Keynote Address:
The 2009 Economic Crisis: Situational Analysis & Strategic Responses for HR
Human Resources is certainly not responsible for the current economic crisis, but in order to make it through the storm, organizations of all sizes are turning to HR to help guide the way back to calmer waters and safer shores. So, how is your human resources department responding to the crisis? Would you like to hear what other organizations are doing to be proactive? Interested to learn how HR is positioning certain companies for unprecedented success once the harsh business conditions begin to stabilize again? This keynote session will examine the current economic crisis from several points of view. Employing an engaging and informative “talk show” format, our panel of experts will offer insights from a wide range of backgrounds and insider perspectives. With their finger on the pulse of the human resources community and the regional business conditions, the topic experts in this unique, interactive keynote session will highlight the responses and strategies that leading organizations are embracing to make it through these challenging economic times.


Administering the 2009 Regulations under The Family And Medical Leave Act
Alan M. Rauss, Esq.
Partner, Kohrman Jackson & Krantz, P.L.L.
Ever since the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) became effective in the mid-1990s, employers have found it to be the most confusing of all of the federal employment statutes and the most difficult to apply. To make it even more challenging, the new regulations which became effective in 2009 have significantly changed the way that employers must administer the FMLA. In this practical session, we will first examine the steps that employers must take immediately to change the way they administer the FMLA. Then, we will review the significant changes to the FMLA and its regulations, including the newly instituted applicability of the law to leaves related to covered members of the military, changes to the definition of serious health conditions, the new two-step process for determining eligibility and qualification, as well as a couple of other important changes. Finally, we will review the revised forms promulgated by the Department of Labor for use in implementing these regulations. This session will be directed to the salient points that a human resources department faces each time an employee or a family member of an employee falls within the scope of the FMLA.


The Golden Rules of Workplace Investigations
Jennifer Hays Gorman, Esq.
Partner, Warren & Hays LLC
It is critical that employers respond promptly and thoroughly to employee complaints of harassment, discrimination and other unlawful workplace conduct. This session will take an in-depth look at what "prompt" and "thorough" really means as well as what the courts are now expecting. Attendees will walk away with a blueprint for effective and successful investigations, including tips on how to get the most from every witness and how to create bulletproof documentation. Additionally, this session will address:
• When the duty to investigate is triggered.
• How to define the scope and strategy of an investigation.
• The advantages and detriments of using investigators.
• The role of confidentiality, including privilege and work product issues.
• Appropriate interim measures.
• Keeping proper documentation.
Now more than ever courts and juries are scrutinizing workplace investigations, and they expect to see certain t's crossed and i's dotted. Even when litigation does result, the investigation still can be an employer's best defense. Find out how an effective and well-executed investigation will help resolve workplace conflicts and minimize litigation risks by attending this incisive session. 


Leadership at the Speed of Life
Jim Smith, SPHR
The Executive Happiness Coach & President, People Inc.
These days leaders have it tough. As drivers of workplace effectiveness, they must continually push for change that is necessary for the business while also dealing with the human aftermath - and the distress - that this change creates. As such, wise leaders realize that they must pay attention to other kinds of issues in order to maintain a healthy and productive workforce. This fast-paced working session will examine several tools that leaders can use to help themselves and their teams operate at peak levels of performance in an otherwise turbulent world. Topics covered include:
• How to create a personal leadership balance sheet.
• When being intolerant may actually be helpful.
• How to employ the five rules for effective discussion.
• When leaders should use their power to choose and what form it should take.


HR’s Role in Motivating Employees During Challenging Times
Amy B. Shannon
President, Pinnacle Leadership Solutions
In these extraordinary times - the economic equivalent of a 100-year flood - leaders are rethinking the key aspects of their organizations: the strategies, the processes and the talent. As a component of this, there is an increasing desire among senior leaders to ensure that management is enhancing the performance of all employees. HR’s contribution is greatly magnified as organizations struggle to adjust to the new economic realities. Specifically, senior managers are now looking to HR to lead the effort in motivating employees to peak levels of performance. This shines a spotlight on how managers should motivate their employees. Are you equipped with specific ideas for creating and maintaining a motivated workplace? This session will explore several successful approaches for doing just that. Along the way, you will:
• Review the key motivational sources for employees.
• Examine the six principles for creating a motivating environment in both good and bad times.
• Understand HR’s critical and complex role in creating a motivating workplace.
• Look at the specific motivators and ways to reward Generation X and Y employees.


