While you were busy getting ready to indulge your inner geek, finding the world’s scariest personal trainer, or failing to truly clarify a rumor about yourself, here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• Don’t worry, your employees are just reading it for the articles.
• Good news – you can totally justify expensing that mani/pedi now.
• Can the Japanese government prevent workers from being exploited?
• Salesforce CEO says leaders should emulate MC Hammer. (Maybe so your employees will be too legit to quit?)
• More good news – you can totally justify spending the last three house playing Mafia Wars now.
• A new Outlook plug-in helps you check yourself before you electronically wreck yourself.
• Don’t count on seeing pre-recession numbers anytime soon. And finally…
• The best news yet – you can totally justify that martini lunch now (or at least attempt to).

While you were busy getting ready to indulge your inner geek, finding the world’s scariest personal trainer, or failing to truly clarify a rumor about yourself, here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• Don’t worry, your employees are just reading it for the articles.
• Good news – you can totally justify expensing that mani/pedi now.
• Can the Japanese government prevent workers from being exploited?
• Salesforce CEO says leaders should emulate MC Hammer. (Maybe so your employees will be too legit to quit?)
• More good news – you can totally justify spending the last three house playing Mafia Wars now.
• A new Outlook plug-in helps you check yourself before you electronically wreck yourself.
• Don’t count on seeing pre-recession numbers anytime soon. And finally…
• The best news yet – you can totally justify that martini lunch now (or at least attempt to).

While you were busy announcing your engagement the old-fashioned way, breaking – or more likely saving - hearts all over the world, or actually NOT imagining that you were seeing the Old Spice guy everywhere yesterday, here’s what else was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• No one likes finding out their best employee is leaving via ESPN…but that’s no excuse for bad management.
• Finally, a workplace comedy for the tween set.
• 10 signs you work in a fear-based workplace.  
• Obama says job loss keeps him up at night. (You and about 15 million other people, Mr. President.) 
• One agency is about to find out what happens when interns stop being polite and start being real…or just live together for six months
• And now…deep thoughts.
• TSA tries a cheesy approach to recruiting employees (pun intended, btw).
• Don’t try to convince these guys the recession is over. And finally…
• Hiring for a social media director? Join the club.

While you were busy humbly announcing a career decision, making what is probably a wise career decision, or wondering if you still even have a career, here’s what else was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• Employers are trying to take all of the fun out of getting lung cancer.
• See, Jake and Vienna? Parting ways in the public eye doesn’t have to be messy.
• If you like processed meat, then you probably also like annual job reviews.
• If sexism still exists in the workplace, you won’t find it here.
•  Let’s hope dermatologist visits are covered in this employer’s health care plan.
• As green initiatives go up, so too, does worker productivity.   
• Ditto for family-friendly benefits…
• I could think of a few other countries where lessons in workplace etiquette are needed…
• Every day??? Being a leader sounds exhausting. And finally…
• Best. Pension deficit solution. Ever.

While you were busy getting ready to own Steve Jobs, planning a single ladies’ night to the tune of $750 million or finally retiring those bright blue hot pants, here’s what was happening in employment news this week…

• All that time you spent watching the World Cup during work hours doesn’t have to be a total loss.
• Some people may have to put off that move to Florida.
• Managers need management, too.
• Will Bret Michaels make a cameo as an intern on VH1′s new reality show? (Fingers crossed!)
• Remember these scary intern stories for your next office camping trip.
• Older workers just can’t catch a break this week…
• Gay Google employees, on the other hand, are having a pretty good week. And finally…
• Hey Maywood, CA, why not just outsource your entire city?
• …and then maybe these CA state workers could apply for those jobs.

