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  • What is a Fleet Tracking System?

    A GPS fleet tracking system is an effective tool for managing your business’s fleet of vehicles. Fleet management involves overseeing and optimizing a fleet to enhance safety, efficiency, compliance, and productivity. These systems use GPS technology to monitor the activity of fleet vehicles and assets. They are commonly used by businesses that manage and operate multiple vehicles, such as delivery services, transportation companies, and service providers.

    Benefits of a Fleet Tracking System

    There are numerous reasons why business owners and fleet managers choose to implement a GPS fleet tracking system. Studies show that 62% of GPS tracking users reported a positive return on investment (ROI) in less than six months.

    Lower operational costs

    One of the greatest benefits of implementing a GPS fleet tracking system is the optimization of operational efficiency. By tracking and monitoring gas mileage, fuel consumption, average driving speed, and route distances, managers will have the data needed to optimize driving routes and fuel expenses. These systems can also track idling time, which can significantly impact your efficiency and bottom line, potentially costing thousands of dollars annually.

    Save time

    If there is an accident or congested traffic, GPS trackers provide real-time suggestions for quicker routes, helping drivers avoid unnecessary delays and hazardous conditions. Managers can analyze fuel usage and travel times for frequently traveled routes, enabling them to identify opportunities to reduce both time and fuel consumption.

    Improve driver safety

    With GPS tracking, managers can monitor instances of excessive speeding, hard braking, and aggressive acceleration. By identifying these unsafe behaviors, managers can address them with drivers to prevent accidents or incidents. Long hours on the road can lead to driver fatigue; a GPS tracking system can help drivers schedule necessary breaks along their routes, ensuring they remain well-rested, alert, and focused. Implementing dash cams is also beneficial for monitoring dangerous behaviors, such as tailgating, distracted driving, and running red lights.

    Reduce the Risk of Theft

    If one of your vehicles is stolen or used outside of operating hours, a GPS fleet tracking system allows you to locate the vehicle quickly, facilitating its recovery. Prompt recovery can save you significant costs associated with replacing or repairing the vehicle.

    A Smooth Ride With GMS 

    Regardless of the size of your fleet, it’s better to be safe than sorry when managing it. With Group Management Services’ (GMS) fleet management GPS tracking system, you can easily manage your fleet, ensuring its efficiency and productivity. Our system updates tracking information every 2-60 seconds while the vehicle is in motion, and all data is stored securely on servers for authorized users. If you’re interested in learning more about fleet management or how GMS can improve your efficiency, don’t hesitate to contact us today!

     

  • As a small business owner, you are responsible for the operations of your business. Whether it’s hiring and recruiting new employees, onboarding, paying your employees, or offering them benefits, your hands are full. How often do you have the chance to sit down and think about how you will grow the revenue-building side of your business?

    Professional employer organizations (PEOs) work diligently with small business owners to provide them with the same buying power as a larger business through a co-employment relationship. Hiring an in-house HR professional consumes too much time and money, especially when you already have a limited number of employees. PEOs have experts in all aspects of your business you need assistance with. Whether you have workers’ compensation or employee benefits questions, our team of experts is there to assist.

    Small business owners who partner with a PEO have streamlined all aspects of their business. Instead of outsourcing payroll, workers’ compensation, employee benefits, unemployment, and risk management to third parties, a PEO consolidates these to work as a one-stop shop. Partnering with a PEO will allow you to reduce certain expenses and liabilities as the employer. Continue reading to see how PEO services can help your business thrive.

