Answers to the World's Scariest Employment Law Questions
North Carolina SHRM Presentation
1. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About
(But Didn’t Want to Pay a Lawyer to Ask)
Mark Toth
Chief Legal Officer – North America
August 16, 2012
2. Today’s
AGENDA
Smartest HR Person in the Universe Competition
All the Latest Developments
How to Get Sued Big Now
Employment Law Sing-a-long
Employment Law Tool Box
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 2
3. marktoth.com
@manpowerblawg
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 3
4. Official Disclaimer
The presentation you are about to witness should not
be relied upon or construed as legal advice.
Failure to stay awake for the remainder of this presentation
could result in potentially long-lasting side-effects, including
severe disengagement, plummeting productivity, increased
litigation and/or severe gastrointestinal discomfort from
having to do all the work in your company because everyone
else leaves.
Please consult with your own HR and/or Legal departments
before making any major policy and/or procedure changes.
You have been warned.
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 4
5. SMARTEST HR PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE
COMPETITION
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 5
6. LAWSUITS
LAWSUITS
LAWSUITS
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 66
7. According to a recent study, what‟s the
#1 legal headache for U.S. businesses?
A. Environmental regulation
B. Patent protection
C. International contract laws
D. Employment law disputes
E. Lawyers
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 7
8. According to a recent study, what‟s the
#1 legal headache for U.S. businesses?
A. Environmental regulation
B. Patent protection
C. International contract laws
D. Employment law disputes
E. Lawyers
Source: Fulbright & Jaworski
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 8
9. According to the latest data, what are an
employer‟s odds of winning at trial?
A. It is unlawful for employers to win
B. 22%
C. 48%
D. 68%
E. 88%
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 9
10. According to the latest data, what are an
employer‟s odds of winning at trial?
A. It is unlawful for employers to win
B. 22%
C. 48%
D. 68%
E. 88%
Source: Jury Verdict Research
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 10
11. What hit record highs last
year?
A. EEOC complaints
B. EEOC recoveries
C. EEOC class actions
D. EEOC love notes from employers
E. All of the above except “D”
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 11
12. What hit record highs last
year?
A. EEOC complaints
B. EEOC recoveries
C. EEOC class actions
D. EEOC love notes from employers
E. All of the above except “D”
Source: EEOC
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 12
13. What‟s the #1 most
common discrimination
claim?
A. Age
B. National Origin
C. Race
D. Retaliation
E. Sex
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 13
14. Retaliation is #1
1. Retaliation (36,258)
2. Race (35,890)
3. Sex (29,029)
4. Disability (25,165)
5. Age (23,264)
Source: EEOC
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 14
15. Which of the following is most likely to
result in a humongous class action?
A. I-9 violations
B. OSHA violations
C. FMLA violations
D. Wage and hour violations
E. Doing business in California
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 15
16. Which of the following is most likely to
result in a humongous class action?
A. I-9 violations
B. OSHA violations
C. FMLA violations
D. Wage and hour violations
E. Doing business in California
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 16
18. How Much Will YOU Pay?
$100K - $1M+:
$0 - 50K: $51-100K: Big pattern
1 plaintiff + 1 plaintiff + $1M: +/or
no horrible horrible Pattern +/or reeaaallllllllly
facts facts horrible horrible
(32%) (28%) facts facts
(39%) (1%)
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 18
Sources: EEOC, Jury Verdict Research
19. More More
More enforcement: up for third straight year
More Suits: 1 / 5 has 50+
More Big Suits: 4 / 10 have suit seeking $20M+
More Investigations: 91% expect increase or stay same
More Costs: median spend up 40% to $1.4M
Sources: Fulbright, Seyfarth Shaw, Jury Verdict Research
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 19
20. What‟s Next? More More More
Even More Enforcement
Even More Class Actions
Even More $$$
Big Targets:
• Systemic
• Wage and Hour
• Inflexible Leave
• Pregnancy/Caregiver
• Exec Misconduct
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 20
22. True or False?
None of the laws
that apply in the
real world apply in
the social media
universe and
therefore I can
completely lose my
mind and
absolutely anything
goes.
