June 30, 2007
Every month, in collaboration with the Institute of
Workplace Studies (IWS), CAHRS identifies the 'Top
10' news items from the IWS News Service covering
key workplace issues that would be of interest to
CAHRS sponsors. Now CAHRS and the HR
Division have agreed to distribute this information as
another benefit of HR Division membership.
These news items are carefully selected, covering
areas such as emerging workplace trends,
compensation, executive training and development,
technology enabled HR services, important policy
announcements impacting people practices,
employment related macro economic data and top
line general economic data, significant court
decisions relating to employment law and any other
issue of potential significance to human resource
managers.
The content is sourced from U.S. Government and
international agencies, public and private bodies,
consultancies and knowledge services firms, industry
associations, unions and select academic institutions.
Because the links below are sometimes to
copyrighted materials, you may be asked to sign in to
a proprietary website (for example Business Week
online) after following the link. However, once you
have signed up for these free services, you will be
able to find the complete article. Our goal is
to
provide you with information about up-to-date issues
in HR.
The CAHRS Top Ten
1.
EEOC
Issues New Guidance on Work/Family Balance and
Promotes Employer Best Practices [May 2007], by
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(full text)
Summary: With the changing nature of family
caregivers as a basis, this EEOC report focuses on
the conditions that may constitute unlawful disparate
treatment of workers under Title VII of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990. The report covers such situations as unlawful
discrimination against females during the hiring
process as well as lesser known subjects such as
unlawful "benevolent stereotyping" and discrimination
against male caregivers. In addition to the ins and
outs of the legislation, clear-cut examples of disparate
treatment are presented.
2. New Competencies for HR
[June 2007], by Robert J. Grossman, HR Magazine
Summary:In this article, based on the 2007
Human Resource Competency Study conducted by
Dave Ulrich and colleagues at the University of
Michigan, six key attributes necessary for success as
a HR practitioner-i.e., functioning as a credible
activist, a cultural steward, a talent
manager/organizational designer, strategy architect,
business ally, and an operational executor-are
considered. Beyond this, the key elements of each
competency are discussed as is the importance of
feedback in developing each competency.
3. Preparing for an Aging
Workforce: A Focus on New York Businesses
[May 2007], by Katherine Bridges and David Cicero,
AARP Knowledge Management (Full Text)
Summary: This survey of 400 employers in
the state of New York reveals that although a
significant proportion of companies recognize the
potential for labor shortages as baby boomers retire,
the majority of firms are still under-prepared to handle
it, especially with regard to the loss of shared
organizational knowledge. Additionally, the prevalence
of specific tactics used by firms to counteract the
predicted labor shortages is examined and
recommendations for the future are offered.
4.
Employers Lukewarm About Retaining Older
Workers [May 2007], by Andrew D. Eschtruth,
Steven A.
Sass, and Jean-Pierre Aubry, Center for Retirement
Research at Boston College
(Survey Data)
Summary: This report discusses the future of
pensions and retirement savings, citing the fact that
much of the increased uncertainty and risk facing
retiring employees can be mitigated by having such
employees remain in the workforce for two to four
years longer than usual. In spite of recognizing the
costs of lost organizational knowledge that occur
when long-time workers leave, the report indicates
that most employers are less than enthusiastic to
create work opportunities for retirement-age
employees that wish to extend the life of their careers.
Factors influencing employers' actions as well as
those factors that have little influence are also
discussed.
5. The Backdating Option [June
2007], by Steven Yahn, Human Resource Executive
Online
Summary: Focusing on the increased scrutiny
by the federal government surrounding option grants,
this article examines the implications for human
resource practitioners. Discussing various dubious
options-grant procedures relating to timing and
disclosure, the author suggests that a thorough
knowledge of the firm's previous grants is necessary
to protect the company and oneself even if grants are
generally handled by departments other than HR.
Additionally, the value of creating a formal options-
grant procedure that is written and known by all
employees handling such grants is explored.
6.
Workplace Organization and Innovation
[May 2007], by Cindy Zoghi, U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, Robert D. Mohr, University of New
Hampshire, and Peter B. Meyer, U.S. Bureau of
Labors Statistics, BLS Working Papers
Summary: In this study of Canadian firms, the
authors determine that innovation occurs most readily
and rapidly within firms with decentralized decision-
making processes, incentive pay, and widespread
sharing of information. Laying out a descriptive model
of how these three organizational characteristics
interact to favor innovation, the authors further explain
that while incentive pay does not directly affect
innovation, it does improve the cost-effectiveness of
both information-sharing and decentralized decision-
making. Last, the authors conclude that the form of
workplace organization employed can have a drastic
effect on the ability of the firm to innovate.
7. Innovation Agility [May 2007], by Kevin
Dehoff and John Loehr, www.strategy+business.com
Summary: Using the example of Toyota, this
article investigates the essential elements to versatile
product development including the importance of
organizational learning, talent and people
development, and culture. Drawing a distinction
between a cost and a value target, the authors
emphasize the importance of considering customer
value as the overall goal to any business action as
well as the critical role a well-defined knowledge-
development process plays in creating value for the
firm. Also discussed is the idea of a flexible risk
ethic-i.e., creating accountability for results and not
processes.
8.
Anatomy of a Healthy Corporation [May 2007], by
Aaron De Smet, Mark Loch, and Bill Schaninger, The
McKinsey Quarterly
Summary: Focusing on how to create and
maintain superior and sustainable business
performance, this article begins with a discussion of
three impediments-"mindfulness", cognitive, and
self-knowledge traps-to maintaining a healthy
corporation. Continuing, five emergent attributes of the
healthy organization are discussed along with actions
that support their functioning within the firm. Key in the
discussion is the interrelatedness of each
organizational attribute to its counterparts.
9.
Workplace Loyalties Change, But the Value of
Mentoring Doesn't [May 2007], by
Knowledge@Wharton
Summary: Citing the prevalent and growing
tendency of young workers to rapidly change
employers, this article frames mentoring as important
both for getting these workers up to speed in their new
roles and decreasing the likelihood they will leave the
company in the future. Beyond this, mentoring is
credited with the improving employee engagement
and productivity. In addition, the importance of informal
relationships and encouraging younger workers to be
proactive in seeking out mentor relationships are
discussed.
10. Fitting the Pieces Together
[June 2007], Ann Pomeroy, HR Magazine
Summary:Taking the merger of Sprint and
Nextel as an example, this article investigates the
many and varied complications and difficulties
associated with putting two companies together.
Additionally, the author discusses the role of clear
communication and information-sharing as well as
how to combine two separate corporate legacies,
whether these involve people, systems, or both. Last,
the importance of treating people well, whether it is
their first day or their last with the organization, is
taken into account.
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