Blog

A recent article written by the Wall Street Journal  outlines some startling financial data in regard to our domestic health insurers and their cryptic billing process established by CMS (Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services). Although GMS typically focuses on the private insurance markets—as they are the most relevant for businesses—examining the continued failures of CMS may provide some insight as to why our domestic healthcare system operates so poorly and why prices for both public and private health insurance markets are sky-rocketing.  

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Payroll forms can put a lot of pressure on business owners. When you’re in charge of a small business, it’s up to you to make sure that these forms are not only completed accurately, but on time as well. If you’re not careful, the penalties can range from $50 per faulty form all the way up to hundreds of thousands of dollars for notable violations.

One of the biggest struggles of managing payroll forms is simply knowing which forms apply to your business and what they do. We’ve compiled a list of payroll forms that you’ll likely need to know for your small business and how they work.

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In the past, business owners in Michigan had the option of whether they wanted to offer paid sick leave for their employees. However, Michigan adopted the Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) Sept. 5, 2018, making it the 11th state to have a mandatory paid sick leave law in effect. Within a few months, the state’s legislature amended the bill, adopting the Paid Medical Leave Act (PMLA) as a modified version of the initial act that will go into effect starting March of 2019. 

With all the changes in Michigan’s paid sick leave laws, it’s time for business owners in the state to take stock of exactly what the PMLA requires of them, if they should reevaluate their paid leave policies, and what they need to do to be compliant with the new law.

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Winter isn’t coming—it’s here. The falling snow and frigid air are good reminders to prepare your workplace for the winter months ahead. From power outages to workplace injuries, winter weather can have some chilling effects on your business operations. Read on to understand why workplace safety is important and the winter workplace safety measures your organization should take this season.

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Probably. Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows? Do you know?

As a Sales Rep for a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), I talk with small to medium-sized business owners on a day-to-day basis. I never cease to be amazed at how well they know their company, their employees, their business, their industry, and their competition. When you spend 80 hours a week working on your business, you become an expert.

Yet, these same business owners will often tell me, “I don’t know what I don’t know. And even if I knew what I didn’t know, I don’t always know how to find out what I need to fix, remedy, or comply with the situation.” Of course, they don’t. They’re devoting all their time to making a better product and/or a better company.

If you’re new to the game or haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about this, you might be wondering what regulations I’m speaking of in the title of this post. After all, those are geared towards large companies, not small, independent businesses, right?

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Ever wonder the reasoning behind a paycheck? As in, why does one employee make a certain amount, while another earns more or less? It all comes down to an organization’s compensation philosophy. 

Does your organization have a compensation philosophy? A WorldatWork survey found that more than nine in 10 companies have a compensation philosophy; however, that doesn’t mean their compensation philosophies are any good. Nearly one in three compensation philosophies aren’t in writing, while about half of employees don’t even know or understand them. This presents a huge missed opportunity for companies, as there are many benefits to pay transparency. 

Intrigued? Read on to learn what compensation philosophy is and how your organization can benefit from having a good compensation strategy in place.

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A culture of workplace safety not only helps protect you and your employees from avoidable accidents, it can also benefit your business financially. Costs associated with workers’ compensation rates can add up over time, but preventative measures can help businesses save their hard-earned money.

One place that has seen the benefits of reduced fees is North Carolina. Business Insurance reported that two states announced workers’ compensation rate reductions in 2019, led by a 17.2 percent drop for the Tar Heel State. What could have caused this and how does it affect small business owners? Here’s what you need to know.

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Let’s face it; you’re not going to get along with every person you meet—and that includes the people you work with.

Conflict in the workplace happens at every organization and ignoring it can be costly. A study by professional training and coaching company CPP, Inc. found that 85 percent of employees experience conflict in the workplace. When it’s fight or flight, it’s easy to want to avoid conflict at all costs; however, your organization will surely pay the price by avoiding conflict management altogether. CPP’s research found that workplace conflict wastes nearly three hours per week, costing $359 billion in paid hours.

Because every employee possesses a unique set of attitudes, visions, and values that may differ from that of their co-workers, these differences can sometimes lead to conflicts in the office. We put together some conflict management tips to help you understand what can spark a conflict in the workplace and how you can put out the flames for even the hottest office tempers.

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Whether you’re trying to find a way to save time and energy by outsourcing payroll administration or your old payroll partner just isn’t cutting it, you’re going to have to deal with the process of switching to a new payroll system, also known as payroll conversion. A rough transition to a new payroll system can lead to serious issues, including IRS penalties for non-compliance. Fortunately, there are some ways to help alleviate some potential issues that can arise when you convert your payroll process to a new system.

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Going to work shouldn’t feel like, well, going to work.

Sadly, that’s how most workers feel. A Gallup study found that two-thirds of full-time workers experience burnout on the job. Yet, only 23 percent of companies offer burnout prevention programs, according to a 2017 Statista survey. It’s a huge issue for many companies and a major reason why talented workers leave for better opportunities.

However, employee burnout doesn’t have to be part of the job. Learning how to spot job burnout and understanding its effects can help employers not only reduce burnout and job stress, but also increase productivity and revenue. We put together some tips to learn more about what job burnout is, how job burnout is affecting your company and ways you can prevent (and even reverse) job burnout at your organization.

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