June 25-28 Washington Convention Center

The Industry

human-resources management

The Audience

15,000 people who hire, inspire, retire, and fire “human capital”

The Issues

Frontiers of Corporate Magnanimity: An executive with a company being honored for outstanding employee treatment said, “We don’t serve dinner to get our employees to work late; we serve dinner because they work late.”

“Beast Management”: To deal with aggressive, in-control “Great Whites”; aggressive, out-of-control “baboons”; passive-aggressive “mules”; sneak-attacking “vipers”; rude, sarcastic “hyenas”; and power-tripping “mugwumps,” an expert suggests using direct eye contact, the “warrior’s stance,” pattern interruption, and “mental aikido.”

“Psychologically Savvy Separation”: To avoid workplace violence, experts suggest installing reflective surfaces throughout offices, because humans don’t like seeing themselves acting like jerks.

Love or Money? According to the 2006 SHRM Job Satisfaction Survey, HR managers said the key reason people change jobs is relationships with supervisors. Employees said it’s the money.

—Rob Tierney