HR is playing games with you! Believe it or not, in a growing trend, businesses are using gaming in a variety of human resources (HR) functions including hiring, leadership development, and employee recognition. Gamification is a combination of behavioral science and technology that provides companies with great tools for employee development, assessment of candidates, feedback, recognition, and collaboration.

Understanding UFOs and How They Impact Your Business I had the opportunity to attend SHRM's Employment Law and Legislative Conference this past week and learned additional insights about UFOs, or Union Front Organizations. Union penetration into the private sector has fallen from 35% of employment Americans during the 1950s to just below 7% today. In the face of greater regulation and less interest from workers, unions are developing new tactics and going after new segments of the working public. It’s more important for business owners to be knowledgeable about trends in union efforts to help protect your business interests and your rights.

Providing employees the opportunity to update their knowledge, skills and abilities should be one of your organization’s top priorities and a key component of your employee total rewards package.

Recognizing Employers for Growing, Developing and Engaging Employees

Employee engagement surveys, sometimes called employee satisfaction surveys or employee feedback surveys, can be a great tool for leaders to understand employee viewpoints on a variety of organizational aspects. Before an organization launches an employee engagement survey it is important to understand the pros, cons, and things to keep in mind when seeking to determine a level of engagement by asking for your employee’s opinion.

How many of you are already thinking about your summer vacation? My colleagues are buzzing about where they will go and how they will spend the coveted time away from work. Some will go to the beach, others are going to the mountains, and some are staying local for a "stay-cation." What I have also noticed is the trend as evidenced by the number of my colleagues concerned about internet accessibility while away from the office. This made me curious. I wondered: "Is it possible for an employee to take a vacation?" and "As a manager, what can I do to ensure my employee has the opportunity to decompress and relax?"