The conference room is set. The team prepped. Resume printed. Hiring managers are in the wings.

You’re ready! Wait. They’re five minutes late. Now 20 minutes. Well, shoot. You’ve been stood up by a No-Show candidate.

Again.

No-Show prospects are not only frustrating – they’re holding your company back and keeping you from taking yet another to-do off your list.

Why does this keep happening!?!

We work across hundreds of employers and dozens of industries and we can share that ‘no shows’ are normal, yet, they seem to happen to certain employers more than others. Let’s review some of the common factors across firms that seem to encounter no shows more frequently and what you can do about it.

You took too long

Your sales team probably knows that a lead is tremendously more likely to buy from you if 1) you’re the first to contact and 2) you respond to activity within 15 minutes. Recruiting is similar, in a way.

Often the ‘no show’ occurs because the candidate got
another job or thinks they’re about to and they simply do a poor job at tying
up the loose ends of the job hunt. Had you moved a little faster, you could
have been the company making the offer. The time it takes you to first reach
out to express interest and then schedule them to come in is the time other
employers have to seal the deal.

Yes, it can be overwhelming to review hundreds of resumes
while handling all the other responsibilities on your plate but you’ll be well-served
to reach out to candidates quickly after they apply. It’s your best bet at making
sure other employers are not developing relationships before you do and it
makes the candidate feel wanted – which is important and also related to reason
#3.

You have some image issues

“Not
cool Jared!” may be the entirety of the response you currently have when you
see someone has written a poor review online about their work experience. Maybe
a “I’m surprised to hear that” when a candidate sheepishly admits they’ve heard
‘some things’ at industry events?

We’ve
found significant correlation between poor employer reputation and first face
to face interview ‘no shows.’ People do a much deeper dive between their first
call with you and when they’re coming in for a formal, sit down interview.

It’s
not surprising that having happy team members post honest, positive feedback on
the same boards can be an effective counter to put some concerned candidates
minds at ease. We’ve also found that addressing these types of reputational
issues head on during the first phone interview can minimize downstream ‘no
shows,’ especially when paired with the plan your company has implemented to
address legitimate concerns.   

You failed to sell them

Often, the ‘no show’ occurs between the initial outreach and the first in-person interview. These early interactions are critical to not only when you’re evaluating a candidate’s potential to be successful in the role but also on how you sell them on what a great company they could be joining.

Speed not only helps with combatting competitive offers,
it also is one of the strongest genuine tools to help a candidate feel
appreciated, valued, and wanted. This helps sell them on your company being the
right firm for them.

Jobs are aplenty. Candidates, for now, are the
sought-after resource. Are your initial touches properly balancing evaluating
the candidate with building excitement around your opportunity? Have growth
plans, benefits, success stories, exciting company developments, and the right
welcoming personalities lined up on those first initial connections to ensure
you’ve got an eager (and early) candidate sitting across from you in the
conference room at your next initial face to face interview.

While you may never be able to eliminate the dreaded ‘no
show’ if you act decisively, proactively manage any known reputational issues,
and not lose sight that from the start you have to ‘sell’ as much as the
candidate does, you’ll find your frustration rate from disappearing candidates
fall dramatically.   

The post The 3 reasons why those candidates “No-Showed” you! appeared first on HR Morning.

Tweet This Post

Because the coronavirus outbreak is continuing to grow and evolve, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regularly updates guidance for businesses and employers to help reduce workplace exposures.

The guidance is based on what is known about the 2019 novel coronavirus as of this week, according to the CDC.

Other respiratory illnesses, like seasonal flu, are also
widespread in the U.S. at this time, and this guidance is meant to aid in
prevention of those as well, according to the CDC Interim Guidance page.

If sick, stay home

The CDC recommends employers actively encourage sick
employees to stay home, and:

ensure company sick leave policies are flexible and that
employees are aware of these policies

make sure leave policies are flexible enough to allow
employees to stay home to care for sick family members

talk to contractors or temporary agencies about the
importance of sick employees staying home

don’t require a doctor’s note to validate illness or return
to work since healthcare offices could be extremely busy and unable to provide
documentation in a timely manner, and

be aware more employees than usual may need to stay home to
care for sick family members.