While you were busy totally seeing this coming, inexplicably getting your own YouTube channel,  or showing would-be iPhone owners what waiting in line for a guilty pleasure really looks like, here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• America’s CEOs are hoping to make this year more like 2007.  
• If you’ve ever been the victim of office chair envy (yes, it’s a thing) you know just how serious the matter is…   
• We know the rules bend slightly in the summer, but some employees are playing fast and loose with the term “casual dress.”
• Japanese employers are all, “You can’t pull off a beard, so don’t even try.”
• The government gives gay workers another reason to celebrate during Gay Pride Month.
• What to do when you can’t add employees? Add employee hours.   
• Tips to avoid getting burned (out) at work. And finally…
• It’s time to start hittin’ the ol’ “delete” button.

While you were busy figuring out what to spend today’s $59 on, suddenly thinking that having lactose intolerance wouldn’t be that bad, or (shameless plus alert) seeing all the free stuff you could get when you visit Booth #1419 during SHRM 2010 in San Diego!…here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• If you or someone you know abuses the “Reply all” button, you should read this.
• Speaking of… if it IS a ‘must-reply-all’ e-mail situation, avoid saying these 23 things.   
• Can you divorce yourself from the family business?
• It’s sort of like Netflix for your business needs.
• Oprah sure knows how to show up every other boss in the world recognize her employees.
• ‘World Cup madness’ takes on a whole new meaning at the office
• The next best thing to reading your employees’ minds.
• U.S. oil spill workers find themselves dealing with a whole other mess. And finally…
• Do you think Steve Forbes’ employees get a raise if he gets more Twitter followers than Ashton?

While you were busy denying you were ever a member of the Tag Team crew, exchanging text messages with child services,  or becoming the unlikely (to everyone but my grandmother) new queen of daytime TV, here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• The editor of this article about how a beer company successfully recruits new employees beat me to the pun…
• I could make a good case for why “Dancing With The Stars” could be on this list.
• employment situation report, planning to hire this quarter, according to a new survey.
• You say you don’t want to hire unemployed workers? You may want to reconsider…
• Turns out it’s not just job seekers who feel frustrated right now.
• Offering workers flex time to watch the World Cup? You may want to reconsider.
• Turns out it’s not just basketball players who learned John Wooden’s coaching.
• Nobody likes a complainer…especially at this energy company.
• The debate continues…And finally…
• Don’t you hate when this happens to you?

While you were busy snagging your free donut, snagging free ice cream, and gorging on both to numb the pain while watching a particularly bittersweet “Golden Girls” marathon, here’s what was happening in employment news this week…

• Employers are attempting to cut down the fat – in more ways than one.
• Jack Cafferty asks, “How do you define ‘job’ in 2010?”
• For all the lies on Mark Kirk’s resume, at least he never claimed to be a Kennedy.
• Don’t you hate when this happens to you?  
• Hiring? Full-tie workers are out. Contractors are in.  
• It’s not just resumes: A lot of want ads leave a lot to be desired. And finally…
• Employees feeling unproductive? It might be time to spring clean the office.

While you were busy pondering about a thousand or so unanswered questions, wondering why you never thought to put your favorite NBA team’s logo on a pizza (seems so obvious now, doesn’t it?), taking the movie Up a little too literally or planning an amaaaaazing Memorial Day barbecue, here’s what you may have missed in the world of talent management and recruitment.

• The latest ‘fired because of Facebook’ story is a total joke.
• Saying no to employee vacation requests could get you burned.
• Take that, Farmville, Mafia Wars and Scrabble…Even after all these years, Pac-Man’s still got it.
• An ex-employee tried to give away secrets of the club that’s made for you and me.  
• Zappos’ CEO discusses delivering happiness (and not just in the form of shoes…although that’s a close second).  
• Employees will play a critical part in the United Airlines and Continental merger.
• FYI…when you hire Gen Y, you’re also hiring their parents. And finally…
• Quit happens.

