HR Professional - August/September 2008 - (Page 15)

UPFRONT NAUGHTY LIST | HYGIENE | PROFILING NEWS VP OF CHEERLEADING? FORMER HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO END UP AS VICE-PRESIDENTS THAN OTHER TYPICAL HIGH SCHOOL TRIBES, REPORTS A RECENT STUDY BY CAREERBUILDER.COM. THE FIRM POLLED MORE THAN 6,000 FULL-TIME WORKERS TO CATEGORIZE THEIR HIGH SCHOOL PERSONA, AND THEN COMPARED THOSE PERSONAS IN TERMS OF JOB LEVEL, SALARY, INDUSTRY AND JOB SATISFACTION. PERSONAS INCLUDED STUDENT GOVERNMENT, ATHLETE, GEEK, HONOUR SOCIETY, CHEERLEADER, DRAMA CLUB AND TEACHER’S PET. JOB LEVEL COMPARISONS: CHEERLEADERS = VICE-PRESIDENT STUDENT GOVERNMENT = DIRECTOR/MANAGER/ TEAM LEAD POSITIONS ET TEACHER’S PET = TIVE/ ADMINISTRATIVE/ SITIONS CLERICAL POSITIONS IETY/ HONOUR SOCIETY/ EEKS ATHLETES /GEEKS = AL/ PROFESSIONAL/ ERVICES TECHNICAL SERVICES POSITIONS World Watch Employee Blacklist U.K. employers have a controversial new tool to help weed out potential thieves and vandals from their organizations, reports the BBC. Employers can search the National Staff Dismissal Register, an online database of workers who have been accused of theft and dishonesty—regardless of whether the allegations were proven in court— when vetting potential hires. The database was established by Action Against Business Crime, a joint venture between the Home Ofﬁce and the British Retail Consortium. The group encourages members to post names of employees who’ve been accused of: • Theft or attempted theft of money, merchandise or property from company, suppliers or customers • Falsiﬁcation or forgery of documents • Fraudulently obtaining money, services or information • Damaging company property British unions and civil liberties groups are campaigning against the database, arguing the blacklist is open to serious abuse—including false accusations that could essentially leave workers shut out of the labour market. Source: news.bbc.co.uk Health & Safety K E Y BOA R D S F I LT H I E R T H A N T OI L E T S Here’s something to ponder as you enjoy that midafternoon snack at your computer—some keyboards are dirtier than public toilet seats. Researchers in the U.K. recently tested keyboards from a typical ofﬁce and found they harbour germs that can cause severe stomach illness—including diarrhea and other stomach upsets. Eating at your desk is the main culprit as crumbs get caught and promote the growth of bacteria. Poor hygiene, including failing to wash hands after using the toilet, is another factor. Tips for a cleaner keyboard: • Shut down and unplug your computer • Wipe surfaces with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth w w w. HRT houghtLeader. c om • Shake out any dust or food crumbs from the keyboard and disinfect the keyboard with alcohol wipes Source: www.which.co.uk A u g u s t / S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 8 15 © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/WEBPHOTOGRAPHEER http://CAREERBUILDER.COM http://news.bbc.co.uk http://www.which.co.uk http://www.HRThoughtLeader.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Professional - August/September 2008

HR Professional - August/September 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Contributors Leadership Matters Upfront Legal Compensation Human Capital The New Frontier On Message Strategy HR 101 Interview with Annette Veschuren Talent Management Training Work/Life Balance Off the Shelf The Last Word

HR Professional - August/September 2008

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