As you will recall, at one point in the not too distant past, you didn’t need passports or citizenship documents for travel within North America.  That changed on September 1 of this year when the Department of Homeland Security began requiring passports and citizenship documents for you and your employees when traveling by air among the U.S., Canada and Mexico. 

(more…)

Let’s say Warren Buffett and Bill Gates engaged former Senator George Mitchell to investigate corporate America to see whether there is a pervasive drug problem among employees.  After two years of investigation, Mitchell reports that the use of illegal drugs is indeed pervasive.  There is reliable information that Buffett, Gates and other big-time executives have known this all along, have conspired with union leaders to limit or even eliminate drug testing in the workplace, and have allowed drugs to be used because they help employees perform at higher levels of productivity.  Earnings are up.  Stock prices are up.  Executives make more money.  Employees make more money.  Consumers are buying products and services at record levels.  When pressed for an explanation,  Buffett, Gates, other corporate executives, labor leaders and employees say what’s good for America’s pasttime is good for corporate America.  

(more…)

And if you’re going to understand geeks, you need to know something about “leet speak” and this year’s leet speak word of the year.  Yes, it gets complicated.  Continue to learn by reading about all this in an article in today’s Post.

(more…)

That’s part of the job of human resources professionals, and given the ever-increasing importance of technology in any kind of business, it’s a pretty important part of HR’s job.

(more…)

Broadway lights were on again last night.  After19 days of theatres being dark, the stagehands strike was settled.  The primary issue (using fewer stagehands to open a show but paying them more) was compromised.

(more…)

One of the hottest corporate buzzwords today is “transparency.”  It’s used in all kinds of contexts, and as is the case with all corporate speak that catches fire, it’s used to mean all kinds of things.

(more…)

It appears the Yankees and Alex Rodriguez have a deal.  Check out the article below in the New York Times.

(more…)

Age discrimination will get a little more attention this week.

A hot topic in all kinds of companies and organizations these days is succession planning. Makes sense. Need leaders for the future. Can’t let the status quo hold us back. Infusion of new energy is good. Uh oh.

(more…)

Steinbrenner is still on the verge of becoming a guru to HR.  The Yankees and A-Rod are now talking about a deal for $275 million over 10 years (down from $350 million over 7-8 years).   In the first post on this subject, it was noted that, despite A-Rod’s star power, Steinbrenner told the slugger that the Yankees wouldn’t meet his $350 million demand, allowing him to look elsewhere.  Apparently, Steinbrenner wasn’t the only one who choked on the demand.  So A-Rod came back, and the negotiations continue.  The point again?  Steinbrenner said no to baseball’s biggest star and held his ground.  You have to do that sometimes, even with your stars.  Reportedly, however, A-Rod can get more than the $275 million if he breaks the home run record Barry Bonds just broke.  And he’s got a shot, having passed the 500 home run mark in ‘07.

(more…)

After looking at an employee who didn’t have enough success, Joe Torre, now let’s look at a Yankee employee who had too much success, Alex Rodriguez.

(more…)

Joe Torre, former manager of the New York Yankees, seems not to have been a successful enough employee to keep his job.

(more…)

We’re in the home stretch today, and we’re hearing from Mike Maslanka with Ford & Harrison’s Dallas office.  He’s talking about “Communication for Results: How HR Can Make Smarter Decisions.”  He also made this presentation at AEIS in Nashville.

(more…)

Citigroup CEO Charles Prince and Merrill Lynch CEO Stanley O’Neal have resigned because of pressure generated by the subprime mortgage debacle. Of course, they were forced to resign because their firms have lost billions of dollars on their watch.

(more…)