Wage & Hour Law Update 2009
Robert S. Gilmore, Esq.
Partner, Kohrman Jackson & Krantz P.L.L.
Wage and hour law has become the single most dangerous area for employers in recent years. Class and collective actions are often in the news with millions of dollars at stake. The explosion in wage and hour litigation has been caused, in part, by the ambiguity of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), even following the 2004 amendments to the Act. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that nearly 70 percent of employers are out of compliance with FLSA laws. Stay ahead of the curve and minimize liability by learning how to avoid the common pitfalls and unforeseen consequences of not being compliant with FLSA laws. This engaging session will dig deeper into FLSA nuances and provide practical steps enabling you to:
• Understand the general legal standards under the FLSA, especially the white collar exemptions.
• Properly classify exempt and non-exempt employees.
• Know how to treat additional benefits for non-exempt employees.
• Review issues related to alleged off-the-clock work and mealtimes and rest periods.
• Ensure that your company has the proper procedures in place that will remedy or limit liability in the event of legal action by employees.
This will be a practical session, focusing on preventive issues that companies can employ to avoid issues before they arise.


The Impact and Promise of Social Media for HR
Debbie McGrath
CEO, HR.com
Although various forms of online social media have been around for over fifteen years, only now are we just beginning to harness its potential as a multi-faceted resource for doing business. What began as an easy way for friends and colleagues to communicate, share ideas and stay in touch with each other has blossomed into a vast universe of possibility with a myriad of different uses and applications for just about every profession, industry and intention. Human resources is already benefiting from social media with its cost-effective alternatives for keeping employees engaged, informed and productive. This session will focus on how HR professionals can strategically use social media to manage, grow and improve their organizations. In particular, you will learn how to use social media to:
• Find top talent.
• Manage teams and networks.
• Create knowledge hubs for mentoring and onboarding.
• Build your employment brand.
• Develop your HR value proposition.
• Improve employee, partner and client communications.


Health Insurance Pricing: What Employers Need to Know about How Their Rates are Developed
Tom Wirbel
Vice President, CPI-HR
Have you ever wondered how your group health insurance rates are developed or why some companies seem to get smaller renewal increases while others get larger increases? If you have, you are not alone. For years, increasing health insurance rates have frustrated employers. It is especially frustrating for those that do not receive detailed claims history from their insurance carrier. Consequently, renewal season can be extremely stressful. And when questions pertaining to the specifics are met with confusing and mysterious responses - things only get worse. Even though larger companies have more access to data than their smaller counterparts, all employers are subject to the impact of trend. This informative presentation will walk you through the factors that contribute to calculating trend and how trend impacts your health insurance rates. By attending you will find answers to these important questions:
• What is trend?
• How is trend calculated?
• Who gets a trend increase and why?
• Who gets a better-than-trend increase and why?
• Who gets a worse-than trend increase and why?


Compensation Planning in a Tough Economy
Amy Petrus, SPHR
Senior Human Resources Consultant, ERC
As many employers are feeling the pressures of difficult economic times, sound compensation strategy and practices are becoming more and more critical to enable companies to remain competitive and successfully attract and retain talent. This presentation will discuss how to develop a fair, competitive and equitable compensation system. In addition, the session will touch upon techniques and trends for organizations that are wrestling with tight compensation budgets. Topics covered in this session will include:
• The Lilly Ledbetter Act (Equal Pay Act) and what it means for employers.
• Market pricing essentials.
• Benchmarking data to see what are other companies are doing.
• Resources for survey and benchmarking data.
• Current trends in base and variable compensation.
• Non-traditional forms of rewards and compensation.
• Cost cutting strategies – the pros and cons.


