For a long time, diversity training, normally the bailiwick of the human resources department, has been a staple of corporate education programs. The intention of such programs is to prevent lawsuits and also to create an atmosphere at a company where all of the employees are valued and respected regardless of their background. The idea also is that this training would increase diversity in the workplace.

The problem is that research is showing that diversity programs don’t work. For example, one study of more than 800 companies that took place over a period of more than 30 years showed that diversity training really had no effect at all on worker attitudes. Moreover, it also didn’t increase the diversity at the companies.

Diversity programs actually made the problem worse. This is because these programs, instead of highlighting people as individuals, emphasized people as members of a certain category, classifying them by age, gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation, for example. And this actually encouraged prejudice, because that is what prejudice is – shoving a person into a category without looking at him or her as a real human being, an individual. Putting people into categories makes them less human, it reduces the complexity of what it is to be a person, and so emphasizing the categories actually works to increase prejudice, according to business consultant Peter Bregman.

What businesses should be doing, Bregman says, is not focusing on diversity, but on people as people. Employees don’t need training in the concept of diversity, but in how to work with a variety of people, people who happen to have different personalities and backgrounds. What people need to learn is how to communicate well – conveying bad news as well as good with understanding and empathy. And employees need to be counseled against putting other people into categories, to not think of someone as a black person, a Muslim, or gay, but just as a person.

So, instead of focusing on diversity, companies need to focus on communication training, Bregman says. That way, people will learn to listen to each other, to talk with each other instead of talking at or past each other. And they need to learn to do this no matter who the other person may be, which in the end will go a lot further toward creating a diverse environment than any diversity training would.

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Recent surveys show that retirement planning issues have become increasingly important to employees, and that companies are doing more to help their employees plan for retirement. Some businesses are even rethinking the types of retirement plans they offer, and also making financial counseling available to employees.

The increased concern about retirement comes on the heels of the recent steep recession, which is still a big drag on the economy. Many suffered significant losses in their retirement investment accounts because of the downturn, which, they say, will mean a delay in retiring. Younger workers, seeing what has happened, also are concerned.

But, while many companies are investing in educational programs for their employees to help them plan for retirement, relatively few are doing anything to help smooth the actual transition from work to retirement.

This can be a stressful time for workers because it involves a huge change in their lives. For many, work has been the focus of their lives, the thing to which their self-esteem and even their identity is tied. Leaving it behind can be traumatic. It is an area where human resource departments can make a big impact by adding to services.

Companies can help employees better make the transition by helping them with financial and lifestyle planning.

One of the major concerns of people about to retire is whether they will have enough money for the things they want to do. Helping them with planning for expenses during retirement, planning about what their income will be, and what their healthcare, housing, hobbies, and vacations, etc. will cost, will go a long way toward making a good transition.

Helping workers cope with how the transition will change their lifestyle can be helpful too. Retirees will be facing such issues as keeping a daily routine, staying in touch with people, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and following their interests, whether it be part-time work, or something such as volunteering.

Also companies can help employees make the transition by supplying them with resources. Companies can help them find information on getting a good financial advisor and even offer something such as a one-year free membership to a retirement organization.

Additionally, companies can provide soon-to-retire workers with material to read, such as Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes, by William Bridges.

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Employee Assistance Programs, or EAPs, are evolving, and they are doing a lot more than they have in the past, something that human resources staff should be aware of.

As companies look for economical and effective ways to help employees stay happy and productive, EAPs now are providing a lot of new and different services, in addition to substance abuse counseling, which has been their traditional niche, according to Rebecca Vesely of Workforce Management.

EAPs now deal with a range of problems that come under the heading of behavioral and mental health, such as helping workers deal with stress and work-life programs. Because of the recession many companies have cut back on their workforce, and those employees who remain are expected to carry more of the load, leading to more worker stress. As a result, EAPs are adapting to help people with this problem.

EAPs also are helping employees with such things as finding a tax accountant, a divorce lawyer, child care, wedding planners, even plumbers. EAPs are helping employees with refinancing a mortgage and sorting through healthcare programs. EAPs are getting a lot of calls about financial and legal services, a sign that workers are still struggling in the down economy.