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 22
23. Same old laws …
Non-discrimination
Adverse impact
FCRA
GINA
NLRA
Negligent Hiring
Off-duty Conduct
Arrest & Conviction Record
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 23
24. Same old test …
job- job-
related related
job-
related
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 24
25. Latest Stats: Employees
62% “couldn’t live without the Internet”
53% would rather lose nose than Facebook
48% would swap pay for SM access
29% access X-rated sites
28% have posted work-related photos
22% have posted/tweeted about a co-worker
21% would turn down a job if unsocial
Sources: Cisco, Pew Research Center, McCann WorldGroup, Nielsen, DLA Piper
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 25
26. Question: How do those about to enter
the workforce rank the following in order
of importance?
A. Social Activities, Romance, Music, Internet
B. Internet, Social Activities, Romance, Music
C. Music, Social Activities, Internet, Romance
D. Romance, Internet, Music, Social Activities
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 26
27. Question: How do those about to enter
the workforce rank the following in order
of importance?
A. Social Activities, Romance, Music, Internet
B. Internet, Social Activities, Romance, Music
C. Music, Social Activities, Internet, Romance
D. Romance, Internet, Music, Social Activities
Source: Cisco
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 27
28. Latest Stats: Employers
73% do no SM training
68% monitor internet activity
58% say SM benefits outweigh risks
56% block access to some sites
45% use SM to screen
31% have disciplined for postings about employer
25% have disciplined for excessive SM use
19% ban SM
Sources: SHRM, Clearswift, DLA Piper, Cisco
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 28
29. What Are Employers Really
Using?
95% LinkedIn
58% Facebook
42% Twitter
29% Professional/Association Sites
3% MySpace
1% Foursquare
1% Second Life
6% Other
Source: SHRM
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 29
30. What Are Employers Really
Finding?
35%: Bad Stuff 18%: Good Stuff
• 53% inappropriate photos/info • 50% good personality
• 44% drugs/alcohol • 39% strong qualifications
• 35% disparaging comments • 38% creative abilities
• 29% bad communication skills • 35% good communication skills
• 26% discriminatory comments • 19% valid references
• 24% lies about qualifications • 15% awards/accolades
Source: Mindflash
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 30
31. Which of the following is NOT
an actual employee tweet?
A. “Hate my job!! I want to tell my bosses how dumb they are and
how meaningless this job is, then quit, and be happy!”
B. “So my job was to test all the food at the new restaurant, can I
just say, ughew. I’m going to taco bell.”
C. “Smoking weed at work is so [expletive] great”
D. “I’m really bummed that I’m working today, I asked off so I could
study but my boss is a [expletive] who can’t read.”
E. “I am working really hard right now and feel very fortunate to
have a job.”
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 31
32. Which of the following is NOT
an actual employee tweet?
A. “Hate my job!! I want to tell my bosses how dumb they are and
how meaningless this job is, then quit, and be happy!”
B. “So my job was to test all the food at the new restaurant, can I
just say, ughew. I’m going to taco bell.”
C. “Smoking weed at work is so [expletive] great”
D. “I’m really bummed that I’m working today, I asked off so I could
study but my boss is a [expletive] who can’t read.”
E. “I am working really hard right now and feel very fortunate to
have a job.”
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 32
33. Stay Out Of Court Basics
Adopt a Reasonable Policy
Consistently Enforce It
Don‟t Intercept, Steal or Deceive
Train Searchers + Managers
Monitor But Don‟t Overreact
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 33
34. Search Checklist
Be Consistent
• All candidates or certain categories/departments
• Same phase of interview process
Designate Searchers
• One employee, small group or 3rd party
• Not hiring manager
Limit Scope
• Job-related, job-related, job-related
• Restrict to certain approved sites
• No age, race, religion, disabilities, genetics or other
protected info
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 34
35. Search Checklist
Disclose
• Notify candidates that may use SM
• Include on applications and other documents
Document
• Consistent process
• Note legitimate job-related reasons for not
hiring
• Follow document retention policies
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 35
37. 10 Essential Elements
Tie to Vision + Handbook + Code
Set Clear + Reasonable Expectations
Define SM Brooooooooadly
Protect Trade Secrets/Confidentiality
Clarify Who Owns What
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 37
38. 10 Essential Elements
No Disparagement/Harassment
Respect Copyrights
NLRA Disclaimer
Duty To Report Violations
“Up to and including discharge”
