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The trees are beginning to go from green to their crimsons, oranges,
and golds. At least in Jersey they are. As the leaves begin to find
their way to the ground, Astron Solutions begins to wrap up our 2008
trade show tour.
Our very last trade show exhibit for the year will be at the
2008 Virginia SHRM State Conference,
which will take place on October 22nd through the 24th; exhibiting
hours are held on the 22nd and 23rd only. There, Director, Client
Services Paul Hart Miller and Marketing Specialist Stephen A. Lella
plan on meeting and greeting with everybody. Then on November 19th, we
have National Director Michael Maciekowich presenting at the PMA
meeting (NY State Association of ARCs). If you have any inquiries about
the meeting, please
e-mail here.
Enjoy the fall and we’ll see you there!
Last Friday, October 17th, Astron’s National Director Jennifer C.
Loftus was featured in an article published on the Society for Human
Resource Management (SHRM) website regarding long-term care insurance
as an employee benefit. You can view the article here:
http://www.shrm.org/rewards/library_published/benefits/nonIC/CMS_026885.asp (note: only members of SHRM will be able to access this website). Enjoy the good reading!
This week on the iShuffle, we got a remix from National Director
Jennifer Loftus. As always, Jennifer’s tastes run the gamut.
-I Wish by Skee-Lo
-The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind) by The Bucketheads
-All I Ask of You by Andrew Lloyd Webber
-Brick House by the Commodores
-People are Strange by The Doors
-All for You by Janet Jackson
-Insane in the Brain by Cypress Hill
-Santa Maria by Gotan Project
-Please Come Home by The Eagles
-Beat Goes On by Madonna
Favorite: Choosing just one favorite is tough. I would have to go with either
All I Ask of You or Santa Maria. All I Ask of You
appeals to the hopeless romantic in me. Santa Maria is an awesome modern tango song – old school tango feel with electronica mixed in.
Least Favorite: From this group, Insane in the Brain and
Please Come Home. I like old school hip hop, but not all the time. I have to be in the mood for it.
Please Come Home is good for the holidays, but not year round.
Seen live:
I’ve seen several of these artists live. I saw the Eagles perform an
exceptionally long show. It was fantastic! They did their classic hits
as well as some new tunes. It was very loud, though! I’ve also seen
Madonna twice. Her shows are worth the financial investment. She is an
outstanding performer, although I’m biased – she is one of my favorite
artists. I hope I’m as nimble as she is when I’m 50! I’ve also seen Phantom of the Opera on Broadway which was good. I saw
Lionel Richie perform at the SHRM conference this summer. That was a
fun show. Lastly – does this count? – I visited Jim Morrison’s grave at
Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris. People were actually picnicking on his
grave. That seemed weird to me.
A friendly reminder for our faithful readers: On November 2nd, Daylight
Savings Time ends as we all set our clocks back one hour. Yes, that
means we all get one hour of extra sleep; enjoy your extra hour!
October
31st will be here in a few short days. As it approaches, HR departments
may be presented with an interesting challenge. Is it possible to
celebrate Halloween at work without unintentionally upsetting some
employees? Some may think the answer is no. However, with a look into
the tradition and understanding why some employees may have concerns,
it is possible to strike a balance between having a celebratory
atmosphere with professionalism. Perhaps this year, your organization
can come up with a creative way of meeting this challenge!
Brief History of Halloween
Some people may not be aware, but Halloween is actually an interesting combination of
three different celebrations.
The name Halloween is actually a variation on the phrase All Hallows
Eve. This was the day before All Saints Day, which is November 1st,
hence why Halloween is always on the 31st. All Saints Day is a feast
day to remember the saints and martyrs. All Souls Day follows on
November 2nd. On this day, prayers are made on behalf of deceased loved
ones. In some observances, the use of “soul cakes” is involved. These
soul cakes, as well as different forms of alms, were given to the poor
in exchange that they offer a prayer for the dead. In some areas, the
poor would go “souling,” where they would go to the homes of the
wealthy and ask for soul cakes and alms. Also around November 1st the
Celtic festival Samhain was typically celebrated by Celtic observers.
