HRComatrix

  Healthcare Update (03/26/17) :  ©AR_HRCOmatrix_Health17 The healthcare issue is put to rest ...temporarily. The bill was pulled before being negated by votes . The "people" have chosen while businesses had watched closely. Yet, businesses will have to stay on the look out since this is not over. For lack of new legislation, this is another strategy to pursue ubiquitous changes in the healthcare landscape . To read more on the facts, click here . This is seen as a relief for Health providers , and probably as a setback for insurance companies. Meanwhile, we  still have to see what will happen as budgetary concerns for curtailing of funding would most probably impact states and individuals. In the meantime, small businesses might see the enactment of the Small Business Health Fairness Act.  It opens the market across state lines for association health plans (AHPs) in a small group market. Want to learn more about the latter? Click here .    ...

L et's talk communication: February is about love stories and so much of those can be shared in the workplace. Be reassured: we are not going to talk about the common workplace romance. Instead, let's talk about love stories between an organization and its people . One of them is the story of change for many companies, especially the ones engaged in direct customer experience, brought by digitalization of life - meaning, business and consumer lifestyles -. This unstoppable trend  should boost rather than hinder how  we drive engagement within organizations. The art of communication lies within the art of making people embrace - love vs. hate ©AC_Ad_HRCoCommunication - the new turn . According to a January 2017 Gallup survey, only 32% employees in the US are engaged, and 13% globally . So, what could be key factors hindering or promoting,  and definitely affecting engagement? It all comes down to communication. The do's and don'ts of communication in the work...

I t has been a busy year as HR has seen many changes and will continue to live through many upcoming ones for 2017. Societal changes have greatly affected HR this year, apparently more than ©Ad_HRComatrix_2017HR ever. We are moving towards a multi-faceted approach to HR in a progressive world . To some it is promising. Others watch it develop with apprehension, along with a new era of Administration in the US. Businesses? They have to adapt if they want to be ahead, remain competitive, or just stay afloat. The biggest changes came from the happenings in regulations that stemmed from societal concerns: Benefits, OT, minimum/living wage issue. Now, business owners' pressure aim at reversing at least some of the changes. Changes are known to not be static; but should we rather think volatility? Let alone the fear for uncertain economy . Talking about a VUCA world! There were topics of peak interests, such as Technology , Analytics , and Big Data ; and topics of concerns...

I t's that time of the year again and I know that there are lots of talks about candy making in breakrooms. But wait a minute! I just came across a tweet about Nestlé today: chocolate with 40% less sugar is in the making! I love chocolate - it's the only candy I eat and I don't call it "candy" - so you can count me on that. .. Also, policy-wise, there is also quite a bit of buzz around Obamacare , well, call it " Healthcare ". Those are news; but this post is about a simple, down-to-earth subject that has bigger consequences.  My question of the day: where are we heading to as a society? This is about Public Health and HR. ©Ad_HRComatrix_PHR Counterintuitive Programs? When it comes to HR, it sometimes amazes me how much we do hurt ourselves without realizing it. (1) Why is it that we (companies, HR or local HR partners doing the execution) choose all kinds of indulging food as engagement initiatives? Think a little bit: we provide sometimes...

©AR_HRComatrix_Change STOP - As a last minute update to this big wind of change: less than two weeks before taking effect the new Overtime Rule is out to a halt . By evidence this will be a relief to small employers and procastinators. But by now, most businesses have taken steps to either "upgrade" or "downgrade" concerned positions. Minds have also somehow adjusted to the idea. This is therefore a wait and see situation for both employers and employees. Word of caution: do not reverse what you have changed since neither employees or the HR suite need to be put in an additional, emotional roller coaster, and be ready for more changes . Definetely a challenge. T he other day, I happened to see a scream from a HR professional following a SHRM post on LinkedIn. It was a shout for Social Media to stop talking about the president-elect. The SHRM post was not about the president-elect or politics: it was about the changes that the new Administration will bring t...

©Al_HRComatrix_ComEngt B ack to simple concerns to get a bit away from major choices that will impact forever the HR landscape . Halloween season is/was here. If you are like me, it might not be of great interest to you. But believe it or not, it could be a window of opportunity for you to reach some HR goals.  On this little side note, I would like to share my discovery of what it could mean to employees, and what you could make out of it for engagement. Make Halloween or any Other Event Part of Your Community Engagement Many businesses are so good at this: Community Involvement. Do you take advantage of the trend? Service Providers like to "put their names out there". Part of branding, part of Corporate Citizenship. Even in metropolitan areas, there is that sense of community: many people who work in some organizations have lived in that city for many many years, or have gone in schools in that city and stayed there. In a sense, those cities feel like a ...

I n some fields of work, we are told to learn to dissociate politics from work because it is the right thing to do. It is an ethical obligation. In the field of HR there could not be such differentiation since politics - in the form of legislation - interfere heavily with how we have to manage people and people's sentiments, attitudes and behaviors. So, again, what is HR to do? Is there anything as black and white, and do businesses really have  options as which path to take? © Al_HRComatrix_HROptions Does HR Truly Have Options? I n fact, it is very simple - or not that simple, as reality proves at times: To the issues of violence (domestic or others) we have to face workplace violence. Consequently, businesses have implemented Workplace Violence Policies and Business Continuity ; To the issues of calamities and catastrophic happenings (Hurricanes and others, Tornadoes, ...) we have to address workers' safety and well being. Businesses have put in place E...