Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

One of the necessary evils of being an employer and having employees is dealing with sexual harassment. I know plenty of employers who believe it would never happen in their workplace and/or there was no need to worry about such things, only to be proven wrong in very big, messy ways.

Clearly written sexual harassment policies and procedures help. The policy not only lets the employee know what is not acceptable behavior but it lets the employee know what the consequences are for participating in that unacceptable behavior. Procedures are great because they concisely (hopefully) tell employees what the steps are for addressing the offending behavior. It gives the help (and hope). However, sexual harassment policies and procedures are not enough.

In today’s world, a sexual harassment case can easily escalate into a lawsuit and employers – whether they want to or not – must prepare themselves for such a possibility. And while a sexual harassment policy and procedure will help in the due diligence arena, the courts have repeatedly stated employers need to take it a step further and implement sexual harassment training.

Sexual harassment training allows the employer to take the information they have in the policy and procedures and make sure employees and supervisors/managers understand and implement what is in writing. It provides a layer of protection for the employer, employee, and workplace that would otherwise create vulnerabilities.

So, if you do not have a written sexual harassment policy and procedures – get busy. It doesn’t matter how small of an employer you are, you still risk it all if you don’t have the proper policy and procedure in place. And if you really want to put the cherry on top, begin the process of training employees and supervisors/managers on those policies and procedures. Otherwise, your vulnerabilities still exist.

Health Care Reform... Approaching Fast

As an employer, are you prepared for sweeping health care reform changes scheduled to come into effect in 2014?  It's true, the Obama Administration's Health Care Reform Act is being challenged in the Supreme Court and many of those stipulations in the Act may be modified or even dropped, but many legal pundits still believe there will be plenty for employers (and employees) to contend with when the majority of the Act's aspects come into full effect in 2014.

A recent article in Workforce delves into the Health Care Reform's challenges for employers.  It's worth a look, even if you believe you are exempt from a lot of the Act's regulations because you're a small employer.  Remember, even small employers have some requirements with this piece of legislation - designed to increased health care coverage for Americans - and not meeting those requirements could cost you in the pocketbook.  So check out this article and make sure you know where you and your business stands when it comes to this important legislation.

Customer Service Workshop

Delivering quality service is the key to survival in today’s business world. How you handle your customers will differentiate your business from the competition. Here’s what’s at stake: When customers are happy, they are likely to spend about 10% more on your product or service plus bring repeat business. But if they think they haven’t been treated right? They will tell everyone who will listen about their bad experience(s) and more than 90% of them (according to a study by Technical Assistance Research Programs) will never buy from you again.

Knowing what your customers expect and determining their needs, managing difficult customers, and increasing your company credibility will add value to your organization and develop the necessary environment for a quality, customer oriented culture. This workshop will help you recognize and fine-tune the critical aspects of serving customers better – securing that customer satisfaction and increasing repeat business.

This workshop will cover areas such as:

• Who is the customer?
• Presenting a customer-oriented package
• Establishing customer expectations
• Communication skills are vital
• Dealing with difficult customers

For more information on this value-added workshop, click HERE.

Small Business & Hiring...

It appears the outlook for hiring by small business is grim.  In a recent CNN Money article, small business employers are saying they plan to stay at their current employee numbers for the remainder of 2011 and in 2012.  In a survey released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, two-thirds of small businesses stated they have no plans to add employees through 2012.  This is not good news for the labor market or unemployment rate.

For more on the story, click HERE.

Many Firms Find Social Media Workplace Misuse Problematic: Study

Of 120 employer respondents, 43.4 percent said social media network misuse has been an issue for them, and 31.3 percent said they have had to take disciplinary action against an employee because of misuse, according to the survey.

For more on this article, click HERE.

Assertiveness

The other day, I watched a supervisor accuse an employee of being too aggressive in their communication.  The supervisor stated the employee's style was intimidating and cited specific examples of how the employee's aggressiveness intimidated her co-workers.  I quietly listened but quickly found myself pulling the supervisor aside to have a chat with him.

The supervisor made a classic mistake.  The mistake the supervisor made was believing aggressive communication is the same as assertive communication.  There is a distinct difference.

Assertive communication is basically ensuring your message is heard and understood.  Aggressive communication is ensuring your message is heard (often times by beating the receiver over the head with it) and you don't care if it is understood or not.  It is that simple. 

