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  • Business jargon is everywhere, but that doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily helping your employees. Jargon is a way to condense interesting ideas into short sound bites so that business people could easily convey messages without lengthy explanations. Unfortunately, using jargon doesn’t always work out that way and can end up negatively affecting your employees.

    Image of bored employees. Read about the problems of business jargon and how a PEO can help keep your employees informed.

    What Does It Mean?

    Not everybody knows what you know and vice versa. When a person speaks in jargon, there’s always a chance that the message can be misunderstood.

    Some employees are better than others at keeping up with business jargon. Others may not have a clue or only a slight understanding of what someone is trying to convey when they throw around terms like “mindshare.” Employees aren’t likely to stop someone and ask what they mean for fear of looking uninformed, even if they’re not the only person who’s confused.

    If you think that someone might not be picking up on jargon, it might be best to just explain it in common language. This will keep your employees in the loop and save you from having to explain your message again at a later date.

    Jargon Relatability

    Jargon can lead to more than confusion. Author James Sudakow speculates that too much jargon can make normal work conversations feel inauthentic. Instead, it relies on business clichés to speed up discussions and explanations in place of language that may better connect with employees.

    This doesn’t mean that jargon doesn’t have its place. Succinct explanations can be worthwhile in moderation. However, if a jargon-heavy conversation is leading to some blank stares, it might be time to switch to more simplified language. 

    Less Jargon, More Information

    Confused employees are not going to be nearly as effective as they could be with clear communication. Like jargon, human resources can often be a source of confusion for your employees. Unfortunately, you may not have all the answers that your employees are seeking.

    A Professional Employer Organization like Group Management Services can offer HR management that can benefit your company by simplifying complex topics. A PEO can manage important functions like payroll, HR, risk management, and benefits, all while keeping your employees up to date. Contact us today to learn how partnering with a PEO can strengthen your business and keep you and your employees on the same page.

  • A good meeting can help steer a business toward success. Unfortunately, not all meetings turn out to be all that helpful. According to Inc.com, roughly two-thirds of meetings are seen as unproductive, which ends up hurting businesses more than helping them. Effective, efficient meetings are critical, so here are three ways you can help your business succeed in the conference room.

    Image of a business meeting. Read our tips for successful meetings.

    Think Ahead and Be Prepared

    A meeting without a plan is like trying to find a needle in a haystack; you might eventually get to the point, but it can take a while. Impromptu, aimless meetings are likely going to waste people’s time and accomplish little.  However, unnecessary meetings are even worse.

    Before you schedule a meeting, always consider if it’s necessary. If a quick phone call or an email will suffice, stick with those options. If a meeting is still the best option, make sure you set some goals. Consider why you need a meeting and arrange it so that you can achieve your objectives, whether it’s to gather information or take action on something.

    Finally, invite only the people who need to be in the meeting. If someone has something important to provide for the meeting, make sure that they’ll be involved. Time is money, so making someone sit through a meeting in which they’ll have little to contribute is a waste of resources.

    Be Timely and Stay on Point

    Like we said before, time is money. This means that overly long, meandering meetings aren’t great for business. Jerry’s vacation sounded like a lot of fun, but having to schedule and go through another meeting because people were too busy talking about Jerry’s mishaps in Mexico is a waste of time.

    A meeting agenda can help you keep the meeting on topic and efficient. Allot specific amounts of time for each subject and keep tangents to a minimum. Send the agenda out to a day before the meeting so that people can properly prepare their points. The people attending the meeting need to stick to the agenda, as well. Multitasking is one of the leading causes of unproductive meetings. Keep those phones, laptops, and tablets away unless there’s a specific reason that it helps the current meeting.

    Also, please make sure that everyone shows up to the meeting on time. It seems like common sense, but lateness can help derail a meeting right away, as well as waste the time of others.

    Sum It Up Into Actionable Info

    Valuable info isn’t very valuable if nobody remembers it. The ideas or decisions made in meetings can’t just stay in the conference room. Meeting recaps can help people remember the important details discussed in meetings and make it more likely that people will follow through on action items. Send out a recap email or create some kind of reminder system so that the meeting can matter after it’s completed.