Sick employees who do report to work should be immediately
separated from other employees and sent home.

Good respiratory etiquette, hygiene

Other precautions to take in the workplace include:

encouraging the practice of good respiratory etiquette and
hygiene

placing posters encouraging staying home when sick, cough
and sneeze etiquette and hand hygiene at the entrance in areas where they’re likely
to be seen

providing tissues and no-touch disposal receptacles for
employees

instructing employees to clean their hands often with an
alcohol-based hand sanitizer or with soap and water, and

ensuring adequate supplies of soap and water and alcohol-based
hand rubs are maintained in the workplace.

Clean surfaces regularly

All frequently touched surfaces in the workplace should be
cleaned on a routine basis. The CDC says no additional disinfection beyond
routine cleaning is recommended at this time.

Likewise, employers should:

use the same cleaning agents as normal and follow the
directions on the label, and

provide disposable wipes so doorknobs, keyboards, remote
controls and desks can be wiped down by employees before each use.

Notifications

Employees who are well but taking care of a sick family
member with 2019 novel coronavirus should notify their supervisor and refer to
CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of potential exposure.

If an employee is confirmed to have 2019 novel coronavirus, employers
should inform fellow employees of their possible exposure in the workplace
while maintaining confidentiality (not naming the person with the virus) as
required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Employees exposed to a co-worker with confirmed to have 2019
novel coronavirus should refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk
assessment of their potential exposure.

The post CDC guidance for employers on coronavirus appeared first on HR Morning.

Tweet This Post

Young employees make up a huge portion of the workforce, with Gen Z comprising 20% of it this year.

Every generation of workers is different and has its own unique set of preferences, and Gen Z is no exception. They’re ambitious self-learners and tech wizzes, and tend to shy away from traditional styles of learning.

Communication and coaching

But don’t panic! Gen Zers aren’t that hard to figure out. Here’s what employers should concentrate on to make Gen Z employees feel right at home, according to online learning platform Udemy.

1. Communication. Despite growing up surrounded by tech, Gen Zers like to communicate face-to-face. They also like to build strong relationships with their managers. Keeping this in mind, try to communicate with this group directly and authentically.

2. Diversity. Gen Z likes diversity of all kinds: race, gender, identity and orientation. Studies show a company’s diversity and inclusion effort is a big factor for this group when deciding on a job offer.

3. Mentoring. Guidance, support and professional development are all top of mind for Gen Z. This group really wants opportunities for growth within their company. If you offer this, they’re more likely to be loyal to you.

4. Exploration. Role-hopping is big for this group of employees. They like to explore other positions within their companies and see if they have any other interests they’d like to pursue.

5. Productivity. This generation knows how tough it can be to focus with all the technology we use today. Gen Zers would love support from their employers to help them stay focused and productive.

The post Get on the same page as Gen Z: 5 skills to focus on appeared first on HR Morning.

Tweet This Post

Debate around providing gig workers who work for companies
like Amazon, Uber, Lyft, and GrubHub with workers’ compensation and other benefits
is intensifying across the country.

Proponents, including some gig economy companies like NJ-based Postmates, argue that the long-term viability of the new labor model and its potential benefits will only happen if industry, organized labor and legislators “forge a new social compact that provides flexible app workers appropriate benefits and injury and civil rights protection.”

But opponents include both employers and many gig workers and freelancers. They argue that mandating a surcharge on services will drive up employers’ costs and cause them to stop hiring gig workers.

Bills moving through the state legislatures in Washington state and New Jersey propose “universal worker protections” that would fund gig workers’ benefits with contributions from employers to a non-profit “qualified benefit provider.”

Some proposals would leave it up to individual gig workers whether to take advantage of those benefits.

Gig employers face higher costs

In Washington state, HB 1601 would create a “universal worker protections act” to:

• Prohibit the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, allow them to organize under specific conditions and create remedies, including civil penalties and damages
• Provide for the creation of workers’ boards, when certain thresholds are met, to set minimum pay rates and other labor standards for workers in certain industries
• Establish procedures for creating portable benefits for workers in certain industries
• Specify certain rights for workers and prohibits retaliation
• Require contributing agents to provide data and reports about workers
• Require the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries to investigate complaints, impose sanctions, conduct surveys, and fulfill other duties

But the current bill includes no appropriations to fund the measure, leaving it up to employers to cover 100% of the cost.

