the SHRM Thought Leaders Retreat and SHRM Strategy conference. So while this post is about KSSHRM, I am also grateful to WISHRM and MNSHRM as well!  So my first ever State Conference presentation was indeed at KSSHM... Whoo Hoo! I am humbled and ecstatic to have had the gracious privilege of presenting in front of my peers at the Kansas State SHRM conference recently at the Overland Park Convention Center in Kansas City, KS.  Although, my trip was quick and we ran out of time to cover everything planned, I am confident that I made a difference for some who may have either been reassured of their own process or had little to no experience with the topic. The proof was in...