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  • With 2023 in full swing, business owners are still trying to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic – hiring, recruiting, retaining employees, and more. However, employers may be so eager to get employees to work for them, they may be disregarding the potential cost of labor law violations. Labor laws are regulations that outline rights and liabilities in the workplace, notably those of the employees and the employer. They can be one of the trickiest issues you face as an employer if you don’t adhere to these laws and regulations.

    This is relevant now more than ever as the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) came out with its newest rule. The new ruling states that employers who violate federal labor law must compensate workers to make up for the direct consequences of unfair labor practices. The board expressed that victims of labor law violations are entitled to be compensated for all “direct or foreseeable pecuniary harm” due to illegal labor practices.

    The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)

    In 1935, Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), making it clear that it’s the policy of the U.S. to encourage collective bargaining by protecting workers’ full freedom of association. It ultimately protects workplace democracy by providing employees at private-sector workplaces the fundamental right to seek better working conditions and designation of representation without fear of retaliation. The NLRA prohibits employers from firing, demoting, or withholding benefits from employees due to their involvement in or support of a union.

    The following are examples of illegal discrimination under the NLRA:

    • Discharging employees because they urged other employees to join a union 
    • Refusing to reinstate employees when jobs they are qualified for are open because they took part in a union’s strike 
    • Demoting employees because they circulated a union petition among other employees asking the employer for an increase in pay 
    • Discontinuing an operation at one plant and discharging the employees involved, then opening the same operation at another plant with new employees because the employees at the first plant joined a union 
    • Refusing to hire qualified applicants for jobs because they belong to a union 

    What The Board Is Saying

    Recently, the board has been vocal in expressing updates to the current laws that are in place. In addition to the loss of earnings and benefits, victims of unfair labor practices may incur significant financial costs, including:

    • Out-of-pocket medical expenses
    • Credit card debt
    • Other costs that are a direct or foreseeable result of the unfair labor practices

    The NLRB determined that compensation for these losses should be a part of the standard, make-whole remedy for labor law violations. The board emphasized that employees aren’t made whole until they’re fully compensated for financial harm suffered from unlawful conduct. Common remedies imposed included reinstatement of employment, back pay, payment of dues and fines, stopping unlawful rules or practices, or a notice posted at the workplace. The NLRB’s latest law expands this list substantially for employers, holding them more accountable for their actions.

    The following are new make-whole remedies that the NLRB has cited:

    • Compensation for health care expenses that an employee incurs as a result of an unlawful termination of health insurance
    • Compensation for credit card late fees incurred
    • Compensation for the loss of a home or a car that an employee suffered resulting from an unlawful discharge
    • Employer sponsorship of work authorizations for the firing of undocumented workers

    In addition, for an employer’s unlawful failure to bargain with a union, remedies could include the following:

    • Compensation for losses sustained by employees
    • Bargaining schedules
    • Cease-and-desist orders
    • Reimbursement of collective bargaining expenses
    • Reinstatement of a one-year contract bar
    • Reinstatement of proposals that the board finds to have been unlawfully withdrawn
    • Submission of periodic detailed progress reports to the board

    What This Means For Employers

    The biggest takeaway from this is to minimize and avoid any violations of the NLRA. It’s essential that you and your leaders within your organization must understand the rules associated with the NLRA. When you partner with GMS, we take on that responsibility for you. Our HR experts ensure you remain compliant in all areas of your business, from payroll to benefits to risk management, we’re here to help. If you want to learn more, contact us today.

  • During the rush of the holiday season, employers often turn to additional help – seasonal workers. However, as employers are feverishly hiring, they often make a variety of mistakes. According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), employers who are unaccustomed to seasonal hiring may not be aware of the rules and regulations. Are you ready to focus on making your business thrive this holiday season? Continue reading to find out how to accurately add to your employee count.

    The Hiring Process

    Before you begin the hiring process, establish a well-planned strategy to comply with employment laws. Building a strategy will allow you to protect your business. It’s essential to ensure that new hires are aware that they are hired on a temporary basis. Furthermore, you should require any seasonal employee to acknowledge, in writing, that they will only be guaranteed employment for the specified duration. Another consideration is to utilize “at-will” employees. This type of employee gives employers the legal right to terminate the employee with or without cause.