While you were spending precious work hours your leisure time playing the best new party game EVER, opening a moral and ethical can of worms, or withdrawing $20 fast cash in solemn tribute to the inventor of the ATM, here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• Gen Y job seekers aren’t asking for a green workplace — they’re demanding it.   
• Gender stereotypes at work go both ways.
• If anyone can make internships trendy, it’s Lady Gaga.  
• Serious thoughts on leadership from the CEO of The Onion   
• The Rhode Island school that fired its 93 staff members last year is all “My bad!”
• Woman’s Day names the 7 Stupidest Employee Mistakes Ever
• Don’t worry. Your employees (probably) won’t do (all of) these things while you’re away.
• New technology makes it possible for you to work remotely and still creep out your colleagues…and finally…
• Are smartphones making employees act stupid?

While you were busy tasting a genuine American burger, denying divorce rumors, or ending an respectable 85-year-old career…here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• Here’s where the ‘transferrable’ part of transferrable skills comes into play…
• We needed 11 years’ worth of scientific research to tell us this?
• Buffalo job seekers are subtle.
• Twitter isn’t your everyday social network (…in fact, it really isn’t a social network at all.)
• Here’s where the ‘constructive’ part of constructive criticism come into play…
• Was there plan B? (Because here’s where the ‘B’ part would…well, you know.)
• Not this old excuse again…
• Proof that you really never know what you’re going to find when you Google yourself. And finally…
• Company-paid incentive trips aren’t just for Oprah’s employees anymore.

While you were busy breaking barriers in the comic book world, sending “shockwaves” throughout the NFL with your draft pick, or really, really, really wishing you’d remembered to clean out your cookies…here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• This whole “green” thing seems to be catching on.
• A new book on performance reviews likens the practice to Bill and Ted’s journey .
• You might say America’s favorite boss‘ employees are his lucky charms. (Get it?!?)
• Poaching talent can leave some employers with a bitter taste in their mouths.
• Your internship program is (possibly) killing your reputation.
• Now the Supreme Court has to decide if employees have to sext on their own time.
• When McDonald’s seeks to stire up some friendly workplace competition, it really goes all out.
• Oh, the church is making you do it, you say? These employees aren’t buying it. And finally…
• Oregon employers are legally allowed to kill employees’ buzzes.

While you were busy learning a recipe you’d never find in Martha Stewart Living, explaining the difference between ads and what sound an awful lot like ads, or saying goodbye to any chance you ever had to get tickets to Oprah’s ‘favorite things’ episode…here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• It’s not just employees who benefit when companies implement wellness programs.
• These companies sure treat their mothers well, according to Working Mother magazine
• No offense to Jennifer Lopez, but this is the comeback we’ve all been waiting for.
• Employers should know better than to mess with employee perks – especially when said perk is beer.
• A sad – and somewhat bizarre – reminder of the toll workplace harrassment takes.
• Sure, they get their 15 minutes of fame, but what else do CBS’ “Undercover Boss” bosses get?
• Companies are cracking down on business trips. (As if air travel is ridiculously expensive or something.)
• And finally…Predicting a slow economic recovery is so hot right now.

While you were busy announcing plans to someday release your next book, announcing plans to produce your Next Chapter,  or being announced as the next Susan Boyle…here’s what was happening in the world of hiring, recruitment and workforce management…

• At the office, sharing doesn’t always mean caring.
• Of all the cutbacks the USPS is planning, morale isn’t one of them.  
• Is this the beginning of the rise of anti-social media?  
• Stiffing your workers out of pay? Enjoy it while you can. (On second thought, don’t. That’s just not cool.)
• Can you also expense the carton of Ben & Jerry’s and box of tissues while you’re at it?
• Thanks, we’ve only been waiting two years to hear this…
• Today’s interns may be different, but the rules for hiring them stay the same.
• IT men (and women) needed to become G-Men.  And finally…
• Not everyone is over the moon about pay-for-performance.

