• Home
  • Services and Solutions
    • Total Rewards Consulting
    • Web-Based Talent Management with Flare®
    • Finders Keepers™ Employee Retention
    • Custom Total Compensation Surveys
  • Resource Library
    • Astronology® Blog
    • Subscribe to Astronology!
    • Getting to Know Flare® Videos
    • Presentations
  • News & Events
    • Announcements
    • Astron Road Show
  • About Us
    • About Astron
    • Corporate Team
    • Testimonials
    • Our Clients
    • Speaking Opportunities
  • Contact

Human Resources Year End Wrap-up Part Deux

December 7, 2015 by Cassandra Carver Leave a Comment

Decorative Image - 2016 pushing 2015 out of the way.

Hello Astronology Readers! As we press forward into 2016, Astronology will review two more considerable topics that impacted Human Resources in 2015. In this issue, we will explore work / life balance and labor law developments.

Work / Life Balance

According to the latest Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Better Life Index,America currently ranks 29th out of 36th in the area of Work life Balance. Interestingly enough, Fast Retailing, a company that owns Theory, J Brand, and Uniqlo, has decided to test a four day workweek. According to an Entrepreneur online article, “the program would allow 10,000 employees in Japan to work 10 hours four days out of seven. However, the plan does not necessarily mean workers will get three consecutive days off.” A company spokesman informed NBC news, “We”ve got a big program at the moment, working towards empowering women in the workforce,” the spokesman said. “The idea is that if you”ve got kids, it gives you a lot more flexibility.” Interestingly, at 31st, Japan ranked close to the United States on the OECD index. It wouldn’t be too far of a stretch to see companies and organizations in the United States offer similar programs in the future.   Consider these findings from the Staples Advantage 2015 workplace study:

  • 52% of employees felt overworked and burned out
  • 62% say burnout decreases productivity
  • 59% say flexible schedules are a key factor in productivity

A NextAvenue online article highlighted that having a four day workweek would be beneficial for Baby Boomer employees, as it will allow them to handle doctor appointments, manage possible eldercare responsibilities, spend time with family, learn new skills, and transition into retirement.  However, a BGR article posits that the four day workweek schedule will only get popular in the future as productivity measurements change.

In a number of tech sectors, flexible workweek and unique vacation packages are not uncommon. For instance, 74% of Cisco Systems employees have the ability to telecommute. 68% of IBM employees have the telecommuting option as well. An earlier Astronology article highlighted vacation offerings in some technology-based companies including:

  • Evernote – unlimited vacation time and $1,000 spending money when someone takes at least a week off at a time,
  • Chegg – unlimited vacation time, and
  • FullContact – $7,500 additional money to go on vacation and completely disconnect from work.

Labor Law Developments

Astronology has discussed the concern surrounding minimum wage increases as a highlight of 2015. Back in July we also explored the concerns involving the proposed Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) adjustments raising the minimum salary threshold for exempt classification. Another legislative issue that made headlines in 2015 is the series of “ban the box” laws. For example, as of October 2015, New York City’s Fair Chance Act came into effect. Like other “ban the box” laws that have been adopted in 19 states, the Fair Chance Act prohibits an employer with at least four employees from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal conviction record or pending arrest until after a conditional offer of employment has been made.  For more information as to adjustments your organization will have to make to employment applications and managers’ hiring practices, we here at Astronology encourage you to seek legal counsel to be clear on proper implementation.

Were there other hot button issues in human resources this year you felt deserved recognition in our year end wrap up? Why not write your thoughts to Astronology! We’d love to share your insights in a 2016 feature!

Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

Filed Under: General, New Year Projections Tagged With: HR Labor Law, HR Law, Labor Law, Work/Life Balance

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe!

Categories

  • Benefits
  • Communication
  • Compensation
    • Budget Planning
    • Compensation 101
    • Compensation 102
    • Compensation 103
    • Compensation 104
    • Compensation 105
    • Compensation 106
  • Employee Relations
    • Workplace Environment
  • Employee Retention
  • FLSA
  • General
  • HR Strategy
  • HR Technology
  • Incentive Pay Plans
  • Job Descriptions
  • Job Evaluation
  • Legal Compliance
  • Legislation
  • Merit Pay
  • New Year Projections
  • Performance Management
  • Recruitment
  • Retirement
  • Talent
  • Training
  • Uncategorized

Recent Posts

  • Nonprofit Human Resources: The Full Guide & Best Practices
  • Increasing Efficiency: Time Management For Social Workers
  • Association Member Surveys: Asking the Right Questions

Recent Comments

  • Jennifer Loftus on Employee Compensation 101: What Your Org Needs to Know
  • Wesley Tyulu on Employee Compensation 101: What Your Org Needs to Know
  • Tracy on Compensation Surveys: Are They Necessary?

Archives

Back to Top
Our Focus Is on YOU!

Programs tailored to your needs. Software that’s highly customizable and modular.
Compensation consulting services priced affordably and with no hidden costs.

Want to learn more?

Let's chat

Astron Solutions
505 8th Avenue
Suite 2200
New York, NY 10018

Phone: 800.520.3889
Fax: 212.792.8256




  • About Us
  • Consulting
  • Web Based Talent Management
  • Employee Retention
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy
  • Disclaimer
  • Website Design by Vertical Rail
  • ©2010-2022 Astron Solutions