More than half of the contacts with EAPs today involve some type of financial issue, according to EAP officials. And the issue with which EAPs deal with are more complex than in the past. A survey of EAPs found that about 20 percent of calls involved child care, 15 percent elder care, 30 percent moving, and 10 percent healthcare.

EAPs more recently have begun to get involved in management training programs as employers cut back in this area to save money. EAPs are providing help over the telephone or through Web-based communication for employers dealing with problem employees.

But even though EAPs are doing a lot more, and more people are using them, not many employees use their services overall. Nationwide, only about three percent of the workforce has used an EAP. To get more employees involved with EAPs and what they offer, companies need to communicate better with employees about EAP services.

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How big does a company have to be before it hires a full-time human resource manager?

According to Beth Sussman of Dovetail Human Resources, there really is no special number of workers that a company should have before hiring a full-time human resources manager. Instead, she says, what you need to look at are the conditions in the company and pay attention to certain triggers that will tell you when the time is right.

For example, are you having trouble finding the workers with the skills you need when you need them? Or are you having trouble merging new workers from an acquired company with your workforce? If you don’t have any human resource people, Sussman says, you might not have the kind of practices in place that you need to acquire, develop and hold onto the workers you need. You may need someone with the specific expertise in the process of mergers and how to combine workforces.

Another sign that you may need a human resources manager is when you see that your company is increasingly at risk from legal action for wrongful termination, harassment claims or pay inequality issues. If you see these kinds of issues coming up more often, it may be time to hire someone to make sure you have the best policies in place to handle these situations, Sussman says.

You may need to think about an HR person when you begin to find that your policies are becoming outdated, according to Sussman. You may have a pay and bonus plan that doesn’t fit the way your business is operating now, or a benefits plan that needs updating.

Also, have you noticed that you are spending more and more on outside firms – consultants, attorneys or other administrative services to handle human resource issues? It may be time to take a look at what you are spending on outsourced services and compare that to what your expenses would be if you hired some in-house people to handle the same issues. Comparing the costs and benefits of each approach may show you that you may actually be better off financially by going with in-house people.

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Working in human resources – or in any other of your company’s departments – sooner or later, you are going to have to work with someone – or a group of people – whom you really don’t like. It may be someone who thinks that the world revolves around him and his brilliant mind, someone who is very judgmental of others, or someone who constantly complains about everything. Whatever the case, in this situation, you spend most of your time and energy trying to control your own emotions.

But don’t despair because there are tactics you can use, according to business strategist Amy Gallo, that can help you get through a situation like this.

The first thing to focus on, Gallo says, is what you can control, meaning your own reaction to the obnoxious coworker. That is, instead of focusing on how annoying the person is, focus on your reaction to him or her and try to manage it. You can do this, Gallo says, by practicing some methods of relaxation every day, which will help you handle the stress.

Another thing to avoid is griping to other colleagues about the obnoxious coworker. This really accomplishes nothing and only puts you in a bad mood. Plus, if you begin griping to others, you may affect the mood of the whole office. Moreover, it also may reflect badly on you, giving you a reputation as someone who does not behave in a professional manner.

Also, Gallo advises to take an honest look at yourself, as well. Could you be part of the problem?  Is this person’s behavior really that annoying, or are more personal resentments driving your feelings? Is the person just a very different personality type than your own, or does the person just remind you of someone you don’t like? Could your annoyance stem from the fact that the person got a promotion and you got passed over? Focus on the person’s behavior, rather than just his or her personality, to help you determine whether your own prejudices are coming into play.

Another strategy that might seem a little counterintuitive, and definitely harder to carry out, is to actually spend more time with the person. By doing this, you learn more about him or her, and may come to a better understanding of why the person is behaving the way he or she does – problems at home, maybe, or pressure from a boss. It may lead to more empathy.

Also, if you feel the person might be receptive, Gallo says give the individual some feedback about his or her annoying behavior. The problem may be that your co-worker really is unaware of it because no one has ever brought it up.