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 38
39. SM Policy Starter Kit
Latest Legal Developments
Official NLRB Policy
Official Blawg Sample Policy
Other Fortune 500 Policies
SM 101 Articles
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 39
40. MEDICAL
MEDICAL
MEDICAL
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 4040
41. What‟s true about the ADAAA?
A. It’s easier to establish a covered “disability”
B. Mitigating measures can’t be considered
C. Episodic or remission conditions are covered
D. Individualized assessments are required
E. Rigid leave policies will get you in trouble
H. All of the above
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 41
42. What‟s true about the ADAAA?
A. It’s easier to establish a covered “disability”
B. Mitigating measures can’t be considered
C. Episodic or remission conditions are covered
D. Individualized assessments are required
E. Rigid leave policies will get you in trouble
H. All of the above
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 42
43. Bob is normally a responsible, quiet employee. One day,
however, he shows up two hours late and acts
“obscenely happy, wearing make-up, avoiding eye
contact, continuously rubbing his legs and touching
everyone.” He also does a “crazy monkey arm dance”
and begins “twirling and talking gibberish, flying around
in the office in a hyper state.” Then he leaves.
What do you do?
A. Fire him for inappropriate workplace behavior
B. Do a crazy monkey arm dance in his honor until he returns
C. Drug test him
D. Give him a chance to explain his behavior
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 43
44. Bob is normally a responsible, quiet employee. One day,
however, he shows up two hours late and acts
“obscenely happy, wearing make-up, avoiding eye
contact, continuously rubbing his legs and touching
everyone.” He also does a “crazy monkey arm dance”
and begins “twirling and talking gibberish, flying around
in the office in a hyper state.” Then he leaves.
What do you do?
A. Fire him for inappropriate workplace behavior
B. Do a crazy monkey arm dance in his honor until he returns
C. Drug test him
D. Give him a chance to explain his behavior
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 44
45. Which of the following increase your chances of
getting sued under GINA?
A. Asking about family medical history
B. Terminating an employee after a positive test
C. Commingling medical and other information
D. Not adopting the EEOC’s “safe harbor” language
E. Discriminating against employees named Gina
F. All of the above except “E”
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 45
46. Which of the following increase your chances of
getting sued under GINA?
A. Asking about family medical history
B. Terminating an employee after a positive test
C. Commingling medical and other information
D. Not adopting the EEOC’s “safe harbor” language
E. Discriminating against employees named Gina
F. All of the above except “E”
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 46
47. An employee comes into your office at 4:59
on a Friday and informs you that he suffers
from multiple medical conditions, including
“work-induced narcolepsy,” “spontaneous
combustion syndrome” and “episodic
cubicle-confinement hyper-grumpiness.” He
demands several accommodations, including:
(1) a portable I.V. hooked up to an espresso
machine, (2) a fire extinguisher mounted to
his head; (3) three-and-a-half weeks off each
month and (4) your office.
If you have time to make only one call, to
whom should it be?
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 47
56. What's Next? Hot Spots
IC Classifications
OT Classifications (especially Administrative)
Work @ Home
Pre-shift “Work” (Donning/Doffing, Logon/Logoff)
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 56
57. What's Next? Hot States
California
Illinois
Massachusetts
Minnesota
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Washington
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 Source: Seyfarth Shaw 57
58. UNIONS
UNIONS
UNIONS
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 5858
59. True or False: The NLRB only has
jurisdiction over unionized companies.
A. True
B. False
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 59
60. True or False: The NLRB only has
jurisdiction over unionized companies.