    Services A PEO Provides Small Businesses

    Stellar Customer Support From A Designated HR Professional

    As your business continues to grow, you may discover you no longer have the capacity to manage the administrative tasks or keep up with all HR-related duties. A PEO manages a range of responsibilities for your business from payroll to employee benefits. The duties of the PEO in the relationship are to focus on all administrative work so you can focus on what really matters in your business, revenue-building. Partnering with a PEO, like GMS, will save your business in the following ways:

    • Greater buying power
    • Increased employee retention
    • Smoother onboarding process
    • Free up your time
    • HR compliance, portal, and audits
    • Employee recruitment and training 

    Innovative Payroll Processing Technology

    As an experienced small business owner, you know how much time it takes to manage payroll and tax filings. What if there was a way to eliminate this task that would save you time and money? At GMS, we combine our proprietary technology with dedicated HR services and support from our experts to provide you with the absolute best. Questions to ask yourself to determine if partnering with a PEO will benefit your business from a payroll standpoint: 

    • Do you offer your employees a direct deposit option?
    • Are you spending too much time keeping up with taxes and IRS regulations?
    • Do you feel like you’re filling too many roles and don’t have time to grow your business?
    • Do you feel like you use your smartphone for everything and work on the go?

    If you answered yes to any of these questions, GMS is here to help. Our experts work diligently to decrease payroll tax liabilities, keep track of deductions, provide your employees with a web-based payroll system with 24/7 access, and so much more.

    A Dedicated Team To Ensure Compliance

    Many small business owners struggle to stay ahead of the risks that are associated with workers’ compensation and workplace hazards. There are more than 4.1 million workers who suffer a serious job-related injury or illness every year according to OSHA. With the right risk management solution, you’ll create a safer work environment for your employees, resulting in fewer claims and a lower workers’ compensation insurance rate.

    Partnering with GMS gives you access to our risk management services like workers’ compensation, claims management, and workplace safety. Protect your employees and your business now and outsource your risk management services. 

    Provided With Best-In-Class Benefits

    Whether you want to keep or attract quality employees, you must offer a benefits package. If you have an existing benefits package, a PEO will provide additional resources that will gain applicants’ attention. Any business that isn’t leveraging a PEO or an online benefits platform is wasting valuable time and money. At GMS, we understand that managing pay stubs and W-2s, tracking time, or doing job costing and labor distribution can be time-consuming. However, we provide our clients with an online employee self-service portal that gives employees access to costs of medical services, RX pricing, ID cards, detailed EOB and coverage information, claim details, and much more. 

    GMS will offer you and your employees flexibility, control of premiums, access to data and networks, and overall options that you can’t find anywhere else. The following is a list of benefits you can offer your employees once you partner with a PEO:

    • Benefit coverages: medical, dental, and vision
    • Flexible spending account
    • Health savings account
    • Life, accident, and critical illness
    • Short-term and long-term disability insurance
    • Comprehensive 401(k) plan that’s integrated with payroll
    • Pet insurance
    • Pre-paid legal
    • Telemedicine 
    • Diabetic management program

    Make group health coverage less confusing and partner with GMS today. 

    Partner With A PEO Today!

    At GMS, we do it all. GMS can provide any level of support you need, regardless of whether you choose one service or all of them. From payroll management to benefits and anywhere in between, our team of experts is here every step of the way when you choose to partner with GMS. By outsourcing your business, you can reduce liability and increase your efficiency. That way, you can focus on the aspects of your business that will help you grow externally. Make your business simpler, safer, and stronger by partnering with GMS today. Get a quote here. 

  • Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed into law Ohio Senate Bill (S.B.) No. 215. This will permit any “qualifying adult” to legally carry, possess, or conceal a handgun without a license, background check, or training requirements.

    Individuals who are considered a qualifying adult include:

    • Those who are 21 years of age or older
    • Legal residents
    • Not a fugitive 
    • Not a subject to a protection order
    • Have not been hospitalized or adjudicated mentally ill
    • Have not been dishonorably discharged from the military 
    • Do not have a conviction or delinquency for a felony, a drug offense, domestic violence, one misdemeanor offense of violence within three years or two within five years
    • Are not otherwise forbidden under state or federal law

    Before this bill, in order to obtain a concealed handgun license in Ohio, an Ohio resident must:

    • Submit an application to the county sheriff
    • Pay an initial $67 fee
    • Pass a background check
    • Complete eight hours of training
    • Pass a written exam

    What This Means For Employers

    The law still authorizes employers to establish, maintain, and enforce policies prohibiting individuals from carrying handguns or firearms in company buildings or within company vehicles. Private employers are “immune from liability in a civil action for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly was caused by or related to a [person] bringing a handgun onto the premises or property of the private employer, including motor vehicles owned by the private employer, unless the private employer acted with malicious purpose.”

