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What I've Been Reading This Week: HR Edition


It has been some time since I dedicated a post to human resources related issues and topics.  However, knowing that there are several readers in the HR field that read this blog (and given that I came across a few relevant HR related articles this week), I think it is appropriate to dedicate this post to that topic.

As always, below are a couple articles that caught my eye this week.


Effective Communication: How It Can Boost Employees & Customers Alike

Jennifer Rock and Michael Voss published an article last week that notes that an employer that is effective in communicating with his/her employees can see a more productive labor force and potentially happier clients.  The key?  Connecting with employees through transparent and authentic communication.  Rock and Voss suggest that being vulnerable can be vital as well.  Rather than ducking and dodging a situation so as not to appear weak or unknowledgeable, the article suggests employers confront a topic/situation head on.  As noted, this level of honesty coincides with being transparent and authentic, which can go a long way in establishing trust and value with employees.  Of course, not all approaches work in a given situation, but I think the overall idea here is worth implementing in some workplaces.


Could Increased Training to Prevent Sexual Harassment Not Actually Be Working?

Roger Showley at The Los Angeles Times wrote a recent article in which he pointed out that while many employers in California have started to invest in more sexual harassment training, it is not clear that this increased training is actually working (such as reducing sexual harassment in the workplace).  While California law requires many employers to conduct two hours of sexual harassment training every other year for certain employees, many employers do not take sexual harassment rules seriously, until a problem actually arises.  Even with some employers in the state choosing to implement additional training, that does not appear to have mitigated the situation or the increase in sexual harassment lawsuits.  While Showley does not suggest there is a clear cut answer to limiting sexual harassment in the workplace, his article does shine additional light on an already complicated and far reaching topic.  Is there a "clear" solution to limiting sexual harassment in the workplace?  Perhaps not.  Is increased training having the desired effect of limiting sexual harassment?  From Showley's viewpoint, unfortunately not.


Three Ways To Excel When An Employee is Hired to Clean Up a Mess

Talent Management and HR has a thought provoking article that provides three ways to be a success when specifically hired to clean up a mess.  To better illustrate the point, Dan Harris uses Uber's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi as an example of an employee (in this case a high ranking employee) stepping into an untenable and difficult situation in the workplace and being tasked with righting the ship.  While I think all three tips that Harris offers are useful, one of the key takeaways is the suggestion to start growing relationships at the outset.  Ever heard the saying "Rome wasn't built in a day"?  Although reestablishing trust can take time, Harris points out that taking the time to build each relationship one step at at time can help grow irreplaceable bonds with employees that pay dividends in the future.


What We Can Learn From a Gender Discrimination Lawsuit Against Microsoft

A few weeks ago, Claire Zillman and Erika Fry at Fortune wrote an article that addressed a gender discrimination lawsuit that has been filed against Microsoft and pinpoint several instances when employees claimed that Microsoft's HR department allegedly failed to act on discrimination allegations.  While some readers may think that HR is their "buddy", Zillman and Fry remind us that instead, HR is often charged with overseeing work place issues such as employee disputes, pay issues, discrimination claims, time off, medical leave requests, etc.  (Far from simply being a "buddy" for employees...)  A well functioning HR team that is made aware of discrimination or harassment claims will timely take steps to investigate the charges, interview necessary parties, review documentation, and make a recommendation to upper management.  However, as the allegations in the case against Microsoft reminds us, not all HR teams take the appropriate steps to review and remedy discrimination claims.  In their article, Zillman and Fry identify a few ways employers might be disrupting HR (which could be a reason for the allegations alleged in the suit against Microsoft).  For those looking for an in depth analysis of today's HR and the environment in which these HR teams operate in today's workplace, give this article a review.

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