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BLR's Patricia Trainor is Featured Guest on Radio Show

Patricia Trainor, J.D.,SPHR—BLR’s Senior Managing Editor, Human Resources—was the featured guest this week on "The Proactive Employer", a weekly radio show hosted by Stephanie Thomas, to talk about how the results of the presidential election could impact employment law and human resources.

"The Proactive Employer" features one-on-one discussions with leading policymakers and thought leaders. During the show, Patricia and Stephanie had a detailed discussion on where Barack Obama and Mitt Romney stand on employment law issues. Specific topics of interest to human resources professionals that Patricia and Stephanie discussed include:

• pending ’right to know’regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regarding employee classification
• affirmative action and OFCCP activity
• the Paycheck Fairness Act
• and the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) reach regarding issues such as social media policies and employee handbooks.

The show, which aired on the Proactive Employer website November 1, was selected for feature the same day on the home page of BlogTalkRadio the largest online talk radio network with millions of listeners.

You can listen to a recording of the recording here: Patricia Trainor's interview on HR issues and the presidential election.

HRExaminer Names BLR Editors Among Top 25 Voices in Employment Law

We are pleased to announce that HR Daily Advisor editor Stephen Bruce, PHR, and California Employer Daily editor Jennifer Carsen, JD, have been named among HRExaminer's Top 25 Voices in Employment Law. This is the first list from HRExaminer to measure online influence concerning legal issues in the HR industry, and the third list to be released this year.

"To do the research, we used the services of SocialEars, the service from HRMarketer," explained John Sumser in the recent release. Sumser is founder and editor-in-chief of the HRExaminer Online Magazine. "Sources range from Twitter, Facebook and blogs to a host of online publications and business periodicals. Rather than focusing on purely social media forms of communication, the SocialEars approach attempts to paint a clear picture of what’s available to be read, who wrote it and who is talking about it...One of the questions they try to answer is 'If I want to be heard on subject X, who should I be sure to talk to?'."

Stephen Bruce was previous listed #15 on Sumser's list of Top 25 HR Digital Influencers for 2011. "I am honored to be selected as a top online influencer in employment law," said Bruce. "It is important for HR to stay informed about changes in employment law, and as our industry continues to move into the digital marketplace, social media has become increasingly valuable to relay content to our audience."

“I’m thrilled to be part of this list,” said Jennifer Carsen. “HR is not an easy job, to say the least—but HR in California is particularly challenging, given the state’s uniquely complicated laws. It’s our privilege to provide HR professionals in California with timely updates on the news they need to do their jobs effectively.”

This list places Bruce and Carsen in good company - also mentioned are Drive ThruHR Co-Hosts William Tincup and Bryan Wempen, as well as attorneys Eric B. Meyer and Daniel A. Schwartz.

Stephen Bruce’s profile on HRExaminer can be viewed here: http://www.hrexaminer.com/lists-online-influence-employment-law-2012-v1/7-stephen-bruce/.

Jennifer Carsen's profile can be viewed here: http://www.hrexaminer.com/lists-online-influence-employment-law-2012-v1/17-jennifer-carsen/.

For more information about BLR, please visit http://www.blr.com/ or contact us at 800-727-5257.

BLR Acquires Connecticut Human Resources Reports

BLR announced today the acquisition of Connecticut Human Resources Reports, a Woodbury, Connecticut, corporation that publishes What to Do About Personnel Problems in Connecticut and Employee Compensation in Connecticut.

“Even before this acquisition, BLR was the nation’s largest publisher of state-specific employment law and pay practices expertise for organizations,” said Dan Oswald, CEO of BLR. “This solidifies our company’s role as the leading policy and practice answers provider for Connecticut’s HR managers and executives. We are delighted to introduce Connecticut Human Resources Reports subscribers to our online services, webinars, conferences and newsletters.”

Current Connecticut Human Resources Reports customers will gain immediate access to either HR.BLR.com or Compensation.BLR.com for the remainder of their subscriptions, depending on their current field of interest. At the conclusion, they will have the opportunity to renew.

“We have enjoyed a close professional and personal relationship with the BLR management team for many years,” said Connecticut Human Resources Reports Partner Christopher N. Persson, SPHR. “It’s a top-flight organization and our subscribers will benefit from their array of employment law and compensation practices tools, such as the new Compensation Analyzer, which allows Connecticut employers to compare their employee pay ranges against those with geographic or operational similarities."

BLR’s product line includes online subscription portals HR.BLR.com, Compensation.BLR.com, Safety.BLR.com, and Enviro.BLR.com, online employee training through its TrainingToday division, California-specific services through its California Employer Resources division, HR conferences such as the annual Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, and webinars. For more information about current products, please visit the BLR catalog.

Two BLR Editors Included in Evan Carmichael’s ‘Top 100 Human Resources Experts to Follow on Twitter’

By Ed Keating, BLR Chief Content Officer

We are thrilled that two BLR® editors have made their debut on Evan Carmichael’s list of the April 2012 Top 100 Recommended Human Resources Experts to Follow on Twitter! Carmichael, who has over 76,000 followers on Twitter, writes “The Entrepreneur Blog” and advises businesses on Internet and social media practices.

Tony Kessler, Group Publisher at HR Hero®, ranked for @HRHero where he gives employment law advice for HR and business pros from law firms in all 50 states, D.C., and Canada.

BLR Editor Elaine Quayle was included for @BLR_HR Employment where she tracks news and information of interest to HR, compensation, and employment law professionals.

Thank you for the great resource, Evan, and congrats, Tony and Elaine!

Triton HR and BLR®—Business & Legal Resources announce Strategic Partnership

Woodbridge, NJ (March 13, 2012) Triton HR, spearheading a complete Web-based HR/Payroll solution in Human Resources management for small to mid-sized companies and BLR®—Business & Legal Resources, helping HR, Safety and Environmental professionals with legal compliance and professional support resources, today announced their strategic partnership.

Triton HR is excited to offer clients, through its powerful Payroll/HRIS application, instant online access to the HR.BLR.com® human resource and compliance portal. Within one application, clients will be able to access hundreds of compliance topics, create and update employee handbooks, access salary data, participate in on-line employee training, along with thousands of pre-written and downloadable job descriptions, and checklists. An on-line help desk responds to various employment questions within three business days.

“In today’s business environment, Triton HR understands the value of an internal, Web-based compliance HR tool that can help navigate and educate on numerous HR laws and regulations governing the employee and employer relationship, states Triton HR CEO, Steve Rosenthal.

“Our goal is to provide the best compliance tools available, says BLR CEO Dan Oswald. “We are excited to join BLR’s award-winning compliance portal, HR.BLR.com, with Triton HR’s payroll software application to provide HR professionals with a comprehensive solution.”

About Triton HR

Triton HR , spearheading a complete Web-based solution in Payroll Services, Time & Labor Management, Group Health Benefits (Triton HR Benefits) and Human Resource Outsourcing for the small to mid-size company. With over 100 years of combined experience, Triton HR uniquely offers comprehensive technology to deliver its services through one portal, in real time. User-friendly, Triton HR’s Payroll/ HRIS application assists clients in managing their employees efficiently and with ease. A dedicated service team is assigned to every client. In addition, Triton HR’s buying power will also save client’s money by reducing HR and Benefits related costs.

About BLR®—Business & Legal Resources

For over 35 years, BLR® has simplified compliance with state and federal legal requirements, helping U.S. businesses succeed. BLR offers authoritative content, training, and practical, easy-to-use tools for the Hr & employment law, workplace safety, environmental compliance, compensation & benefits, and politics & legal markets. Through our expert in-house editors and exclusive attorney network, we provide the most comprehensive, reliable state-specific information available—and we do it in all 50 states. Our award-winning information products—including training programs, events, web portals, reports and subscription services—give businesses of all sizes and industries the best tools available at affordable prices.

Tina Freedman
Director of Marketing, Triton HR
Tina.Freedman@tritonhro.com
877-OK-TRITON

Rafael Cardoso
Director of Online Media
BLR® – Business and Legal Resources
RCardoso@BLR.com
800-727-5257

BLR Founder Robert Brady Named to ISHN’s Power 101 List of Safety Industry Leaders

Robert L. Brady, Founder of BLR® – Business & Legal Resources has been honored by Industrial Safety and Hygiene News (ISHN) with inclusion to their annual Power 101 list. ISHN is the premier journal for safety and health professionals.

The magazine wrote: “Robert Brady is an attorney and CEO since 1977 of Business & Legal Resources, a subscription-based safety, enviro and HR interactive community and management services delivering daily, weekly and monthly compliance and professional info across multiple media platforms.”

To be included in the Power 101 list, Brady had to meet several criteria, including the ability to reach a national audience and create a community of professionals through conferences, seminars, and special interest groups, branded media products, websites, web forums, and other channels that enhance the safety profession.

The inclusion also reflects the magazine’s recognition of Bob’s “innovation and creativity — development of EHS-related research, theories, models, performance measures, communications products, and best practices.”

“I am extremely honored to be selected to the ISHN Power 101 list,” Brady said. “It’s the result of the hard work put in by a lot of smart and dedicated professionals at BLR who produce Safety Daily Advisor and Environmental Daily Advisor, our free electronic advisory services on the latest compliance management practices.”

