Here at YES! Your Human Resources Solution, we know that everyone has an opinion about employee dress codes.  What makes appropriate work attire?  How can the rules be enforced?  When is a dress code even a good choice?  The truth is, the right dress code can work wonders for a business’ productivity and professionalism, while the wrong dress code—or any dress code at all—can destroy employee morale and retention.  So how to tell if a dress code might do more harm than good?  Check out our list of dress code pros and cons. (more…)

Jim and Pam from The Office.  Mer and Der from Grey’s Anatomy.  Will and Emma from Glee.  Some of TV’s most beloved couples found love in the workplace, and real-life couples are no different; survey data suggests that up to one-third of real-life married couples met on the job.  So if you’re in the office this Valentine’s Day, you’re likely to see heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and jumbo-size bouquets of red roses.  At least a few of these affectionate offerings will undoubtedly occur between coworkers—maybe even on the sly.  And while these office romances make for ample whispering at the watercooler, they can also present a challenge to the Human Resources Department. (more…)

Is your employee handbook looking more like an episode of American Horror Story?  Inconsistencies, jargon, pedantries, and other nasties can be hiding in your employee handbook, especially if the handbook hasn’t been updated since the Prohibition Era.And what’s worse—like American Horror Story, these ghosts of handbooks past could be lurking right under your nose, ready to wreak havoc at a moment’s notice. (more…)

Human Resources is all about performance reviews, employee benefits, and talent acquisition, right?  Wrong!  Today’s HR team can do much more than fix and prevent employment problems.  If you’re not consulting your HR staff on key business decisions, including company acquisitions and requirements for RFPs, you’re missing out on the extra benefits of an experienced HR team.  Did you know skilled HR professionals can use these nontraditional platforms to help your business grow? (more…)

It’s October, and partygoers everywhere are planning for what many consider the most fun holiday of the year: Halloween.  In a recent Harris Interactive study, Americans ranked Halloween as their third-favorite holiday, right behind perennial blockbusters Christmas and Thanksgiving.  This was especially true for Generation X and Y respondents, although more mature respondents weren’t far off.  While people young and old dream of dressing as a celebrity like Charlie Sheen or Lady Gaga, or a vampire à la Twilight or The Vampire Diaries, an office can harness its workers’ positive energy by hosting a Halloween party. (more…)

Is your business reasonably accommodating the needs of its new and expectant mothers?  Unless a line of pregnant tummies has recently paraded through your workplace, you may not be aware of changed legislation affecting your business’ responsibility to this special group of workers.  New laws took effect last year, as part of the health-care reform under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which afford new rights to new moms in the workplace.  Unless your business has fewer than 50 employees and can prove undue hardship, chances are you’re required to comply with these legal changes. (more…)

Quick—pick up your employee handbook and flip to the section on dress code.  Do you see guidelines on platform shoes on neon jumpsuits?  If so, your handbook—although groovy—needs to come into the new millennium.  Older handbooks won’t only contain dated office policies, but they will lack key legislative changes, such as the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and electronic and social media usage.  Relying on an out-of-date handbook is a legal risk your business can easily avoid. (more…)

In a previous blog, we talked about the unique challenges that time-off requests can present during the summer months.  But as many managers and HR professionals know, scheduling isn’t the only employment issue that crops up during the warm weather! (more…)