I have handled many employee relations issues in my time as an HR professional and over the years have said to myself on countless occasions, “gosh, if only the manager had managed the employee, we wouldn't be having these performance discussions right now.” I think, too often, great employees are promoted into manager positions because that seems like the next logical step in that individual’s career path.

The purpose of an employee handbook is to provide a consistent means of communication regarding policies, best practices and resources for everyone within the organization. The handbook is a guide that allows managers as well as staff to understand the expectations of role and responsibilities. However, there are consequences to using the organization’s handbook incorrectly or ineffectively.

We’ve all heard about the high cost of hiring the wrong person. How can you prevent these costly mis-hires? When interviewing, focus on the candidates’ qualifications and fit with the organization and team. Here are five interview questions and six techniques which will help you identify top performers in your interview process.

Remember when a snow day meant no school and neighborhood snowball fights? The challenges of navigating winter weather closures can be far more difficult when you’re running a company. What if your company closes for a week between Christmas and New Year’s; are you required to pay employees? The following guidelines should help you determine your legal obligations for these common winter payroll issues.

The health of your human capital should be one of your organization’s top priorities year after year. All levels of management should be just as concerned about this issue as they are other financial objectives and goals you are trying to achieve. Studies have shown a healthy and engaged organizations lead to better customer service, increased retention and better bottom line results. As an HR Business Partner to various organizations in the DC Metro area, I find many organizations focus on the costs of healthcare and don’t focus on creating a healthy organization through strategic initiatives. This leads to programs that are incomplete and don’t accomplish what they are set out to do. The rest of this article will provide your organization with the seven steps necessary to develop the best wellness program for your firm.

The hardest part about being a Recruiter, in my opinion, is letting a candidate know that they were not selected for the position for which they interviewed. Over the past six years of recruiting, this was never an easy task, nor does it ever get any easier and it is safe to say it is my least favorite part of my job. While recruiters should try to avoid developing personal relationships with their candidates, the Human factor of Human Resources always comes into the picture when disqualifying a candidate, especially if you have been working with them throughout a lengthy interview/selection process forming a bond. While these tips/techniques may not alleviate the knot in your stomach when you relay the unfortunate message, it may provide you and the candidate a bit more comfort: