I can’t imagine that you can find a more inspirational way to end a conference than listening to Mark Kelly and Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords.

As the keynote presenters on the final morning of the 65th SHRM Annual Conference & Exhibition here in Chicago, Kelly & Giffords filled the spot that the SHRM conference organizers seem to have for people (and past speakers) such as Michael J. Fox.

That is, someone who can deliver a great message of hope and perseverance that inspires the collective masses as they head home after four days at the world’s largest HR conference.

Yes, Giffords & Kelly fit the bill for the final day of SHRM Chicago 2013, and it is easy to see why: (more…)

One of the big things that hits you right across the face when attending SHRM’s national conference is all the technology that is being peddled at the event.

Hundreds of companies are all there competing for your HR dollar on how they are going to make your HR life easier. The problem is, I don’t really get what these companies really do! There’s no real differentiation amongst any of them, and I actually follow the industry.

It seems like the current popular ones like Ultimate Software, SilkRoad and Halogen can do everything! I mean everything but actually “do’”HR. (more…)

Recently I suggested you stop wasting time having status meetings.

This week I want to extend the conversation suggest you resist the urge to hide in too much complexity and detail.

The reason people and teams fall into this is because complexity can make you feel smart and safe.

Here’s what I observe: Complexity is often substituted for actual problem solving (more…)

According to our most recent survey, the absolute No. 1 workplace legal issue at the moment is how to prevent and manage litigation.

That’s not surprising. EEOC claims are at an all-time high. Class actions continue to rise. Employers now win less than 50 percent of the time in court.

We’re here to help. Based on input from the world’s leading employment law experts with a combined approximately 8,493,527,624 hours of employment counseling and litigation experience, here are our official:

Top 11 Litigation Tips in the History of the Universe (more…)

So the unemployment rate went up a little in May, from 7.5 percent to 7.6 percent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics deems this increase as “essentially unchanged.”

That’s despite 175,000 more people working. How does this math work?

I’ve written about the how the unemployment rate in the U.S. is determined here and here. But here’s another slice of data to consider: It’s the number of job openings. (more…)

Quick — what’s the question most job candidates hate to hear coming?

How about “What are your salary expectations?”

Receiving a job offer with a fabulous salary is great. Having to negotiate said salary is a little less so.

But worse than either of these two is being asked about salary waaaaaay early in the recruiting process (like during the initial phone screening) without knowing much of anything about the job duties, job requirements, work environment, or company benefits and perks. (more…)

Over cake with colleagues at a recent company celebration, I had an epiphany. Well, perhaps not an epiphany as this is a truth I’ve long known, but definitely an analogy worth sharing.

As we enjoyed cake and petits fours (they’re smaller, so fewer calories, right?), my colleagues shared their plans to “get into shape for swimsuit season,” as they called it.

New Year’s resolutions for losing weight and getting fit have long passed, so now it is time to focus on the latest quick weight loss scheme – the newest pill, the craziest fad diet.

As we all joked together, I realized that this is what many companies do with employee recognition, motivation and engagement. They try the “quick fixes” – Pizza Party Wednesdays, Bagel Fridays, Employee of the Month, and my personal favorite, some form of peer nomination with a “winner” drawn from a hat. (more…)

Attend enough SHRM conferences and you’ll hear a broad variety of well-paid speakers with all sorts of different messages.

This 65th annual SHRM Conference & Exhibition in Chicago is annual conference No. 9 for me, and over the years I’ve heard speakers as varied as Al Gore, Lance Armstrong, Jordan’s Queen Noor, Steve Forbes, Jack Welch, Michael J. Fox, Sir Richard Branson, Malcolm Gladwell, Ariana Huffington, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Tom Brokaw, and Ted Kennedy Jr.

Yes, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the boring when it comes to speakers at SHRM, and at the risk of seeming overly critical, I wonder: what was it that made SHRM think that they just had to have Dan Pink as a keynote speaker here on Day 3 in Chicago? (more…)

By Scott Mahoney

Some employers have decided that it is beneficial to try to avoid public lawsuits and arbitrate disputes they may have with their employees.

Such employers typically require employees to agree to arbitration at the time of employment by including such language in their employment applications or other documents that are signed by employees.

Employers may lose their right to arbitrate future disputes if they are not familiar with the provisions of a new Nevada law which provides that any arbitration agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2013 will be void and unenforceable unless the employee has specifically authorized and agreed to arbitration. Arbitration agreements in existence before October 1 are not subject to these requirements (unless they are renewed after that date). (more…)

I was lucky enough to see Hillary Clinton speak on Sunday at SHRM 2013 in Chicago.

She banned the press and she didn’t take questions. No, she didn’t talk about Benghazi. She told some stories about being the Secretary of State and shared her personal insights about the job.

I am not a sycophantic Hillary fan, but I like her. One great thing she said? She has learned to take criticism seriously but not personally. (more…)