Show Me the Money!

By Ana Ellington

A common question for businesses:

"How many employees can I afford to devote to managing my social media efforts?"
 
This is the classical ROI (Return on Investment) question, and much has been said and written about just how important social media strategies are to the success of any current business.
 
For the more skeptical organizations, MarketingSherpa reports that the chief concerns constraining more social media marketing spending is:

• Determining where the budget should come from/trade-offs with other marketing investments
• Inability to track the success of social media marketing campaigns
• Uncertainty about the ROI
• How to reallocate the required human resources to support social media marketing programs.

Being able to prove the ROI of social media marketing is vital in order to maintain credibility, and gather the needed financial support for this business critical investment.

But if you expect social media sites to provide you with instant results, you are using the wrong tool.
What social media is good at is:

-Conversation--this is a two way communication medium, not a one way message mechanism for free. You cannnot develop strong relationships and meaningful conversations in a week, or a month. Before you can influence active behavior using social media, you have to have a relationship.

-Community--whether you are building your own or participating in others, you should not use a community just to shill.  It is an intrusion, an irritation, and no good results will come of it. To become part of an online community, you have to spend time there just as you would in offline life. You must make time to do it.

-Contribution--social media relationship building means contributing meaningfully to the relationship, just as in real life. You will get out of it what you put into it. Provide value (information, answer questions, be helpful) consistently and you will get the attention you need to convert people. Again, this happens over time.

What you need to implement social media strategies:

-Research--you have to mine the space for data to see which tools to use for your audience. It might be Facebook, but it might be a forum dedicated to hot topics in your markets. It is probably several sites, each with their own way of communicating effectively. Data mining takes time, patience, and energy. You’ll also want to find influencers to help. It takes research to find and evaluate those people.

* What is a social media influencer, you ask?

- It is an individual or web entity that has a strong following and/or readership within one or more social media channels. Still a bit unsure? Here’s an example:


Now that’s a lot of followers!

-Content, and plenty of it--yes, production stills, videos, director blogs are all content, but they are really boring if that is all you are talking about. You need a content calendar to plan out what the sites you own (your own pages) will run and at what frequency and what kind of material you will be commenting on at other sites. This is where your Google alerts and your social mention programs come in. What other kind of information can you share or comment on?

-More tools than just social platforms--distributors know this, in fact social media is often left too late because more focus is given to other tools like advertising and publicity. There is more work to maintaining a community than there is to buying ads and pitching media, so they often just treat it as a free way to advertise. The success of social media initiatives are tied together with an integrated plan using many different tools, not just social platforms.

-ROI or better yet VOI--probably the most contentious issue in social media marketing, how to measure ROI? A January 2011 eMarketer report cites that social media strategists’ biggest goal for 2011 is better measurement of ROI. Since social media is a conversation medium, it is difficult to measure the effect particular conversations have on sales or awareness. You can measure how much/far your message traveled, how many people potentially saw it or how many directly participated in a conversation and correlate that to sales. I think it is better to measure on the Value on Investment (VOI), how valuable is it to speak to your community? Is your community growing and active because people learn from you? Are you considered a expert source of information and a brand that is in the know? By using social media as a listening device, are you better able to learn what messages resonate and how you might make effective changes? These are all valid goals so don’t just measure in sales and revenue.

Social media strategy/marketing should be a way of doing business. The mindset you have to have is that your activities are geared toward the ongoing conversation and steady growth of a community around your brand, not the quick collection of numbers on your Facebook page or Twitter accounts. Plan for the long haul when using social tools.

 

HR Daily Advisor Editor Stephen Bruce Quoted in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The HR Daily Advisor announced today that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette quoted human resources expert Stephen Bruce, PHR in the July 11th article, “A Supreme Court ruling could make lawyers reluctant to take on women’s workplace lawsuits.” Bruce is editor of the HR Daily Advisor, and has recently been named one of HR Examiner’s Top 25 Digital Influencers for 2011.

The Post-Gazettte article discussed the June 20th U.S. Supreme Court ruling that blocked female employees of Wal-Mart Corp from continuing a massive class action discrimination lawsuit that would have affected more than a million women. Writer Joyce Gannon discussed the questions this raised for both employees and employers. While the case might be viewed as a victory for employers, Bruce offered a warning:

"It doesn't mean discrimination isn't illegal anymore. [It] doesn't mean there can't be a class action suit. It means the rules are fairly strict about how you form a class. But it would be unfortunate if [employers] thought, 'We don't have to be careful anymore.' That's a pretty dangerous attitude to take."

He also urged employers to establish a strong, well-publicized anti-discrimination policy, and to train managers and supervisors to enforce it.

The complete Post-Gazette article can be viewed here.