    The main change for employers to be aware of under the new law involves the storage of its employees’ guns in parked cars on company property. A law passed in 2017 allowed employees with a valid concealed carry license to bring firearms and ammunition in their privately owned vehicle onto their employer’s parking lots, as long as they follow specific guidelines. Senate Bill 215 now gives all qualifying adults the same rights effective June 13th, 2022. Employers should consider revising their current employment policies to reflect the new law.

    Protect Your Employees And Your Business

    Since rules and regulations are constantly changing, keeping your business operations up to date is important. Partnering with GMS will provide your business with experts that will handle these ever-changing rules and regulations. Are you worried about Ohio’s new firearm law’s effects on your business? GMS will provide onsite training to ensure your employees are compliant with the law. Do you need to update your employee handbook? Employees at GMS will work diligently to create a handbook corresponding to Senate Bill 215 and identify specific steps employees must take. Get a quote today.

  • The House and Senate passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in effort to temporarily expand eligibility to pay for health insurance through 2022. As a result of this act, Production Tax Credits (PTCs) were formed. According to Insurance NewsNet, “For Florida, the number of uninsured residents would grow by 24.8% according to the estimates in the study. It would also mean a five million dollar drop in total spending on health care for non-elderly residents in the Sunshine State.”

    Before the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act of 2022), Congress implemented the Affordable Care Act of 2010 that initially started to allow PTCs to be available to states across the U.S. Florida residents make up 513,000 of the three million Americans at risk of losing healthcare coverage since speculation began that the Affordable Care Act wouldn’t be extended.

    Why Florida Residents Are Affected

    Florida falls into the category of a non-expansion state. A non-expansion state does not have to expand access to Medicaid or Medicare eligibility by the federal government. Other non-expansion states include Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina. If the extension doesn’t pass, residents in these states, specifically Florida residents below the federal poverty line (FPL), are more at risk of losing their healthcare coverage.

    According to FamiliesUSA, a healthcare advocacy organization, Florida resident premiums could go up 61% if the PTCs expire or health provisions are not extended. At this rate, health insurance rates would increase to $1.6 billion in 2023. 

    Partnership Benefits With A PEO

    As a business owner, we understand you want to offer your employees the best healthcare plan. By partnering with a PEO, we can offer a benefits plan sponsor that includes benefit coverages, a flexible spending account, a comprehensive 401(k) plan, and more. You will have access to a team of experts who will answer any questions you may have. Contact us today.

  • When you take your business online, you are offered a wide range of benefits; however, it also increases the risk of scams and cyber-attacks. Since the pandemic in 2020, there have been an extensive number of new challenges for businesses.

    Restrictions that were set by the government forced employees to work from home. In response, technology and the way of doing business have become even more digitalized. Although there is an increase in the need for technology, businesses still are not taking the right precautions to create a cyber-safe remote working environment.

    Continue reading to learn how your business can protect itself against cyberattacks.

    Secure Your Devices And Data

    A simple way to protect your business and employees from cyberattacks is by ensuring your devices and data are secure. Make sure you are regularly updating your operating system and security software. This will allow for necessary security upgrades to be installed to ensure there are no viruses. 

    If you don’t already have security software within your technology, implement it immediately. This will help prevent any viruses and phishing attempts. Be sure to include anti-virus, anti-spyware, and anti-spam filters. Remember, malware or viruses can infect all computers, laptops, and mobile devices throughout your entire business.

    Ensure You Use Multi-Factor Authentication 

    Multi-factor authentication is an approach to secure data and applications where a system requires a user to present a combination of two or more credentials to verify a user’s identity or log in. Utilizing this tool in your business adds an additional layer of security making it more challenging for hackers to gain access to your devices and online accounts. 

