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Companies always talk about the fact that their most valuable resource is their employees. What they don't talk about much, however, is that employees also can be the source of business losses and disruptions. Disgruntled employees or ineffective employee policies represent potential dangers to every business. The articles below address some of the employee issues of which we all need to be aware.

When an employee quits in a huff, an exchange of words is not unusual. But sometimes the communication continues in ways that the former employer never expected. (Item #1) Employers will prevent or win employment litigation by creating and maintaining accurate and appropriate documentation. (Item #2) Stress costs - directly and indirectly - employers millions of dollars each year; what can you do about it? (Item #3)

By creating a workplace which does not traumatize its workers; employers can not only reduce the tremendous cost of trauma, they can also help access more of their employee's latent creative and productive potential. (Item #4) Pre-employment screening is a necessary hiring practice to avoid lawsuits and costly hiring mistakes. (Item #5) Most companies safeguard sensitive trade secrets with confidentiality agreements-but many of these agreements aren't as comprehensive as they need to be. (Item #6)

As always, we look forward to hearing about your concerns with regards to business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like to see covered, please email me at [email protected]

Best Regards,

Bob Mellinger
President
Attainium Corp

Quote of the Week

"More attacks are coming from disgruntled employees
and internal hobby hackers than from the Internet."
- Allen Hartman -

Articles

1. Don't let unhappy employees trash your company's reputation
It's no big surprise when former employees complain, but workers don't have to leave a company to badmouth it, so don't make it easy for them. Put employees on notice, one expert advises.
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/biz/Biz_ops/20011026a.asp

2. Legal: A Quick Guide for Employers on Employee Litigation
As an employer, you should know that lawsuits may be brought years after the termination of employment date. Memories may fade. Judges and juries are more comfortable when they can see what actually transpired.
http://www.detroitchamber.com/detroiter/articles.asp?cid=7&detcid=609

3. Employee Stress and Performance
Historically, stress has been viewed as an inevitable consequence of work life; or at most, a health care issue. Neither view begins to capture just how costly this problem is to employers. Nearly every popular training and organizational development initiative is directly compromised by the intellectual, emotional, and interpersonal consequences of stress.
http://www.humannatureatwork.com/Workplace-Stress-2.htm

4. The Hidden Costs of Trauma in the Workplace
Trauma can come from a single catastrophic event, such as violence in the workplace, or a series of less dramatic stressors which, through their cumulative effect, create debilitating psychological and physical changes. By recognizing and addressing the many less dramatic stressors, organizations can take action to prevent and treat trauma before the effects become catastrophic.
http://www.humannatureatwork.com/Workplace-Stress-3.htm

5. Background Check Precautions for Pre-Employment Screening
Gone are the days of a simple reference check and a few phone calls to screen new employees. Amid security concerns, corporate scandals, and workplace violence, pre-employment screening has been gaining ground.
http://sbinformation.about.com/od/laborlaws/a/Preemployment.htm

6. Developing the all-important confidentiality policy
There are many issues to consider when developing and cementing a corporate confidentiality policy. An effective policy is one that not only outlives employee tenure but also considers the protection and enforcement of confidential documents.
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-6297_11-1057751.html