Human Solutions: Simplifying HR for People who Love HR

Non-Compete Agreements are a hot topic in HR right now, thanks in no small part to the FTC and NLRB proposals in the news. As an HR pro, what do you need to know? AIM HR Solutions' employment lawyers Sarah Piscatelli and Tom Jones join Pete Wright to share what you need to know to ensure your organization is developing an intelligent non-compete policy. They'll also share their experiences in deal...

Are you tired of feeling like the fashion police when it comes to enforcing a dress code in your workplace? As an HR professional, you know that dress code policies are essential to maintain a professional and safe workplace. But it's not always easy to balance compliance with laws and regulations, individual expression, and organizational image. Terry Cook and Sarah Piscatelli join Pete Wright to...

We've been lucky the last two seasons of Human Solutions to have been discovered by an audience beyond -- in some cases *far* beyond -- our Massachusetts backyard. We're grateful you're here, HR Pro, and we've cooked up a season of conversations that we hope will apply to you no matter where you are. Of course, we can shake our roots, and we have just as much to share with our locals, too.  We're...

The push toward remote work has accellerated considerably since the pandemic's start. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the number of people primarily working from tripled between 2019 and 2021. In this episode, Mark Millett, Director of HR from AIM Mutual Insurance Companies , and Kyle Pardo, EVP of AIM HR Solutions, join Pete Wright to uncover how the workplace has transformed post-COVID, an...

The number of caregivers in the workplace has increased significantly since the onset of the pandemic. Employees have increased responsibilities for children, elderly parents, and other loved ones. Many employers provide benefits and follow business practices recommended to support employee caregivers, but creating a culture responsive to employees' needs and well-being is as challenging as it is...

Meta, Salesforce, Twitter, Zillow, and Peleton are just a few of the significant companies recently making headlines for massive layoffs. Layoffs are unpleasant for everyone but can sometimes be a necessity.  AIM HR attorneys Tom Jones and Sarah Piscatelli join Pete Wright to discuss what employers and HR need to consider regarding layoffs. -- In a world where businesses face constant change, ther...

We’re used to employees taking time off for vacation or having a baby. But in addition to the many other things we’ve learned from our experience with the pandemic, we now know there are many, many new reasons for taking time away from work.  Caring for family members, childcare closures, or maybe members of your team needing a mental health break due to burnout are all calls for time away. Even m...

If you’re a regular listener of the show, you might remember just a few weeks back that we talked about Quiet Quitting ... losing employees not by watching them walk out the door but by showing up disengaged, disconnected from the work that they have been hired to do. It’s a tricky problem. This week, we’re taking on the other side of that particular coin.  Cultivating a motivated workforce is the...

What does it mean to be inclusive ? A 2018 Pew Research Center report says that nearly half of post-Millennials or Gen-Zers are non-white. We know a diverse organization leads to diversity of thought and insight, but for HR pros? If you’re not thinking about diversity and inclusion in your recruiting and retention efforts, you’re missing critical talent across younger generations. Success starts w...

When you think of quiet quitting, do you think of the film Office Space ? Where Ron Livingston's character Peter Gibbons abandons the concept of work entirely and does the bare minimum required of him? It’s one of the classics of the office comedy genre and if you haven’t seen it and work in an office, what are you waiting for?  The movie is a testament to our topic today: Quiet Quitting. While in...

Pay transparency is growing in popularity amongst employers and employees. For some states, it has become a legal requirement. But what exactly is pay transparency? What do you need to know? Kyle Pardo of AIM HR Solutions and Sam Larson of Associated Industries of Massachusetts join Pete Wright to look into the crystal ball at the future of pay transparency to share what is happening — and what co...

The economy is unpredictable, which can trickle down to your workplace budgets. One of the first line items to face scrutiny is the learning and development program. The truth is that a robust L&D program could be a competitive advantage for your organization. It could be the key to helping you retain and attract talent. Jen Moff joins Pete Wright to explore the topic of L&D programs and t...

