The issue of fairness in the workplace is a dominant theme in today's employment environment. Employers and employees alike are concerned about equity in all areas of employment, from hiring decisions to promotion opportunities, to compensation and benefits.

But how does an employer know whether its employees are being fairly compensated? Examining the compensation structure is best done through a comprehensive self-audit. A compensation self-audit is typically conducted under the auspices of legal counsel (corporate counsel and/or outside counsel). It is commonplace for legal counsel to retain the expert services of outside consultants to actually perform the self-audit.

As an HR professional, you probably are or have been heavily involved in the process of laying workers off in times change. As a representative of the company, you appreciate that most layoffs are business decisions, but you are faced with people, not statistics. It is even more difficult for you if these are people you know and like. How do you help them, in some way, as they go out the door? Unless you have been there yourself, it is hard to imagine how you can help them be optimistic without sounding trite. This article offers useful insights from the experience of successful job-seekers in a very difficult job market.

The financial news of the past few weeks in the U.S. and Eastern Canada's manufacturing sector has left many a business owner panicked, anxious, and mentally writing their company's obituary. Chin up, says author and consultant David Giannetto. You can actually use the economic downturn to create a better organization.

If you're a business owner, it's likely that some of your recent workdays have gone something like this: You bolt awake (probably after a sleepless night!), grab the financial section of the paper, and turn on your TV to get the latest worrisome financial news. Then, once you make it to work, you lock yourself in your office to carefully examine your company's financial projections for the next few months, wringing your hands as you fret over every possible worst case scenario. Sound familiar? If so, it's time for the handwringing to stop - and the smart thinking to begin.

There is a significant relationship between time management and stress management. If you are a better time manager, you experience less stress and if you manage your stress, you are a better time manager. Time and stress are siblings. If they get along, everything is rosy but if they fight, life is pretty is miserable.