HRmarketer.com's "News For HR" Newsletter

Article: Smoke, Mirrors and Resumes

Article: Onboarding Program Killers: 15 Common Errors to Avoid

e-book: The 5As Framework: Getting More From Your Investment in Training

HR Humor: Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom - Parry Gripp

Webcast: Communicating Wage and Hour Standards

Podcast: Collaboration Then and Now

HR 180: Turning into Your Mother: An Essay by Ruth Reichl

What's New? The Latest in HR Software and Services
• Recruitment & Staffing
• Compensation & Benefits
• Talent Management
• Training & Development

Article: Smoke, Mirrors and Resumes
Source: EmployeeScreen IQ

The popularity of diploma mills is exploding in today's job market. Employers that don't act quickly face financial loss, litigation, and loss of reputation. You'll learn about:

The cost of diploma mill fraud
Where the diploma mills are located
How to identify a phony diploma
Stacking the odds in your favor

Article: Onboarding Program Killers: 15 Common Errors to Avoid
Source: Dr. John Sullivan, professor of management at San Francisco State University

Onboarding programs rank high on the list of HR programs that get little respect or attention. When managed well, onboarding programs can have a dramatic and measurable impact on employee productivity, retention, employment brand, service/product quality, workplace safety, and future hiring success.

Unfortunately, most onboarding programs are poorly designed and even more poorly executed. After years of researching and advising firms on developing best-practice programs, I have found that there are 15 key factors that can literally kill any chances of onboarding programs demonstrating a positive impact.

e-book: The 5As Framework: Getting More From Your Investment in Training
Source: Dr. Stephen J. Gill & Sean P. Murray, CEO of RealTime Performance, Inc.

U.S. companies spend $134 billion annually on employee learning and development programs. If you were to interview, as we have, participants who have attended these programs, generally you would find they have a good time, enjoy meeting people from throughout the company, and appreciate a break from the normal routine. Many of these participants even pick up new skills and knowledge and, when pressed, will claim their experience was valuable and worthwhile. However, if you dig deeper, you will discover very few participants apply their learning to achieving important business goals.

HR Humor: Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom - Parry Gripp
Source: CricetoRocker's Channel

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Let the feasting begin.

Webcast: Communicating Wage and Hour Standards
Source: Stephen Paskoff, Esq., and Constance Walters, Esq., of Employment Learning Innovations, Inc.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, and recordkeeping employment standards, is a very technical area that many employers get wrong. In fact, in 2007, more than 311,000 employees received a total of $180.7 million in minimum wage and overtime back wages as a result of FLSA violations. It's more important than ever that employers understand FLSA issues and train their managers and employees about proper wage and hour standards.

In this interactive webcast, Stephen Paskoff, Esq., and Constance Walters, Esq., of Employment Learning Innovations, Inc., will provide insight into common FLSA issues and discuss best practices for wage and hour training. They will also share success stories from large corporations that have implemented training in their workplaces.

Podcast: Collaboration Then and Now
Source: David Straus, founder, Interaction Associates

The old saw, "Everything old is new again," certainly applies to the field of collaboration. While technology has moved ahead by leaps and bounds, the important everyday practices that form the foundation of healthy and effective group practice remain much the same. One big difference: Nowadays, collaboration is seen as vital to achieving success strategically.

David Straus founded Interaction Associates in 1969, and his best-selling book, How to Make Collaboration Work, has sold more than 600,000 copies worldwide. With a unique perspective across four decades, David looks at how far collaboration has come - and explores the key challenges that remain.

HR180: Turning into Your Mother: An Essay by Ruth Reichl
Source: Ruth Reichl for More.com

As a famous (and feared) restaurant critic, Ruth Reichl found it best to dine in disguise. But the day she donned her mother's blue dress and pearls, she experienced much more than a meal.

Contribute to News for HR!

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What's New? The Latest in HR Software and Services

* Please note that the editorial team at News for HR does not recommend or endorse any of the companies or products mentioned in our newsletter. We also cannot support any claims made by the respective companies. These are products and services we have found interesting and are sharing with our readership. If you have any experience with these companies you would like to share with us, we'd love to hear from you!

Recruitment & Staffing:

To help Human Resources managers administer legally safe workplace policies and make informed recommendations to executive management, M. Lee Smith Publishers has released HR Guide to Employment Law: A Practical Compliance Reference. The Guide's 14 chapters and over 650 pages address the most common and challenging legal issues faced by the HR profession. Visit their web site for more information.

