By Lynne Curry bio 1 Anticipate reluctance to come back to the office Question: I’ve been working from home since late March. At first I thought I’d hate working remotely; instead I love it. My work day is relaxed because I don’t have to put up with my micro-managing supervisor and can walk my dog during the day rather than waiting until after five. Working at home gives … [Read more...] about Handle these 3 HR challenges in COVID-19 era
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So, your employee wants to stay on unemployment
By Paul Edwards bio It’s been a couple of months of COVID chaos and business owners across America are thinking about what it’s going to take to reopen their businesses—and the economy, in general. Of course, the first piece of that equation involves recalling your employees who have been temporarily furloughed or laid off. And, since one portion of the CARES Act included an … [Read more...] about So, your employee wants to stay on unemployment
Top 10 questions an employer should ask before returning employees to work
By Mike O’Brien bio As various states and municipalities across the country lift shutdowns and begin easing COVID restrictions, employers are faced with complex questions about safely bringing their employees back to the workplace. We’ve compiled the top 10 questions every employer should consider before returning employees to work. How do we implement proper infection … [Read more...] about Top 10 questions an employer should ask before returning employees to work
Managing virtual teams in a COVID-19 era
By Lynne Curry bio If you’re a manager struggling your way up the steep virtual workplace learning curve, you may discover the COVID-19 pandemic makes you a better leader. Here’s how to navigate your way through this trial by fire. Focus on results Effective remote supervision requires managers to switch gears from supervising activities to managing results. Train yourself … [Read more...] about Managing virtual teams in a COVID-19 era
How to create a legally sound COVID-19 medical screening policy
Like so many other law offices during the coronavirus pandemic, you may be considering medically screening your employees each day before letting them into the workplace. While screening is highly problematic in normal times, regulators have grudgingly acknowledged that it may be a justified health and safety measure during the pandemic. The operative phrase is “may be,” which … [Read more...] about How to create a legally sound COVID-19 medical screening policy
Coronavirus pushing rapid changes in employer law
By Mike O’Brien bio Employer law is rapidly changing amid the coronavirus pandemic. For one thing, Congress has passed another coronavirus related law. The United States Department of Labor (DOL) has provided some helpful guidance and answered a number of questions about the recent expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and about the new paid sick leave law, … [Read more...] about Coronavirus pushing rapid changes in employer law
Avoid these mistakes when creating staff development plans
By Cheryl Toth bio For nine consecutive years, “lack of career development” has led the reasons why employees quit. To reduce the costly turnover that results from these resignations, many practice managers are looking for ways to develop and enhance the skills of their team. A straightforward way to approach this is to create a professional development plan for each … [Read more...] about Avoid these mistakes when creating staff development plans
What employees and managers can do to protect each other
By Lynne Curry bio I’m scared. I don’t feel like my boss or coworkers are taking COVID-19 seriously. The medical professionals say we should be wiping down high-touch places. In our office, I’m the one who does it. So does that make me on the front line? Does my doing all this cleaning let everyone else feel safer so they don’t think they need to do anything? It would be fair … [Read more...] about What employees and managers can do to protect each other
Employers need a plan for the pandemic
By Lynne Curry bio your employees ask, “What are we going to do when COVID-19 gets worse in our community?” you can’t say “I don’t know.” If you’re an employer, you need a plan. You need to address what you’ll do to keep your employees as healthy as possible and what your employees can expect from you as their employer. According to Occupational Safety and Health … [Read more...] about Employers need a plan for the pandemic
Create a new normal to cope with new times
By Lynne Curry bio If every several days you wonder “is this pandemic a nightmare and if so, when will I wake up?” you’re not alone. Two months ago none of us knew that in my state more than 49,000 Alaskans would lose their jobs or that nine Alaskans would die from COVID-19. We didn’t expect that the rest of us would work in situations that put our heath at risk or struggle to … [Read more...] about Create a new normal to cope with new times