And the proposed contribution in Washington is 5% of the total charge collected from the consumer for each transaction of services provided, or $1 for every hour that the worker provides services, whichever is less.

California is also considering legislation that would grant gig workers some bargaining rights, making it even more likely other states would follow.

Portable benefits

A similar bill in NJ, S943, would “establish a system for portable benefits for workers who provide services to consumers through contracting agents” in the state.

But the proposed employer obligation would be much higher in NJ.

Under S943, the required contribution amount would be “the lesser of 25% of the total fee collected from the consumer for each transaction of services provided or six dollars for every hour in which the worker provided the services.”

And the NJ bill would also entitle workers who opt not to take the benefits to receive half of that $6 surcharge for each hour worked.

Employers would have to provide “workers’ compensation insurance to workers entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, and other approved occupational accident insurance to workers who are not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.”

In addition, providers in NJ would have to provide gig workers who opt in some or all of the following benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement benefits, or
• Other benefits determined by the providers.

Of course, in order for the NJ bill to become law, the full Senate and Assembly must both approve it and the governor sign it.

NJ Governor Phil Murphy has not indicated if he would sign a bill if it makes it to his desk.

Likelihood of passage increasing

However, two similar bills in NJ died in committee in 2017 and 2018.

Neither the Washington state nor New Jersey gig worker bill faces a smooth run through the respective legislature.

But other state legislatures are debating similar measures and one will likely reach a governor’s desk in the next couple of years.

If the 2020 federal election results in a Democratic administration in Washington DC, similar measures might quickly move to a vote in Congress.

The post More states push employer-paid benefits for gig workers appeared first on HR Morning.

Tweet This Post

It’s bad enough when sexual harassment occurs, but it’s even worse when an employer knows about it and does nothing to stop it.

According to a recent lawsuit by the EEOC, Select Staffing in Albuquerque, NM, permitted pervasive sexual harassment to continue by failing to take action after several reports.

The EEOC alleges that multiple female employees were
subjected to sexual comments about their bodies. Male employees frequently
referred to them as “prostitutes” and “dumb broads,” and threw objects at them
to demean them.

When the harassed employees reported the conduct, Select
Staffing did nothing to remedy the situation, the EEOC said.

Select Staffing settled the lawsuit and will pay $199,500 in
relief. The company also agreed to a consent decree requiring it to review and
revise its sexual harassment policies

The post Company allowed harassment to continue, owes $200K appeared first on HR Morning.

Tweet This Post

Employee development is widely recognized as an essential
tool for any organization’s successful growth, productivity and ability to
retain its best employees.

The challenge is being sure your managers and supervisors
are doing employee development on a consistent basis.

As business guru Zig Ziglar once said, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”

The same holds true for the management techniques that make employee development successful.

In other words, you can lead an employee to great training, but you can’t make them learn. Employee development requires much more than just the training. It holistic. You have to develop the entire employee.

Here are 13 proven employee development tactics to help managers help employees develop:

1. Focus on success

If your managers spend most of their time looking for failures, they will find them and the work environment will reflect that. Instead, develop an atmosphere of growth by emphasizing employee successes and daily.

2. Be their inspiration

A great way for managers to inspire the people they supervise
is to keep them focused on what the results look like, and celebrating when
results are met. Rewards reinforce inspiring behaviors.

3. Be open and sincere

It’s easy enough to tell an employee “Good job.” And
supervisors can double the impact by making their recognition more public, such
as at a meeting.

Another key: Personal recognition needs to be sincere.
Managers shouldn’t say it unless they mean it and be sure to highlight the details
that made the employee’s work special.

4. Offer growth opportunities

This pays off in spades. By providing opportunities for employees to attend classes and seminars — which is at the core of employee development — they’ll grow their skill sets. Along with boosting results, this sends a clear message that managers truly believe their employees are worth the investment.

