Employment trends expert explains these findings and suggests staff management techniques

Recent statistics reveal that March Madness has become more popular than ever before, thanks in large part to the worldwide betting that takes place. Over 60 million people are expected to fill out brackets this year, with an estimated $10 million being put on the table. However, there is another cost which people may not expect: a downturn in employee productivity.

“March Madness can be a drain on a company’s time and resources,” says Rob Wilson, employment trends expert and President of Employco USA. “With millions of Americans filling out brackets and managing their bets, you can bet that employee productivity takes a hit during this time of year.”

In fact, research shows that lost wages caused by employee distraction and poor productivity during March Madness could amount to losses of up to $1.9 billion!

Wilson says, “Between filling out brackets, researching picks, watching the games and then calling in sick or skipping work due to game days or hangovers, you are looking at a sharp downturn in employee performance. Luckily there are some ways you can manage this common nationwide issue.”

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Human resources expert offers advice on dealing with workplace conflict in today’s political climate 

Research shows that 85 percent of employees say that they experience workplace conflict, with over 2 hours a week being spent on navigating workplace drama. Workplace conflict is not just stressful and unpleasant, it can have a major impact on employee productivity. Indeed, conflicts in the workplace cost companies about $359 billion dollars in paid hours.

Rob Wilson, human resources expert and President of Employco USA, an employment solutions firm with locations across the country, says:

“In today’s culture, employees aren’t just together when they’re literally on the job: they’re together all the time thanks to technology like Skype, WhatsApp, Slack and other coworker communication apps. Not to mention, our current political climate is so divisive right now, and social media only further encourages arguments and discord among your staff.”

Wilson, who has worked directly with many clients who have required assistance managing conflict within their workplaces, says that research shows that workplace conflict is on the rise. “From personality clashes to overwork to poor management, workplace conflict is inevitable and it’s actually getting worse,” he says.

So how can employers be proactive about workplace conflict?

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Employment expert weighs in on the landmark civil case McDonald’s workers are bringing against the corporation

Research shows that violence at fast food restaurants is not an uncommon occurrence, with these establishments facing more than twice the level of violent crimes as full-service eateries.

But how responsible are employers for protecting employees from workplace violence? A group of McDonald’s workers are contesting that their employers have not done enough to protect them from the onslaught of customer abuse that has been rampant at many locations, specifically those located in Chicago, IL.

“While the ‘Fight for 15’ has been at the center of conversations about the fast food industry, a new concern is emerging for these minimum wage workers. A group of 17 McDonald’s workers in Chicago are bringing to light the dangers they face on the job, and asking the fast food giant to do more to protect its staff,” says Rob Wilson, human resources expert, Chicago native, and President of Employco USA, a national employment solutions firm with locations across the country.

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Employee expert discusses new study which says the human resources department is a hotbed for office dating

With Valentine’s Day approaching, love is in the air, even in the workplace…especially for those in the HR industry. The new “Workplace Romance in America”  survey has found that 42% of people who work in human resources say that they have dated a coworker, compared to just 25% of the rest of surveyed employees.

“These shocking results show that HR employees are more likely to have an office romance than employees in other positions throughout the company,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, an employment solutions firm with locations across the country.

The new survey also found that one-third of employees say that they discuss their dating lives in the office.

“Whether they are dating a coworker or someone outside the office, the survey results show that many of us like to talk about love lives at work,” says Wilson. “While you don’t want to police your employees’ speech, it’s easy to see how this can become problematic if the discussion becomes lewd or overly-familiar.”

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Employment expert weighs in

The 62^nd Grammy Awards made headlines for performances from Lizzo and Billie Eilish, but what really caught the public’s attention was the scandal brewing just below the evening’s surface. Just 10 days before the ceremony, the Academy’s first female CEO and President, Deborah Dugan, was put on administrative leave. She has filed charges of sex-based discrimination in the workplace, sexual harassment at the hands of  Joel Katz (the Recording Academy’s general counsel), as well as voting corruption and more.

Employment expert, Rob Wilson, says that the unfolding drama (including Taylor Swift’s sudden decision not to perform at the ceremony as originally planned, which many say was a decision made in solidarity of Dugan), presents a teachable moment for companies facing situations in which CEOs or top-level executives go on the offensive against the firm.

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Employment expert Rob Wilson provides commentary on this new ruling and its expected impact on American business owners

In January, the Department of Labor clarified long-standing workplace disputes regarding joint-employer liability. In new provisions to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the DOL has finalized regulations regarding an employee’s ability to consider franchisors to be joint employers and therefore liable for alleged workplace wrongdoings at franchise locations.

“The Department of Labor’s ruling was published in the Federal Register on Jan. 16, and it will go into practice 60 days after this publication date,” says Rob Wilson, human resources expert and President of Employco USA, a national employment solutions firm. “In part, their new provisions have clarified under what circumstances a franchisor can be considered a joint employer of a franchisee employee.”

Franchisors should be satisfied with these new clarifications to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), says Wilson.

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