Riia O'Donnell
Riia O’Donnell is a Human Resource professional with over 15 years of hands-on experience in every discipline of the field. A subject matter expert, she has written for the online HR market for over 8 years. Her first job, at age 15, was working the early morning shift at a local bakery on weekends.
48 Articles
Talent
Furloughed vs Laid Off: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Differences
More and more companies are furloughing or laying off employees due to the coronavirus. Know the differences of each.
December 10, 2025 ・10 mins read
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Talent
How to Create Physical Requirements Sheets for Every Position in Your Company
Physical (or Occupational) Demand Sheets reflect the bodily and mental capacity necessary to perform the position's essential functions.
December 29, 2022 ・8 mins read
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Culture
10 Ways to Make November a Month of Employee Appreciation
November reminds us to be thankful, but we shouldn’t let gratitude be a once-a-year event. Here are 10 ways to show appreciation to your staff.
October 27, 2022 ・8 mins read
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Compliance
What is Disparate Impact? Unintended Discrimination and Company Policies
A best practice is to understand what disparate impact is, how it may occur, and how to change policies to avoid it.
August 30, 2022 ・7 mins read
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Talent
Why Detail Orientation Is a Top Soft Skill — and How to Spot It
Employees who are highly detail-oriented get their work done accurately and reliably — and are great brand ambassadors for your organization. Here’s what to look for to verify this desirable skill.
August 18, 2022 ・8 mins read
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Diversity & Inclusion
What is Disparate Treatment? Discrimination in the Workplace
Worker’s rights begin at the recruitment process — even before an employee is hired. At every stage of employment, disparate treatment can occur.
August 13, 2022 ・8 mins read
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Culture
HR Headaches: My Boss Wants to Hang Out After Work, But I Want to Just Relax With My Coworkers
Employees may feel uncomfortable when their boss wants to hang out. Here are some better ways teams can build relationships with each other.
April 13, 2022 ・7 mins read
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Culture
HR Headaches: Should You Be Monitoring Employees’ Social Media?
Find out how to monitor employees' social media profiles the right way and what you should check for.
April 6, 2022 ・7 mins read
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Benefits
Should You Offer Tuition Reimbursement? The Pros and Cons
Tuition reimbursement can help you attract, retain, and upskill employees. But before you consider offering the benefit, make sure you know the plusses and minuses.
April 5, 2022 ・8 mins read
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Talent
HR 101: What is a New Hire Probationary Period and Why Should You Have Them?
82% of hiring managers saw signs the new hire would fail. These numbers illustrate how valuable a planned probationary period can be to assess every new hire in your company.
March 26, 2022 ・8 mins read
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Talent
HR Headaches: Help! An Employee Has Poor Hygiene
Here are some tips on how to deal with hygiene issues in the workplace in an effective way.
March 16, 2022 ・7 mins read
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Culture
Why Employees Hate Hot-Desking and How You Can Fix It
Hot-desking is sharing on-site workspaces for employees who work remotely but occasionally need to come to the office.
March 13, 2022 ・7 mins read
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Culture
All About Gen Z: Preparing Your Workplace Culture for This New Generation of Workers
With Gen Z hitting the workforce, here's what you need to know to attract, retain, and manage these employees to ensure business success.
February 15, 2022 ・13 mins read
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Culture
Pro-Employee or Pro-Company? Can HR Be Both an Employee Advocate and Company Defender?
Learn how HR professionals juggle being both pro-employee and pro-company simultaneously, advocating for the team and ensuring compliance.
February 10, 2022 ・5 mins read
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Talent
Is Your New Hire a Bad Hire? Red Flags of Candidates
Learn how a thorough interview and screening process can help you avoid making bad hires.
February 3, 2022 ・8 mins read
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Talent
How Can Employers Reduce Risk When Terminating an Employee?
Learn how to terminate an employee the right way to reduce the risk of retaliation and even a lawsuit.
February 3, 2022 ・7 mins read
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Culture
HR Headaches: How to Respond to Rude Customers and Teach Your Staff
Contrary to popular belief, the customer is not always right — especially rude customers who become abusive or unruly. Here's how to deal with the issue.
December 22, 2021 ・9 mins read
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Compliance
HR Headaches: Confidential Information Has Leaked
If confidential information has leaked in your organization, here are ways to control the damage, stop it from spreading, and prevent it from occurring again.
November 26, 2021 ・8 mins read
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HR Outsourcing
The New Role of People Ops Leaders: Should HR Report To Finance or Operations?
Learn about where HR teams have been, where they should be today, and the value they bring to organizations.
November 19, 2021 ・6 mins read
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Performance Management
HR Headaches: My Manager Wants to Be Copied On All Emails
Managers who demand to be copied on all emails may be contributing to a work environment filled with pressure and distrust.
November 12, 2021 ・6 mins read
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Culture
HR Headaches: My Boss Holds Meetings During Lunch
Making employees take meetings during their lunch break can be more counter-productive than effective.
October 1, 2021 ・7 mins read
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