Leadership Skills for Peak Organizational Performance: Applying Lessons Learned from Successful Athletes and Coaches to the Business Sector and HR
Sam Maniar, Ph.D.
Management Consultant, PRADCO
This unique session will take sport psychology principles and techniques and apply them to leadership and organizational success. The presenter will draw from his years of varied experience working with elite athletes and coaches - including the 2002 Ohio State University National Championship Football team - and offer insight and understanding as to how organizations can improve their own performance. Topics addressed include: understanding the relationship between thoughts and performance, how to avoid dysfunctions that are common to teams, strategies to help overcome adversity, ways to improve communication, methods to enhance concentration and focus, goal-setting techniques for peak performance, motivational strategies, and ways to manage stress. By attending, participants will learn concrete and effective ways to make more of an impact on their employees and to drive better business results for their organizations.


Dealing with Problem Employees
Sindy Warren, Esq.
Partner, Warren & Hays LLC
Every organization has them – employees who are not productive, who chronically complain, who engage in bullying behavior, or who are otherwise “problem employees.” Their effect on the entire workplace is all too well-known. They leave managers frazzled and frustrated. They intimidate others. They stimulate the proverbial grapevine, and they generally distract from the business at hand. This session will help you identify the various types of problem employees and – more importantly – it will provide you with practical advice for how to deal with them effectively. By attending, participants will gain the knowledge necessary to legally and successfully minimize the ill-effects of problem employees. Topics covered will include: avoidance through pertinent hiring practices, managing performance, applying disciplinary measures, terminating when necessary, and avoiding any legal landmines that might arise.


Hiring Executives Who Fit Your Culture
Nat Stoddard
Chairman, Crenshaw Associates
As the recession gains momentum, turnover of senior executives is at an all-time high - up 50% from a decade ago. The costs of this trend to U.S. corporations are estimated at $14 billion annually, and this is not including the costs shouldered by the organization for the extensive damage done to morale, momentum, structure, process and trust. Yet, leadership failures have less to do with an executive’s competence than with a flawed selection process. What today’s approach lacks is the capacity to determine whether the values of the executive will align with the cultures of the teams he or she is a part of, and it is this alignment that is most likely to spell success or failure on the job. By implementing recently developed assessments and relying on experts to “map the corporate lay of the land,” HR professionals can develop sufficient data to know, in advance, whether they are selecting executives who will fit their company’s cultures and will be accepted in a leadership capacity. Learn more about the specifics for how this is achieved by attending this innovative session. Afterwards, there will be a book signing of Mr. Stoddard's new book, The Right Leader: Selecting Executives Who Fit at the registration table.


Bereavement Leave Policies and Helping Employees Deal with Grief in the Workplace
Julia Ellifritt, LISW
Clinical Director, Cornerstone of Hope Bereavement Center
It is estimated that American workers mourn the deaths of 2.4 million loved ones each year and hidden grief costs U.S. companies $75 billion annually. The fact is we handle our grief differently in the workplace than we do at home. When a sense of loss is present in the workplace, employees typically experiences a series of emotions that cycle through the grieving process. These emotions include shock, denial, anger, depression and sadness. It can be difficult to maintain productive relationships with someone who is angry, anxious and depressed, and interacting with traumatized people can make others feel traumatized as well. This session will focus on how grief affects job performance, how to help employees deal with trauma, and how to make a workplace loss more bearable for everyone involved. By attending, you will learn:
• What to include in a bereavement leave policy.
• How to create a compassionate work environment.
• The ways people often grieve at work and the cycle of emotions to expect.
• Best practice procedures and procedures to avoid.
• How to control your response to adverse conditions.
• Helpful statements and ways to support employees.
• When to refer employees for counseling or other services.
• What resources are most helpful for grief recovery.


