Featured Article Keeping Policies Current, Even When They’re Not Clear A new year, a new administration and a new Congress will be keeping employee relations professionals on their toes, making sure policies and handbooks are updated to reflect new and changing HR laws. Read this article

Employee Relations Features Communication Can Help Motivate During Troubled Times Keeping employees who are inundated with a constant stream of gloomy economic news engaged fully in their work might seem like a difficult task at times, but it’s never been more important, experts say. Effective communication can help. Conflicts Differ by Person, Locale A 42-year-old man working in a Volkswagen factory in Germany, a 25-year-old female engineer at Lockheed Martin in the U.S. and a 58-year-old zinc miner in Belgium will deal with disagreements and arguments at work in different ways, a recent survey suggests. Engagement Is Essential When Retirement Gets Put on Hold Economic woes are causing some employees to rethink their plans to retire. Active engagement of such workers can help keep their minds on the job—instead of leisure pursuits or a second career—and help prepare the next generation of workers for success. Set Ground Rules for Virtual Team Communications When a group of employees is dispersed geographically, a team leader must make extra efforts to be sure that the group’s communications facilitate rather than hinder team results. A set of clear expectations can help. What To Do When Employees Are Grieving A manager’s good intentions might do more harm than good when an employee experiences a loss. But a rigid bereavement policy is not the answer. Top Companies Provide Time for Relationship Building The most profitable and efficient companies are transforming their workspaces to create environments reflective of an emergent economy in which companies are competitive economically through the flow of innovative ideas and knowledge. Good Feedback Is Crucial Good feedback from managers and accurate appraisals of employee performance can pay huge dividends to employers—especially in these troubled economic times. Employee Surveys When Morale Is Low: Bad Idea? HR professionals might be hesitant to measure employee attitudes during business slumps because they assume that employees will simply say how disgruntled they are. But experts say such times might provide an ideal opportunity to check in. Personalized Recognition Is ‘Priceless’ Many companies fail to use employee service anniversaries as an opportunity to show employees just how much they are appreciated. Why Managers Should Own Performance Appraisals Whether individuals believe in performance reviews or not, organizations are increasingly looking to hold managers accountable for accurate, timely and unbiased appraisals which help manage performance and head off legal issues. Report: Workplace Breeding Culture of Distraction More than 70 percent of human resource professionals in the Northeast believe that their employees are too distracted and overloaded at work, according to a recent e-survey by the Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA). Cost of Absenteeism Rivals Health Care The total cost of employee absences, unplanned and planned, is as much as 36 percent of payroll, or more than twice the cost of health care, according to new research by Mercer, a global consulting and outsourcing firm. Religious Accommodation Expected for Employees in Uniform The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is one of the latest employers being asked to defend the application of its policy on uniforms to employees requesting religious accommodation. Avoid Promotion-Related Blunders Sabotage is a very real risk when an employee is passed over for a promotion they believe has been promised. A more likely outcome, however, is that the employee will simply leave the company, taking their experience and knowledge with them.

SHRM WEBCAST Now Available Giving Performance Feedback So People "Get It" Presenters: Leila Bulling Towne,The Bulling Towne Group and David Goldman, Esq., Littler Mendelson How much time are your managers spending dealing with poor performance, disruptive behavior, and unproductive conduct? This webcast will provide specific advice on setting objectives and giving feedback. It will also suggest methods for correcting problems when they do arise, with a special emphasis on working with difficult employees. This webcast is sponsored by Success Factors. View this webcast

Employee Relations News Workers Forced to Take Unpaid Vacations Employers Opening Up About Their Solvency Layoff 'Survivors' Suffer from Stress, Don't Work Harder, Research Finds Most Companies Don't Plan to Cut Jobs in 1st Quarter Improve Morale by Knowing Your Employees

Legal Update Mass. Court Limits Worker Appearance Policies A recent Massachusetts case restricts the ability of employers to enforce workplace personal appearance or grooming policies when an employee complains that such restrictions conflict with his or her religious beliefs. First 100 Days of Next President, Congress Will Be Busy The first 100 days of President-Elect Barack Obama’s and the new Congress’ tenure will be busy and are likely to include activity on paycheck fairness bills and the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), according to Camille Olson, an attorney with Seyfarth Shaw in Chicago. At-Will Employment Trumps Implied Contract in N.Y. Allowing an employee to continue working past the expiration date stipulated in an employment contract does not necessarily bind the employer to successive contract terms, the New York Court of Appeals rules. HR's Role in Layoff Planning Reduces Legal Risks As the forecast for the economy clouds even more, corporate counsel should work with HR to minimize the legal risks of any planned reductions in force, according to Sozeen Mondlin, associate general counsel with the MITRE Corp.