Employment law, along with ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, are two significant aspects of managing a workforce. They are both also convoluted and can cause an organization a lot of headache if not approached appropriately. Not only are Federal regulations complex and constantly evolving, it’s important to consider that various states have laws that are specific to the workforce in that state. If your organization holds contracts with the federal government there are several additional regulations that need to be monitored. As a leader of an organization, it’s important to have the right team on your side.

According to the 48th Annual Atlas Corporate Relocation Survey released in April of this year, there has been a significant uptick among U.S. companies relocating employees since 2013. With this trend set to continue throughout 2015 and beyond, it is important for your organization to establish a relocation policy. You want a policy that is not only flexible but also takes into account well-known relocation factors to ensure a smooth move for your employees and your organization. If your organization does not have a lot of experience with relocating employees domestically, don't worry, I am providing a list of five considerations you should build into your policy that can help ensure a smooth transition for both candidates and current employees.

By now you are probably overloaded with all the changes and deadlines that fall under the Affordable Care Act. As we muddle through all these rulings, there always seems to be a new regulation associated with it that we either did not know about or the information is vague. One that recently came to my attention was the fines businesses can incur if they reimburse employees for individual non-group health plans.

Social Media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and even Instagram are a part of the modern workplace today. These tools are no longer just for personal use since many people use them in their professional lives as well. In the workplace, social media sites are being used for purposes such as marketing, employer branding, and corporate social responsibility. For instance, recruiters use LinkedIn to find and connect with candidates and sales professionals use it for lead generation. Many employees use Google + for the chat feature to connect instantly with colleagues or conduct industry Hangouts. As HR consultants, we are often asked about the pros and cons of allowing social media in the workplace when developing workplace social media policies.

There are some questions out there I can answer on the spot. For instance, Why are light bulbs to blame for your terrible sleep habits? Well, it could be that your suprachiasmatic nucleus is no longer able to differentiate between daytime and nighttime, so it doesn’t know when you should sleep. (This is a real thing!) Another one I know: Who has the cutest dogs in the world? Literally the easiest question ever – that would be me, of course! Others, though, are a little more difficult.

With spring in the air, the habit of spring cleaning often stretches beyond scrubbing the kitchen and perfecting the landscape around your house to streamlining and organizing your work life as well. Perhaps you’ve taken a step back and looked at your HR department and thought to yourself “there’s got to be a better way to do this.” Maybe you’re anticipating growth within your organization, and you know that with more employees comes the need for enhanced processes and compliance requirements. Engaging with a third party human capital consulting firm to conduct an HR audit may be just what you need to hit the ground running with your HR spring cleaning!