Jen Moff, AIM HR VP of Learning & Development, joins Pete Wright to talk about the evolution of mental health in the workplace, the changing expectations of employers and employees about stress at work, and why strengthening the mind muscle might just be next on your exercise plan. If you’re an HR manager, learning how burnout manifests across your organization is a key skill. But what happens...

Social Media. You might not personally be an Insta-influencer or TikTok star, but there’s an increasingly good chance that your employees are. How does their activity in their private lives impact what they do at work, and how does your organization’s social media policy guide your most public participants?  This week, Terry Cook, our Senior Vice President of Employer Services, and Tom Jones, our...

The Americans with Disabilities Act is one of the more complex and challenging laws employers are navigating. What is the scope of the ADA? What do qualified accommodations look like at work? What might make for an accommodation that is declined?  But most important, as an HR professional, what is your responsibility to guide the team in looking for ADA violations, all toward creating a safe place...

New topics and new voices are coming to season two of Human Solutions: your HR podcast for people who love HR. Warm up your ear buds starting September 13, 2022! We've been busy recording our new season and we’re thrilled to announce we'll be coming back next week — September 13, 2022. And we have a lot for you to chew on this coming season.  How is your organization navigating the Americans with...

We did some digging into some of the advertised benefits through the early 2000s into the early 2010s and it’s a bizarre trip down memory lane. Here are a few of our favorite benefits: “free mechanical bull rides any time,” and “onsite live workout classes and massage,” or, “a personal assistant for every employee, free beer Fridays, housecleaning services every month, and the best homemade guacam...

It’s tedious, boring, and a lot of work, but it is one of the essential components of an HR person’s job. Record-keeping. Having organized documents can make it easier to do your job as an HR professional, such as evaluating claims and verifying information. But have we mentioned it’s a lot of work? Legally, there are requirements that employers must keep accurate, up-to-date, and secure records....

Gen Z is in the workplace! Who are they? How are they different from millennials? And why has everyone forgotten Gen X? Dudes, will no one gag me with a spoon? This week, we have our own Gen Z’er is in the spotlight, along with her Millennial counterparts. Jen Moff, our VP of training, Jillian Derby, our senior marketing director, and Kallee McGraw our events support specialist spill the tea on wh...

It is one of the hardest parts of the HR job: terminations. Having a disruptive employee working can have a negative impact of the productivity and efficiency of others. The manner in which a termination is handled can impact the morale of the entire workplace and must be handled carefully, while being respectful of the out-going employee’s experience. Today, Terry Cook, our Senior Vice President...

Mindfulness has become a workplace buzzword, but what is it? Can you learn it? How do you practice it? Jen Moff and Kathleen Worthington join Pete Wright to delve into what HR and workplaces need to know about mindfulness, its benefits, and why you should care. What is mindfulness? Jen and Kathleen each explore what it means to be in your body versus living in your head. Mindfulness is an experien...

We’re gearing up for the summer months and with the change in seasons comes a change in staffing for many of our organizations. Seasonal workers bring changing processes and may invite a younger demographic into your world. What do you need to know about hiring young people? Will you impacted by child labor or Massachusetts Blue Laws? How will you navigate conversations around productivity and dre...

We’re used to employees taking time off for vacation or having a baby. But in addition to the many other things we’ve learned from our experience with the pandemic, we now know there are many, many new reasons for taking time away from work. Caring for family members, childcare closures, or maybe members of your team needing a mental health break due to burnout are all calls for time away. Even mo...

Recruiting competition is peaking as we navigate the hiring environment now that the pandemic restrictions are lifting around us. The world is going back to work. But things are not the same as they were; job seekers are more selective than ever and getting them in the door is forcing hiring managers to rethink, regroup, and retool their processes. Today, Terry Cook, our Senior Vice President of E...

According to Nielsen, the 2022 Academy Awards celebration was seen by 16.6 million viewers around the world. That’s 16.6 million people watching as Will Smith slapped Chris Rock across the face on stage. It was emotional and horrifying and, to us, it was a dramatic example of violence in the workplace. According to the National Safety Council, workplace assaults resulted in 20,050 injuries and ill...