The employee used confident, unapologetic language and initiated active listening to ensure the message sent was understood.  But because the employee was so straight-forward with the communication, the co-worker found it intimidating and the supervisor deemed the communication as aggressive.  Talk about a mess!

Here are some clear examples of aggressive/assertive communication differences:

Aggressive style:
• Strident, sarcastic or condescending voice
• Fluent, few hesitations
• Often abrupt, clipped
• Often fast
• Emphasizing blaming words
• Firm voice
• Tone sarcastic, cold, harsh
• Voice can be strident, often shouting, rising at end
• Use of threats, e.g., “You’d better watch out” or “If you don’t...”
• Put downs, e.g., “You’ve got to be kidding...” or “Don’t be so stupid”
• Evaluative comments, emphasizing concepts such as: should”, “bad”, “ought”
• Sexual / racist remarks
• Boastfulness, e.g., “I haven’t got problems like yours”
• Opinions expressed as fact, e.g., “Nobody want to behave like that” or “That’s a useless way to do it”
• Threatening questions, e.g., “Haven’t you finished that yet?” or “Why on earth did you do it like that?”

Assertive style:
• Firm, relaxed voice
• Fluent, few hesitations
• Steady even pace
• Tone is middle range, rich and warm
• Sincere and clear
• Not over-loud or quiet
• Voice appropriately loud for the situation
• “I” statements (“I like”, “I want”, “I don’t like”) that are brief and to the point
• Co-operative phrases, e.g., “What are your thoughts on this”
• Emphatic statements of interest, e.g., “I would like to”
• Distinction between fact and opinion, e.g., “My experience is different”
• Suggestions without “shoulds” or “oughts” e.g., “How about…” or “Would you like to…”
• Constructive criticism without blame, e.g., “I feel irritated when you interrupt me”
• Seeking others opinions, e.g., “How does this fit in with your ideas”
• Willingness to explore other solutions, e.g., “How can we get around this problem?”

So before labeling an individual's communication style, be sure you truly understand the differences between assertive and aggressive.  After all, it is those assertive communicators you want in the workplace.

Employee Use of Earned Paid Time Off

I ran into an interesting situation the other day.  An employer, who offers Paid Time Off (PTO) hours to employees instead of separate sick and vacation time, enacted progressive discipline on an employee who used those PTO hours.  Normally, I would ask the employer these questions:

• Did the employee have the PTO hours banked?
• Did the employee violate the attendance policy (i.e. call in too often)?
• Did the employee not follow established protocols for calling in?
• Is there some other on-going issue I am unaware of with the employee?

I ask these question to establish a framework for the progressive discipline (since the "write up" did not go through me before issuing it to the employee).  This covers the employer for questionable decisions.  When I asked the questions, these were the responses I received.

• Did the employee have the PTO hours banked?  Yes.  They had more than enough time to cover the time they called in sick for.
• Did the employee violate the attendance policy (i.e. call in too often)?  No.  The employee has called in sick a total of 5 times in a year, while the attendance policy clearly states an employee cannot call in more than 6 times in 6 months.  However, the supervisor listed this policy as one of the reasons behind the disciplinary action.
• Did the employee not follow established protocols for calling in?  No.  The employee actually went beyond the established protocols.  The established protocols state an employee must call in at least 2 hours in advance to ensure proper coverage for their shift; however, this employee called in 6 hours in advance.
• Is there some other on-going issue I am unaware of with the employee?  No.  There are no other performance issues with this employee.

Upon further discussion with the supervisor (supported by their manager), it came out they felt the employee was excessive in their use of using PTO for sick leave - even though the employee did not violate the policy.  This is what I find interesting - employment policies enacted but not followed by supervisors and management.  One of the primary policies where you can find this is in a PTO or sick leave policy.

While employers give the PTO or sick leave benefit as an incentive for people to work for them, I have found employers do not really want you using that time.  And while they will verbally tell you they would rather you stay home then come to work sick - that is not always the case.  They would rather you come to work, demonstrate that you are truly sick, and then send you home.  This becomes even trickier with PTO hours because PTO hours are not technically distinguishable between sick/vacation.  An employee can use the hours as they need - as long as they follow policies (which this employee did).

My recommendation was to have the progressive disciplinary action reversed or at least down-graded to a verbal warning, while having the supervisor and manager retrained on progressive discipline and organizational policies.  However, this recommendation (not surprisingly) was shot down by the higher tiers in the organizational chart. 