Compensation & Benefits:

Perspectives Ltd, a provider of workplace resources, specializing in employee assistance program (EAP) and organizational development services, has launched the Social Media Policy Pack program to help educate and protect businesses now that employees widely use social media at home and at work. Specifically, the program aims to help HR professionals and business leaders understand the power and challenges that social media brings to each organization. For more information about Perspectives' Social Media Policy Pack program contact Maureen Dorgan-Clemens at mclemens [at ] perspectivesltd.com, 847.793.2435.

Talent Management:

DecisionWise announced the release of its Talent Assessment Process (TAP) for the healthcare industry. TAP is a process through which employees are assessed on operational skills (day-to-day, job-specific performance), interpersonal skills (communication, leadership, emotional intelligence, etc.), cognitive skills (problem solving, reasoning, etc.), and growth potential. The DecisionWise Talent Assessment Process is designed to identify not just job-specific skills, but the other non-operational components of performance so essential to healthcare leadership today. For more information read their press release.

Training & Development:

The American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) announces the release of its 2009 State of the Industry Report, a comprehensive look at the training and development investments, practices, and trends for 2008. Key findings show that employee learning and development withstood the challenges of the difficult economy in 2008 with U.S. organizations spending $134.07 billion in 2008, or an average of $1,068 per employee. Read the press release here. ASTD members download here.

About "News For HR"

"News for HR" is a monthly newsletter profiling new products and services in the human resource marketplace and timely articles on various HR topics. The newsletter's content is selected by our editorial committee and is not the result of paid advertising.

Most of the content comes from the Human Resources Directory - one of the HR industry's largest and most up-to-date knowledge centers with a library of over 2,000 white papers, webcasts, podcasts, articles and more. Please let us know how we are doing by e-mailing newsforhr@hrmarketer.com.

Newsletter Info:

Publisher:	HRmarketer
Editor:	JWillaman
Circulation:	70,000+
Distributed:	Monthly
Advertising:	Details

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Stat of the Day

Moving Office Takes Its Toll on Job

Source: Jeremy Carr-Smith, managing director of Moving Office Ltd.

Statistics from the International Facility Management Association reveal that "on average, 2/3 of employees who are given the task of managing an office relocation are fired or quit within six months of the move."

Jeremy Carr-Smith, Managing Director of Moving Office Ltd, believes that there are some fundamental reasons for this frightening statistic. Moving Office's own research shows that, on average, a company will only move office once every seven years and in 70% of cases the person assigned to manage the office move is doing so for the first time. This means that the office move project is typically managed by people without the experience, skill-set or time to handle such an important role. Secondly, in Carr-Smith's opinion, companies moving offices do not follow a strategic process when mapping out and implementing their office relocation project. To read the seven deadly sins to avoid when undertaking this huge project, go to:

For the full story, you can click here.

Quick Tips

10 Tips to Avoid Caregiver Burnout

Source: Life Care, Inc.

1. Taking care of yourself is essential to taking good care of your loved one, so get enough rest, eat well and exercise as often as possible.

2. Lighten your burden by sharing the care responsibilities with family members and friends who offer to help. This is not a sign of failure or weakness.

3. Being good to yourself makes you a better caregiver; treat yourself to a good book, a dinner out or some other enjoyable activity from time to time.

4. Forgive yourself when things don't go exactly as planned. Losing your patience, getting angry or being critical of yourself or your loved one is a waste of precious energy. And maintaining a sense of humor is equally important.

5. Combat stress by joining a support group. If it's difficult for you to get out, join an online caregiving forum.

6. Encourage your loved one to be as self-sufficient as realistically possible. Too many caregivers overwork themselves by trying to "do it all" for their loved ones.

7. Recognize the warning signs that you're stressed or out of balance. These signs can include new physical illnesses; becoming irritable, anxious or depressed; and overeating, drinking more alcohol, using illegal drugs or abusing prescription medications. Recognize your own warning signs and take action.

8. If family members, friends or co-workers express concern over your physical appearance or your mental state, listen to them. Get assistance from your doctor or a support group, if necessary.

9. Speak to your employer about your role as a caregiver and find out if you have access to employee assistance programs or support systems that will help you manage your situation and your loved one's needs more effectively.

10. Consider professional care if your duties become overwhelming or if you feel uncomfortable continuing to provide care. There are many professional care options to assist you, including adult day care centers, home care, respite care and alternative living arrangements.