In fifteen years as an HR practitioner, there’s one question I can probably pinpoint as the most asked question I have gotten over the years. “Why can’t I just classify them as an independent contractor?” It’s estimated that by 2020 40% of the US workforce will be freelancers or temp employees, up from 30% in 2006. With that number growing, it’s even more important for organizations to understand the independent contractor classification and when it can be used. The penalties for misclassifying employees as independent contractors can include back payment of taxes, interest owed to employees for wages not paid,
The diamond on my ringer finger I can thank in part to a teenager engaging in summer work. My husband worked during the summer every year starting at age fifteen. And although I wasn’t even on his radar at age 15, nor do I think marriage to anyone was at that point in time, his hard work and savings from that hard work led to a lovely diamond on my hand that he paid cash for. He worked painting schools, mowing grass, driving a forklift at a lumber yard and building tree stands while in high school. His college work
The best piece of advice I heard at the recent SHRM19 National Conference came from Cy Wakeman’s session “Business Readiness: Ensuring Our Teams are Ready for What’s Next.” As a consultant, I spend a great deal of my time helping organizations navigate change, from determining what change is needed to creating the roadmap of how to accomplish the change to how to get employee buy-in. The hardest part is often getting employees on board, helping them understand the need for change and addressing their resistance. The current change management process caters too much to the individual employee when it should
The US Women’s Soccer Team. Some controversy over Taylor Swift’s contract. It’s all in the name of fighting for equal pay for women. Equal pay is a noble cause and one I support. But who owns fixing this? Maybe we all do, but women own taking the actions to fix it for themselves. And we all own helping teach the skills to do so. Publicity and activism help. But teaching women: To know their value Know how to advocate for their value And walk if they don’t get what they are worth is the true way to fix this problem
“Leadership isn’t about having all the right answers. It’s about having all the right questions.” “You cannot opt out of fear and feelings. Determine what fears and feelings are leading to behaviors. Don’t play whack a mole with bad behaviors. Address fears and feelings directly.” My Favorite: “If you cannot have hard conversations because they are making you uncomfortable you won’t be leading in the next five years. And it’s not the responsibility of the target of the conversation to prompt it. It is your job as a leader.” “Courage is teachable, observable, and measurable. Fear is the biggest barrier to it.” “Vulnerability