Paper has played a huge role for businesses. Legal documents and contracts can be found in offices around the country. Business cards and print ads helped to seal deals for decades. Even money is printed on paper. Thanks to technology, however, the times have been a changin’.

In this digital age, businesses can cut down on paper usage in favor of online documents and processes. It’s become so popular that, according to a study on document-creation site Nitro, 49 percent of CEOs name sustainability as a top three initiative for their organization. A paperless workplace is a great way to achieve that goal.

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Employees handbooks are more than just a stack of papers you hand to new hires. An employee handbook can be key part of informing your workers about several items, including:

• Company philosophy
• Conditions of employment
• Company policies and procedures
• Compensation and benefits

Handbooks are great at introducing a new hire to your business, but it’s not the only role it plays. A handbook also serves as an important compliance document that shares the rights and obligations for both employees and their employers. Including certain criteria about these legal obligations and having your employees sign off that they received a copy of the handbook, can help protect your business in case there’s ever a labor dispute.

Of course, things change. Your company can grow, opening you up to new legal requirements. Legislative changes can affect several of your policies. Over time, you’ll need to update your handbook to address these changes if you want to avoid any potential issues. 

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Administrative professionals can be the gears that keep your business machine moving forward. Administrative Professionals Day is April 26, so we’d like to highlight a few high-profile assistants, secretaries, and other notable administrative workers throughout history.

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Too many emails per day keeps productivity away. Email is a great communication tool, but too many business owners and employees get bogged down and frustrated by endless messages that eat away at productivity.

Forbes reported that “office workers spend 2.6 hours per day reading and answering emails.” That’s almost a third of your work day! It’s time to take back your time so that you can limit the amount of your day you spend dealing with your email and limiting distractions. That way your business can benefit and you’ll feel a lot better about dealing with your inbox on your terms. Here are three email time-management tips that can benefit you and your company.

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As a business owner, you get to make the rules in  your own company. However, there are still plenty of regulations and laws that can impact your business.

It can be difficult for owners to keep track of every single rule and avoid non-compliance costs when they’re  busy, well, running a business. That’s why it can pay to invest in human resource outsourcing through a Professional Employer Organization. A PEO can help your business stay in line with complicated regulations to help you keep your HR functions in order. Here are areas  where a PEO can help save you some money.

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Vacations are an important tool to help employees take some time off and recharge every once in a while. However, improper planning and coordination before a vacation can leave employees and their employers in a difficult situation.

Without the right steps, a vacationing employee can lead to missing deadlines, confused customers or clients, and stressed out workers if you don’t take the right steps to prepare for someone’s absence. Here are four things your employees should do before they head out on a well-earned vacation.

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Business owners should feel like shouting “mayday” when preparing for pay day. Unfortunately, payroll management can be a time-consuming, frustrating ordeal for owners if they don’t have any help. 

Payroll needs to be done securely, accurately, and on-time, which leads to extra aggravation, but it’s better than having several employees questioning where their paychecks are or why they’re incorrect. Online payroll helps business owners streamline the process by giving them the tools to make management faster and easier. Here are three big benefits of using online payroll for your business. 

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Snow and ice is nothing new for people in the Midwest, but winter weather still creates plenty of headaches each year. While many people have to deal with heating bills, bad road conditions, and frighteningly large icicles that ominously hang overhead, winter weather can pose a few other problems for business owners.

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Happiness can be very lucrative for a business. Unfortunately, unhappy employees can hurt bottom line and make it harder for businesses to grow. Employee morale can be affected by a number of factors, including work conditions, coworkers, and personal matters, but regardless of the reason, disengaged workers can lead to future issues for business owners.

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As your business grows, so will your team. Adding new employees is a big part of any business, but it can be a problem if you hire new people when your business isn’t ready to take on more staff. Here are some things you should think about when you’re considering hiring additional employees.

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