    Whether you have one employee or thousands, every business should utilize multi-factor authentication. Amongst you and your employees, there are tons of passwords and confidential information hackers can gain access to. Hackers utilize technology that enables them to test billions of password combinations every second. This makes 90% of user-generated passwords vulnerable to an attack. Implementing multi-factor authentication makes it harder for hackers to access your accounts by requiring a second piece of information from you to confirm your identity.

    Invest In Cyber Insurance

    The U.S. government’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency defines the purpose of cybersecurity insurance as, “designed to mitigate losses from a variety of cyber incidents, including data breaches, business interruption, and network damage.” For small to mid-sized businesses, there has been an increase in cyber-attacks and data breaches. Why? Well, these hackers know that most small businesses lack the resources that larger companies must protect their data, leaving them more vulnerable. 

    In 2021, there was a Kaseya ransomware attack that was later determined to have compromised data from more than 1,500 small to mid-sized businesses. The businesses that had cyber insurance came out from this incident way ahead of those businesses that didn’t have cyber insurance. There are a handful of different cyber coverages your business can invest in to protect itself from a cyber incident that leaves your pockets empty.

    Train Your Staff

    Companies that use employee-owned devices, make insecure connections, or use devices improperly are vulnerable to a host of network interferences. This is exactly why training your employees in cybersecurity awareness is a necessity within your business. Below is a list of steps you can take to ensure the safety of your confidential information: 

    • Make your cybersecurity problems aware to employees
    • Host training sessions to show your employees what they can do to ensure their information doesn’t get hacked
    • Teach your employees how to spot suspicious activity
    • Reinforce confidentiality 
    • Examine individual cases of cybersecurity breaches
    • Report suspicious activity in Outlook that sends your company updates on the types of emails or senders to look for

    How GMS Can Assist In Protecting Your Business

    We understand the complexity of cybersecurity. Our experts provide you and your employees with safety training and guidance on the steps you can take to ensure safety within your business. GMS can help business owners take a proactive approach to workplace safety through various services including onsite consulting, job site inspections, training, and more. Brett Kowalski, GMS’ IT Director, explains, “In today’s business world, cybersecurity threats are increasing at an alarming rate. The ‘bad guys’ are getting more and more sophisticated with how they can penetrate an unsuspecting company environment. I urge all business owners to invest in frequent cybersecurity training for their user groups and look at alternative services such as phishing tests, network penetrations tests, and other preventative options to keep their company’s computing environment and data safe and secure.”

    Contact us today to protect your business from cyber-attacks. 

  • Medicaid is undergoing a major expansion in the state of North Carolina. The bill, H.B. 149, was passed on June 2nd by the North Carolina Senate. This bill will expand Medicaid eligibility, allowing more than 600,000 North Carolinians to receive the life-saving health care they need. In addition to the Medicaid increase throughout the state, the bill contains a certificate-of-need (CON) law that expands nurses’ practice authority.

    The Importance

    One of the major attributes of passing the bill comes from the continued rise of inflation within the U.S. Over the past year, North Carolina has been overwhelmed by the increasing healthcare costs. Senator Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell addressed, “Everything is going up. But with the sector of cost rising farther than anything else, and that has been true for decades, is healthcare; and it’s not even close.”

    Hise mentioned several other factors that support the need for Medicaid in North Carolina:

    • Eight years of solid Medicaid budgets
    • Republican leadership in the General Assembly
    • Reform of the system associated with the Medicaid transformation in 2021

    What It Means

    Over the past year, North Carolina has ranked third in the nation for hospital closures. The bill further pushes insurance companies to cover telehealth visits, along with providing medical billing transparency. Patients must be notified at least 72 hours before a procedure or visit if they have an out-of-network provider.

    The bill also contains the SAVE Act, allowing nurses to practice without a doctor present. Senator Lisa Barnes, R-Nash Stated, “It’s a measure that doctors’ groups have opposed but is targeted to rural areas where staffing shortages have reduced access to health care.”