While you were busy forgetting to fill this out, renaming yourself Topeka for a day (silly you!), or putting the final touches on your Peeps diorama…here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…

• Paycheck yourself before you pay-wreck yourself. Hey-o!
• Unexpected advice of the week: Figure out who among your staff is indispensable, then fire (?) them.
• The World’s Most Ethical Companies (They exist!)
• If workers are in fact choosing fear over flex-time…then should we just throw this report away?
• We’ll believe this when we see it.  
• No such thing as a free lunch? Tell that to Facebook employees.
• Don’t think of it as losing a tax break… the Obama administration hopes you’ll think of it as gaining so much more.
• Is this job seeker move a sign of desperation, ingenuity, or simply…the times?
• Your employees may be happy just to have a job…but will it last? (Cliffhanger!)
• Job seekers make it even harder to stalk screen via Facebook. And finally…
• It’s not the jeans. This job is making you look fat.

While you were busy negotiating a reality show with A&E, participating in the most awesome March Madness bracket ever, or planning your trip to Orlando/buying a new cape…here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…

• The President gets to work from home, so maybe after his upcoming forum, a lot of other people will get to, too.
• New York Magazine takes a trip down “What if” Lane…
• Seven phrases to avoid with your employees.  
• And speaking of things to avoid…15 workplace habits to add to that list.
• How much are you really paying for your employees?
• What one reality show teaches us about management. (Spoiler alert! It’s not Steven Seagal: Lawman…not this time, at least.)
• Starbucks’ CEO talks about how he brews success…Yep, he sure has a whole latté say about the subject. No beans about it. (Okay, I’m stopping now.)
• Companies finding that the best new hires…aren’t really new at all.  And finally…
• Guy Kawasaki is so over Tolstoy

While you were busy trying to take ownership of your party name back, denying a link between your new weight loss plan and Scientology, or having a little trouble preparing your St. Patrick’s Day meal…here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…

• Well…guess this news takes a little pressure off of some employers.
• One employee’s bad experience with a co-worker’s perfume leads to lawsuit, punny news headline.
• Fast Company shows you how to “procrastinate the right way”…starting with reading this article.
• For everyone’s sake, let’s hope the answer to this is “No.”
• There’s no “i” in “team,” but there are three in this company’s employee management system.  
• It might be lonely at the top, but at least you still have your health. Right?
• Is this the start of a new job seeker tactic? And finally…
• If this is true, I hope Dolly Parton writes a new song.

While you were busy snubbing Farrah Fawcett, suddenly remembering all your favorite scenes from Lucas, or being all, “Take that, Bill Gates!”…here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…

• Here’s good news for people who like depressing news.
• Let’s just hope this doesn’t start office turf wars between Mac’s and PC’s.
• Office coffee is good to the last drop …and then the problems begin. 
• Education assistance doesn’t just benefit employees…it benefits agencies, too. (The more you know…) 
• Five seasoned managers offer you the chance to take sadistic pleasure in learn from their mistakes.
• Yay! U.S. companies lead the world in employing the largest number of women. (Don’t go patting yourself on the back just yet, though.)
• The business world’s equivalent of asking your buddy if you can just crash at his place..
• We’re so bringing this up at the next company meeting. And finally…
• If we were surrounded by New Orleans’ best King Cakes all day, we’d be pretty happy employees, too.

While you were busy taking a shot every time someone mentioned “this amazing journey,” setting up the most unlikely partnership since…ever, or hitting the gym in preparation for your next plane trip, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…

• This isn’t the solution to male-on-female sexual harassment that we had in mind…
• Don’t order that “40 Years of Service” plaque just yet…
• What is it they say about good intentions?
• Calling in sick? You’re so behind the times.
• Wait a second…how did they get away with this and still make the “Most Admired Companies” list? (Suspicious!)
• Speaking of suspicious…job candidates just got sneakier!
• I wonder if his Spidey sense helped him see this coming…
• Some employers don’t believe in taking snow days, apparently.
• Some employees luckier than others when it comes to getting bonuses back.
• You don’t have to read your employees’ diaries to find out what’s bothering them.
• A new jobs bill is proposed, but (spoiler alert!) not everyone’s happy about it.
• And finally…Was firing every single teacher NOT the solution after all?