What the employer failed to realize (or accept) is this inconsistency in policy and practice can get the employer in a world of trouble.  Regardless of "At Will" statutes and policy disclaimers about contractual agreements, courts are increasingly recognizing policy manuals as official employment agreements.  And when there are inconsistencies in the policy and application - it becomes and employment attorney's dream.  So make sure your supervisors and managers are schooled on those policies and how you, as the employer, expect them to apply those policies.  Additionally, it doesn't hurt to have any sort of progressive disciplinary actions go through several pairs of eyes to ensure everything is spot-on.  Those little slips of paper become official documentation and prized evidence for an employment attorney, so employers should be exceptionally careful in how they use them.

Being A Good Supervisor....

Any supervisor worth his salt would rather deal with people who attempt too much than with those who try too little... Lee Iacocca

Find out more about how to be a good supervisor... http://bit.ly/ki7i0X

Spot On Supervising Workshop

You spoke... We listened. Feedback from the community has been focused on the need for a workshop on supervising skills, so we've put together a 2-day workshop entitled Spot On Supervising for Native Women and Women in the Native Community. This workshop takes place on June 15 and 16, and for more details, please go to: http://www.hrbalance.com/supervising.htm

It's All About Control

It really is all about control.  People either have control or they give their control up to other people.  I have found this to be incredibly obvious in the workplace.

I have seen people arrive for work in perfectly good moods - bright and cheerful - and within 10-20 minutes, their moods have soured simply because of an exchange they have had with a co-worker or client/customer.  Quite simply, this is allowing someone to take control of you.

Remember folks, we cannot control anything but ourselves.  We can control what we do, what we say, and how we behave, but we cannot control other people nor can they control us.  However, this basic rule changes for some when they allow a negative experience dictate how they will behave for period of time.  This is not only giving up your control, but it is giving up your power.  Do you really want to give up your power?

If you feel yourself growing grumpy or snarky because of a negative experience, simply take a deep breath and exhale slowly.  If need be, count to 10... or 20.  Maybe even 30.  Then remember no one controls you but you.  If someone is having a bad day - that is their problem.  What will set you apart from them, what will make you shine brighter, is not allowing that bad day to infect you.  Move on, maintain, and refocus... And you'll go far.

Conflict Resolution Workshop...

For more information on our upcoming workshop on Conflict Resolution, simply go to our workshops website at http://www.hrbalance.com/workshops.htm.

Dealing With Difficult People Workshop

HR and Technology: Social Media Sniffers

Social media is becoming more prevalent in the workplace.  If it isn't an employee updating their Facebook status, they are going home to blog about what happened at work (and sometimes not waiting until they go home to blog).  And while employers are utilizing software and blockers to prevent employees from doing this on company time, it isn't stopping employees - who simply pull out their smart phones and do it anyway.

Here is an interesting article about human resources and the technological obstacles presented by social media.  It is well worth the read:  Article.

Assertiveness Communication Skills for Women Workshop

Since our Assertiveness Communication Skills for Native Women and Women Working in the Native Community workshop was so popular, we have decided to conduct another assertiveness communication skills workshop.  Only this time it will be for women in general.

This workshop is taking place on Friday, April 29, 2011.  For more details about the workshop, please click on the image above or go to our website.

Team Building Workshop

We are conducting a workshop on Team Building on Thursday, April 28, 2011 for native women and women working in the native community.  For more information on the workshop, please click on the flyer above or simply go to our website.

We would love to see you there!

Management Tip: How and Why

When coaching your employees on performance, it isn’t enough to simply tell them how you want them to do something. You need to explain why you want them to do something.

People are more likely to follow directions and stick to processes when they understand why those directions and/or processes exist. We need those connections – how and why – to develop understanding. Once the understanding is established, we are more likely to do as we are supposed to and will also be less likely to fall back into repeating the specific performance issue(s) that started the coaching process.

So, remember… Rather than simply saying, “Do it this way…”, it is better to say “Do it this way… because…”

Seminar: Human Resources and Technology Issues in the Workplace

HR Balance LLC's Jack McCallum is leading another community education seminar for Whatcom Community College.  This seminar will focus on human resources and technology in the workplace.  The details include:

Spotlight on HR: Managing Cyber/Technology Issues in the Workplace

Are your personnel policies and procedures up-to-date with the demands and challenges of today's cyber-world? As technology makes the world far more accessible, employers must contend with increased privacy, confidentiality, and proprietary concerns. Learn what your policies should cover to address smart technology, cyber communications, and social media as they impact the workplace.

