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Skipping Manager Training Is Too Big a Risk for What’s at Stake

By Cathleen Snyder, SPHR, SHRM-SCP One of the most frequent complaints that we hear about mid-level managers is, “They don’t manage their people.”  A team isn’t meeting productivity goals, has high turnover, and/or low engagement.  Add to that, that most companies evaluate their managers on productivity goals, but overlook how they achieve those goals.  Are […]

Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

How Can HR Impact the Bottom Line?

Question: What are some tactics I can use to show the Executive Suite how HR impacts and contributes to the bottom line? Answer: Getting the respect from the C-suite that HR is a value added partner won’t happen overnight; it takes time, patience, and lots of work. There are some key competencies that you need […]

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Developing Successful Training Programs

Question: Why does training sometimes not succeed or produce the expected results?  How do I ensure our training programs will be beneficial and successful? Answer: Successful training programs are an essential tool that organizations must have in place to help employees continue to grow and develop.  The type of training (in-house, on the job, out […]

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Workplace Bullying

Question: One of our employees is complaining that they are being bullied by a senior manager. What do we do or how should I coach the employee to handle the situation? Answer: Unfortunately, there is no law protecting an employee against bullying, UNLESS it turns into a hostile work environment protected by Title VII of the […]

Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

English-Only Rules in the Workplace

Question: The owner of our company wants to institute an “English-only” rule, requiring our employees to only speak English in the workplace.  I’m just not comfortable with this at all.  Is this even legal? Answer: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a position statement indicating that English only policies in the workplace violate […]

Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

Unemployment For Seasonal Workers

Question: Are seasonal employees eligible for unemployment if they meet the minimum requirements of length of service and wages? Answer: More and more states are saying “no”. There are many jobs that only last for a portion of the year, which have typically been eligible for jobless benefits. Federal law gives each state the option […]

Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

Return To Work / Fit for Duty

We have an employee out on family medical leave (FMLA) for a serious health condition. If he provides medical certification from his physician that he can return to work with no limitations, can we require the employee to submit to further examination to see if he is fit for duty under the ADA? The employee is not claiming any disability and has requested no consideration under ADA, but we believe he might be unable to perform the job duties.

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The recommendations and opinions provided by Strategic HR and its staff are advisory only and are based on general human resource management fundamentals, practices and principles, and are not legal opinions or guaranteed outcomes. This information is provided with the understanding that the user assumes the risk of verifying information used from this site when interpreting it for their own use. We strongly recommend, as part of a team approach to management, that companies consult with their legal counsel to address specific legal concerns related to human resource issues.