Workforce Trends

Are “Casual Fridays” Getting Out of Hand?

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Many companies have casual days, generally Fridays. Casual Fridays are dress down days—a nice perk for employees that costs the employer little to nothing to implement. But how far “down” is it appropriate to dress on a casual Friday? Linda Baugh, president of American Career Executives in Scottsdale, Arizona says standards for setting a Casual Friday dress code vary. "It depends on the industry; if you're dressed very casually in front of clients, then they may not take you seriously as the provider of the service," Baugh says.

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The Hiring Manager and Millennial Behavior in Job Interviews

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

As new college graduates embark on finding their first career jobs, or even summer jobs, many of them will find not just the sluggish economy or high unemployment challenging them, but the interview itself as well. According to a study of 501 hiring managers by the recruiting firm Adecco, hiring managers are three times more likely hire a worker 50 years old or older than hire a Millennial (defined as those born between 1981 and 2000, making them 18-34 years old today). Why? Long-term commitment, professionalism and reliability are what recruiters cited as their biggest worry about Millenials. However, mistakes Millennials make in job interviews were also very prominently reported in the survey. HR professionals can compare the survey results to their own experience screening Millenial job candidates:

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Want a Good Team Player? Draft a Neurotic.

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

If you had to assemble a team for a work project, who would you pick? According to new study, persons categorized as neurotic are better team players and more appreciated by the team than other work types, especially the extrovert. The study’s authors are Corinne Bendersky, an associate professor at UCLA’s business school, and Neha Parikh Shah, an assistant professor at Rutgers Business School.

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Proposed “Brain-Drain” Legislation in Michigan Could Benefit Recruiting Departments

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Michigan, like many states, depends on new college graduates to bring their learning and fresh ideas into the workforce to sustain and hopefully grow their state’s economy. Just like Human Resources professionals on the ground, many states find it difficult to retain some of their talent. Michigan has been suffering from a widely-perceived “brain drain” for several years now, although it is certainly not the only state afflicted with the problem.

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For Millenials, Salary Secrets are Relics of the Past

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

For Millenial workers transparency trumps everything, particularly privacy. Today the traditional taboo against employees discussing salaries with each other is going away. Think about it: Millenials have grown up with virtually every aspect of their lives documented publicly, from Facebook to Twitter and Instagram to Flicker. Hardly anything is private to them anymore. Baby Boomer managers struggling to comprehend that fact need to remind themselves of their own mantra from many years ago: The times they are a-changin’.

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Bringing Big Data to HR

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever heard of the acronym VORP or WAR? How about WHIP or SLG? If not, don’t worry. Unless you are the general manager of a major league baseball team, or you manage or play on one, those acronyms should have little meaning to you. (On the other hand, if you are one of those people and you don’t know what they mean, you better google each one of them. Right now.) Baseball has been a gold mine for statistic-minded fans from its very earliest days. They gathered and analyzed data in order to gain more insight into the game, but more importantly to dispel commonly-held misconceptions about the game. As they figured, the data don’t lie.

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Not Enough High-Pots Still a Major Concern for Talent Managers

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

If 2013 happens to be the year for putting together your next five-year strategic outlook, talent is sure to be part of the discussion. Having just survived a five-year period unlike any other since the 1930s, many employers are starting to think about moving forward for the first time in a long time.

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Are You Biased Against the Overweight and Heavyset?

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Under Michigan law, employers cannot discriminate against people on the basis of weight, but this discrimination appears rampant in the U.S. According to studies at the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, up to 50% of all Americans are considered overweight. Being overweight is linked to coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer and is estimated to cause 310,000 - 580,000 deaths and cost $71 billion annually in health care. According to the center, if current trends continue, every person in the U.S. will be obese by 2230. Not good news.

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Superhero Wanted. See Twitter for Qualifications

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

While LinkedIn and other networking platforms have become comparatively mainstream in job recruiting, an emerging trend may signal an important change in that process. Twitter, the social media giant, is starting to see its platform being used for recruiting needs.

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