Date and Time:  Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 9 a.m. to 12-Noon
Cost:  $45
Location:  WCC - Foundation - 201C

To register today for this informative seminar, simply go to the Community Education page for Whatcom Community College.  The seminar can be found under "Business and Professional Development."

Conflict Resolution for Native Women and Women Working in the Native Community

Kay Knott and Jack McCallum are presenting another workshop, on March 24, specifically geared toward Native Women and women working in the Native communities.  This workshop is on conflict resolutions skills - addressing not only the difficult task of resolving conflicts but also how gender and culture influence our ability to problem solve and move forward.

Details of the workshop include:
Cost:  $150
Date:  March 24, 2011
Time:  9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location:  17456 Pioneer Parkway - LaConner, Washington

It still isn't too late to register for the workshop.  To find out more details, simply head to the page specifically dedicated to this workshop:  http://www.hrbalance.com/conflictresolution.htm.

We hope to see you there!

Human Resources and Social Media Seminar

HR Balance LLC's Jack McCallum is presenting another seminar through Whatcom Community College's Continuing Education program.

Spotlight on HR: Managing Cyber/Technology Issues in the Workplace

Are your personnel policies and procedures up-to-date with the demands and challenges of today's cyber-world? As technology makes the world far more accessible, employers must contend with increased privacy, confidentiality, and proprietary concerns. Learn what your policies should cover to address smart technology, cyber communications, and social media as they impact the workplace.
Cost:  $45
Date/Time:  April 21, 2011   |   9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location:  WCC - Foundation - 201C

To register for this seminar, click HERE.

Conflict Resolution

Conflict is a fact of life.  Whether we like it or not, we deal with conflict on a daily basis.  Some of us are very good at dealing with conflict, while some of us aren't as good with conflict.  Here are a few tips in helping move past the emotional obstacles evoked by conflict and into the resolution phase.

• State the conflict:  Often times the toughest part of experiencing conflict is simply getting it out into the open.  By simply stating out loud what your conflict is, it can get you past the emotional aspects and may actually clear up misperceptions to move you into resolution.
• State why it is a conflict:  So you have a conflict... Now why is it a conflict?  Simply saying "I have a problem with you turning in this report two days late" is not enough.  You need to go one step further by letting the individual you have a conflict with know why it's a problem.  "I have a problem with you turning in this report two days late because it puts me even further behind.  The team's deadline is very strict, and I don't have much time to do my part."
• State your solution:  You have a conflict... We now know it.  But what do you propose as a solution?  If you don't have a solution, let the other person know you don't have any recommendations on how to resolve the problem and then open yourself up for discussion.
• State why you believe it is the solution:  If you do have a solution, make sure to let the other person know why you believe it will resolve the problem.  "If you let me know your progress on reports at least 24 hours prior to the deadline, I can move forward with my end and make sure I have what I need to get done ready.  That way, we don't put the team further behind."
• Be open for feedback:  Your recommendation may not be a solution.  It may not work for the individual you have a conflict with, or you may not have known about a potential obstacle your solution will experience.  Therefore, it is important to stay open to feedback and be flexible enough to adjust your solution to fit the needs of everyone involved.

By following these simple steps, it will make your conflict issues easier to resolve and enhance the positive working relationships you have at the office.

Assertiveness Communication for Native Women Workshop

HR Balance LLC is collaborating with Kay Knott to present a series of workshops focusing on the Native American community.  With the intention of incorporating Native cultural aspects into the workshops, our first endeavor is a workshop entitled, Assertiveness Communication Skills for Native Women and Women Working in the Native Community.

Job Return... But is it a Good Thing?

CNN Money reports jobs are starting to return to the economy; however, is it really a good thing?  The area where job growth seems to be dramatically increasing since the current administration announced the economy was in recovery has been low wage jobs.

Jobs were the wage is $8 to $12 per hour are on the rise, while the higher wage jobs - jobs considered to be a liveable wage - continue to be stagnant.  For more on the article, click HERE>>>

Does Your Name Spell Success?