5. Encourage feedback

Managers need to let staff know they want to hear their
ideas and encourage them to contribute on a regular basis. The direct impact is
that managers may wind up with some ideas and solutions they wouldn’t have
thought of otherwise. Indirectly, employees will feel more valued and
respected.

6. Create a sense of team spirit

The key here is making each and every employee feel valued.
When staff understand the big picture – and the role they play in it – they’re
going to feel more motivated about accomplishing their individual
responsibilities. Send the message that it’s about cooperation, not
competition.

7. Set expectations

Self-fulfilling prophecy – a belief that comes true because
we’re acting as if it’s already true – is a powerful tool that can set up
employees to succeed or fail. When managers treat their staff as intelligent, competent,
capable workers, odds are they’ll meet those expectations (or at least strive
to meet them). But if managers let it be known they have little faith in their employees
by micromanaging their jobs, they’ll probably live up to that expectation as well.

8. Be approachable

Simply being in the presence of staff doesn’t make supervisors approachable. Body language says a lot. When employees come up to managers who have their arms folded, it sends the message they’re closed off. And if their gaze is wandering – along with their thoughts – it’s sending a message they aren’t listening to what’s being said. The best thing for managers to do is act as if they’re happy to speak with employees (they should fake it, if they don’t actually feel it) and always make time to hear employees’ concerns. Set a goal to personally connect with a given number of employees every day.

9. Keep it current

Look around the department: Is the furniture in good shape?
Are employees’ necessary tools in a good state? What about the computers? Do
employees boot up and then go get a cup of coffee hoping it’ll finally be
warmed up after 20 minutes?

What do employees really want?

Supervisors probably have a pretty good idea of what kind of
leader they want to be – but does it match what the staff wants and needs?

Terry Bacon, a business leader, coach and consultant for more than 30 years, conducted a survey and found nine qualities that employees consider most important.

Here they are, ranked top to bottom:

10. Inform them

When supervisors have a management meeting, they should get
together with employees afterward and update them on any info that could have
an impact on their work.

Share anything from customer feedback to training
opportunities to new procedures and policies. Keeping employees filled in on
the latest developments – large and small – goes a long way toward helping them
feel everyone is playing for the same team.

11. Meet with specific employees

If there’s a change in the organization that’ll affect
certain individuals (or departments) more than others, take the time to meet
with those employees.

Give them the info they need to successfully deal with the
change. And remember to encourage feedback. This way managers will know whether
their employees are clear on exactly what’s going to happen.

12. ‘Good morning’

Supervisors should try to make contact with the people they
supervise every day. It doesn’t need to be a lengthy one-on-one encounter.

Just a simple “Good morning” or “Good afternoon” gives
employees a sense of being recognized.

13. Schedule a regular meeting

Depending on the size of the staff, it may not be possible
to meet once a week with every employee.

But set a regular time for these meetings – the second and fourth Monday of each month, for instance, or hold a lunch meeting on the last Friday of each month.

The goal: Schedule a set time with employees so they know
they can count on having this time to address any problems or questions.

The post 13 employee development tactics every manager can take advantage of today appeared first on HR Morning.

Tweet This Post

Recognizing employees for their good work is essential to
good business.

In fact, when researchers in one survey asked employees, “What can your manager do to make this a better place to work?” almost 90% of them said, “Recognize me for a job well done.”

So, what’s the best way to go about it? Here are some great
ways to recognize your people:

Employee recognition that works

This is important enough to mention time and again.
Employees can never be over-recognized for good and outstanding work and
extra-mile efforts. Leaders who take time every day (yes, every day) create a
highly motivated, productive environment.

Some ways to do it daily:

• Put it on the calendar. Note names of people who
  you want to commend for something
• Mark it with a penny. One leader puts five
  pennies in his right pocket each morning. As he hands out compliments or
  praise, he moves a penny into his left pocket until they’re all gone. Some
  days, he needs more pennies!
• Start it off right. A company president makes
  sure the first three things he says in the office each day are positive and/or
  complimentary. It sets the tone for the day.

Honor employees

Employees need to feel their work means something to their
bosses and the company. They need to be recognized as a person first and as an
employee second. So recognize them for the good things they do outside work,
too.

