Dear
Members,
Last week
I attended the ASHHRA 45th Annual Conference and Exposition. We had over
550 ASHHRA participants and an exhibit hall filled with our business
partners sharing their products and services.
- Buzz Aldrin opened our conference and reminded us
that leaders with a vision, courage, and commitment can achieve
remarkable goals.
- Kevin Lofton provided his perspective of the role
of human resources leadership and challenged each us to reach new
heights.
- Jennifer James closed our conference and asked us
to learn from the past and expand our thinking as we look toward the
future.
I left the conference reenergized and even more committed to improve
my own leadership. If you attended the conference, I hope you had a
similar experience.
During
the conference, we also conducted our annual business meeting. Despite the
economic downturn, ASHHRA continues to be a strong organization. Our
membership numbers are stable, we manage our expenses very well, and the
commitment from our business partners has never been better. Throughout the
past year, we learned that some of our products and services are not
meeting the needs of the members. As a result, we will be revisiting our
portfolio. Like all learning organizations, we'll learn from this past year
and be stronger next year.
On a
national level, the health care reform debate continues. The nation is
evaluating our performance as an industry and describing their
expectations. Our individual health care organizations will depend on their
human resources leaders to help improve their performance and meet those
expectations. One way you can prepare for this challenge is to stay
connected to a network of your peers. ASHHRA is that network and is ready
to support your needs. The collective wisdom of 3,400 members is what makes
ASHHRA strong. Our willingness to participate and share knowledge with each
other is critical.
We
continually look for new ways to serve you. Your feedback and participation
is important to us. If you have feedback that you'd like to share with the
ASHHRA staff or Board of Directors, please use our online community at
myashhra.org. Again, the board and I are privileged to serve you on your
leadership journey.
Sincerely,
Dan Zuhlke
ASHHRA 2009 President
Cornered
by both the economic crisis and the rising cost of health care, employers
are more tempted than ever to classify some employees as "independent
contractors" or "temps." But the risks of this practice are
growing amid a crackdown by federal and state officials, said James P.
Anelli, a Newark-based shareholder in LeClairRyan's Labor & Employment
Group.
"The need for more state and federal tax revenue, the movement to
boost the ranks of the insured in America, and the strong support of
organized labor are driving this trend," Anelli said. "A number
of states, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut,
have set up task forces or modified laws seeking to eliminate perceived
abuses in this area. On the federal level, the Taxpayer Responsibility,
Accountability, and Consistency Act of 2009 specifically targets employee
misclassification. It is now under consideration in the House."
An
employee is granted a disability accommodation and all goes well until a
substitute boss mistakenly revokes the accommodation. Who won this
real-life court case?
No
one likes being told "no," and few can resist pushing
back—sometimes quite persistently. Most of us find ourselves torn between
our wish to stay with no and our desire to accommodate the person asking us
for something. This tension is particularly acute when that person is a
valued client or a senior colleague.
When we say no and find ourselves pressured to unsay it, we can, of course,
just give in. But giving in, especially when it becomes a habit, can
seriously damage our credibility and effectiveness as professionals. Here
is how to say no in a way that both conveys your resolve and preserves your
relationships.
The
economy is uncertain, unemployment has increased, and with U.S.
productivity at a six-year high, employers everywhere are doing more with less.
So why is now the right time to make bold moves to keep your workers
engaged?
The
number of states looking at legislation aimed at helping employees weather
the effects of the recession is exploding. HR leaders need to stay abreast
of the proposed legislative efforts to make sure their organizations are
prepared to successfully manage the changes.
The
economic picture, at least from the standpoint of salaries, is beginning to
get a little brighter.
In the latest installment of its research on the impact of the recession
(this round was conducted in October and reflects the plans/practices of
201 U.S.-based companies), Watson Wyatt finds that more than half of those
companies who have frozen or reduced salaries are planning
reversal/reinstatement in the next six months.
The
IRS will be auditing company employment-tax practices beginning in
February. Organizations would be wise to ensure worker classifications,
fringe benefits, reimbursed expenses, and officer compensation issues are
reviewed and conducted properly.
More
than half (55 percent) of Millennials have experienced a layoff or loss of
work in their family within the past year, and nearly three-fourths (72
percent) feel threatened by a possible layoff or loss of work in the coming
months, according to research conducted by Lumin Collaborative. Further, 66
percent of Millennials say they have lowered their expectations of being promoted
versus 51 percent of other workers.
The
world's most inspiring leaders—those who generate a rabid following—know
five words can go a long way to improving morale in the workplace: "I
would like your opinion." Anyone who wants more influence can put
these five words to use. You have to make the effort, then take the time to
listen.
While
the benefits of wellness programs have been well documented, little has
been said about the drawbacks and hidden costs. Here are three pitfalls to
watch out for.
Benefits
enrollments work most efficiently when looked at holistically instead of as
a one-time activity, according to a new white paper released by Colonial
Life & Accident Insurance Company.
Reinvent the Enrollment Experience: How to Drive Value for Your Benefits
Package analyzed survey data from national human resources and business
research organizations, as well as its own proprietary research, to uncover
the best ways to maximize the benefits enrollment experience for employers
and employees.
Prevalence
of lactose intolerance may be far lower than previously estimated,
according to a study in the latest issue of Nutrition Today. The study,
which uses data from a national sample of three ethnic groups, reveals that
the overall prevalence rate of self-reported lactose intolerance is 12
percent — with 7.72 percent of European Americans, 10.05 percent of
Hispanic Americans and 19.5 percent of African Americans who consider
themselves lactose intolerant.
These new findings indicate that previous estimates of lactose intolerance
incidence—based on the incidence of lactose maldigestion—may be
overestimated by wide margins.
The
award-winning documentary Life for a Child will make its world television
debut on the Sundance Channel on World Diabetes Day, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m.
EST/PST.
Directed by Academy Award® nominee Edward Lachman, the film follows the
journeys of children with type 1 diabetes amid the verdant mountains and
swarming streets of Nepal, one the world's poorest countries. The children
are supported with life-saving medication and care by the International
Diabetes Federation's (IDF) Life for a Child Program.
Bruce
Heyman's recruiting experience at Goldman Sachs taught him "the value
of overcommunication," he said. That's been a key component in how
he's managed his team of 100 through the 2001 dotcom market crash and the
nation's financial and stock market meltdown.
"You've got to identify people who are disproportionately anxious,
have one-on-ones with them, conference calls, leave voice mails, bring in
inspirational internal speakers," Heyman said. "Because
communication has a limited period of effectiveness, when people are
anxious, you've got to... communicate at such an intense, sustained level,
to be able to deal with anxiety when it resurfaces."
One
of your direct reports walks into your office looking for help: the rollout
of the new line of Web-based products she is managing is falling behind
schedule. All the prototypes have been created and beta tested, but she is
having trouble getting final approval from the VP of IT. Deadlines have
come and gone, and no amount of reminding or cajoling will get him to focus
on her project.
As her manager, what should you do? If your first instinct is to suggest a
solution, think again.
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ASHHRA Mission
ASHHRA
leads the way for members to become more effective, valued, and credible
leaders in healthcare human resources administration. As the foremost
authority in healthcare HR, ASHHRA provides timely and critical support
through ongoing learning and development, products and resources, and
opportunities for networking and collaboration.
Contact:
ASHHRA
One North Franklin,
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: 312.422.3720
Fax: 312.422.4577
Email: ashhra@aha.org
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