A mere 10 years ago, the idea of onboarding and training new employees remotely might have seemed to many like it would be impossible, or at least come across as tedious and strange to new employees. But today’s videoconferencing technology has advanced by leaps and bounds to make remote training possible — and sometimes even preferable to in-person onboarding and training. With the right tools, employees can do things like …
Under the Federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) there are two types of child care–related leave available to employees: Up to 2 weeks of paid sick leave, paid at 2/3 the employee’s regular rate of pay, if the employee is unable to work or telework due to the need to care for a child whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19. Up to an additional 10 weeks of paid expanded family …
For many employees, connecting with friends and coworkers is a big part of the appeal of coming to work. In a healthy workplace, colleagues feel interested in each others’ lives and excited to share news with one another. But, as we all know, employee communication can take a turn for the worse if employees begin spreading rumors, targeting certain employees with behind-the-back complaints, or simply breeding a culture of mistrust …
Do you still think of a humanoid robot when you hear the term “artificial intelligence?” Even though the term may conjure images from sci-fi movies, the fact is that computer scientists have built AI into a broad scope of tech functions that many of us already use everyday. For example, your smartspeaker or smartphone’s digital assistant (such as Alexa or Siri) is likely considered artificially intelligent, and so are the …
In a world where politics and social issues dominate the news, it should be expected that sensitive topics will filter into discussions at the workplace. The polarization and divisiveness within the current culture present a unique challenge for employers. Discussing these issues in the workplace risks causing division and hurting productivity, but what can an employer do to address the problem? Is it as simple as banning political discussions at …
Disabled people are still underrepresented as employees at most companies, despite the significant benefits they bring to the table. But this isn’t necessarily because employers consciously avoid hiring people with disabilities. Just like with other employees from minority groups, disabled employees may be left out of the hiring and advancement process due to the way the processes are structured, or due to a lack of resources and training. Thankfully, it’s …