Because of the relatively closeness in dates, many believe that these
activities were possibly moved up to promote conversion to the
Christian religion. Regardless of the speculation, it does seem that
the modern day observations of Halloween, such as trick- or- treating
and jack-o-lantern traditions, may have borrowed from or been inspired
by these ancient celebrations.
Why it May Appeal as a Celebration at Work
In order to promote a friendly organizational culture, many turn to
small gatherings and celebrations. During these events, employees and
employers get to know each other better, creating more effective
working relationships. Halloween may be included as a nice celebration
to include in an organization for many reasons. For example, if
employees have children, some organizations may explore getting them
involved in the celebration, whether it’s preparing a Jack-o-lantern or
finding the perfect costume. Additionally, Halloween comes at a time of
year that’s typically quieter than the November and December holiday
rush. During these two months, workers will be busy preparing for
family visits and shopping for gifts,
which may make it difficult to make arrangements for an office gathering at the end of the year.
Even with the appeal of having an organization enjoy the fun that often
accompanies Halloween, some still may not want to partake. Take the
example of an
HR manager in Washington D.C.
After creating a Halloween-themed happy hour, she was shocked when two
of the employees in the small firm refused to walk in the conference
room, stating it would be “devil worship” if they partook. Human
Resource professionals understandably try to avoid situations like
these, and therefore avoid making relaxing gatherings such as office
parties. It is also possible that an employee may request Halloween off
as a religious observance. Additionally, others may feel as though the
effort expended for a gathering is ‘frivolous.’ No matter the reason,
it is clear that there is a need for sensitivity. Simply making such
office functions an option can help reduce the possible awkwardness of
workers not wanting to participate. Surely, these employees will
appreciate not feeling obligated to participate if they have the option
of not participating.
What to Consider if You Are Creating a Halloween Function
Besides making sure that an organizational function is employee
sensitive, there are other legal things to consider when creating a
Halloween function:
• Workplace Violence & Cyber Harassment
• Religious Accommodation and Time Away
Workplace Violence & Cyber Harassment - A
2000 article in HR Magazine
explained a scenario where a worker may come to work costumed, and
perhaps carrying a toy weapon. This same article also suggested that a
worker could send a “holiday” themed e-mail that may be considered
Cyber harassment. To avoid both scenarios, HR managers should be sure
to make clear outlines as to how workers should conduct themselves if
costumes are allowed and if online participation will be involved. The
function should be a time to relax and have fun, but also uphold the
organization’s professionalism.
Religious Accommodation and Time Away - The
same SHRM article also noted that some may wish to take the day off as
a religious observance. Additionally, if your organization’s function
permits employees’ children to participate, some may ask for time to
gather their children in order for them to participate. HR
professionals must be certain that the rules that apply to these
situations are clearly defined and fair. Keep in mind that these same
rules can be used in regards to other holidays or other office
functions besides the one particular one that is being planned at the
moment.
To Have a Halloween Celebration, or to Not Have a Halloween Celebration
In the end, the decision to have Halloween fun in your workplace is
yours. It is important for an organization to come together and share
laughs. How an HR professional plans to create these functions is
entirely up to his or her creative notions. Perhaps throughout the year
the organization can run different types of functions so employees who,
for various reasons, may not want to participate in one function can
still feel part of the group. Having a spontaneous luncheon to
celebrate the end of a successful quarter, or a yearly spring picnic,
can supplement as other functions the organization can adopt. In the
end, as long as the sum total of these functions allow employees to
come together as workmates, teammates, and friends, then the function
has served its purpose.
Wonder what your fellow readers think about critical HR topics? Is your organization unique from or similar to others?
Click here to view the results of our past polls!
Reader’s
Response: We will address reader feedback about recent Astronology
articles. Maybe we’ll answer one of your questions!
Astron Road Show
iShuffle
Fact or Fiction?
If you have a topic you would like addressed in Astronology, or some
feedback on a past article, don't hesitate to tell us! Simply reply to
this e-mail. See your question answered, or comments addressed, in an
upcoming issue of Astronology. Looking for a top-notch presenter for your human resource
organization's meeting? Both Jennifer Loftus and Michael Maciekowich
present highly-rated sessions on a variety of compensation and employee
retention issues. For more information, send an e-mail to
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Copyright 2008, Astron Solutions, LLC
ISSN Number 1549-0467
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