A. True
B. False
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 60
61. Facebook Firings
Don‟t discipline for
Be especially wary of
comments about wages
group comments
or work conditions
OK (maybe) to discipline Review policy to make
for comments unrelated sure not overbroad
to work conditions or out-of-date
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 61
63. Top 11 Litigation Tips
In the History of the Universe
1. Love your employees
2. Know the law
3. Take the Mom Test
4. Model ethical behavior at the top
5. Address known and systemic issues
6. If it ain’t job-related, it ain’t job-related
7. Follow your own policies and contracts
8. Conduct early case evaluations
9. Establish budgets and fixed/flat fees
10. Never ever ever retaliate
11. Investigate and document ALL claims
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 63
64. What % of employees are engaged?
A. -9%
B. 29%
C. 49%
D. 69%
E. 89%
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 64
65. What % of employees are engaged?
A. -9%
B. 29%
C. 49%
D. 69%
E. 89%
Source: Gallup
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 65
66. Employment Law Talk Show
We are • 80% of jobs are sedentary
Stressssssed • 62% say workload increased
last 6 months
• 40% are sleep-deprived
• 33% are chronically overworked
• 32% increase in workweek
in past 25 years
Sources: Pennington Biomedical
Research Center, Kronos,
National Sleep Foundation, • 1 in 25 bosses is a certified
Families & Work Institute, Harris
Interactive, Dr. Paul Babiak
psychopath
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 66
67. Employment Law Talk Show
More Stress = The Bottom Line:
More Suits $200-$300B is lost each year due to
stress-related absenteeism, burnout,
decreased productivity, WC claims,
turnover and insurance costs.
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 Source: American Institute of Stress 67
68. Employment Law Talk Show
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 Source: ManpowerGroup 68
69. If you had to boil all of
HR and employment law
down into ONE simple
word, what would it be?
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 69
72. Employment Law Talk Show
Employment law can be easy
If you listen you surely won‟t fail
We wrote you this song
So please sing along
If you don‟t, you could end up in jail
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 72
73. Employment Law Talk Show
Don‟t put things off „til tomorrow
Yes investigate right away
Don‟t procrastinate
And don‟t retaliate
Or the more you will have to pay
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 73
74. Employment Law Talk Show
Remember this song
And you‟ll never go wrong
Yes we wish you the best
On your journeys
You‟ll stay out of court
And you won‟t have to pay no attorneys
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 74
75. Employment Law Talk Show
Technology may give you headaches
The feds they may knock on your door
But if you prepare
Be consistent and fair
They won‟t ever bug you no more
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 75
76. Employment Law Talk Show
Remember this song
And you‟ll never go wrong
Yes we wish you the best
On your journeys
You‟ll stay out of court
And you won‟t have to pay no attorneys
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 76
77. Employment Law Talk Show
If your brain‟s too full to remember
All the stuff we just covered above
There‟s one simple word
That sums up what you heard
Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love,
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 77
78. Employment Law Talk Show
Remember this song
And you‟ll never go wrong
Yes we wish you the best
On your journeys
You‟ll stay out of court
And you won‟t have to pay no attorneys
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 78
79. marktoth.com
@manpowerblawg
ManpowerGroup | August 16, 2012 79
This will not be your typical lawyer blah blahblah presentation. This is a no-holds-barred, fight to the finish white knuckle death cage competition-o-rama. The first thing we’re going to divide this room into 2 teams who will compete for valuable prizes. Name ‘em.
Tool Box available on Blawg today. Cheat sheets on every major law, sample SM policy, termination tools, interview checklist, even a handy glossary to the EL alphabet soup.Really want you to get your money’s worth today.
Here’s our official blog address where you can find the Tool Box plus this PPT plus a whole lot more.And where to find me on Twitter. At tables should have sign up sheet for our bi-weekly “Stay Out of Jail” EL Alerts where we try to boil all the latest happenings in the EL universe onto a single page. If not, you can sign up on the Blawg.
Because I’m a lawyer, I have to start w/some legalese. Here’s our official disclaimer …The presentation you are about to witness should not be relied upon or construed as legal advice. For specific information on recent legal developments, particular factual situations or the effect of a particular law, the opinion of qualified legal counsel should be sought. Failure to stay awake for the remainder of this presentation could result in potentially long-lasting side-effects, including litigation headaches, recurring nightmares and/or severe gastrointestinal discomfort from having to spend too much time with lawyers.And please pleaseplease consult with your own Legal and/or HR departments before making any major changes.In other words, you can’t sue me, ManpowerGroup or anyone else based on anything you hear today. You have been warned.
OK, ready to get started? To get the competitive juices flowing, we’re going to start off with the time-honored sports tradition of the wave. But this is not just any wave. This is a competitive wave. Whichever team does it the most enthusiastically will start off our competition with 5 special bonus points. Demo (whee!).