    Stay Organized and Succeed

    Even efficient and effective meetings take up time that could be spent elsewhere. As a Professional Employer Organization, Group Management Services can help business owners free up their time by taking on administrative burdens.

    Like meetings, payroll administration, human resource management, and other important functions can take up a lot of time. As HR experts, we can manage these functions efficiently and effectively, freeing you up for other important tasks and potentially saving you money in the process. Contact GMS today to schedule an HR audit and see how we can help you steer your business for even more success.

  • The holidays can be a lot of fun, but they can also lead to a lot of stress for business owners and employees. Between the family events and changing schedules, holiday season can be pretty hectic. Here are a few tips to help business owners come out on top.

    Image of a n office during the holidays. Contact GMS about HR management from a Professional Employer Organization.

    Plan for More than the Holiday Party

    Figuring out a time, date, and place for the annual company party is not even close to the most important thing owners need to plan for during the holiday season. Office time may be at a premium thanks to a combination of days off from observed holidays and paid time off (PTO) days used by employees. This means you need to plan ahead and make sure that your business won’t fall behind on anything because of the limited number of work hours in the holiday months.

    Your employees won’t be the only people with fewer work days. Your clients and customers may be less available than usual thanks to the holiday season. Don’t wait until the middle of December to contact people if you can get a hold of them earlier than that.

    Take Advantage of the Holiday Season

    While the holidays mean extra days off, it can also afford some extra opportunities. Depending on your business, there may be marketing opportunities or various trends that you can use to your advantage. Holiday sales or specials can be a nice little incentive for your customers, even if you’re not a toy store or some other retailer. Don’t be afraid to get creative and use the season to your advantage.

    Learn from Past Mistakes

    Those who don’t learn from their past mistakes are doomed to repeat them. Take a look at your performance from the last year or two and note any trends or issues. This can help you identify problem areas and make the necessary adjustments, whether it’s more seasonal help, a better system for keeping track of time off, or any other factors. Plus, there are always the mistakes people can make during the office party. For tips on that, please refer to this helpful post on company parties.

    Treat Your Employees (and Yourself) with a PEO

    Nobody wants to deal with HR headaches. Even without any holiday party issues, managing HR can be a big pain for businesses. A Professional Employer Organization like Group Management Services can help you protect your business from HR issues and offer your employees greater benefits such as paid time off and other perks. Contact us today to learn how partnering with a PEO can strengthen your business this holiday season.

  • The United States Construction Industry is sure to face some changes in the coming year, with the change of leadership and direction of the country. Regardless of your position, there has been a push for investment in this country’s infrastructure on both sides of the aisle.

    President-elect Trump has mapped out a $1 trillion infrastructure plan with the help of Economic Advisors Peter Navarro and Wilbur Ross. They have broken down a 10-year plan, with the focus of funding coming from private entities. The idea is for these revenue generating projects (i.e. Utilities, toll roads, airports…etc.) to provide tax credits to the private investors to be counterbalanced by the employee and company taxes generated from these projects.

    All parties have agreed on the need for investment into our infrastructure, which in turn, should generate more jobs in the construction industry across the country. That being the case, there are HR issues that need to be addressed through the industry to aid in this growth.

    Image of a construction worker. Contact GMS for help with HR issues in the construction industry.

    Top Issues Facing the Construction Industry

    1. Recruitment: According to a 2016 National Survey by the Associated General Contractors, two-thirds of contractors are having a difficult time finding qualified craft workers to keep up with the demand.
    2. Workers’ Compensation Costs: In this high risk industry, employers are finding it difficult to maintain reasonable premiums for workers’ compensation coverage. In March of 2015, workers’ compensation costs comprised 3 percent of overall compensation versus a 1.4 percent average for all occupations.
    3. Safety: In 2014, 1 in 5 U.S. work related fatalities across the country were in the construction industry, at an average rate of over 13 deaths per day. 
    4. Worker Classification: There has been a trend of companies misclassifying workers as independent contractors to avoid having to pay Overtime, Federal Unemployment, as well as Social Security and Medicare Taxes. The penalties include the Department of Labor being able secure unpaid wages, penalties for failure to withhold taxes, as well as other punitive damages.

