Biophilia is defined as the inherent human desire to affiliate with nature.  Biophilic design, an extension of biophilia, is the practice of using architecture and building design to connect people and nature.  This is accomplished through incorporation of natural building materials, natural light, vegetation, and nature views into an urban environment.  So how can using biophilic design in a work environment improve employee productivity?

It’s winter and we still have a long way to go.  Many of us will look out the window at the cold and gray and imagine being somewhere warm and on the beach.  How would you like to work for an employer that actually provides you money on top of your paid time off to take that dream vacation?  The newest perk some generous employers have rewarded their employees with are travel stipends, or as some call it, “paid, paid vacation” that helps to take care of...

According to the CDC, while most of the time bedbugs typically live within eight feet of where people sleep, they can infest areas that don’t have any sleeping areas.  They can be found in movie theaters, libraries, and yes, even found at work. Over the last several years bedbug infestations have been on the rise, and employers should take note.  While the reasons for this rise are unknown, the EPA believes that increased travel, resistance to pesticides, ineffective pest...

This year’s flu season is predicted to be one of the worst in decades.  Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, told CNN that it could be as bad as the 2017-18 season, which the CDC says was the deadliest in four decades.  Flu activity has been elevated since the start of November and is only expected to continue climbing. Newly released data from the CDC estimates that so far this season, at least 6.4 million...

In early December, fast-food chain Chipotle Mexican Grill settled a lawsuit in which a male employee alleged he was sexually harassed by his female supervisor.  He also alleged that he was later subjected to retaliation by his supervisor after he reported her behavior.  Chipotle has agreed to pay $95,000 to the employee and make substantial changes to their sexual harassment policies and training in order to settle the sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by the...

According to a recent UK study from Jobsite, 35% of Millennials would like for the annual office Secret Santa gift exchange to be banned.  One of the many reasons Millennials provided for feeling this way is the pressure of the holiday tradition and the anxiety that it triggers.  Some of the issues they face include:

Snow, snow, and more snow!  Last week Michigan was hammered with a record-breaking November snowstorm that surprised many, closing schools and making work commutes difficult.  The National Weather Service recorded a daily maximum snowfall of 8.5 inches at Detroit Metro Airport on Monday November 11 that broke a record that had stood for nearly 94 years. It was the highest November daily snowfall, topping the previous high mark of 6.2 inches set on Nov. 15, 1925. 

According to federal data, suicide rates in the United States have recently hit their highest rate since World War II.  There has been a 33% increase just since 1999.  High rates of stress, pressures, isolation factors of social media use, and opioid abuse are some of the larger contributing factors. 

We’ve all heard the saying, “people leave managers, not companies.”  Managers have the most direct influence on the employees they supervise, and creating effective retention strategies to decrease turnover should be one of their most important jobs.  With the tight labor market and the unemployment rate hitting a record 50 year low, many employers have indicated that finding and retaining good talent is their greatest obstacle for growth. 

According to the CDC, as of September 16, 2019, six people have died from vaping-related lung illnesses, and the number of possible cases has grown to 450.  In Michigan, six individuals have been hospitalized according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.  All patients had vaped within days or weeks of getting sick, and many had used e-cigarettes with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).  While the CDC continues to investigate these illnesses and deaths, they advise...

Innovation and the sophistication of employee tracking technology has grown exponentially over the last several years opening up a wide range of options for employers to track their employees' activities.   Some of the earliest technology that employers implemented included video cameras, phone listening, and keyboard stroke recording.  Technology from there evolved to the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) devices installed in vehicles, laptops, or through apps installed...

In late July, a woman who worked in the Seattle/Kirkland branch of Google posted a memo titled “I’m Not Returning to Google After Maternity Leave, and Here is Why,” to an internal message board for expecting and new mothers.  After the initial posting, it was also posted to other internal message boards within the organization and from there went viral.  It has been viewed by over 10,000 employees, and it alleges that Google has discriminated and retaliated...

This summer marks five years since the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) announced the launch of their HR certification program intended to compete with the established HR certification program offered by the HR Certification Institute (HRCI).  Many were left very frustrated by this development trying to determine whether the profession could sustain two HR certifications and if one would eventually emerge as predominant and more prestigious over the other. 

It’s hard to believe that summer is halfway over, and Labor Day is going to be here before you know it.  While the office is a little quieter due to heavier vacation schedules, this is a great time of year to tackle that handbook update project before things get busy again in the fall.

Technology over the past decade has found its way into practically every part of our daily lives.  It has transformed how we communicate, the way we interact through social media, the access we have to information, how we shop, and how we conduct business – just to name a few examples.  You look around anywhere these days, and people are staring at their electronic devices, and many feel helpless without them.  As a result of this heavy dependence on technology, it...