Why CFOs Shouldn’t Leave Ethics to HR

I have worked with CFOs who leave the issue of ethical conduct to the HR and legal functions.

But others have taken a different view — they take a significant interest in ensuring that management and employees always behave in an appropriate fashion, consistent both with laws and regulations and the expectations and standards of the organization. They realize that not only can inappropriate behavior lead to compliance failures, fraud, and theft, but the consequences can adversely affect employee morale and the firm?s reputation.

The bottom line is that ethical failures can affect operational and financial performance and share price.

The Ethics Resource Center recently a business ethics report, based on a survey of 4,800 employees. I was surprised by some of the statistics and suspect most CFOs will be too.

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Are You Prepared?

The impending loss of intellectual capital that will occur when the baby boomers begin to retire in droves is, and will continue to be, a top concern for CFOs. Questions include:

· How well-developed are finance organizations’ strategies for developing talent?
· What is your finance organization doing to recruit and retain the talent it really needs?
· Do you believe your finance professionals have the right skills and knowledge to perform well?
· Most importantly, what are the solutions to these challenges and what business outcomes are at stake?

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Is There A Talent War?

Many sources say that although the economy is still recovering, and although so many people are still out of work, there is a disproportionate number of companies looking to hire people with specific talents, to fill analytic and strategic roles.

Is there a talent war? Or a talent disconnect?

If you missed our webinar on The Talent War, please visit our screencast, here: http://www.screencast.com/t/uZuxHyn88gd

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One More Reason to Hit the Gym: You’ll Make More Money at Work

We don’t need a study to tell us that working out is good for us. But showing us that regular exercise is linked to higher salaries is a different matter.

In a new study published in the June issue of the Journal of Labor Research, researchers have found that employees who regularly exercise earn 9% more than their lazier counterparts.

What is it about exercise that will garner you the big bucks?

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Treat Finance Talent as an Economic Asset

CFOs are telling pollsters there are problems in the talent pipeline. Why is this occurring? Why are people now so worried about future staffing requirements?

Most importantly, is there an inherent risk for companies who are short on their finance talent?

Author Mary Driscoll interviews Dr. Jonathan Schiff, a professor of accounting (Fairleigh Dickenson) who also happens to be an authority on finance leadership development, skills assessment, and the training program design for large organizations.

Dr. Schiff had three key observations.

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6 Ways to Reduce Stress

Stress sucks. According to the American Psychological Association, stress can result in headache, muscle tension, muscle pain, chest pain, fatigue, upset stomach, insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, lack of motivation, lack of focus, irritability, depression, eating problems, addiction … and social withdrawal. Yow!

Fortunately, stress isn’t inevitable, even in today’s hyper-connected, highly competitive world.

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Work-Life Balance: A Challenge, Even in Asia

Americans and Europeans don’t have a lock-up on gender equality issues, and work-life balance.

Women and men across Asia have a common focus: to climb up the corporate ladder.

In a study of 1,834 so-called “high-potential” employees at multinational firms across Asia, Catalyst, a nonprofit research firm that focuses on women in the work place, found that furthering their career is a top priority for both men and women – even as they want to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

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How to be The Worst Boss Ever

Recall your worst day at work. [It’s probably not hard to do.] What made it so bad? Was it the workload, the number of meetings, the cafeteria food that day?

Probably not. Probably it was your manager. Something she did, or something he said.

Do you want to learn more about how YOU can be aspire to be an even worse boss? Then read on, dear friend.

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