    How GMS Can Help

    GMS supports your business by ensuring you stay ahead of all legislative changes. As a result of the expansion of Medicaid, there will be various changes throughout the healthcare industry. At GMS, a benefits specialist can find a healthcare plan that gives your employees access to what they need. Contact us today to get started!

  • Since recruitment is an essential function of the human resources department, it’s important to have a strategic process in place. A recruitment process is a list of steps that gets you from the job description to the offer letter and ultimately, onboarding the new hire. It’s essentially a step-by-step approach to bringing in talented individuals who will help the company grow. The recruitment process not only helps attract the right kind of candidates, but it reflects the company’s values. Being able to understand how to optimize the job recruitment process can shorten the hiring cycle by 60% while also improving the quality of your hires. Continue reading to learn about the steps in the recruiting process.

    Step 1: Identify Your Needs

    Define exactly what you’re looking for in a candidate for each position. It’s essential to sit down with your team to determine the specific hiring needs for your open job positions. Make sure these requirements are precise, specific, and realistic. You may think it’s quite simple to replace a role for someone who just left. However, this step in the recruitment process tends to get more difficult when you’re starting from scratch for a position you’ve never had or you’re changing the responsibilities of a role.

    Step 2: Prepare The Job Description 

    Once you determine the candidate’s persona, write down a detailed job description. Creating a compelling and unique description will help you attract the most qualified candidates for your job. The job description summarizes the essential responsibilities, skills, and qualifications for the role. This is a very important step in the recruiting process. Your job description should include:

    • A clearly defined job title
    • The job overview 
    • Company overview 
    • Benefits
    • A list of responsibilities 
    • Required skills
    • Salary for the position 

    There are millions of job postings on the internet. Ensure you create a job description that will stand out from the rest. This is the beginning of marketing your company and your job to your future hire.

    Step 3: Create A Recruitment Plan

    After writing a detailed job description, sit down with your team to determine what the next best steps are. A recruitment plan will provide your team with an outline of the steps your company will take when filling the position. These strategies help businesses focus their efforts and resources on specific hiring strategies that will provide them with excellent candidates. Create a timeline for each step moving forward so you know exactly what you have to do to reach your end goal, an offer. On average, a new position takes 27 days to fill. Determine when and where you will conduct interviews. Have a deadline in place for when you need the position filled.

    Step 4: Start Searching

    When you start searching for candidates to fill the roles, it will be the most time-consuming step in the recruitment process. It takes time and patience to find the right candidate who is depicted in the first and second steps of the recruitment process. Utilize recruitment tools to cut down on search time. Below are ways in which you can best utilize your search efforts:

    • Create targeted ads (use social media platforms including LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor)
    • Engage with candidates who have applied in the past
    • Attend career fairs within the area
    • Employee referrals
    • Networking events

    Step 5: Recruit Top-tier Talent

    All companies want top talent to be a part of their team. However, these candidates most likely have many options. Your team must be strategic when recruiting these types of individuals. Especially in today’s tough labor market, attracting top talent is more competitive than ever. Companies need to be proactive so they can ensure that they attract the best talent and ultimately, keep them long-term. Below is a list of important factors to consider when looking for top-tier talent: 

    • Create a positive workplace culture
    • Treat current employees well
    • Know your best sources for talent
    • Plan your interviews based on the quality of talent
    • Be sure you verify candidates’ credentials
    • Make an offer fast
    • Keep in touch with quality candidates

    You need to ensure you make an offer fast to top-tier talent as they are most likely receiving a handful of other offers from other companies. Top candidates are only available for 10 days before being hired elsewhere. If they decline your offer and decide to go elsewhere, continue to stay in touch with them. It shows the candidate that you had a high interest in them, and you may find another position with your company that might be a better fit in the future.

