A new Gallup poll shows that when it comes to labor-related issues, more than half of Americans think that labor unions are losing their influence. Recently, there has been a public battle between government bodies and labor groups. In states like Indiana and Wisconsin, unions found their powers limited by laws that were enacted. It seems unions no longer hold the power they once did. The Gallup poll also found 42 percent of respondents want unions to have less influence than they have today. Only 30 percent want unions to have more influence. Beyond corporations and municipalities, it seems the general public is not going to try to fight for the survival of unions. In the history of America, unions have done a lot of good for American workers. Prior to the rise of labor unions during the early 20th century, working conditions for most working Americans were awful. In addition, unions can be thanked for the fact that Americans have sick leave, weekends and paid vacations. However, in recent times, man ...

In today’s work environment, more and more companies are following an overall wellness strategy for its employees. Wellness experts say programs being developed are focusing on both pinpointing and preventing costly health issues, offering financial rewards for those who participate and even a social aspect. Companies are figuring out that wellness programs require much more work than providing a pedometer and newsletter on healthy living to workers. In fact, more and more companies are discovering that to achieve overall wellness success, a Wellness 2.0 strategy works. Many companies are moving away from short-term activity—and instead attempting to change the culture long-term. Experts believe social networking is also an excellent communication tool for internal audiences as well. Providing a media-based wellness program allows workers to engage in a variety of ways. Health and wellness company Keas recently launched an online, interactive game for employees to play for 15 minutes a day. E ...

According to a report by Aberdeen Group (a Boston-based research and consulting firm), there has been a recent influx of companies implementing software for automating workforce schedules. Out of the 200 companies that were surveyed for the “Workforce Scheduling 2011” report, almost 35 percent cited adherence to federal regulations and collective-bargaining agreements as key drivers for using such technology. These days, companies have to work hard to make sure they are in compliance with a variety of laws. It’s extremely important for HR departments to understand what it takes to be compliant. Software programs are now helping companies stay in line with the law as well as beef up the bottom line. Workplace experts say many HR departments are concerned over stricter regulatory enforcement and the threat of lawsuits. In addition, there are disputes over wages and hours which can come back to the proper classification of workers. Making sure workers are classified correctly by employers h ...

Many companies choose to conduct pre-employment drug testing in an effort to prevent workplace drug abuse. In some companies, random screenings are also done. Statistics show people who abuse drugs and alcohol miss more work, cause more accidents and are generally less productive than those who do not abuse drugs or alcohol. If you choose to do mandatory random drug testing, make sure you have a policy in place for this. All employees should be aware of this policy upon employment. They should also understand they could be terminated for failing a test. Random screenings will help determine if a current employee is abusing drugs or alcohol. Here is how random screenings work: Employee names are placed in a testing pool and a random selection is made.  Selections are usually computer-generated to be sure it is random. This way, each person at the company has an equal chance of being selected (regardless of whether or not that person was recently tested). After a worker is selected for ...