HRGuru

Stress in the workplace can have devastating effects on employees. Sam Barrett finds out what adviser solutions can and can't do to help In today's tough economic climate, employees are coming under increasing pressure. Employers must take steps to manage stress in the workplace to safeguard their employees and their businesses. "Companies are putting employees under more and more pressure," says ...

The holidays can be a stressful time, full of family demands and financial obligations. This year, more people -- who have survived company downsizing or closures -- might benefit from employee assistance programs to help them through tough times. Employee assistance programs can range in scope, but generally focus on helping with issues that might affect job performance. The Employee Assistance ...

Jack Sullivan couldn't have been happier after landing his dream job. The position, salary and perks were exactly what he was looking for. But after the initial euphoria wore off, he discovered that going to work was becoming the same daily grind all over again. Although he couldn't put his finger on exactly what was wrong, he knew one thing for ...

I was looking at a post by Paul Hebert’s i2i about service anniversary awards and it got me thinking about the inherent ridiculousness of the whole concept. Why are we giving awards for people sticking it out? “Oh hey Jimmy, you made it through another year. Here’s your bronze pin. After that, you can get your silver, gold and then platinum ...

  Are your senior leaders committed to helping employees manage the competing demands of their work and personal lives? If you work for an organization on Fortune’s Best Companies to Work For list, your answer would probably be a resounding “yes”. On nearly all of the best workplaces’ websites, there is a clear description of the specific work-life policies and benefits that they ...

Appearances can be perilously deceiving, especially if Americans do not look any further than Nidal Malik Hasan's Palestinian descent, his Muslim affiliation, his Middle Eastern-style clothing, and reports of his having shouted out "Allahu Akbar," an expression of praise to God, before allegedly gunning down dozens of soldiers. Superficially, the Fort Hood rampage looks like terrorism. Hasan's murder spree appears, however, ...

A reader writes: I work at a small start-up company, and when I accepted the position my boss represented one of the perks as "we can be informal about vacation days." I'm not a slacker and didn't plan on taking advantage of it, but understandably I was happy about the attitude. However, in the seven months since having worked here, I've ...

Mad that you were passed over for a big promotion again? Livid that the bootlickers always seem to get ahead in your organization? Perhaps it's time to consider whether the anger itself, however legitimate, is holding you back. Evidence suggests many of us are walking around the office feeling resentful, though we may be unaware of the cumulative toll bitter actions ...

NEW YORK - It doesn't have to be a downer when the weak economy forces small businesses to scale back their holiday parties from the big catered or restaurant affairs they held in the past. These events can still be opportunities to build teamwork and boost morale. An owner hoping for a great party should include employees in the planning. The ...

I have read all of Amy Tan's books starting with the Joy Luck Club, Kitchen God's Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, and more. Each book carries the reader to the Far East and often, the author mentions people playing the game of Mahjongg, an ancient Chinese game of skill, strategy, and calculation with a certain amount of luck. I usually paused ...

There's a lot of talk about the pipeline -- that magical conveyer belt that calls a select few up toward the top of organizations. The pipeline is critically important for women, who in most organizations are notably absent from it. This underrepresentation of eligible females is often cited as the excuse for everything from pay inequity and the shortage of women ...

A reader writes: An acquaintance recommended me to his boss who, after several interviews, brought me on board. I really enjoy my job and my colleagues and I have received a lot of positive feedback from my boss. However, I am starting to have concerns about how well I am dealing with my (now) co-worker who passed my resume along. 1) ...

LUBUMBASHI, Democratic Republic of Congo -- Simone Maganga still feels deep shame when she recalls how, after her husband died, she was obliged to have sex with his younger brother in order to put the deceased's spirit to rest. "In order to remove your husband's dead body from your body, you must sleep with his little brother," said Maganga, a member ...

It's that time of the year again… the holidays. It doesn't matter what you're celebrating; there's no excuse needed to throw a fabulous office bash. Let HR Guru help you find ideas for office games, themes and activities. There's something in here for every occasion! Break out the champagne and join us for these 25 party tips and ideas that ...

You may think - if you're a woman with a full-time job - that your career is a way of paying the bills. Perhaps you even think you enjoy it. Not so, says Cristina Odone, a former deputy editor of this magazine and the author of What Women Want, a new pamphlet published by the Centre for Policy Studies. In fact, ...

PART 1 | PART 2 A workplace bully could be your boss, your division's honcho or even your company's chief executive. Other workplace sociopaths could be peers who openly slander you or gang up to intimidate or isolate you. So when considering a response to this form of psychological abuse, it's critical for bullying targets to consider organizational relationships. Next ...

PART 1 | PART 2 It's hard to pinpoint how it started. Maybe it was when you saw your manager's assistant noting those rare occasions when you came in 10 minutes late. Or maybe it was the time the boss half-jokingly trashed your performance -- in front of her higher-up. There now seems no end to your tormentor's campaign of ...

It is said that you start your work life with black and white – mutually exclusive, clear cut choices or instructions that are passed on to you by your manager. There is little that you impact, and little that impacts you, relative to what lies ahead. The stakes are low, the people touched by your work are few, and lapses can ...

Is recession depression spreading like wildfire throughout your organization? Here's how you can tell, along with advice on how to treat this disease. THE SYMPTOMS Laughter has been replaced by silence. Remember when work used to be fun? You'd walk through the halls and you couldn't help but notice the sounds of laughter floating through the office cubicles. Now all you ...

The National Organization for Women says the David Letterman sex scandal is raising serious questions about inappropriate behavior in the workplace. The U.S. chat-show host admitted on "Late Show with David Letterman" last Thursday that he has had sex with female employees. The on-air revelation came after Letterman testified before a grand jury that a man threatened to release the information ...