I have handled many employee relations issues in my time as an HR professional and over the years have said to myself on countless occasions, “gosh, if only the manager had managed the employee, we wouldn't be having these performance discussions right now.” I think, too often, great employees are promoted into manager positions because that seems like the next logical step in that individual’s career path.

Performance evaluations (also known as a performance review, a performance appraisal, or employee appraisal) are a part of career development and consist of regular reviews of employee performance within organizations. Clients often ask me, “what is the best time for appraisals to be given?” Typically, companies will either administer their performance appraisal process using the anniversary date (date of hire) or the focal approach; setting a review date to be used for all employees regardless of hire date. My experience has been many companies have recently moved to the focal approach; but which one is better? Here are the pros and cons to both approaches below, and you can be the judge!

The purpose of an employee handbook is to provide a consistent means of communication regarding policies, best practices and resources for everyone within the organization. The handbook is a guide that allows managers as well as staff to understand the expectations of role and responsibilities. However, there are consequences to using the organization’s handbook incorrectly or ineffectively.

We’ve all heard about the high cost of hiring the wrong person. How can you prevent these costly mis-hires? When interviewing, focus on the candidates’ qualifications and fit with the organization and team. Here are five interview questions and six techniques which will help you identify top performers in your interview process.

Remember when a snow day meant no school and neighborhood snowball fights? The challenges of navigating winter weather closures can be far more difficult when you’re running a company. What if your company closes for a week between Christmas and New Year’s; are you required to pay employees? The following guidelines should help you determine your legal obligations for these common winter payroll issues.

The health of your human capital should be one of your organization’s top priorities year after year. All levels of management should be just as concerned about this issue as they are other financial objectives and goals you are trying to achieve. Studies have shown a healthy and engaged organizations lead to better customer service, increased retention and better bottom line results. As an HR Business Partner to various organizations in the DC Metro area, I find many organizations focus on the costs of healthcare and don’t focus on creating a healthy organization through strategic initiatives. This leads to programs that are incomplete and don’t accomplish what they are set out to do. The rest of this article will provide your organization with the seven steps necessary to develop the best wellness program for your firm.