HR Soapbox: Straighten Up And Sit Right

June 15, 2006

Volume 6, Number 2

In This Issue... STRAIGHTEN UP AND SIT RIGHT

Live Audio Conference

The Top 10 Legal Mistakes Supervisors Make:
How To Keep Them From Landing You In A Lawsuit

Tuesday, June 27, 2006
1:00-2:30 PM Eastern
Robert S. Gilmore, Esq.

This audio conference will help you prevent costly legal disasters by helping your supervisors avoid making mistakes like:

1. Mishandling Employee Complaint Issues

2. Failing To Apply Policies, Procedures, And Employee Discipline Consistently

3. Failing To Give Constant Feedback (Good And Bad) To Employees And Failing To Document Problems

Visit our website to learn the other 7 legal mistakes your supervisors may be making and to register for this "eye opening" event.

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STRAIGHTEN UP AND SIT RIGHT

Sometimes when I get home from a full day's work, my lower back will throb for the rest of the night. You may think it's from an overly physical occupation, like digging ditches, or from doing other manual labor, like stocking shelves, but it's nothing quite that, well, physical…it's from sitting all day.

Being computer-bound, formatting publications in various programs, and troubleshooting network issues may seem like it's not very strenuous on the body. But at the tender age of 30, I am quickly learning you don't have to be a roofer or landscaper to put strain on your body. It's enough to be stationary for too long.

Have you ever sat in the same position so long you find yourself fidgeting or twitching? Ever had some pain that you couldn't figure out the source of? Your body may be trying to tell you something.

When I get caught up in work, I can find myself sitting in the same position for up to three or four hours at a time. And even when I get up for a break, it's not long before I'm back in the position everyone is used to seeing me in…right in front of my computer screen.

When I was younger I'd have given someone a hard time for complaining about sitting all day. I know my father (who delivered mail in the rain, sleet, and gloom of night for 35 years) gets quite a kick out of my discomfort. But over time, it has gone from a small discomfort to a constant pain. As I get older, and my body unfortunately gets a little larger (I'm told this is “normal”), my aches and pains tend to increase. I know I need to get more exercise and I try to ride my new solution, a mountain bike, whenever I can to get that much-needed mobility. But even when I do that regularly, my problem seems to keep returning.

Respond to this HR Soapbox I know what you're thinking. Try a new chair (I'm on #6). Try a different desk (this will be my second). How about a back support? (I have two of those sitting next to me.) Alas, nothing seems to solve my problem. I've done a lot of reading on this subject, and I'm finding this is not an uncommon issue with people who sit all day. I've read ads and recommendations for ergonomic chairs, desks, cushions, and they just all seem like an expensive solution to a very simple problem…the human body isn't supposed to sit in the same position for 40 hours a week.

I thought about going to the doctor, but I have a feeling he'll throw the old problem/solution at me: “What makes it hurt? Well, then don't do that.” Which seems like it makes more sense than expensive ergonomic solutions. So, over the past couple months, I've made a plan, and I'm doing my best to keep up with it.

I got a new chair, and it seems a little better. I use my back support at times, and it helps. But the real solution is to take 3-5 minutes or so every hour and stretch my legs or just be conscious of how I'm sitting…as well as what I'm working on. It takes constant diligence to take my mind off what I'm working on and focus on my posture, but I know at the end of the day, it'll help. Hopefully, some of these tips will help others in the constant battle with today's computer-centric offices.

Good luck, straighten up, and sit right!

Richard Stoppiello
Webmaster/Network Administrator

READERS GET ON THE SOAPBOX

Here's what readers had to say in response to last month's issue on:
MAKEUP RULING ISN'T PRETTY

Thank you for taking this topic on! I am a female who has been an HR professional for over 30 years, SPHR, MBA. I think the requirement of women to wear makeup as a job requirement is ABSOLUTELY just wrong. How can anyone think any different? It certainly isn't a BFOQ, since the male bartenders don't have to wear makeup! The folks doing the gambling never even look up to see who is handing their drink...they just give them a tip and want to get back to their game. And many of those gamblers are women who could care less if their bartender is wearing makeup or not. Thanks for letting me voice my opinion.
I'll start by freely admitting that in my pre-parenthood days I was not big on primping. Some eye shadow, a little eyeliner and blush, and I was good to go. My idea of getting “dolled up” involved putting my hair in something other than a ponytail, and maybe some lipstick. Nowadays, my makeup kit consists of lip balm and moisturizer. Both applied haphazardly and sporadically.

But my job does not involve much interaction with the public (the mailman doesn't count as "public," does he?), nor do I work in an industry known for appearance. Bartenders at casinos are very much in the public eye, and the lighting is brighter than what passes for lighting down at the corner bar. However, the casino should have given the women employees an annual stipend to purchase the makeup, and allowed them time ON THE CLOCK to apply it each morning.
I do think that if you consider the makeup as part of a uniform or a dress code, that it might be reasonable in "entertainment" industries such as casinos where appearance matters.
It depends on the job. I see no problem with this requirement if the employee is in a "service" job. An appearance that might make you feel very clean, fresh and comfortable may make those who are viewing you think you just don't really care. Furthermore, employers should have the right to have requirements for the positions they offer. It was NOT mandatory for that employee to work at this particular company. She had a choice of complying or moving on.

Note: Responses may have been edited for clarity and length.

Review past issues of HR Soapbox here.

TOP 5 RESOURCES FOR HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS

1.
HR Professionals' Toolkit

This CD-ROM gives you quick yet comprehensive solutions to the toughest HR questions and problems you field every day on topics like: performance appraisals, sexual harassment, discipline, conducting legal background checks, legal pay practices, complying with the Family and Medical Leave Act, overcoming workplace negativity...and more. No matter what urgent problem suddenly lands on your desk, you'll never be blindsided when you have this valuable resource at your fingertips.

2.
Performance Appraisals: The Ongoing Legal Nightmare

Shows you the latest methods for conducting employee reviews safely, including what you can — and can’t — say during a performance review, what safeguards you need to deter legal action, how to skirt the most common pitfalls surrounding the appraisal process, and how the courts view comments made on company appraisal records.

3.
The Complete Policy Handbook

Shows you how to safeguard against the damage that loopholes in your employee handbook can cause. You'll get a CD-ROM containing a complete set of ready-to-print policies for a foolproof manual of your own...policies that have stood up to courtroom challenges...with language that has worked in defending other employers.

4.
Employer's Guide To Record-Keeping Requirements

Covers all the records, files, and documents demands made on employers by state and federal laws and agencies; as well as what you must post on company property to stay on the right side of employment laws.

5.
Employee Problem Solver

Gives you a solid mix of practical advice seasoned with legal experience for attacking the problem, not the personality, in difficult situations that you and your managers face every day. Each general problem area is designed to offer immediate practical steps for preventing, attacking, and solving tough personnel problems.