by admin | Aug 22, 2019 | Hot Topics
There’s no denying that summer has arrived. In fact, the news has been abuzz with Alaska’s heat wave in July that sent temperatures soaring between 20 and 30 degrees above average. When you are caught in the middle of a heat wave, it may seem like there’s nothing you can do to keep cool. But, there are ways for you to beat the heat this summer and stay safe from heat related illnesses.
Avoid the Heat
It may seem like a no-brainer to avoid the heat to prevent a heat related illness but some professions work solely outdoors. In those cases, there aren’t many options for avoiding the heat. Be aware of the hottest time of day and limit physical activity outside during that time.
Reduce Activity Levels
Plan the most active job of the day to be in the morning when the sun and heat aren’t as intense. Heatstroke can occur when a person engages in strenuous activity for long periods of time in the heat. If possible, arrange workflows to include times of rest and times to visit a cooling station.
Drink Fluids Regularly
The underlying factor in most heat related illness is the inadequate supply of fluids for your body, in other words, drink more water! Heavy sweating depletes a person’s body of fluid and salt and this in turn can cause heat cramps and heat exhaustion. If this occurs, drink cool water or an electrolyte-replacement beverage like Gatorade. To prevent these two illnesses, drink plenty of water before you know you will be outside in the heat so that your body has sufficient fluids in reserve.
Have a Buddy System
When you know you will working outside or even playing outside in the heat of the day, make sure you have someone with you. If you should experience a heat related illness while alone, there would be no one available to offer first aid or call for help. As in the case of heatstroke, confusion and weakness along with fainting and possibly convulsions could occur. These are all series symptoms and require immediate action for treatment. The buddy system gives you a safety net of someone else who can recognize these symptoms and can act to save them.
Take a Dip!
The best way to beat the heat is by cooling off your body. Not everyone has access to a pool when spending time outside in the heat so if that’s the case, use cold compresses or ice and ice packs to lower body temperature. You can also remove excess clothing and spray your body with cool water. If you do have someone with you and you are experiencing a heat related illness, make sure they are watching you if you jump into a pool.
By following these easy tips to beat the heat you can safely be outside when temperatures are at their peak. Enjoy your summer and stay cool!
by admin | Aug 13, 2019 | Human Resources
When it comes to culture, companies have to walk the walk and talk the talk.
HR professionals have all been there. A potential new employee comes in for an interview. Company representatives question the prospect and then ask if the candidate has any questions. With surety, the first question uttered will be about the company’s culture. The response has to be real and backed-up with proof.
Why?
In addition to the usual reasons (truthfulness, respect and ethics and so on), look at the current make up of the workforce for guidance. Companies are dealing with one that’s multigenerational; one that stretches from spectrum to spectrum in terms of what they want and need from their employers. Take Generation Z for instance. These workers are very confident and that bleeds into the way in which they approach the interview/hiring process. They will want to explore the office and talk to current employees. They are going to test what HR says about the culture.
Having said that, what constitutes an excellent company culture?
Company Culture Tips
An excellent company culture is:
- Richly Diverse – A company culture thrives on diversity. This doesn’t just push toward ethnic or gender diversity, though that is equally important. It must also embrace cognitive diversity; the different ways in which people perceive and digest information. Leaning on this allows for ideas to be evaluated from multiple angles and can reveal both the pros and cons of an action. A diverse company culture also looks at all dimensions of diversity including hiring or seeking employees from diverse backgrounds both personally and professionally. That may include, as an example, hiring a candidate with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD). Other examples include hiring more veterans or the formerly incarcerated. These present unique challenges, but given the right action plan, those issues can be overcome and the company can benefit.
- Innovative – A company culture must always look to the future. That means embracing innovation. Employees at all levels need to feel the freedom to posit ideas for consideration. And those ideas need to be thoroughly discussed and evaluated. That’s the key to innovation. Most employees just want their ideas considered. If it’s not an idea that is feasible or realistic, that’s fine. The importance lies in that the employee has a voice.
- Open to dissent – Speaking of employee voices, workers need to feel they can dissent from leadership. This doesn’t mean protest or rebel against a decision, but that their concerns will be heard and they will not see retaliation from sharing those ideas.
- Transparent – A company culture that embraces transparency will not, in most cases, fail. Why? In a transparent culture, everyone knows the important bits of information, but more importantly, they can take ownership of what’s happening. Employees who are proud to work for their employers ultimately take more ownership in the company’s destiny. They will be more engaged and will pour more energy into ensuring success than the average employee.
- Aligned with company brand – Employees and customers must see value in the brand which helps support the culture. It has to resonate with them. For HR, this might include a partnership with the company’s marketing or public relations department.
- Supported by all, especially leadership – If leaders don’t see value in or support the culture, expect the same from employees. Leaders have to actively engage in the culture and make it a staple in their normal operations. Lead by example. When the CEO cares… the employees care.
- Aligns with strategy and process – Think about this from a talent perspective. The culture needs to align with processes like hiring, compensation and benefits, development and hiring. And don’t forget about succession planning. How will the culture align in the future?