While you were busy pushing through your bloody nose, heading to the Apple store to get hitched, or wishing you’d bought theft protection when you opened your foursquare account, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…

• Cut hours or cut jobs? That could soon be the question…
• Walmart gives student workers credit…literally.  
• It’s like the business world’s equivalent of getting fake-numbered…
• Happy, friendly employees don’t necessarily equal productive employees.
• ESPN suspends “Pardon” host for not-so-polite remarks…
• Turns out, job seekers like seeing green (and we don’t mean money, either. Hey-o!) 
• Whaddya know? It’s not always employees who burn out…
• Seriously? Every teacher?  And finally…
• Nobody says “full-time” anymore, dear.

While you were busy apologizing to Kevin Smith, apologizing to everyone else, or refusing to apologize to Sarah Palin, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…

• Need a good thank you gift for your employees? How about the business?
•  Showing your vulnerable side could be a strategic business move… 
• Is Toyota’s HR department to blame for the company’s failures?
• Paying employees unfairly? They’re on to you, fyi… 
• Companies who try to pass off their regular employees as independent contractors may want to fess up…
• Many employers planning to just say “whatevs” to health care reform bill.
• The sisters are doing it for themselves - with the help of social media.
• Brushing off employees with SAD could have unhappy effects for employers. And finally…
• Did BusinessWeek just zing you with this article’s subheading?

While you were busy getting more intimate than you might’ve wanted with your Gmail contacts, apologizing for trying (and failing…so so much) to be clever, or sharing your Valentine’s Day horror stories, here’s what was going on in the world of talent management and recruiting this week:

• British employees say U.S. employer has some ‘splainin’ to do…
• Looking for love in all the wrong workplaces? Not for 37 percent of employees…
• Beware bad leadership advice…particularly THIS bad leadership advice…
• 2010 means ch-ch-changes for employers and 401(k)s
• Guess what you just spent on this morning’s meeting (besides a precious hour of your life).
• These aren’t your grandmother’s temp workers…
• If you’re doing this, this, that or any of these other things…stop it.  And finally…
• The question isn’t “Will there be job growth?” but “Where will there be job growth?”

While you were busy trying to stake your claim on the phrase “Who Dat,” (prematurely?) accepting a scholarship to USC, or matching wits with Bill O’Reilly, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…

• How (not?) to resign in 140 characters or less
• New series finds out what happens when CEOs stop being polite and start being real step into their employees’ shoes
• Thanks to this, employees can now take justice into their own hands.  
• You might be a productivity killer (and not even know it).  
• Teamwork: 1, Talent: 0
• Wellness benefits take a hit from the man.  And finally…
• Looking back on workplace fashions, and speculating on the next big trend. (Let’s hope it’s not this.)

While you were busy updating your Twitter account with what was surely a clever joke, changing your travel plans, or shopping for a new growler,here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week… 

• So, some guy gave some speech where he talked about jobs this week…
• Here’s one way to work your social media policy…
• Some companies have fun, whether they like it or not.  
• Curious about the status of the stimulus?
• SAS is a-ok for employment.
• Social media is now Vatican-approved.  
• The TSA managers are not amused.
• First came social media specialists…Will companies now start hiring more social media lawyers?
• Job seekers move it all for the money.
• Forecasters putting their money on job growth in 2010. Read more...

While you were busy pre-ordering your Oprah tell-all, assessing the best and the worst of the red carpet, or trying-but-not-really to tear yourself away from the live puppy cam, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week… 

• Workplace blame is kind of like what laughter can be (but not as fun).
• No, this headline is not from one of Leno’s bits…
• So would this be considered maternity stay?
• Need an “easy” button?
• Reference checks for these hires are going to be tricky…
• Men, don’t read this.
• Despite downturn, employees keep on truckin’…
• New lawsuit has EEOC emphasizing employers’ obligation to protect their employees
• Hoping permanent jobs will come back? Don’t read this. And finally…
• Um…agree to disagree?

