Firms invest in cheese, other assets to close pension gaps
Some pension funds are using tangible assets to help meet their obligations. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. reports taking control of such assets as water rights and a hog-slaughtering facility. Other examples of assets acquired by pensions include cheese and trees. The question is, how do pension funds value such assets correctly? Different state rules also complicate such questions. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/19)

Recruiting & Retention

How to attract the modern high performer
Technology and social networks are making it possible for individuals to accomplish things that once required the resources of large organizations, Marina Gorbis writes. To attract these "amplified individuals," employers should consider rewarding employees for contributions they make outside the company and getting rid of rigid office hierarchies, she writes. Harvard Business Review online/HBR Blog Network (free registration) (4/22)

Smart bosses watch what job candidates do with their coffee cups
When it's time to make a hire, smart bosses watch what interviewees do with their coffee cups, says Nancy Aossey, CEO of the International Medical Corps. It's always a good sign when prospective hires offer to clean up after themselves at the end of the interview. "It says something about the person, that they don't expect someone else to pick it up," Aossey says. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/20)

Strategies for Success from TrainingMag.com

How to get new employees up to speed on day 1
New employees should arrive on their first day at a workstation that has already been completely set up, and their schedule should include meetings with key team members, writes Jeanne O'Connor, the human resources manager at Billtrust. "While some companies consider the onboarding process finished after the first week or two, we follow up with employees to make sure they remain engaged, soliciting their feedback on their onboarding experience," O'Connor writes. TrainingMag.com (4/19)

Benefits & Compensation

Deciphering the Affordable Care Act
Small businesses face confusing issues related to the Affordable Care Act, Karen Klein writes. For example, the law does not allow companies to offer different health care packages to exempt and non-exempt workers. If a company has more than 50 full-time employees, all full-time, nonseasonal employees are considered eligible for an employer's insurance plan and must be treated equally, says Marcus Newman of GCG Financial. Bloomberg Businessweek (4/22)

Regulatory & Legal Update

Officials expand investigation of Chipotle's hiring
Government officials requested additional documentation on Chipotle Mexican Grill's employee hiring, including records on all of the company's employees dating back to 2007, the company said Thursday. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency launched its investigation of Chipotle in 2010 in a few markets, which resulted in the termination of 450 workers in Minnesota. The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires (4/18)

The HR Leader

Focus on personal goals to become a better leader
The first step to becoming an exceptional business leader is to focus on your own mental and physical well-being, writes Carrie Kerpen, co-founder and CEO of Likeable Media. Make a list of personal objectives, and set aside time in your busy schedule for activities you care about, she recommends. Also, keep a written record of your progress, and stay physically active, she writes. Inc. online (free registration) (4/22)

Workplace Chatter

Wet washcloths from outer space
What do you get if you bring together an astronaut, a washcloth and two curious schoolgirls? This video clip answers that question, showing Canadian spacefarer Chris Hadfield conducting a student-designed experiment in which he wrings out a washcloth in zero gravity. YouTube/Canadian Space Agency (4/16)

SmartQuote

The fear of being laughed at makes cowards of us all." -- Mignon McLaughlin, American author and journalist Share: