Human Resources - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

[VIDEO] How Economists Use Working Hours as a Recession Indicator

July 21, 2023

American companies have been hiring lots of new employees this year, making economists hopeful that the country will not experience a recession anytime soon. Still, other experts claim that increased hiring is not as reliable of an economic indicator as some think. The video below explains how total working hours can provide a more detailed picture of the country’s economic health and why fears of an incoming recession could be justified.

Questions:

How do economists use “hours worked” as Continue reading →

Compensation, Economics, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Operations Management, Recession

Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Videos

[VIDEO] How Streaming Changed the Business of TV Writing

June 15, 2023

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The Writers Guild of America has been on strike for more than a month and a half as they continue to demand better working conditions in modern Hollywood. This video takes an in-depth look at how streaming services like Netflix and Hulu completely changed the business of writing for television, from shorter schedules and smaller residual checks to depriving writers of vital experience by keeping them off set.

Questions:

How does spending time “on set” allow writers to gain Continue reading →

Compensation, Entertainment, Ethics, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Operations Management, Product Distribution, Streaming, Television, Training

Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Videos

The Tricky Task of Tracking Telecommuting

April 7, 2023

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Working from home became commonplace during the pandemic as companies increasingly kept in contact with employees through platforms like Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. As offices opened back up, though, managers started requiring workers to come in at least a few times per week. According to a recent study from the Labor Department, 72.5 percent of American businesses reported that their employees rarely or never work remotely, close to the level of 76.7 percent that preceded the pandemic.

The Continue reading →

Human Resources, Labor Relations, Management, Motivation, Office Culture, Remote Work, Telecommuting

Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 8: Organizational Culture and Structure

NLRB Rules Against Non-Disparagement Clauses

March 31, 2023

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Earlier this year, we looked at how the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a ban on noncompete clauses in employer contracts, which restrict the jobs that former staffers can take once they leave a company. Another controversial clause that some businesses place into contracts prevents ex-employees from talking bad about their old jobs if they accept a severance agreement. Labor advocates have long criticized nondisparagement clauses for infringing on the rights of workers, a point that the National Labor Review Continue reading →

Employee turnover, Ethics, FTC, Hiring, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Motivation, Noncompete clauses, Regulation, Severance

Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits

Companies Confuse Job Seekers with Fake Listings

March 23, 2023

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Although the collapse of SVB and the resulting economic fallout has rattled global markets, many companies are hoping to restore faith among investors by showing signs of growth. The clearest sign of a growing business is one that is hiring people, after all, leading some firms to place job listings with no intention of actually bringing anyone on board. In fact, a recent survey of 1,000 hiring managers found that 27 percent of respondents reported leaving job listings up for Continue reading →

Banking, Economics, Ethics, Hiring, Human Resources, SVB, Turnover

Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility

Rising Inflation Could Damage Economic Gains Made by Women

March 8, 2023

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People around the world celebrate International Women’s Day every March 8th, paying tribute to the achievements of women while also campaigning for greater gender equality. While issues like equal pay and opportunity for women have certainly received a lot of attention in recent years, companies still have a long way to go before they reach total parity. To make matters worse, economists say that women are disproportionately feeling the effects of the cost of living crisis brought on by rising Continue reading →

Compensation, Ethics, Gender equity, Global, Hiring, Human Resources, Management, Motivation, Regulation, Wage gap

Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership

Companies Cautiously Explore the Potential of AI Chatbots

February 10, 2023

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For the last few weeks, chatbots powered by artificial intelligence have made waves on social media as users talk with these automated conversation partners. The bot ChatGPT, for instance, can provide reasonable answers to questions posed by users regardless of their spelling or grammar. These responses are delivered in natural-sounding sentences that do not require scripting, a significant improvement on clunky chatbots of the past. As a result, many big companies are looking to get in on the ground floor Continue reading →

Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Chatbots, Ethics, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Marketing

Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility

Some Companies Charge Ex-Employees for “Training Repayment”

February 1, 2023

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Onboarding employees can be one of the most expensive items on a company’s balance sheet as firms spend big money hiring and training new staffers. Of course, this costly process has no guarantee of success: people hired yesterday can leave tomorrow as quickly as they arrived. To offset the costs of rapid turnover, some companies are inserting controversial clauses into employment contracts that require staffers to repay training fees if they quit. For example, Kate Fredericks signed such an agreement Continue reading →

Employee turnover, Ethics, FTC, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Onboarding, Regulation, Training

Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility

FTC Proposes Ban on Noncompete Clauses

January 18, 2023

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For years, many major companies have depended on noncompete clauses to hang on to their most talented employees. These binding agreements prohibit individuals from taking jobs at similar firms or from striking out on their own for a specified period of time. Companies claim that they insert noncompete clauses into employee contracts in order to ensure the safety of trade secrets and other confidential data like consumer lists or contact information. According to a recent proposal from the Federal Trade Continue reading →

Employee turnover, Ethics, FTC, Hiring, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Motivation, Noncompete clauses, Regulation

Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility

[VIDEO] Why Layoffs Are Hitting Professional Workers

January 11, 2023

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As the post-pandemic economic recovery slows down, many companies are looking to trim their bottom lines through restructuring and layoffs. Unlike in previous downturns, however, professional employees have largely been on the receiving end of these job cuts. The video below examines why white collar workers are more likely to receive a pink slip than their blue collar brethren.

Questions:

Why are white collar workers facing a disproportionate amount of layoffs as the economy slows down?
How can the strong Continue reading →

Compensation, Ethics, Frontline workers, Human Resources, Layoffs, Recession, Supply & Demand

Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Videos