In an article on AOL online, the proverbial question is asked... "What's in a name?"  It's a question new parents probably ask themselves hundreds of times as they wrestle to find the perfect fit for their newest bundle of joy.  But can names really predict success?  READ this article to find out more....

10 Best Companies to Work For...

Do you consider your company one of the 10 Best Companies to Work For?  Fortune Magazine recently released their list of top companies to work at and decided to feature 10 employees from 10 companies.  So what sets these companies as "top" companies to work at?  According to Fortune magazine, "Interesting assignments, big scholarships, stints abroad..."

Read on for more...

Samples Social Media Policies for Employers

Social media is becoming an increasingly prevalent aspect in people's lives - regardless if it is their personal life or professional life.  And, let's face it... In more cases than not, those lines between personal and professional have been blurred.  Employers need to ensure they have the appropriate policies in place to limit potential vulnerabilities presented by social media.  Here is a list of sample social media policies...

• Electronic Frontier Foundation How to Blog Safely about Work:  http://www.eff.org/wp/blog-safely
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation:  http://www.insidethecbc.com/bloggingrules
• Harvard Law School Blogs Terms of Use:  http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/terms-of-use/
• Sun Guidelines on Public Discourse:  http://www.sun.com/communities/guidelines.jsp or http://www.sun.com/aboutsun/media/blogs/BloggingGuidelines.pdf
• GM Motors Blogging Policies:  http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/about.html
• Media companies: For Journalists entering into public debate:  http://rhetorica.net/policy.htm
• IOC Olympic Athletes Blogging Policy:  http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_1296.pdf (PDF)
• BBC Staff Editorial Guidelines Personal use of Social Networking and other third party websites:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines/advice/personalweb/blogging.shtml
• Cisco’s Internet Postings Policy:  http://blogs.cisco.com/news/comments/ciscos_internet_postings_policy/
• IBM’s Social Computing Guidelines:  http://www.ibm.com/blogs/zz/en/guidelines.html
• Dell’s Online Communication Policy:  http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/policy/en/policy?c=us&l=en&s=corp&~section=019
• Yahoo’s Personal Blog Guidelines for staff:  http://jeremy.zawodny.com/yahoo/yahoo-blog-guidelines.pdf
• Intel Social Media Guidelines:  http://www.intel.com/sites/sitewide/en_US/social-media.htm
• Greteman Group Blog Social Media Policy:  http://gretemangroup.com/blog/index.php/2009/01/social-media-policy/
• United States Airforce “new media and the airforce”:  http://www.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090406-036.pdf (pdf file)
• US Navy very formal PDF:  http://www.doncio.navy.mil/PolicyView.aspx?ID=789
• DePaul University: http://brandresources.depaul.edu/vendor_guidelines/g_socialmedia.aspx
• Hewlett Packard Blogging Code of Conduct:  http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/blogs/codeofconduct.html
• Chartered Institute of Public Relations Social Media Guidelines:  http://www.cipr.co.uk/socialmedia/
• Hill and Knowlton’s Public Relations Pledge for Bloggers:  http://armadgeddon.blogspot.com/2007/09/h-pledge-for-bloggers.html
• Feedster’s Corporate Blogging Policy:  http://feedster.blogs.com/corporate/2005/03/corporate_blogg.html
• UK Public Service I Am A Civil Servant:  http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/work/codes/participation-online.aspx
• Gartner’s PUBLIC WEB PARTICIPATION GUIDELINEShttp://blogs.gartner.com/gartner-public-web-participation-guidelines/.
• Thomas Nelson Blogging Policy:   http://michaelhyatt.blogs.com/workingsmart/2005/03/corporate_blogg_1.html
• Plaxo’s Communication (Blogging) Policies:  http://blog.plaxoed.com/2005/03/29/plaxos-communication-policy/
• About.com generic ones:  http://humanresources.about.com/od/policysamplesb/a/blogging_policy.htm
• LiveWorld Social Media Content Guidelines:  http://socialvoice.liveworld.com/blog-entry/Bryan-Persons-Blog/Creating-Social-Media/1100000608
• The Blogging Church:  http://www.leaveitbehind.com/home/2005/04/fellowship_chur.html
• Walker Art New Media Initiatives wiki:  ttp://newmedia.walkerart.org/nmiwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WalkerBlogGuidelines
• Telstra 3Rs GuardRail:  http://www.nowwearetalking.com.au/library/pdf/news/social-media-company-policy_final_150409.pdf
• Australian Public Service (Gov) protocols for online media participation:http://www.apsc.gov.au/circulars/circular088.htm
• New Zealand Government Principles for interaction with Social Media:  http://www.ssc.govt.nz/display/document.asp?DocID=7160
• ParticipatoNZ wiki:   http://www.e.govt.nz/policy/participation/guide-to-online-participation.html