Start with my personal favorite category. Lawsuits lawsuitslawsuits. No better place to start than with actual facts of who’s suing whom for what and how much. Great reality check for just how much you should be afraid and why.
Nearly 100,000 cplts filed with EEOC. Most in 45-yr hx.
First time ever. Overtook race.
Anyone here do any biz in CA? My legal advice? MOVE.
Here’s a handy chart we put together based on the latest EEOC data, jury verdict research and other sources.If you have a single P and no horrible facts (which could include anything from an exec perpetrator, to really lewd allegations, to no policy or training or no investigation or a physical assault and/or retaliation), expect to pay anywhere from $0 to 50 thousand to settle. That’s 32% of the cases out there.If you have a single P with some horrible facts, expect to pay $51-100K. 28% of the cases.Expect to pay between $100K to 1 million for any systemic case and/or horrible facts. The more you have of either, the closer you’ll be to the million mark. 39% of cases.Million-plus cases are those with a BIG pattern and/or realllly horrible facts. Only 1% of cases.
So, to sum up what’s NEW on the lawsuit front, it’s two little words: MORE MORE. There’s:More enforcement. Govt continues to commit unparalleled resources to enforcement. Up for 3rd straight year.More lawsuits: 1 out of every 5 companies has more than 50 pending EL disputes.More big lawsuits: 4 out of every 10 large companies has at least one suit seeking $20 million or more.More investigations: a whopping 91% say they expect investigations to increase or stay the same this year with only 9% anticipating a decrease.And more costs: the median litigation spend was up 40% in the past year, to $1.4 million.Yikes. (That’s a legal term.)
So, what’s next? More MoreMORE. Even more enforcement, class actions and litigation costs are projected in 2012.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what we see. [Cite recent examples.]
In other words, pick the best qualified candidate based on the job’s essential functions. Do that, you’re fine. Don’t, you’re not.
Blizzard of stats that change virtually every day. Think SM isn’t changing things fast? (Read ‘em quickly.)
Here’s a question based on a recent survey (read) …
If you’re under the age of 22, the Internet apparently beats listening to music, getting together w/friends and even dating. Wow. As the parent of 20-year-old twins, I’m officially concerned for the future of our world.
Employer stats are fascinating and fast-changing, too. (Read ‘em.)Last # more than doubled worldwide vs. last year. More than twice as many companies banning SM than a year ago.
Changing approximately every 0.3 seconds.Have a rsbl policy that doesn’t violate the NLRA AND consistently enforce it. Will talk about how to build a policy that fits your company in a moment.Practically everybody’s got one by now but almost no one enforces it.Consider SM agreements, esp for bloggers. Case a few weeks involving a company called PhoneDog in which dispute arose over who owned a departed employee’s 17,000 twitter followers: company or departed tweeter? Er in that case won temporary victory (on appeal) but why mess around? Have policy and signed agmt saying owned by co. and that all passwords, etc. relinquished at end of empt.Educate team BEFORE there are issues.
Again, Be ConsistentTreat applicants equallyApply searches to ALL applicants or at least specified categories or departmentsUse at the same phase of the interview process to ensure consistencyDesignate Searchers who actually know what they’re doingChoose one employee, or a very small group or a neutral 3rd party that’s trained in how to do thisPlease don’t use the hiring manager – they might discover all sorts of things you wish they hadn’tLimit the Scope of the searchAs always, the focus should be job-related, job-related, job-related. If it’s not, don’t do it.Of course, don’t search or consider any protected informationAnd restrict searches to certain approved sites
Disclose – tell applicants if you’re going to use SM to screen on applications, etc.And document documentdocument -- the consistent process, the legit biz reasons for not hiring and then retain those docs consistent with your retention policies and never ever destroy evidence.
Deep thought. Don’t just adopt SM policy found online. 1 size mosdef doesn’t fit all.If overbroad, could run afoul of NLRB rules.
Living breathing doc. Don’t let it die.
Allegations included that the Plaintiff was required to be on call QUOTE “from the earliest waking hour, for being responsive to the slightest need throughout the day, and for addressing spontaneous, random matters in the middle of the night” as well as QUOTE “maintaining the availability of defendant's personal supplies, ensuring the availability of chosen outfits, ensuring the promptness of a towel following a shower and serving as a personal alarm clock to keep defendant on schedule.” So, who was that alleged offender?And please don’t treat your employees like that.