Ask if you can announce and recognize their anniversaries,
birthdays, special accomplishments and important events at work. Then talk
about them at meetings or include a write-up about them in you in-house
publication or in an email.

Create a plan

Help every employee develop a “vision” for personal success
in the organization. Create a template they can use to document skills they’ve learned
and ones they’d like to master. Use that to pick goals and to create a path
they can follow to reach those goals.

Pay attention to them

Studies find the best leaders have several things in common, one being they carve out time to chat with their employees one-on-one. They use that time – and it can be just a few minutes every week – to give undivided attention to details on each employee’s work and personal lives.

This gives leaders a chance to see how employees manage all
of their demands, offer help when possible and uncover new ways to boost morale
based on what employees care about most.

Include their families

Talk to employees about their families (spouse’s job or philanthropic works, pet’s health, daughter’s talents, son’s basketball game, etc.). If possible, create a newsletter to share family-oriented information, that employees can submit information they want to share about their loved ones.

Also, when an employee is recognized for a significant achievement, send a letter home to the employee’s family explaining what happened, and how the organization valued the employee’s efforts

Special events

Regular, off-task events that are short and fun give employees something to anticipate and something fun to do. Psychologists say having something to look forward to reduces stress by creating a healthy anticipation of the future.

Some ideas: Plan occasional dress down days (you might even
ask employees to pay for the privilege and give the money to a charity).
Schedule weekly lunchtime group walks. Have a chili cook-off.

Add humor

Laughter is great for the workplace. Leaders can incorporate
appropriate fun stories into their speeches. One of the best ways for leaders
to get their people laughing is to poke fun at themselves. Remember humorous
mistakes you made in your young, working career and share them.

Say hello every day

A manager at an insurance company positions himself at the
entrance of his department nearly every day so he can greet employees. With a
smile on his face, he asks questions about their evenings or weekends. His
interest in their lives sets the stage for a positive day.

Get meeting input

The more managers include employees in meeting planning, the
more likely employees will want to be a contributing part of them. One
supervisor asks employees to submit topics for regular meetings. In addition to
covering what they want to discuss, he leaves time for “A-ha” moments. It’s a
time when employees either share something they learned that may benefit others
or something they witnessed a co-worker do that deserves recognition.

Change the focus

Leaders measure results. But if they spend a little more
time focused on employees, and less on the numbers, results will follow. So
regularly ask employees how they think processes can be improved. It’ll provide
a two-fold benefit. Employees will be happy their input is valued (and used),
and the company will have better processes

Share in the work

Managers who are too busy to help employees or who believe
they’re above the work they’re asking employees to do, will demoralize staff.
When employees face tough or busy times, managers want to step into the trenches,
show they care about their people and find ways to make their lives easier.

Talk from the top-down

The biggest reason morale plummets at organizations  and employees feel left out and unrecognized is
a lack of communication. Employees want to know where the company is headed and
what’s going on in other departments. That means manages should regularly
report to staff the information they learn in management meetings.

In fact, companies that give employees a voice in management
meetings report higher levels of morale than companies that don’t. That doesn’t
mean you have to allow employees to make decisions are you C-level meetings.
But consider offering them an avenue to make suggestions, air concerns and
share new ideas up the chain of command. One CEO said she holds regular town
hall meetings and spends at least an hour on the floor with employees at each
of her companies’ facilities every month.

She also has what she calls her“Charlene Chatline,” a
monthly publication to tell employees about worldwide operations, innovations
and industry news. Plus she takes “Comments to Charlene” – email messages from
employees with questions and concerns, which she personally answers.

Create social committees

Employees who have outlets to do what they personally enjoy
around work will have higher morale. That’s why the management at a financial
services company in Canada allowed and encouraged employees to create “social
committees.” Sign up sheets were posted in the break rooms and groups formed to
meet on their breaks or even after hours. Some of their most popular
committees: health and wellness, breakfast, social and birthday.

• The wellness group sends email health tips each
  week and plans post-work soccer games, runs and bike rides.
• The breakfast club purchases coffee, pastries
  and bagels with donations for employees who don’t have time to get a meal at
  home.
• The social committee gets people involved in
  paintball events, family picnics and local theater.
• The birthday committee decorates cubicles and
  plans periodic group celebrations.