    Many employers do not have the time or resources in order to effectively manage all of these areas. One way you can help combat these issues is by outsourcing all of your HR functions to a Professional Employer Organization. At Group Management Services, we have the experts to help make sure you are protected. Whether it is through recruiting, risk management, or competitive benefits plans, we have the ability to make your business simpler, safer, and stronger. Contact GMS today to learn more!  

  • 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.

    Image of an unhappy employee.

    How Unhappy Employees Can Hurt Your Business

    Unhappy employees cost businesses a lot of money. Gallup found that actively disengaged employees cost U.S. businesses roughly half a billion dollars per year, affecting everything from small businesses to large corporations. 

    These losses can come from a variety of reasons, ranging from small offenses to serious problems. On the lower end, a disinterested employee can skirt their responsibilities. This can result in a loss of productivity due to a lack of motivation and happiness. In extreme cases, the employee may start to even steal from the company. Either way, your company gets hurt.

    What Happy Employees Can Do

    While unhappy employees can cause serious financial damage, happy employees are a boon to business. Studies have shown that actively engaged, happy employees are more productive than normal workers, making for better results for their bosses. Happy employees also have less incentive to leave their jobs, which can benefit your business since employee replacement can be quite costly.

    What You Can Do About Unhappy Employees

    Sometimes it doesn’t take much to inspire some unhappy employees. Good benefits and opportunities can be enough to support your workforce. It’s also important to hire people who make sense for your company and fit into your company culture. Initiatives like a workplace wellness program can also help your employees improve the quality of their lives – and potentially their happiness.

    These are all services that a Professional Employer Organization can provide for your business to help support your workforce and strengthen your business. Contact us today to talk to an expert at GMS about how improved HR functions and benefits can improve company morale.

  • 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.

    Image of an employee on vacation. Manage PTO requests with the help of a PEO.

    Let People Know

    People shouldn’t be surprised than an employee is gone. Make sure that your company knows that someone will be gone so that they can get what they need from him or her before they leave. There are also plenty of people outside of the company that may need to be informed as well.

    Employees should set up autoreply email messages and voicemails to let people know that they’re away and who to contact during their absence. Higher priority customers or other outside parties can be told a week or two in advance.

    Prioritize Important Tasks

    Depending on the employee, there may be certain tasks that can’t be done by other workers. Make sure that your employee prioritizes these tasks if they need to be done before he or she leaves. That way you don’t have to worry about them while your employee is gone.

    Delegate Other Duties That Can’t Wait

    According to a 2014 study, 41 percent of American workers don’t actually plan on using their vacation days. Why, you ask? The most common reason is that employees are afraid of dealing with all of the work that wasn’t handled while they were away. 

    Make the return to work easier on your employee by having some other people pick up some of the slack. That will help them get back into a regular work flow without feeling like they need another vacation after dealing with a mountain of work after their vacation.

    Set Communication Rules

    Employees should try to stay offline during vacations, but you may need to reach out to them in case of emergency. Set rules for communication to make sure there are guidelines.

    If an employee is completely off limits, make sure they let people know. Other employees may actively check emails or accept calls. If that’s the case, let them set guidelines for how and when they can be reached. That way you can minimize interruptions in their vacation.

    Enjoy Their Vacation

    Once an employee has prepared for vacation, they can go ahead and relax. Of course, vacation time can be tricky without having a solid PTO plan set in place. If you need to set up a PTO process for your business, contact GMS today to talk to one of our experts about how our HR management services can help.

  • 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.

    Image of compliance needs for a business. Learn how human resorce outsourcing with a PEO can help with compliance.

    Four Areas Where Non-compliance Can Cost Businesses

    Workplace Safety

    OSHA takes safety very seriously and can dole out some significant fines for non-compliance. According to the OSHA Penalties list updated Jan. 13, 2017, serious violations can cost a business a whopping $12,675 per violation. It’s 10 times that amount for willful or repeated penalties.

    Workplace inspections and guidance on compliance can do more than just avoid costly OSHA fines. They can make your workplace safer and minimize risk for workplace accidents. 

    Hiring

    Hiring employees can be a costly experience if you aren’t compliant with appropriate policies and practices. There are several laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that can trip up companies that aren’t careful, leading to lawsuits from disgruntled applicants over improper job applications, discrimination, or other issues.

