Don’t look now, but Fall is upon us and we are closer to the start of 2017 than we are the start of 2016.

We have a Presidential election coming up in a few weeks, meaning that there will be a change in the leadership of this country, one way or another. Either way, expectations are running rampant about changes to healthcare plans in 2017 and the compliancy tied to those programs.

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In addition to an upcoming national election, we are now quickly approaching open enrollment season for the Affordable Care Act. This is the time of year when people can  apply for healthcare coverage through the exchanges and look for income-based subsidies to help them offset some of their insurance costs.

It’s also the time when employees who don’t feel they have an adequate or affordable employer-sponsored health plan may  seek out coverage and subsidies through the exchanges. While an employer may be tempted to find relief in one less person to cover (and pay for), there may be some repercussions.

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Most entrepreneurs start a business based on something they are passionate about. For the majority of auto shop owners, their dream started working on cars. When that passion turns into a business venture, it quickly becomes apparent that running your own auto shop requires more than just a love of cars.

Leading a group of people, keeping systems in place to track hours, and tracking employee history are just a few of the tasks that shop owners handle on an everyday basis. Owners have enough on their plate in handling day-to-day business, but the work is not done when the shop closes. Here are some of the most common HR issues facing these small business owners.

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Are you a business owner looking for additional ways to compensate and retain your key employees? There are several options that are mutually beneficial for employees and businesses.

I’m going to preface this blog with the fact that I was born and raised in Ohio and am therefore an Ohio State fan. I was on ESPN’s website the other day and came across a story about the “school up north” and their Head Coach Jim Harbaugh getting additional compensation in the form of a life insurance loan.

The story caught my attention because you don’t see articles like this too often, especially when you are looking to read about sports. The fact is, it is commonplace in the corporate world for businesses to offer additional benefits to key executives and/or employees. The agreement that the University of Michigan and Jim Harbaugh have entered into is called a split-dollar life insurance arrangement. These types of arrangements can be a win-win for the employer and employee.

Photo by Eric Upchurch via Wikimedia Commons.

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Recently, I watched a documentary on Tony Robbins. Tony was telling his audience to write down all the things that were getting in the way from becoming the person they wanted to be and then talked about “looking in the mirror.” This talk made me think of my business and how we conduct exit interviews.

Whether it’s a voluntary resignation or termination, we always ask the employee to complete an exit interview. It’s a very simple interview asking the former employee about his or her experience working for Group Management Services. In many of the exit interviews the employee talks about enjoying their time here, but their circumstances changed: they received a better offer, had a baby, a spouse is getting transferred, etc. Many have offered useful suggestions that we have acted upon such as “the sales manual needs to be updated, not enough holidays are recognized, need to have a more flexible schedule,” to name but a few.

These recommendations have all helped GMS become a better company, but they are definitely not the fun ones. The comments I really look forward to are from failing Sales Reps. You see, we have a very thorough sales process. We know how many calls you have to make every day. We know how many people you have to see every week. We know how many people you have to propose to every month. We know who is cheating by looking at the numbers. Thus, their suggestions are the ones I love.

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Not all workplace injuries happen outside. The office isn’t the most dangerous location, but it can still be home to some minor injuries and issues. Here are three threats to employee health in an office space. 

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The trucking industry has played a significant role in the industrial development of the U.S. over the past century, providing a link from manufacturers to consumers. Over that time, there have been major advancements in everything from our interstate highway system, to governmental safety regulations, to the tractors and trailers themselves.

Today, the transportation industry faces several challenges, many of which are related to consistent changes in the regulatory environment. The American Transportation Research Institute released a report in October of 2015 that listed the top 10 issues facing the trucking industry. The top three (in order) were Hours of Service Regulations, the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) Program, and Driver Shortage.

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Small business owners put in a lot of work to make their business succeed. Unfortunately, there are some hurdles that can prevent a small business from a bigger, more lucrative future. Here are three issues that small business owners may have to face when growing their company.

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In the recruiting world we have heard it all before… 

• “I don’t want to post a compensation range because everyone will expect the high end.” 
• “I don’t want my current employees to know what others are paid.”
• “I don’t want my competitors to know our salaries.”
• “Other postings online do not include a compensation range, so why should I?”

Although these are common thoughts for all business owners, it can be directly affecting your candidate pool numbers. In fact, SMART Recruit Online found that job advertisements with a compensation listed increased the total number of candidates by 30 percent. Small and mid-sized companies are at a disadvantage by not posting a wage since larger companies have known salary and hourly rates.

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It can be hard to manage HR functions internally. That’s why a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) provides comprehensive services for businesses in need of help. 

However, some people aren’t as familiar with how PEOs operate and may be concerned about working with them. Fortunately, we’re here to help answer your questions. We’ve debunked three myths about PEOs that you shouldn’t worry about.

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