Further discussion on the Wal-Mart Supreme Court ruling can be viewed on the HR Daily Advisor website here.

For more information about the HR Daily Advisor, please visit http://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com.

HR.BLR.com Named Best Government Information Service

We're proud to announce that HR.BLR.com, BLR's compliance portal for human resources professionals, has been named the Best Online Government Information Service at the Software & Information Industry (SIIA) 25th annual CODiE Awards.

The award recognizes the online service that best utilizes information in the public domain whose primary services include legislative, regulatory and legal content; public record databases, and government reports and data.

BLR CMO Kathy Greenler Sexton and BLR CEO Bob Brady accept the CODiE awarded to HR.BLR.com Tuesday night.

Among the criteria the judges used to select the winner were:

• Ability to integrate into work flow
• Content relevance
• Customization or personalization
• Delivery options
• Depth of coverage
• Ease of use
• Features
• Overall design
• Search capabilities
• Timeliness

"This award means a great deal because SIIA is one of the preeminent trade organizations in our industry," said BLR founder and CEO Bob Brady. "Our editors work hard. They've worked for 30 years--and continue to work everyday--to put this content together. Technology really enables content and that's what this association is about. We're thrilled, and thank you for the award."

HR.BLR.com helps HR practitioners and business owners manage human resources and employment law issues and requirements. This on-demand, Web-based portal features national and state-specific compliance guidance on more than 200 topics, including discrimination, medical leave, sexual harassment, termination, and unions. The website also provides daily news and tips, community forums, a weekly newsletter, policy and salary applications, and hundreds of training tools such as ready-to-use forms, customizable company policies, and job descriptions.

Forty-eight products from 30 companies were selected as finalists in the content categories of the competition, selected from more than 100 nominations submitted by 65 companies.

"The CODiE Awards represent excellence in the software and digital information industries. By providing recognition of the best new technology products and services, SIIA proudly advances the important role participating companies play in the digital economy," sai SIIA President Ken Wasch. "CODiE Award winners are a testament to the power of technology to deliver innovative solutions to businesses and consumers. SIIA warmly congratulates all of the winners and nominees of the CODiE Awards, whose innovation is essential for continuing America's leadership in the global knowledge economy."   

HR.BLR.com's sister site, Enviro.BLR.com, was named a finalist in the Best Online Government Information Service category. Enviro.BLR.com delivers up-to-the-minute state and federal regulatory updates and news to environmental health and safety professionals to help them stay on top of ever-changing environmental rules and regulations. It's an on-demand, Web-based compliance portal that includes a complete library of regulatory proposals and requirements, prewritten sample plans, training tools, checklists, forms, and guidance documents, as well as BLR best practice white papers and reports.

This is not the first time BLR products have been honored by the SIIA. Last year, our Employee Training Center won the CODiE for Best Workforce Training Solution, and HR.BLR.com was named a finalist in the Best Online Government Information Service category.   

We're proud of this recognition because we've worked hard to make our compliance portals the "go to" resources for busy HR and EHS professionals. If you're not familiar with these products, we invite you to take a quick online tour, available on the home page of those websites.

Below: Bob Brady talks about what the award means for BLR.

Bob Brady Named B2B Publisher of the Year

We know it's not good form to toot your own horn, but sometimes you just have to. We're proud to announce that BLR founder and CEO Bob Brady has been named B2B Publisher of the Year, and inducted into the Mequoda Hall of Fame at the Mequoda Publisher of the Year Awards.

The Mequoda Group provides research, training and educational services exclusively for the publishing industry, including best practices for online media management and Internet marketing strategy.

The following report appeared in the Mequoda Daily:

Brady told publishers in the room that it's extremely important for your staff to understand the purpose of your company as a whole. "We have a .NET programmer who understands how marketing copy is a part of our efforts at BLR. Just the same, if you have an editor with no sense of marketing, you're losing an opportunity."

"I think one of the big reasons I've been successful at this, is that I was free to make mistakes, and there was no one around, because I own the company, to fire me," Brady joked. "In the culture that we're all in, we need to allow mistakes as long as we learn from them. You need to make mistakes and immediately know what you can improve next time."

Brady reminisced about the first time he used a CD, which was basically an encyclopedia on disc. He said, "I went in thinking, what can I do with a CD? I make books! But then I thought, I have 600 page books, that cost me $25 to mail. A light went off that this was a real opportunity."

Brady went on to explain that the Internet happened in the same fashion for him. "Being outside the company, talking to the "propeller heads", and people who are experimenting with new things can help you in your own business".

On the topic of creating new products, Brady told the audience that "the customer doesn't know what they want, it's our job to take on the challenge and figure that out."

Congratulations, Bob -- well deserved.