    Healthcare

    Even with the current political administration in power, businesses should still plan for Affordable Care Act  compliance. As our own Andrew Szczesniak wrote earlier this year about the future of the ACA , “it’s impossible to predict with any certainty what will happen in the next 12 months, let alone the next two years.”

    With many people committed to the ACA through at least 2017, businesses still need to make sure that they stay compliant. Failure to offer coverage under current legislation could end up costing a company thousands of dollars  each month, depending on the number of employees at your company and how/if you offered employees coverage. The specifics can get complicated, so The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation has an easy chart that you can follow to see where you fall.

    Payroll

    Businesses have to deal with tax liabilities and responsibilities. If you don’t stay compliant, you could end up having to cut a few more checks as a penalty. 

    Bloomberg reported back in 2014 that “the IRS issued 6.8 million penalties totaling $4.5 billion” for business in the U.S. over the course of a year. That’s a lot of lost cash that could be avoided by making sure your business is compliant with tax liabilities and responsibilities.

    Stay Compliant through Changing Regulations

    It can be tricky enough for some businesses to stay compliant with every rule and regulation. It gets even harder when laws are created or updated. 

    The ACA is a great example of how changing legislation can create questions about what you need to do to keep your business compliant and avoid costly penalties. A PEO has a dedicated team of HR specialists who can help you stay up to date on the legislation and regulations that may affect your business. 

    With a PEO, you don’t have to toil away for long nights trying to make sense of every little detail. PEO experts know how to do that so your business is safer and stronger in the long run. Contact us today to talk to one of our experts about how a PEO can help your business with compliance.

  • 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.

    Image of a man frustrated with emails. Read our email management tips.

    Schedule Times to Check Your Email

    Stop answering an email as soon as you see a notification. It’s rare that you’ll ever need to respond within minutes of an incoming message and the distraction can really hurt your productivity. According to Atlassian, a company that develops software and management tools, it can take around 16 minutes to truly refocus after being interrupted by an incoming email, meaning that emails can take up a lot of time and make you less efficient at other tasks. 

    One way to address this problem is to set a couple of regularly scheduled times to review and answer your emails. That way you can focus on whatever task you’re working on and give it your full attention. You can then check on that email – and any others – at 2 p.m., or whatever the next time you have set in your calendar. Plus, it’s more efficient to handle emails in bulk anyway!

    SaneBox, an online email efficiency tool, estimates that “62% of emails in the average inbox are not important and can be processed in bulk.” By setting up regular times to check your inbox, you can more efficiently address each message.

    Turn Off Email Notifications

    If you really like our last suggestion, but just can’t stop getting distracted when an email notification pops up on your screen, feel free to turn off those notifications. Notifications are designed to get your attention, so removing them will effectively remove the impulse to check your inbox.

    Of course, not everybody will be willing – or even able – to turn off notifications. However, that simple act can make it easier to break bad email habits and save you and your company time in the long run.

    Think Before You Send

    A quick consideration of who should receive an email can help limit the amount of time your company spends dealing with emails. The Wall Street Journal reported on a company that began telling their executives to reconsider cc’ing extra people on an email or forwarding items to them to keep them in the loop. 

    What they found was that these emails ended up being more of a time suck that a help. By limiting the number of people on forwards, cc’s, or bcc’s, the company cut the total number of emails – and the number of potential distractions – sent out by half.

    Save Time for Other Work Functions

    Good time management is a crucial way to help save your business money. Retooling email habits can help eliminate unnecessarily wasted time so that you and your employees can spend that time elsewhere.

    Emails aren’t the only thing that can take away from productivity. HR functions can take hours of time away from other important tasks, especially if you aren’t trained properly. If you need to free your time up, contact GMS to see how our HR experts can help. 

  • A company can offer the best product or service around, but if no one knows about it, they will never succeed. In today’s consumer market, it is more important than ever to get the word out about your business. Here are a couple ideas to get you started.

    Who is my audience?

    The first step to any marketing plan is to identify your target audience. What do they look like? There are many factors that will determine your demographic. What is their age, gender, occupation, education, income, etc. Once you have gathered this information, you are ready to move on to the next step. 