    Step 6: Conduct A Phone Screen

    Once your team has found a handful of qualified candidates, it’s time to start interviewing. Prior to bringing the candidates in for a formal interview, conduct a phone screening to confirm they will be a good fit for the position. The phone interview step gives you the opportunity to ask preliminary questions and determine which applicants have met the necessary job requirements to move on to the next step, an in-person interview. This allows your team to narrow down the selection process and make sure you want to take the time to interview the candidate in person. Job candidates are interviewing your company the same way you’re interviewing them. Be sure you have a list of the top interview questions to ask before you begin this step. Questions to ask in a phone screen interview:

    • Tell me about yourself
    • Can you tell me about your background?
    • Why are you leaving your current employer?
    • What do you know about our company?
    • What are your salary expectations?
    • How soon would you be able to start?
    • Do you have any questions?

    Step 7: Interview In Person

    Following the phone screening interview and determining qualified candidates, it’s time to bring them in for an interview. These interviews should be conducted quickly after the phone screen interview. This step in the recruiting process should be unique and show the candidate what your company is all about. The cost of a bad hire adds up with the salary, training costs, hiring a replacement, etc. On average, companies lose $14,900 on every bad hire. Consider asking these questions to get the most out of your interview:

    • What type of impact did you make at your most recent job?
    • Tell me about a time you failed to reach a goal or complete a project. What happened, and why were you unsuccessful?
    • How would your colleagues describe you?
    • Name a work accomplishment that makes you proud. 
    • What motivates you?
    • Do you like working with a team or working alone?
    • When conflict arises at work, how do you handle it?
    • Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

    Be sure you are communicating with the candidate about where you are in the process and what the next steps are. Be sure to lay out the timeline so they know exactly what to expect.

    Step 8: Offer

    You’ve made it to the final steps where you see all your hard work pay off. You have determined a candidate that possesses the qualities you’re looking for. This is the most important step of the recruitment process. Make sure you present a desirable offer to the candidate that they won’t pass up. You first need to make a verbal job offer. Let the candidate know right away that you’re extending an official offer of employment. Be sure to provide details regarding the position, start date, compensation, bonus structure (if applicable), pay frequency, and when they need to accept or decline the offer.

    After you offer the candidate a verbal offer over the phone, it’s time to move on to the written offer. Provide all the information mentioned in the verbal offer along with their future manager’s contact information, and any steps they might have to take so they can come in ready to go for their first day of work. Make sure you get the written offer letter over to the candidate as soon as possible, via email. Provide a deadline for them to get the offer letter back to you to keep the momentum going. Once you’ve sent the offer over email, follow up via phone or email to ensure they received the offer letter. Anticipate this step to take slightly longer and be ready to negotiate salary and benefits.

    If they accept the offer, ensure you are following up with them once a week between the acceptance date and their first day. If not, you could run into the chance of the candidate backing out.

    Step 9: Onboarding

    Onboarding the new hire is your final step in the recruitment process and lends a hand to their success within their new role. Although there will be a plethora of forms during the onboarding process, it’s also important to include processes and resources that will help them transition into your company successfully. Consider having one-on-one meetings with them weekly or bi-weekly to check in with the new employee.

    The Benefits Of Outsourcing HR

    As you’ve noticed, it takes a lot of time and money to implement a recruitment process successfully. From creating a job ad to finding the right candidate to providing opportunities for employee development, the cost of hiring and training adds up. Professional employer organizations (PEOs) like GMS provide guidance on hiring and training as well as manage the administrative burdens associated with all aspects of the employee life cycle.

    Melanie Bahr, Recruitment Specialist Manager at GMS, provides her insights on hiring. “In this ever-changing and challenging hiring environment, finding the right candidate can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. Below are three important issues to consider in making a better hiring decision:

    1. Experience versus potential: experience is the most important and valued factor when evaluating a candidate. It’s important to remember experience is not everything, do not prioritize it over everything else. You may interview people who seem promising but don’t have much of a track record. While these candidates have not proven themselves at work yet, they have obvious potential.
    2. Skill set: determine what the must-have skills are and look at which skills you can train the candidate in. Many soft skills can make a candidate a great option and with little training, could be the right fit.
    3. Culture fit: consider thinking about how a candidate will fit in with your company’s culture. When employees are a good fit culturally, they will be happier at work allowing for enhanced productivity and reduced turnover.