Finally, in a situation where you have little control, try to develop a sense of detachment, an “I just don’t care” attitude. If the person is being annoying, but you take the attitude that you just aren’t going to care about or acknowledge it, that may help.

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In today’s nonstop world of human resource management, you are bombarded with information, e-mail, text messages, voicemail and social media.

Many approaches to time management claim to show how you can accomplish all of the things you need to. But business strategist Peter Bregman says the idea that you can do it all is just a myth. Face reality, he says – there is just no way you can actually do all of the things you want to. We have our limitations, and there are only 24 hours in a day.

This might be disheartening, he says, but it can be uplifting as well, because once you acknowledge that you can’t do it all, you are better prepared to make the choices about what you can do. You can dump the unimportant things and focus on what’s most important.

But Bregman says there are two obstacles to doing this – figuring out what the important things are, and then actually taking action to get them done. Figuring out what’s important means going from reactive to proactive. Instead of just waiting to see what lands on your desk, think about what choices you need to make to get the results that you want the most. And that means that you will also need to make choices about what not to do.

To get to the actual doing part of things, Bregman says, we need tools. We need to know how to prioritize, get things on our calendar, and reduce the multi-tasking. So we first need to think about our time management issues – not getting to our most important work, not taking advantage of our talents and passions, getting distracted by little things, avoiding big projects.

Once you’ve figured out what your most intractable time management issues are, pick just one to take on, Bregman says. For example, you may struggle with prioritizing or it may be that you are a perfectionist. Whatever the case, pick one time management challenge you have, and then choose a strategy to solve the problem. If this works, move on to your next time management problem, and do the same thing. If it doesn’t work, try another time management technique.

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If you are a human resources manager, you naturally rely on a lot of people in your organization to get things done. And it’s natural to show your gratitude to people who have helped you. But when it comes to showing appreciation, business consultants caution that you should look beyond the obvious people to those who might not immediately come to mind, but whose help has nonetheless been important.

Mentors are people often overlooked when it comes to showing appreciation, according to business strategist Dorie Clark. This might happen because they are not around on a regular basis. But the advice they give can make a big difference in your performance. Having a more senior manager in your corner to offer advice and encouragement is a real stroke of good fortune and should not be taken for granted.

When considering people to thank, don’t ignore a person just because it may have been a while since he or she helped you, Clark says. Even though you may not have seen the person in a number of years, he or she almost certainly will be glad to hear from you. Clark relates a story about a person who wrote a thank you note to a college professor a few years after she graduated. He was touched that she remembered him.

Also, remember support staff, Clark says. If someone important has helped you, in addition to thanking that person, think about the people under him or her who may have made his or her efforts possible.

The method of thanks that is the most personal and has the most impact is a handwritten note. The note should include specific details about what the person did that was helpful to you.

If you want to send a gift as a way of showing your appreciation, you need to keep in mind any legal restrictions that may apply because of the person’s position, or any ethical considerations – something that may pose the appearance of a conflict of interest, for example.

Also, when sending a gift, it is best to take into account the recipient’s interests, Clark says. If the person is a big football fan, for example, getting him football tickets probably would be greatly appreciated. If the person you wish to thank is more inclined toward the arts, or something cultural, a ticket to a symphony or an art exhibition would be more appropriate.

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With the uncertainty in the economy, and companies demanding more and more from their workers, employee engagement with their jobs has sunk lower and lower. Business analysts say that to keep your company productive, you need to have employees that are engaged with their jobs.

The experts offered a number of ways to build and maintain employee engagement.

One way to rev up employee engagement is right at the start when they are hired. You can use the process of bringing them on board to build their engagement. You have workers who are naturally receptive and enthusiastic as they begin their new job, and so onboarding provides a great opportunity to show how much you value them and what you can offer them, says business advisor Alice Snell. Making them go through a process where they sign the same forms five times or not having a computer at their desk is not the way to do it.

Also, when they start you need to let them know right away what the goals of the company are and how the employees fit in with those goals.

Another way to maintain engagement is to keep the lines of communication open, especially in offering positive feedback for a job well done.