    What are my differentiators?

    You must determine the factors that make your company/product/service stand out from the rest. By successfully communicating the things that set your business apart, you can separate yourself from the competition. Otherwise, your communication will fall on deaf ears and you will blend in with the rest of your competitors. 

    How do I reach my audience?

    Once you have identified your audience and differentiators, you must figure out the best way to get your message in front of that group. Today, there are many avenues to reach prospects.

    Online

    Many companies will start by creating a website and social media presence. They must then determine which social media outlet will best reach their audience. According to Small Business Trend’s 2016 Social Media Statistics Study, “Almost 90 percent of marketers say their social marketing efforts have increased exposure for their business, and 75 percent say they’ve increased traffic.”

    Facebook currently has the largest reach of all, but there are many options depending on your demographic. Many B2B companies will focus on LinkedIn to build professional relationships with those in their industry and to connect with new clients. Companies with a physical product, focused more on visual appeal, can utilize an outlet like Instagram to reach their audience. 

    These resources typically have paid advertising options where you can target your ads to your audience. There is an array of options, so it is very important to do your research in finding the best option for your business.   

    Local 

    If your business focuses on a certain location, another option would be to seek advertising options throughout the local publications. You can look to offer deals, or specials to attract new customers through print advertising options. 

    Get out and promote! Look for event sponsorship opportunities to get your name out there. Find networking or social events where you can reach your target audience. The easiest way to get someone to pay attention, will always be face-to-face interaction. 

    It is much easier for a consumer to scroll past a post, ignore an email, or skim past an ad than to tell someone “No” in person. Marketing resource MarketingProfs mirrors this sentiment, citing a Meeting Professionals International (MPI) report that states “40 percent of prospects converted to new customers via face-to-face meetings, and 28 percent of current business would be lost without face-to-face meetings.”

    Find Time to Market Your Business

    Many entrepreneurs struggle to find the time to address the marketing needs of their company, as they are too busy keeping up with the daily duties of running their business. Some will outsource different aspects of the business, so they can focus on daily operations. Professional Employer Organizations like GMS can help companies save a lot of time and money, by handling all of their HR related tasks. Contact us today to learn more!

  • 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.

    Image of Rosa Parks, civil right activist, secretary, and receptionist.

    Rosa Parks

    Odds are that you know Rosa Parks as the famous civil rights activist who refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Ala. back in 1955. During that time, she also served as the secretary for her local chapter of the NAACP. She continued to play an active role in the civil rights movement and moved to Detroit, where she was hired as the secretary and receptionist for U.S. Representative John Conyers, a position she held from 1965 to 1988.

    Erin Brockovich

    Before Erin Brockovich was the focus of an Academy Award-winning film featuring Julia Roberts, she was a legal secretary. Her most well-known work involved allegations that the Pacific Gas & Electric Company contaminated drinking water in a small California town. Her work helped lead to a $333 million settlement, the largest direct-action lawsuit settlement in the U.S. when the case concluded in 1996.

    Ursula Burns

    While Burns is known as the first female African-American CEO of a Fortune 500 company, she initially started out as a personal assistant at Xerox. Burns had held a few positions at other companies before she was offered a position in 1990 as the personal assistant for Wayland Hicks, Xerox’s then president of marketing and customer operations. 

    Burns worked her way up in the company and was named CEO in 2009. She held the position until the end of 2016 and now serves as Chairwoman for the company.

    Thomas A. Watson

    Phones are a huge part of businesses around the world. One assistant helped make the telephone a reality. Thomas A. Watson served as Alexander Graham Bell assistant and was the very first person to receive a message by phone. After moving on from his assistant’s position for Bell, Watson worked as a farmer and a traveling Shakespearean actor before founding one of the largest shipyards in early 1900’s America.

    Rewarding Administrative Professionals

    While there have been many notable administrative professionals, the most important to your company  is  the one you have working at your office. There are plenty of things that you can do to reward your administrative employees, both for Administrative Professionals Day any other day of the year, but one of the best is by offering a benefits package that can truly reflect just how valuable they are to your company. 

    Contact us today to talk with one of our experts about how partnering with a PEO can help you retain your employees and save money through our benefits administration services.