'Receiver-Centric' Communication Strategies for HR Initiatives
Phil Stella
President, Effective Training & Communication, Inc.
Typically, much of an organization's internal employee communication efforts support HR initiatives - benefits, policies, culture and challenges. Yet, these efforts are mostly 'sender-centric' – HR communicates to the employees in the style and method in which HR prefers to communicate. Although fairly straightforward, the results can be less than desirable. A different approach is to communicate with 'receiver-centric' messages. Here HR conveys what the employees need to know in the style and method that the employees prefer. This lively and interactive session will help attendees examine how they typically communicate important information and what contemporary communication approaches may increase their rate of success. By attending, participants will learn logical, ‘receiver-centric’ communication best-practice concepts such as:
• Why the 'Golden Rule' approach to communicating HR initiatives is flawed and how the 'Platinum Rule' offers more value.
• How to avoid the 'one size fits all' and 'once is enough' mindsets.
• The reason for analyzing sub-audience needs and how to reach these groups with individualized messages.
• Why it is always better to err on the side of over-communication: tell it first, tell it all, tell it fast.
• How to encourage supervisors and managers to become more effective workplace communicators.
• How to use employee input for crafting relevant and pertinent messages.
• How to maximize effectiveness with multi-faceted communication campaigns.


Best Practices for Soliciting Employee Feedback
Susan M. Pyles
Senior Consultant & Trainer, ERC
Soliciting employee feedback on a regular basis is not only an effective, low-cost way to keep a finger on the pulse of employee engagement, but it also ensures that you are getting the biggest "bang for the buck" from HR initiatives. Moreover, by listening closely to what your company’s employees are really saying, it gives human resources a certain strategic advantage that finance and sales cannot duplicate. For instance, besides salary and benefits, are you able to list with 100% accuracy the top 3 reasons why employees would want to stay at your company? What about the top 3 things that would cause them to leave? Do you know how to tap into what makes your employees tick? Clear and precise answers to these and similar questions are exactly what senior management needs to have. This session will explore:
• How soliciting employee feedback regularly can keep your company ahead of the curve while also boosting retention rates.
• The types of information that you can access through employee feedback such as the drivers of engagement, training needs, and support for initiatives.
• Creative, low-cost methods and techniques for soliciting employee feedback.
• Effective and efficient ways to leverage the information you collect.


The Employee Free Choice Act: What HR Should Be Doing Now
Kenyon Mau
Principal, Human Capital Advisors
One of the biggest challenges facing business today is the pending passage of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). Strongly favored by the Obama Administration and currently being debated in Congress, many signs indicate a strong likelihood that this bill will pass in some form. While Congress wrestles with the issue, what could your organization be doing to make itself less likely to be adversely impacted? What should your HR department be doing right now to stay ahead of the curve? Surprisingly, many of the suggestions covered in this program also allow for greater employee retention when the economy turns for the better. If you are interested in keeping your employees engaged and happy, which would significantly reduce your risk of being unionized, be sure to attend this session. Topics that will be covered include:
• A review of EFCA.
• The latest status on EFCA.
• Current statistics on unionization.
• Tangible steps to address.
• Intangible issues and externalities that often get overlooked.


Plugged In and Turned On: How to Keep Employees Engaged in Times of Turbulence
Paul Meshanko
Managing Partner, Edge Learning Institute of Ohio
Keeping your employees emotionally engaged is always important to the success of any business, but it becomes critical to do so during times of change and uncertainty. This is typically when worrying about "me" runs rampant and organizational productivity falls. In this energizing and interactive session, topics covered will include:
• Why our brains are likely to disengage from work during times of uncertainty and why the quality of work may suffer as a direct result.
• Understanding the "certainty trap" and why bad news takes on a life of its own.
• Identifying the individual and group symptoms of unraveling employee engagement and how to counteract these.
• Three powerful strategies that HR leaders should deploy to keep employees "plugged in and turned on" even in turbulent times.


Controlling Health Care Costs: Leveraging Information Technology to Optimize Patient-Centered Chronic Disease Management Programs
Nicholas John Dreher, M.D.
Assistant Medical Director for Critical Care & Hospital Services, Ohio Permanente Medical Group



Progressive Discipline
Gregory A. Gordillo, Esq.
Partner, Gordillo & Gordillo LLC



The Upcoming Retirement Wave: What HR Needs to Know
Dick Dawson
Senior Consultant, Ease@Work, Inc.



Recruiting in a Recession
William Miralia
MidWest Region Manager, Volt Technical Resources