Employment expert Rob Wilson explains what companies should do instead

A recent survey found that two-thirds of organizations feel that their performance reviews are not effective. Described as ‘subjective and highly ambiguous,’ performance reviews can be a very impactful tool when used appropriately, but as this research shows, most companies say that they are falling short of the mark.

Employment trends expert Rob Wilson, says, “Although some employers are eliminating the annual performance review, we don’t see that as a good solution for the vast majority of companies. Without an annual review (even if it’s just a compilation of more frequent ones), it’s very difficult for employers to work on merit pay increases.”

Wilson, who is the President of the national employment solutions firm Employco USA, says that instead of ditching performance reviews entirely, companies need to rethink the way they approach this measuring stick and bring performance reviews into the modern era.

“Modern performance reviews are largely based on the merit system used by the military in World War I – a system that has not grown adequately to suit the needs of today’s corporate structures. The original idea was that workers were so plentiful that poor performers needed to be identified from efficient workers so the former could be replaced and the latter promoted. This mentality is slowly dying as the labor market tightens up. Employers are now more concerned with coaching poor performers instead of replacing them immediately. Annual reviews are less effective in this regard, since their primary purpose is to hold employees up to a (typically) quantitative standard, not to assess granular performance and insert coaching opportunities. That’s where frequent check-ins come in,” says Wilson.

What is a frequent check-in? Think of frequent check-ins as microscopic evaluations. In this process, managers evaluate employee performance periodically throughout the year, not just at its end. Managers are checking in on employee performance as it happens, not giving a rating months later.

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Employment expert explains what companies should know regarding ‘mobile device policies’ and keeping sensitive data safe 

Two-thirds of Americans have smartphones, and nearly half of us use our phones for work purposes. That number is only continuing to increase, and 95 percent of organizations allow employees to use their phones for business tasks.

However, employment expert Rob Wilson says that some companies could be opening themselves up to lawsuits by not having a strict mobile device policy in their handbooks.

“If you enter a workplace in America, you are likely going to find most employees with their cell phone on their desk beside them,” says Wilson, who is President of Employco USA, a national employment-solutions firm with locations across the country. “And, when they go home at night or on the weekend, many of them will be performing work tasks via their phones, even if it is just to quickly check their work email.”

Wilson says while many employers view this as a win-win, there are some considerations that should be taken into account.

“Yes, when an employee uses their own phone for work purposes, you are going to save money,” agrees Wilson. “You won’t have to pay for multiple phones, and you won’t have to deal with the burden of fixing broken phones or replacing stolen phones. However, even if your name isn’t on the bill, you could still be paying a price.”

Here, Wilson outlines the concerns which could crop up when employees BYOD:

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H.R. expert explains how this breaking news story may impact the LGBT community and how to handle transgender issues in the workplace

The Defense Department has just announced that President Trump’s ban against transgender military members will go into effect in April. With just a matter of weeks until the ban is implemented, many transgender people in a variety of industries are feeling frightened about their own job status, even if they do not work in the armed forces.

No wonder—a recent survey led by the DC Office of Human Rights found that 48 percent of employers showed bias against hiring a transgender individual, even if the applicant was more qualified than others. In addition, nearly 90% of transgender individuals report workplace harassment. Human resources professionals across the country need to become educated and prepared when it comes to handling transgender issues, both as it relates to hiring and harassment and beyond.

Rob Wilson, human resources expert and President of Employco USA, says, “It is against the law to discriminate against applicants based on gender, race, or religion, and the same holds true for transgender individuals as well. Thanks to Macy v. Department of Justice, there is a legal precedent which prevents hiring staff from refusing or rescinding job offers upon finding out that a person is transgender.” Additionally, there are other things that employers must consider as well, such as:

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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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H.R. expert explains what employers need to know about new marijuana regulations

Research shows that there has been a 33 percent increase in positive drug tests on employees.

“We are looking at an increase in employee usage of marijuana in industries across the board,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA (a national employment-solutions firm) and human resources expert. “Most importantly, test results showed that there was a double-digit jump of marijuana use in transportation and warehouse fields, which could be very problematic as operating heavy machinery while under the influence of marijuana could be very dangerous indeed.”

However, with 10 states making it legal to use marijuana recreationally, and 33 states making it legal to use medically, employers might wonder what rights they have when taking a hard line on drug use in the workplace.

“Your ability to monitor drug use among your employees is going to depend on whether or not you are a unionized or private workplace,” says Wilson. “While you have the right to expect and require sobriety from workers on the job, it can become a bit tricky when you suspect drug use and want to act on your fears.”

Wilson says that if you work in a non-unionized environment, you should ask a supervisor or human resources team member to help you determine if an employee is under the influence of marijuana.

“If your suspicions are backed up by other leaders in your company, you can discipline and even terminate your employee,” says Wilson.

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