From the monthly archives:

October 2008

Good Leadership is Stupid Easy

by Lance Haun on October 30, 2008

When I was a kid, I used to play basketball all of the time. When you live in the Northwestern US, there were only two sports your could really play year round: basketball and soccer. For a good nine months, you could depend on rain interrupting your sport regularly and basketball was one where there [...]

{ 5 comments }

Terror and Evolution: The Story of Politics in the Workplace

by Lance Haun on October 28, 2008

As long as the government impacts the workplace, unions, employees, executives and corporations all have a responsibility to be involved in the electoral process. But how do you get involved in politics without employees feeling like you are big brother?

{ 2 comments }

Generation Y (Insert Clever Play on Words)

by Lance Haun on October 23, 2008

“Why am I always the bad guy?”
I used this last week and it is a funny question, isn’t it? The statement not only asks the question but it also confirms the premise. If you are the one asking, you already know you are the bad guy and you probably already know why too.
In HR, you’re [...]

{ 14 comments }

Five Reasons To Put Performance Management First

by Lance Haun on October 20, 2008

“Hi my name is Lance and I hate performance review time.”
“Hi Lance”
Even your satisfied and engaged HR guy dislikes certain aspects of human resources. I know, hard to believe. One of those things are annual performance appraisals. It is this time of year (along with our health benefit renewal) that I start to question things. [...]

{ 13 comments }

25 Ideas for Employees and Employers in the Financial Crisis

by Lance Haun on October 16, 2008

I don’t think I have to go on and on lecturing people that a financial crisis is upon us and that it impacts employers in multiple ways (both on the finance and people sides). I think we all get that. So when I was thinking of posting something that could help people actually move forward, [...]

{ 15 comments }

You're More Likely To Hire Someone You Like (And That's Fine*)

by Lance Haun on October 12, 2008

In Oregon, you get a pretty reliable indicator that election season is almost over: A voter’s education guide that is the size of the phonebook a week before you receive your ballot in the mail. I am not joking when I say that I received booklet one of two total in the mail on Friday. [...]

{ 2 comments }

Can Bad Credit Hurt You In Your Job Search?

by Lance Haun on October 9, 2008

Can bad credit hurt your job prospects? The answer is a resounding (and often unfortunate) yes. Credit history is considered (along with a host of other factors) for quite a few positions these days. I don’t agree with the breadth that some companies have used to determine whether or not the criteria for a position should take into consideration your credit history or not. And there is no hard and fast rule to when it is appropriate to use and when it isn’t.

{ 17 comments }

How to Make Money as a (HR) Blogger

by Lance Haun on October 7, 2008

A few weeks ago, a discussion started on HRM Today and on Laurie’s PunkRockHR blog about making money as an HR blogger. I wrote up something around the same time but I lost some steam and dumped it. Now though, I think I am properly inspired and that’s what you like, right?
I am not an [...]

{ 5 comments }

It Doesn't Take Courage To Stand Up For Your Beliefs

by Lance Haun on October 2, 2008

One thing I’ve never understood about many human resource professionals is how much we pat each other on the back for doing things that should be standard practice. Oh, so you’re actually standing up to your peers and saying they have to treat employees fairly? Good for you! That’s your job.
So when I heard the [...]

{ 4 comments }