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volume II issue X October 2014 |
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3 Lessons Companies Can Learn From Kindergarteners Last week, my daughter completed her first month of kindergarten. It was an overwhelming and incredibly exciting experience for her. (And let's face it, for me, too.) I'm sure a lot of you have been there. During the first week of school, parents are invited to hang out for morning assembly. I spent a lot of time waiting around and observing, and thinking about how, minus all the shouting and tears, the first week of school is a lot like starting a new job. Though obviously employees are not children, in a lot of ways kids are simply a more expressive, honest version of the adults around them. With this microcosm in mind I wanted to share three things I noticed that I think also apply in the adult work world: 1. Shout Outs Inspire Everyone Every Friday at my daughter's school is "Shout-out Friday"–when the presenting class chooses a person who best displayed the school's values of Be Responsible, Respectful, Safe and Kind. Last week the second grade class chose Finneas. "Finneas," they said, "you always include everyone and you are so very kind and nice to the new kids. We're going to miss you so much when you move away." Finneas' jaw (quite literally) dropped. Read on. Beware of the Counteroffer: What it Really Says . . . Think about it: an employee successfully went through the process of finding, interviewing, and accepting a new job, only to be pulled back in by the company they already committed to leaving. It may make you ask, "Should I make a counteroffer?" We've talked about instances in which it might actually be beneficial to have employees who are motivated by money, but this isn't one of them. Whether their reason is salary, position, a better company, or sheer boredom, there are very few instances, if any, when a counter offer should be made–or accepted. The reality is even if a counter offer is accepted, the employee will soon fall back into the funnel of unhappiness or doubt that originally caused him to look for a new job. More often than not, the offer just delays the inevitable. What does a counter offer truly say from an employer? "Hey, you know what? You called our bluff! We have been underpaying you for years. You are truly worth a lot more than we are currently paying you, so let's make this right." Read on. Political Arguments in the Workplace Question: With election time drawing near, we have some employees who have been very vocal about their political beliefs, including making insulting remarks about those who do not share their views. This is making other employees uncomfortable. What can we do as an employer to control political arguments in the workplace? Answer: Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, employers have the right to regulate and control employee work time and, as a result, may restrict any political activity during work time by prohibiting certain activities and behaviors that interfere with an employee's (or other employees') work. This includes wearing campaign buttons or t-shirts, leafleting, and disruptive commentary in the workplace. According to Michelle Reid, Esq. of Dallas-based Employment Practices Solutions, intelligent political dialogue can increase camaraderie and interaction between coworkers, but it can quickly escalate into arguments and lead to formal complaints and a divisive work environment. Reid states all organizations should have a policy that addresses discussions that may not be suitable for the workplace and the importance of maintaining a tolerant environment. Further, since political discussions between two people with opposing views rarely have a happy ending, train managers on how to diffuse an impassioned political discussion. Read on. EEOC: Trolling for plaintiffs? It's no secret to employers that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has taken a more provocative and confrontational approach to investigating and litigating claims of employment discrimination. But the EEOC's treatment of Case New Holland, Inc. takes "pushing the envelope" to a new level. To make matters worse, a federal court has OK'd the EEOC's tactics. Read more. SEC Awards $30 Million to Whistleblower On September 22, 2014, the SEC announced its largest whistleblower award to date under its Dodd-Frank whistleblower bounty program. It awarded $30-$35 million to an anonymous whistleblower who the Commission said provided original information about an ongoing fraud that would otherwise have been difficult to detect. That information led to the successful enforcement of an SEC action as well as unspecified related actions. The SEC stated that the whistleblower’s award would have been even higher if he/she had not unreasonably delayed in coming forward Read more. |
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> FEATURE ARTICLE 3 Lessons Companies Can Learn From Kindergarteners > TIP OF THE MONTH Beware of the Counteroffer: What it Really Says . . . > Q & A Political Arguments in the Workplace > LEGAL UPDATES EEOC: Trolling for plaintiffs? SEC Awards $30 Million to Whistleblower Area Temps, Inc. 1228 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44115 Toll Free: 1.866.995.JOBS www.areatemps.com |
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