Assuming you might need an excuse to tear yourself away from the coverage of Tuesday’s devastating earthquake, here’s a roundup of this week’s top stories from the world of talent management and recruitment:

• Many companies talk about diversity (but are they really saying anything?)
• Speaking of…Is “The Office” the new model for workplace diversity? (That’s what she said.)
• Reporting from the red carpet apparently isn’t as easy as it looks.
• Companies send out search parties in the aftermath of Tuesday’s earthquake. 
• What to expect when you’re expecting…a baby boom at the office.
• New employee Meatloaf bites the hand that serves feeds him.  
• I hope Joyce Lain Kennedy isn’t ruining anyone’s fun by naming things you can’t legally do to your employees.   
• It’s one thing to date someone you work with (so to speak); however, it’s another thing to cheat with said person.  
• Salinas’ employers are about to gain some major street cred.  And finally…
• NBC proves how hard it is to push around one employee without everyone else taking notice. 

While you were busy addressing cancellation rumors, shopping for the e-reader that’s right for you, or helping Samantha Micelli raise money for clean water, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…

• If everyone could just calm down a sec about today’s jobs numbers…
• Business meeting? Time to dig out the ol’ SuperSoaker 5000.
• Leaders offer business breakup advice on Fast Company.
• Steal from your company to help pay for your wedding? Shame on you. Steal as much as $750,000 to pay for said wedding? Well…
• If even CEOs can’t keep New Year’s resolutions, is there any hope for the rest of us?
• Perhaps those CEOs should start here: 8 Steps to a Better Year in 2010
• What employers don’t know about workplace safety regulations and worker rights could cost them.
• CEOs share their secrets for maintaining that new CEO smell.  And finally…
• Maybe Lloyd Dobler had it wrong. Maybe, like business managers today, Dianne Court was only trying to give him what she could afford.

While you were busy crashing from too much celebration on National Cupcake Day, taking advantage of Free Shipping Day, or saying, “Who is doing what now?” here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…

• Glassdoor.com releases its second annual “Best Places to Work” list with a new number one.  
• What prom and job growth have in common. 
• Turns out, Employee Assistance Programs can assist companies, too
• A new bill represents broadest protections ever extended to transgender public employees in NY State.
• Jealous! Some companies actually do well during recessions.
• Workers wait 2 hear if text messages on employer-owned electronic devices  will B kept private.
• New survey shows how we achieve workplace satisfaction (Is it sad that we need a survey to tell us that?)
• Michigan becomes the 38th state to ban workplace smoking. (Any takers on who will be 39?)  
• And finally… Admit it – you let a few of these slip out every now and then. Read more...

While you were busy waiting to see if you’d be named Barbara Walter’s Most Fascinating Person of 2009, lining up to take a shot at your neighbor’s flat screen, or trying to get the one-hit wonder of the decade out of your head (ha ha, good luck), here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week… 

• With internships on the rise, check out what makes a company a best place to intern.
• Speaking of lists, here’s one you don’t want to be on…
• Some employers looking to a unique – and tasty – economic indicator.
• Remember the kids in high school who bought their term papers online? Well, they’ve grown up and branched out…
• I wonder what Ronald McDonald would have to say about all of this.  
• Note to self: When thinking about posting sensitive company information online…don’t.
•  Is cross-cultural training the new management training?
• If Obama has his way, small businesses could see funding coming their way.
• Now you can salsa dance your way to being considered a great place to work.
• 10 Business Words to Ban (wait…only 10?)
• How to be successful: Play in traffic.
• And finally…Colleagues find themselves getting closer to one another (quite literally).