7 digital mistakes to avoid in 2011

We've all done it... In this age of technology, we've all stepped over that line and made a digital mistake that we almost instantly regret.  In this article, you'll read about seven (7) that are key ones to avoid in 2011.

Staying Ahead of the Technology Curve

The Mt. Baker Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) has a monthly luncheon event which features a topic-specific speaker.  January's speaker is HR Balance LLC's own Jack McCallum.  We would love to see you there!  To sign up to attend the luncheon and hear the program, click HERE.

January 12, 2011 - Starts 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Northwood Hall

STAYING AHEAD OF THE TECHNOLOGY CURVE:  Policies and Procedures to Keep Pace with Today's New World

Are your technology policies and procedures up-to-date with the demands made by today’s technologies? What about the demands of tomorrow’s technologies? Sure, you probably have a policy addressing general computer usage, equipment, and email, but there is a lot more to consider.

In this program, we’ll be discussing what your policies should include, the use of smart technology, and the need for social media rules in the workplace. Also on the agenda are suggestions on procedures you should adopt when those policies have been violated, and what employers need to brace for when tomorrow’s technology becomes today’s everyday tools.

As technology makes the world far more accessible, employers must contend with increased privacy, confidentiality, and proprietary concerns. Yesterday’s IT policies and procedures just aren’t useful any longer.

About the Presenter:  Jack McCallum is the President/Principal Consultant for HR Balance LLC – a consulting company specializing in human resources management and leadership coaching.   Jack’s experience includes management roles in both for-profit and non-profit organizations in a variety of industries.  When not consulting, Jack provides continuing education opportunities through workshops, seminars, and on-site training. She also teaches human resources, ethics, leadership, and management at several colleges and universities, has been a keynote speaker for business organizations from Bellingham, Washington to London, England, and has been called upon to share her expertise for magazine and newspaper articles, as well as guest appearances on radio.

Business Seminars

The New Year brings 3 new learning opportunities.  Whatcom Community College is sponsoring three classes focused on personnel management.  These classes will be taught by HR Balance LLC's founder, Jack McCallum, and will offer a good foundation for employers and managers at an affordable price.  Go to Whatcom Community College's Community Education to sign up today.

Personnel Series Bundle: All Three Classes

W8340 / Sessions 3
Cost:  $99
Start Date:  February 24, 2011
End Date: March 10, 2011
Time:  8:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Location:  WCC - Foundation Building - Ste 201C

Personnel Series: Record Keeping: Are You Current?
As an employer, do you know which employment records you are required to maintain? Do you know how long to keep personnel records after an employee leaves your employ? This seminar will provide the lowdown on what records you are required to keep, records advisable to keep, how long you should keep them, and why the records are important.

W8343
Cost:  $39
Date:  February 24, 2011
Time:  8:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Location:  WCC - Foundation Building - Ste 201C

Personnel Series: Employee Relations: It's Not Just for Unions!
As the economy continues to weigh heavy on businesses, employers are looking for options to retain their employees and increase productivity. Find out how improved employee relations can help you! This seminar will cover the basic principles of good employee relations, how enhanced employee relations can increase communication between employees and management, why improving employee relations actually save employers money, and the key employee relations tactics to increasing productivity.

W8346
Cost:  $39
Date:  March 3, 2011
Time:  8:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Location:  WCC - Foundation Building - Ste 201C

Personnel Series: Employment Policies: Get the Scoop!
Thinking about developing a set of policies for your employees to follow? Do you have policies but need to fine-tune them? This class will discuss important policies for small and medium-size employers to implement, the key principles in writing employment policies, and tactics for introducing and enforcing new policies in the workplace. Participants will walk away with sample policies, a completed policy they have written, and a better understanding of why policies are important protections for both the employee and employer.

W8349 / Sessions 1
Cost:  $49
Date:  March 10, 2011
Time:  8:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Location:  WCC - Foundation Building - Ste 201C