It’s scientifically proven. Study after study shows that workers who feel valued by their employers are more engaged,better team players, more productive and — as an added bonus — waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay less likely to sue. In fact, a study someone forwarded me just yesterday found that 87% of employees want a company “that truly cares about the well being of its employees” whereas only 66% said a high salary was very important.So … Want fewer lawsuits? LOVE your employees. Want fewer unions? LOVE your employees. Want less government regulation and investigation? LOVE your employees. Want more engagement, productivity, retention AND profit? LOVE your employees. Things are pretty rough out there. Treat everyone around you the way you’d like to be treated – with dignity,respect … and LOVE.It’s really that simple.
TOP 11 LITIGATION TIPS IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE(Please note: Most top ten lists only go to ten. Ours go to eleven. We reallllly want you to get your money’s worth.)#11. Investigate and document ALL claims. Even those against your CEO or superstar salespeople.#10. Never ever everever retaliate. Retaliation is now the #1 most common claim filed with the EEOC. Please don’t join the crowd.#9. Establish litigation budgets and use fixed/flat fees. Law firms love it when you don’t manage litigation costs closely. Make lawyers live by budgets just like everyone else.#8. Conduct early case evaluations. Game plan your litigation strategy early on. If settlement is appropriate, do it before you rack up lots of attorneys’ fees.#7. Follow your own policies and contracts. Judges and juries hate it when you don’t.#6. If it ain’t job related, it ain’t job-related. Want to get sued for discrimination? Make decisions based on factors that aren’t 100% job-related.#5. Address known and systemic issues. Now. Please. Especially wage & hour issues and especially in California.#4. Model ethical behavior at the top. Want your whole organization to go under? Ignore this rule.#3. Take the Mom Test. When all else fails, ask yourself this simple question before you make any employment decision: “What would my mother think?”#2. Know the law. It’s changing faster than ever. Tune into the Blawg at least every 15 minutes to keep up.#1. Love your employees. Treat others the way you’d like to be treated and you’re waaaaaaay less likely to wind up in court and/or jail.
Well, according to lots and lots of studies, we are ALL super stresssssssssed.80% of jobs are now officially sedentary. Recent studies show the more you sit the more you stress and the sooner you die. 62% of us say our workloads have increased the last 6 months. 40% of us are sleep-deprived zombies. A third of us are chronically overworked. Despite all the technological advances, we are working 8 more hours a week than our parents. And 1 in 25 of our bosses is a certified psychopath. The fact that that # is 4 times the normal population really makes you wonder what’s going on in our workplaces.
The bottom line: more stress = more suits. According to the American Institute of Stress (pretty sad that there is such an organization), between 200-300 billion is lost each and every year due to all the stress-related stuff you see there on your screen.Which brings us to the answer to our Tweetorama. If you had to boil down all of employment law and HR down into 1 word, we believe that the very best answer would be …
While we wait for those texts to roll in, we really wanted to get at the crux of all the employment disputes out there. It’s our hunch that stress just might have something to do with it. We asked you on a scale of 1-10, how stressed are you right now, with 1 being “perfectly at peace” and 10 being “absolutely freaking out of my gourd.”Unfortunately, it appears that our suspicions were right. More of you are leaning toward the high stresssss side of things. The #1 answer was 7 and #2 was 6. Sadly, only 2% of you are perfectly at peace. 8 times more of you are freaking out of your gourds.
It’s scientifically proven. Study after study shows that workers who feel valued by their employers are more engaged,better team players, more productive and — as an added bonus — waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay less likely to sue. In fact, a study someone forwarded me just yesterday found that 87% of employees want a company “that truly cares about the well being of its employees” whereas only 66% said a high salary was very important.So … Want fewer lawsuits? LOVE your employees. Want fewer unions? LOVE your employees. Want less government regulation and investigation? LOVE your employees. Want more engagement, productivity, retention AND profit? LOVE your employees. Things are pretty rough out there. Treat everyone around you the way you’d like to be treated – with dignity,respect … and LOVE.It’s really that simple.
Volutneer button pusher?
As always, thanks so much for your time and input. We really appreciate it!