Another way to keep the energy and enthusiasm of employees high is by giving them a feeling of community, such as sponsoring company activities or working on team projects.

The company also should offer employees chances for advancing their careers, help them develop their skills and potential, treat them like professionals, and give them a sense of empowerment by letting them know that their opinions are valued.

The company also needs to have an effective reward system in place. This involves more than just pay, because beyond a certain point, pay is not the prime motivator. Other kinds of rewards focus on giving employees more autonomy and authority to make decisions on their own, giving them more challenging work, and giving them more recognition, according to a number of business analysts.

Leadership is important as well – it is difficult to maintain engagement among employees if managers and executives do not appear to be engaged themselves, says business executive Judy Whitcomb. And finally, the image people have of the company matters also. If people feel they are working for a company that is respected and admired, they are more likely to be excited about their work and to stay as an employee.

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A  recent survey has provided some evidence to suggest that people in human resources have become the target of aggressive actions by other workers simply because of their role in the organization.

Almost one-third of the Kentucky-based human resource workers surveyed in an online poll reported being the target of aggressive behavior, which included things like interference at work, verbal abuse, even threats and intimidation. The percentage of human resource workers who reported being bullied was about the same as for workers in general. However, more than half of the people in human resources believed they were targeted specifically because they worked in human resources.

An earlier study of nearly 1,500 human resource workers was conducted in the United Kingdom. In that survey, more than half of the people in human resources reported being the target of aggressive behavior at work.

The conflict may be the result of the changing duties of workers in human resources, which has become more strategic than in the past, according to Teresa Daniel, a human resources professor who conducted the survey. Because their job is to challenge and coach business leaders, their interactions can set off conflicts or defensive responses that might ultimately lead to more aggressive behavior, Daniel says.

Human resource workers offered their own reasons for the aggressive behavior. One reason may be that their role often is not fully appreciated or understood by others. Another is that they often have to deny managers’ requests, and another is that managers may feel they are not properly qualified to make the policy decisions they do. Another reason is that the human resource person is the firewall in many instances, protecting the interests of other employees, but taking heat in the process.

Daniel says there are several things human resource professionals can do to blunt the aggressive behavior. She says human resources should increase the communication with managers and do it before problems arise. Human resources needs to better educate managers on how to handle routine problems that relate to the workforce. She says human resource workers also need to become more knowledgeable about the business itself – the financial elements, customers and operations – to get a better understanding of what motivates the behavior of managers.

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A number of business experts argue that human resource departments need to take the lead in implementing sustainability programs for their companies. Human resource departments are best positioned to spearhead this type of initiative, they say.

Sustainability generally refers to the efforts made to enhance quality of life for employees, society in general and making efforts to help the environment. To really be effective, these kinds of initiatives, business analysts say, should not be just some afterthought for advertising purposes, but well-thought-out efforts that are part of the company’s overall strategy.

Sustainability programs have many benefits for companies – they can help with employee engagement, they can improve a business’ processes and they can improve the image of the business. They also can actually help add to the bottom line.

While business analysts believe that a firm’s human resources department is in a good position to take the lead with sustainability, not many HR departments are involved with such efforts. Only about six percent of human resource departments responding to a recent survey said they helped to create such programs, but about one-fourth said they are helping to implement them.  Moreover, the survey showed that three-fourths of the organizations responding were involved with some kind of sustainability program.

Companies are implementing sustainability programs for a number of different reasons – to make a contribution to society, to give themselves a financial advantage over their competition, to help the environment, to help save money on their operations, and out of concern for the health and safety of employees.

But there are obstacles that need to be overcome in starting a sustainability program. Some of the most common are the cost, problems with figuring out how to determine the return on investment, lack of support, and a lack of knowledge about how to go about starting such programs.

But the positives are undeniable. Most of the companies that had sustainability programs and responded to the survey cited better employee morale, more efficiency in the workplace, a better image, and higher loyalty among employees as the major benefits.

But to make sustainability most effective, it should be codified into a formal company policy with goals and policies that are connected to the company’s overall strategic planning process.

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