    As a premier human resources company, we give our clients access to state-of-the-art HR software and other resources necessary to grow their business. GMS can help strengthen your business through our employee training and recruitment services. Contact us today to learn more.

  • The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced its top 10 most-cited workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2021. OSHA publishes this list annually to raise employer awareness regarding the commonly cited standards. It’s imperative to recognize and correct hazards to avoid a visit – and heavy fines – from OSHA.

    The top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards including the number of violations for 2021 are:

    1. Fall protection – general requirements: 5,295 violations
    2. Respiratory protection: 2,527
    3. Ladders: 2,026
    4. Scaffolding: 1,948
    5. Hazard communication: 1,947
    6. Lockout/tagout: 1,698
    7. Fall protection – training requirements: 1,666
    8. Personal protective and lifesaving equipment – eye and face protection: 1,452
    9. Powered industrial trucks: 1,420
    10. Machine guarding: 1,113

    As fall protection is ranked number one for the 11th year in a row, it is vital you and your employees are trained properly. Every company should conduct an annual review of its safety policies and procedures, coinciding with this list’s publication. The list that OSHA provides is simply a starting point for identifying areas to evaluate as you fine-tune your 2022 safety program – however, your employees’ safety requires much more.

    The Importance Of Workplace Safety 

    Every worker should feel safe in their work environment. It is the responsibility of the employer to provide the right conditions for their employees. No matter the size or industry of your business, workplace safety is the number one priority.

    Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, workplace safety has become more important than ever. COVID-19 resulted in an increase in illnesses alongside the development of remote work. Safety-related initiatives result in fewer accidents, fewer occupational health costs, better employee retention and satisfaction, less employee downtime, and less retraining time.

    Invest In Workplace Safety

    Every year, U.S. businesses suffer the consequences of workplace injuries resulting in lost time, leading to costly fines for your business. What proactive steps are you taking to ensure the safety of your employees? GMS assists business owners in taking a proactive approach to workplace safety through various services:

    • Onsite consulting
    • Jobsite inspections
    • Accident and injury investigation

    Allow our team of safety experts to conduct onsite inspections prior to OSHA showing up. Be proactive and partner with GMS today.

  • Beginning July 1, 2022, the business standard mileage rate for transportation expenses paid or incurred will be 62.5 cents per mile. The IRS recognizes the gasoline price increases which has caused this midyear change. A new rate for deductible medical or moving expenses will be in effect starting July 1, 2022. The price will be changed to 22 cents per mile as opposed to 18 cents in the first half of 2022.

    The business standard mileage rate is used to calculate the deductible costs of operating a vehicle for business purposes. In addition, the federal government and many businesses use this rate as a benchmark for reimbursing their employees’ mileage.

    IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig stated, “We are aware a number of unusual factors have come into play involving fuel costs, and we are taking this special step to help taxpayers, businesses, and others who use this rate.”

    Simplify Your Payroll Administration

    Business owners can utilize the IRS mileage rate through the support of GMS. Our team of payroll experts will be able to answer any questions you may have regarding the changing rates. Consider offering mileage reimbursement at the IRS rate so that your employees feel valued during these unprecedented times. Contact us today. 

  • This guide explains how employers and managers can effectively write performance reviews and employee reprimand letters. It covers what to include in a formal write-up, provides a sample employee write-up template, and shares best practices for addressing performance issues while maintaining compliance. Designed for business owners and HR managers, the post helps organizations handle employee performance management professionally and fairly.

    There are plenty of exciting aspects of running a business – disciplining employees is not one of them. Although unpleasant, poor work performance write-ups are a necessary tool for any organization.

    A letter of reprimand serves as both a tool for correction and a record of compliance. The problem is that it’s not always obvious how to write up performance reviews for employees. This post will explain what you need to utilize in your write-ups, best practices for delivering effective reprimands, and include employee write-up samples.


    What To Include In A Reprimand Letter

    There are several elements that you should address in corrective action employee write-ups. The Society for Human Resource Management recommends including the following elements in a reprimand letter.

