Pantheon of bad bosses – We haven’t seen the risque movie Horrible Bosses yet, but the topic of bad bosses is a universally popular theme. A recent survey of 2,000 workers across the UK revealed that 55% of those interviewed thought their managers were incompetent. In the truth is stranger than anything Hollywood can dream up category, Business Reader offers 10 real life horrible bosses that make Jennifer Aniston look like a pushover.
Caregiver resource – Minding Our Elders is a blog Carol Bradley Bursackby that offers information, support and shared experience for caregivers and seniors on topics ranging from Alzheimer’s and dementia to general senior issues. In addition to offering practical tips and advice on day-to-day caregiving issues and challenges, good resources and blogs on related topics can be found in the sidebar.
Google+ – If you aren’t yet aware of search behemoth Google’s new foray into the world of social media, you will be soon. Google+ is going toe to toe with Facebook. Thus far, it had been rolled out on a by-invitation beta test, but even with that limitation, it is creating a stir. Should your organization jump on the Google+ bandwagon? Not yet, says Google. The company revealed that it is working on a Google+ experience for businesses and therefore suggests that organizations not create profiles yet. Should you jump on the bandwagon? While many of the pioneer users are singing the praises, some reviews suggest going in with your eyes wide open about privacy issues and concerns.
Managing people with personality disorders – Peter Cappelli of Human Resource Executive talks about a recent study which found that about one in five workers have a personality disorder that negatively impacts their career and the workplace. In managing the difficult employee, he discusses the challenge that this poses for organizations, particularly since a diagnosed personality disorder would be covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and potentially other state-level legislation. He suggests a few ways of dealing with this issue: “Maybe it means making new and different use of employee-assistance programs to help these individuals identify their problems and seek treatment. Maybe it means helping to redesign their tasks and jobs to find those that truly “fit” what they are capable of doing.”
We have met the enemy and he is us – One of the greatest threats for a data security breach that an organization faces comes from the ignorance of its own employees about safe email practices. In a recent phishing experiment conducted by a national security firm, 29,000 employees at 3,037 businesses received a phishing email, and in 500 of those companies, employees clicked on a link in an email, potentially exposing the employer to a serious breach had the mail been real. The best protection? training your employees in e-mail security.
Health care costs – The high cost of healthcare is an issue of concern to employers and employees alike. Workers’ Comp Insider features a post on the wide disparity in costs for common medical procedures as revealed in a 2010 Healthcare Transparency Index. How big a disparity? Patients can pay as much as 683% more for the exact same medical procedure in the same town. The post includes a variety of some healthcare education tools / resources to help educate consumers.
Limiting Liability – At Evan Carmichael’s Blog, Ari Rosenstein talks about the importance of educating managers to ensure that your organization stays in compliance with labor laws and offers seven steps to minimize liability. He notes that because managers act as a direct extension of the executives and ownership of the organization, any misstep by a manager may expose the entire organization to an employment lawsuit.”
Quick takes
Request a Quote