- Collaborative – This is a great way to instill the culture for your employees. Look at ways to encourage collaboration between teams of employees. This reinforces the idea that everyone is part of a much larger team.
- Feedback driven – Give employees regular feedback on performance. This will help in aligning their performance with the goals of the company. But don’t save this for a once-a-year event. Any time an employee or team makes progress toward the company’s goals and in doing so supports the culture, it’s time for some P.R.O.P.S. or Peer Recognition of Peer Success.
- Deliberate – Culture should be deliberate. It’s not something that just happens. Values must be known and supported, especially by leadership. Otherwise, the culture that is trying to be built will slowly pass into oblivion and the process will have to start all over again.
Benefits of an Excellent Company Culture
The tips listed above are just that, tips. If they’re not internalized and not used properly the company will not benefit. On the flip side, if those pieces are practiced well, companies will see some huge advantages.
For one, expect to see an improved environment. It will truly become a pleasant place to work. It’s pleasing socially and psychologically. If that’s the case, expect to see the quality of work improve. That means higher increases in productivity which leads to more business success.
By Mason Stevenson
Originally posted on hrexchangenetwork.com
by admin | Aug 8, 2019 | Benefit Management, Human Resources
Volunteering Time Off, or VTO, has become a buzz topic for many companies as of late. It involves encouraging employees to take time off from their job to plug in to their community and the nonprofits that support it. Let’s delve in deeper to understand what VTO looks like.
- Typical VTO policies allot for 8 hours of paid time off to volunteer each year.
- Just like Paid Time Off (PTO), VTO usually requires advance notice to the employer and approval for time away from the business.
- Studies have shown that VTO boosts employee engagement and retention.
- Millennials state they are attracted to companies who offer VTO.
- VTO builds loyalty and pride for a company with its employees.
- A recent Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) study states 20% of its respondents now offer volunteering benefits as part of their employee benefits package.
As you look for ways to engage with your employees through VTO, take a look at these resources:
- VolunteerMatch.org—This website makes the business-to-nonprofit connection possible. Nonprofits post projects and jobs they need assistance with and then the company builds its team to help.
- Volunteering Is CSR—An arm of Volunteer Match, this blog is for business leaders to educate themselves on best practices and case studies.
- CatchAFire.org—This site connects professionals with nonprofits using their specific skill sets.
- PointsofLight.org—Founded by President George H.W. Bush, this group offers toolkits to businesses and nonprofits to maximize volunteering efforts as well as offers products to maximize those efforts.
by admin | Jul 30, 2019 | Employee Benefits, Human Resources
Question: Should we include holidays, PTO, vacation, or other leave taken during the workweek in calculating overtime premium pay under FLSA rules?
Answer: No. Because holiday, PTO, and vacation hours are not actually hours worked they do not count towards overtime pay.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), an employer who requires or permits an employee to work overtime is generally required to pay the employee premium pay for such overtime work. Unless specifically exempted, employees covered by the FLSA must receive overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rates of pay. The key consideration for premium pay under the FLSA is whether or not the employee actually works more than 40 hours in the workweek, not just that he or she is paid for more than 40 hours in the workweek.
For example, an employee is off work for one day for a company-paid holiday and takes the next day as a paid vacation day. He then works 10 hours for the next three days of the workweek. Under the FLSA, he would be paid straight time at his regular rate for the 46 hours recorded for that week as follows: 8 hours of holiday pay + 8 hours of vacation pay + 30 hours of regular pay for time worked = 46 hours at his regular pay rate.
Employers should also check state laws for overtime requirements regarding holiday and vacation time.
Originally posted on thinkhr.com
by admin | Jul 23, 2019 | Health & Wellness, Hot Topics
Growing up can be tough. The challenges of school, relationships with friends, sports and other activities can be stressful for children. Peer pressure, along with what they see and hear daily via social media, TV, movies and video games, can cause them to stress out about how they look. Comparing themselves with their friends—or, worse, with supermodels, movie stars, or pro athletes—can then lead to a negative body image.
- An obsession with their size, shape, weight, and muscles (or lack there of)
- Spending time looking in the mirror looking for and pointing out flaws they think they see
- Talking negatively about themselves
- Constantly looking for ways to improve their looks
- Comparing themselves with others
If you know a child who’s struggling with their body image, here are some things you can do to help:
- Start a discussion about body image.
- Talk about the messages we get through media.
- Try to avoid using judgmental terms like “fat” or “skinny.”
- Stress the importance of healthy eating and physical activity.
- Support their efforts and praise achievements.
- Set a good example
If you think there’s a serious problem
When a child or adolescent has serious issues about the way they see themselves, it can lead to depression, negative behaviors, and eating disorders. Watch for these signs:
- Skipping meals, fasting, constant dieting, or binge eating
- Obsessive exercise/weight training
- Using diet pills or laxatives for losing weight or growth hormones for developing muscle mass
If you think your child has or may have an eating disorder or other serious body image issue, talk to a doctor or health care professional. Getting the right treatment can make all the difference.
By Bill Olson
Originally posted on ubabenefits.com
