Think of one word to define the last year…uncertainty.  We all know what uncertainty brings on…anxiety.  Each week we do not know what will come next, and that is taking a toll on our workforce’s mental health. 

One (or two) questions that have been brought to ASE by employers when requesting a review of their employee handbook over the last year has been, do we need a COVID-19 policy? And/or what other policies do I need to have in place given the pandemic?

In a recent ASE Member discussion, members talked about how they miss the unplanned interactions in the office. These often become the starting point for solving problems and getting work done.  Studies have shown that the amount of time spent planning projects and communicating effectively for a virtual team is at least double what it is for an in‐person team.  How can your virtual team mimic that informal talk in the lunchroom or catching someone in the hallway?

“I’m not joking when I say this: If you ever work with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I will fire you on the spot. No ifs, ands, or buts.”  That is a direct quote from President Biden on his very first day in the White House. What if corporations took that same stance?

One of the biggest issues for newly minted supervisors and managers is that their buddies now report to them.  So how does one go from buddy to supervisor?  It’s common for many new supervisors or managers to forget their role and ignore the performance issues.  They don’t want to rock the boat and want to keep their personal friendships.

Office parties are so last year. Planning an office party in 2020 is not an easy task.  Its time to think of alternatives to the annual event. Your employees will appreciate any effort you take to make the office holiday party one they look forward to, even if it is through a Zoom call. They deserve it, after all, 2020 has been quite a year.

Many organizations have had to tighten their budgets due to the pandemic.  Employees understand this, but it’s still nice to feel appreciated, and employees have become accustomed to employers expressing that appreciation at year-end.  It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to show your employees you appreciate them.

Human Experience Management (HXM) is on the rise. We are all in this big experiment of remote work, return to work, and being an essential worksite.  Employees expect and need more than pay and benefits. They want experiences.  Their experience involves the technology they use, company culture, agility, and employee development and growth opportunities.   

In a recent survey by Time’s Up and the National Women’s Law Center, seven in 10 people (72%) who report sexual harassment faced some form of retaliation, including termination, lawsuits for defamation, and denied promotions.  The report is based on 3,317 requests for legal help submitted to Time's Up between January 1, 2018, and April 30, 2020.  In addition, one-third of workers (36%) said they experienced physical harassment, sexual assault, or rape. About 1 in 5 (18%)...

According to a second pulse survey by KPMG LLP, 79% of U.S. workers from organizations with more than 1,000 employees indicate that over the last four months, the quality of their work has improved, 70% say that their productivity has increased, and 67% indicate their work-life balance has improved. 84% are satisfied with their employer's response to the pandemic.

The case for reopening schools and day care centers during the pandemic is strong. However, reopening schools also means exposing more kids to the virus, which could mean 14-day quarantines for families.  What does this mean for employees and employers?

In May EPTW published an article conjecturing that employers would likely face masking issues involving inappropriate images and messages on worker face wear. We stressed, for the most part, that employers have control over what employees wear in the workplace unless overridden by formal federal or state safety and health regulation or a collective bargaining agreement.

Employers can earn the trust of their employees through timely and accurate communication.  But how to communicate and how much is a question that came up in a recent ASE Member Roundtable regarding COVID-19 in the workplace.

Remote work has overcome our culture, and video conferencing has become a standard way of communicating with our peers, teams, leadership, and customers.  While video conferencing existed prior to the pandemic, we now find ourselves utilizing this method of communication as a daily activity.  The way we present ourselves physically on video says a lot to the other participants on the call. 

With Valentine’s Day coming up in just over a week, what better time to gaze at employer policies addressing relationships as well as review non-discrimination policies that employers passionately hope will keep them out of trouble. Surveys have found up to 85% of 18 to 29-year olds would consider having a romantic relationship with a co-worker. A CareerBuilder survey found that 38% of respondents had dated a co-worker at least once, and 31% of them reportedly went on to marry the...