For Halloween in 2024, we took a light-hearted approach to common HR challenges in this article. This year, we found more ways to use your membership benefits to ward off spooky new HR Horrors!
Brain transplantation: Using AI at work can be a real time saver, and it is tempting to simply accept what it provides and move on quickly to your next task. This would be a grave mistake; AI is prone to errors, so train your brain to effectively review and critically evaluate AI outputs. Consult our Employers Guide to Managing AI in the Workplace for help.
Mummifying: Wrapping old diversity and inclusion strategies with new branding without carefully reviewing language, strategies, and specific actions, may invite claims of discrimination. Recent court cases involving reverse discrimination reveal the risks employers face when they do not review and revise their efforts to account for current court rulings. Our legal team can help you unwrap those mummies!
Ignoring skeletons: Old records stored away in closets, cabinets, and the cloud may contain problematic information that could be considered evidence in certain investigations. Once retention requirements are satisfied, purge those old skeletons! Form I-9s are prone to errors and are increasingly the focus of audits. Periodic self-audit limits the scary risk exposure.
Burying heads in the sand: Not paying attention to the news and employment law developments will surely doom your organization. Stay informed with Employers Council news articles!
Frankenstein employees: Combining employee duties with an independent contractor to avoid compliance issues creates a hybrid monster that will attract unwanted attention from multiple agencies, who will burn the house down. Consult this whitepaper to avoid this nightmare. Misclassifying employees as exempt when they do not meet both the salary basis and the duties test is a fatal error; expect Grim Reaper investigations.
Creepy behaviors: Minimizing complaints about employee behaviors as “no big deal”, “harmless fun”, “boys will be boys”, or “just horseplay” is hazardous. Listen and follow up on all employee complaints to spot potential harassment. Access help with our Investigations whitepaper and our workplace investigations service.
Jekyll and Hyde hires: Applicants are on their best behavior during interviews, but do they transform into someone else in the workplace? Behavioral interviews and pre-employment screening reduce the risk of regrettable hires who rip the life from your teams.
Losing your head: When disaster strikes your workplace, do you have a plan to respond effectively? Emergency Preparedness is a crucial HR function to help you keep your head calm and effectively mitigate risk and reduce damage.
Contact us for help to manage all the HR Horrors you face year-round!
James McDonough is an HR Research Consultant with Employers Council.