The post 13 essential steps to great employee recognition appeared first on HR Morning.

Tweet This Post

Technology has had a massive impact on the hiring process, especially artificial intelligence. From providing access to candidate profiles to making it easier to post job applications on different platforms, modern technology has helped make recruiting more efficient and effective than ever.

Let’s face it, though – even with the access that websites like Glassdoor and LinkedIn provide, the hiring process can still be strenuous for everyone involved. For candidates, it can be frustrating to receive little to no communication in response to an application, while hiring managers, on the other hand, have the grueling task of sorting through hundreds of applications to find the best person for each job.

Though the search for the perfect candidate can take a toll, new developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, made especially for recruiters and hiring managers, can improve the process.

Artificial intelligence is used to analyze a large quantity of data in a very short amount of time to make predictions. Our brains are built similarly – we use all of our past experience and knowledge to make decisions. AI, however, uses much more information to make even more precise and accurate predictions.

It’s used in everything from Google algorithms that predict what searches you might make to customer service chatbots that help talk you through a return on Amazon. In the hiring process, it can be used to help find qualified candidates quickly.

But are the benefits of using this technology
worth the potential costs? Consider the following pros and cons.

The Pros

Sourcing

AI can significantly reduce the time spent finding and recruiting great potential candidates. Rather than having a person spend hours scanning LinkedIn, posting on job boards or attending career fairs, AI is able to automate this process and locate top talent while you work on other things. This can help ensure that organizations are bringing in candidates in a quick and efficient way.

Screening

One of the major benefits of AI for hiring is
its ability to sort through candidate resumes for you. Because it can analyze
information so quickly, AI is able to screen hundreds of resumes, searching for
relevant past experience, or other qualities you may be interested in from a
candidate, and ensuring the best candidates are brought to your attention in a
matter of minutes. This greatly reduces the time involved in reviewing
applications, which allows hiring managers to use their time elsewhere.

Communication

AI can also help you improve your
communication with candidates. The use of chatbots has grown quite a bit over
recent years, especially in customer service. Now, it’s being used by HR
professionals in candidate outreach. AI is able to act as a representative that
candidates can contact with questions day or night. It can also reach out to
qualified candidates to gather more information and set up an interview. A new
form of AI, known as Personality AI,
can even offer advice for communicating with each candidate in an effective way
based on their unique personality, which helps you build important connections
and hire the best candidates you can find.

The Cons

Overlooking Candidates

As beneficial as AI’s ability to find suitable
candidates can be, it also has the potential to overlook, deprioritize, or even
reject great people. Because it tends to look strictly at past experience or
other relevant data points, AI may not follow-up with someone who could be
well-suited to a role, despite not having as much relevant experience.

Learned Bias

Despite popular perception, AI does have the potential to be biased. Though properly developed AI can help prevent human biases, the technology’s need to learn through pattern can easily pick up on past partiality like age, gender and even the candidate’s alma mater. While there are companies that may neglect to account for these biases, this problem is easily fixed when software developers take the steps needed to remove these patterns of human error.

Being Impersonal

AI doesn’t always connect as well to customers
as a person on the other end might. The hiring process can feel less personal
for both the hiring manager and the candidate with AI-powered chatbots. Though
it can make the work more simple and effective, it may ultimately lead to a
lack of effective communication. Hiring managers may feel more detached from
the process, and candidates may be less convinced by generic messaging.
However, this can be avoided if the time hiring managers are able to save with
AI automation is spent getting to know more about the candidates that AI is
able to locate. While it’s possible to let AI do all of the work, there are
still plenty of areas, like interviewing and making the final decision, where
human connection works best.

Finding the Right
Fit

Given the pros, many high-performing
recruiting teams are leveraging AI to improve their hiring process. Though
there are some downsides to modern AI, the positives can be worth the risk if
you identify the right applications of it for your hiring process. Whether you
choose to focus on creating a more efficient candidate outreach program, or
improve your interviews with personality insights, AI can make a significant
impact for your team.

The post 6 pros and cons of using artificial intelligence in your hiring process appeared first on HR Morning.

Tweet This Post

Employers are required to reasonably accommodate disabled
workers.

But what happens when that disabled worker can’t do their
job?

Couldn’t perform essential duty

Charles Clark, a diabetic, was a personnel manager at
Champion National Security.

He was caught sleeping on the job and was fired for
violating the company’s alertness policy.

Clark sued his employer for violating the ADA. He said Champion National Security knew about his condition and was aware he went to the hospital for treatment after he fell asleep on the job. The company should’ve accommodated him, Clark said, and given him leeway with the alertness policy.

But the 5th Circuit sided with the company. It ruled that
staying awake at work was an essential job function for Clark. Since he
couldn’t stay awake, Clark wasn’t qualified to do his job.

Employers only have to accommodate qualified individuals under the ADA, the court said. Since Clark’s disability prevented him from performing his job properly, he wasn’t entitled to ADA protections.

Cite: Clark v. National Champion Security, Inc., 1/14/20.

The post 5th Circuit: Staying awake is an essential job function – even for disabled employees appeared first on HR Morning.

Tweet This Post

More than half of gig economy workers responding to a recent survey said they believe the “alternative workforce” should unionize.

And the desire to unionize extends to gig workers who say they are satisfied with their current job.

Why? So they can get paid fairly, have some level of benefit coverage (about three-quarters of gig workers in the U.S have no health insurance coverage) and generally work on a more equal basis with their full-time colleagues.

In a recent survey, 79% of respondents told Ceridian they are “somewhat” or “extremely” satisfied with their current job. But more than half said they are worried about having adequate work and income in the next two years with 40% rating their level of worry as “moderate” or “extreme.”

Unstoppable rise of the gig economy

The rise of the gig economy – workers who leverage technology to find and accept multiple temporary jobs – is changing the economy and individual companies’ talent strategies. And these aren’t all the new generation of temps – many permanent employees are often engaged in “side hustles.”

These workers fulfill a variety of roles and engage with employers in different ways.

For example, workers may work independently for one company, work independently for more than one company, freelance/consult with various clients, contract with one company at a time or contract with multiple companies simultaneously.

40% of U.S. workers doing gig work

Estimates from Deloitte and others indicate as much as 40%
of the U.S. workforce engaged in some form of gig work.

HR technology and service giant Ceridian surveyed a cross-section of these workers to improve understanding of some basic questions:

• Is alternative work the future or a trend?
• Are these workers happy or do they feel
  exploited?
• What motivates alternative workers?

Among the more important takeaways from Ceridian’s 2020 Pulse of Talent: Engaging the alternative workforce study are that this new model of work is here for the long haul and employers must do a better job of finding, hiring, and caring for these workers.

Ceridian’s researchers say that companies need to make an effort to engage with and understand the needs of this cohort. These are not the traditional temp workers who can be fitted into any slot for a few weeks or months without any thought about what they do well and how they work best.

Competitive advantage for employers

Hiring gig workers is not a discount payroll strategy — and will become even less so going forward.

Savvy employers will leverage gig workers’ flexibility, variety of skills and experience and willingness to work hard without the security of a full-time salary and benefits.

And they’ll achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.

But any company that gains a reputation for treating these
workers poorly – low pay, slow pay, second-class treatment of any kind — will
soon find it impossible to attract quality workers and will likely fall behind.

HR needs to take the lead

In another Deloitte study, almost half of HR pros said they are not involved in onboarding these workers and more than half don’t see a reason to train them.

And the downside should be obvious.

Just as in the permanent workforce, poorly trained workers who don’t understand your values, mission, and customer needs will never contribute real value to your organization.

And a transactional approach of trading uninspiring pay for uninspired work will ensure you won’t develop long-term relationships with high-skilled gig workers.

Taking care of gig workers’ health

One final finding from Ceridian’s 2020 Pulse report — the uncertainty, lack of stability and other challenges of gig work to create high levels of stress and associated physical and mental health impacts.

Smart employers will work to provide gig workers access to some level of mental health support, even if it is just assigning someone to check in occasionally to “take their pulse” and make sure they’re not feeling isolated or ignored.

The post Survey: Half of gig workers say they want to unionize appeared first on HR Morning.

Tweet This Post