    • The name(s) of the person writing the warning, the person receiving the warning, and any individuals who will receive a copy.
    • The date the warning was delivered.
    • A statement that clearly describes the performance or conduct issue(s) that resulted in an official warning.
    • A summary of previous discussions about the issue (with dates, if possible) and other related disciplinary or performance issues.
    • An explanation of why the issue is important to the company and which policies were violated.
    • An outline of the employer’s expectations, along with a timeline and goals to show measurable improvement if necessary.
    • The potential consequences if the employee doesn’t meet those expectations, such as further discipline or termination.
    • A note that the warning will be added to the employee’s personnel file.
    • Space for the employee and manager to sign the document (with an optional space for employees to add their own comments regarding the reprimand).


    An Employee Write-Up Sample For Poor Performance

    The following example of a write-up for poor employee performance is a basic template that businesses can modify to suit their exact situation.


    To: [Name of employee]

    From: [Name of manager]

    Date: [Date the warning is given]

    Re: Written Reprimand

    This letter is to inform you that your performance is not meeting the expected requirements for your position. You are officially failing to perform for the following reason(s).

    • [List how the employee isn’t performing up to expectations]

    Based on [policy or performance requirement], you are failing to meet your performance measurements for your job despite [list previous communication or training efforts]. These performance requirements [describe how poor performance impacts the company and the rest of your employees].

    As a result, you will be required to [list an outline of employer expectations, along with timelines for meeting those goals]. If we do not see these improvements, additional disciplinary action will occur up to and including termination of employment. This letter will be added to your personnel file.

    Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

    [Name and title of manager]

    [Names and titles of HR staff and anyone else receiving a copy of the reprimand letter]

    [Space for signatures and comments from the employee]

    Best Practices For Writing Up An Employee

    Having a template for employee write-ups is a good start, but there are several additional factors that employers and managers need to consider when issuing reprimands. Use the following best practices to maximize the effectiveness of your efforts.

    Address the situation before you need a letter

    Unless an employee does something serious enough to warrant an immediate write-up, it’s best to address the problem directly with them first. Try to have a friendly discussion or send them an informal email to address any issues. Starting with a verbal warning will give the employee a chance to address concerns and rectify the issue before it gets to an official reprimand.


    Document the problem

    The more information you have, the better prepared you are should an employee file a lawsuit or take any other actions against your company. Keep a record of your interactions with the employee regarding performance or conduct issues, including every conversation and email, before writing a reprimand letter. These actions will make it clear that the employee was aware of the problems and well-informed about the reasons for any discipline or termination.

    Include other perspectives and statements if possible

    While a manager or supervisor may take the lead in writing up an employee, they’re not the only person who can contribute to an official reprimand. Include any statements made by other employees who have raised concerns or have witnessed issues. Ensure that these statements are factual observations – opinions won’t work for official reprimands.

    Focus on improvement instead of highlighting what’s wrong

    The more detailed and specific you are about setting expectations for improvement, the better. The average employee isn’t afraid of receiving corrective feedback – in fact, 72% of employees think that this form of feedback would improve their performance. The key is that this feedback needs to be delivered in an effective way.

    It’s essential to be honest with the employee about their performance issues and position future expectations in a positive light. For example, a performance improvement plan is a commitment to helping an employee improve. Stay calm, positive, and focus on the benefits instead of dwelling on frustrations.

    Deliver reprimands in person

    Employees should hear their official written warning directly from their manager or supervisor. In this meeting, you can share your concerns and provide specifics about their performance. By delivering the news in person, you can also field questions from them and have them sign the warning letter for your records.

    Embrace Employee Performance Management

    Between employee performance reviews and write-ups, there are plenty of ways that you can maximize your employees’ efforts. The problem is that dedicated employee performance management takes a lot of time and energy for employers.

    GMS helps business owners get the most out of their employees while saving them time. Our experts can take on the administrative burdens associated with hiring, managing, and terminating employees while you focus on other important responsibilities. Contact GMS today to see how we can strengthen your business through employee management and more.