    Employee Classification

    When classifying your employees, you want to ensure that the classification is appropriately documented. It might be easy to assume that due to the length of employment, these employees should be classified as independent contractors; however, this is not the case. Employers considering their seasonal workers as independent contractors should ensure that the classification meets the legal requirements.

    Wage And Exemption Pitfalls

    Common pitfalls employers often see when hiring seasonal workers are due to incorrect pay. Employers make the mistake of paying employees less than minimum wage or failing to comply with overtime requirements. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) requires seasonal employees to be paid one-and-a-half times the regular pay rate for any additional hour worked over the 40-hour week. However, under FLSA, seasonal workers may be exempt from receiving overtime pay working in establishments such as:

    • Recreational establishments
    • Organized camps
    • Religious groups
    • Non-profits
    • Educational institutions

    Company Size

    The size of your organization can create a barrier to the talent you need; however, employee thresholds often vary by state. Additional employees can put small business owners into a new size classification. Employers should determine whether additional workers will convert them into large employers under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  However, if a company is already a large employer, health benefits are required to be provided to seasonal employees.  Failure to provide the required benefits can lead to expensive consequences for employers. Consider reviewing your benefits policies and health plans to establish whether these offerings are required.

    Simplify Seasonal Hiring With GMS

    With the holiday season in full swing, it’s vital for employers to properly hire their seasonal workers. With GMS as a partner, our team of HR professionals can ease the administrative burdens that come along with seasonal hiring. GMS will ensure you remain compliant, so you can focus on growing your bottom line. Contact us today to learn more.

  • Burnout. The feeling we’ve all experienced. As we wrap up 2022, we all get in the holiday spirit and get distracted from our jobs. Oftentimes, this time of year is a time when we get that burnt-out feeling of not wanting to give it our all. 48% of employees and 53% of managers report that they’re burned out at work. Job burnout is a type of work-related stress – a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity. The following are common characteristics of burnout:

    • Frequent illness
    • Disengagement and detachment
    • Feelings of frustration or helplessness
    • Loss of motivation

    What Causes Burnout?

    Even though burnout has become simply “part of the job” for many workers across the world, the organizational cost of burnout is substantial. Burned-out employees are 63% more likely to take sick days and 2.6 times as likely to be actively looking for a different job. Your job as a business owner is to ensure your employees don’t have these feelings before they choose to look elsewhere. The first step in doing so is understanding what can cause your employees to feel burned out. It may come as a surprise that the main factors driving employee burnout have less to do with expectations for hard work and performance and more to do with how someone is managed.

    The main factors that cause burnout include the following:

    • Unmanageable workload
    • Challenging to find a work/life balance
    • Feelings of having little or no control over your work
    • Pressure
    • Disconnect in values
    • Lack of support from managers, feedback, fairness and equity, participation in decision making

    How To Prevent Burnout

    Fortunately, you can prevent burnout from happening. You need to start by addressing the true causes of employee burnout. Perhaps you enforce weekly or bi-weekly meetings with your employees to check in on them. This will create a workplace environment that empowers employees to feel and perform their best, eliminating that feeling of burnout. Additional steps you can take as a leader for your employees is by considering the following:

    • Hold meetings in a different setting
    • Promote work/life balance
    • Monitor workloads and schedules
    • Encourage employees to use vacation time
    • Provide work-from-home options
    • Prioritize workplace wellness
    • Enforce management wellness
    • Create goals and career paths
    • Practice open communication
    • Lead by example
    • Welcome employee feedback

    The list is never-ending. You have to determine what works best for each employee, which you won’t know until you meet with them one-on-one. This is a time for you to get creative. Perhaps you create a contest with prizes to add a new dynamic to everyone’s daily routine, or maybe you do an exercise break once a day.

    Wondering Where To Start?

    Engaged employees drive concrete business results. When employees aren’t experiencing burnout, they’re more energized, enthusiastic, and focused. Step out of your normal work style and change it up a bit. Not sure where to start? GMS has you covered. Our performance review systems provide you with resources to provide your employees with consistent feedback, develop employees’ careers, goal setting, and so much more. In addition, our benefits department works with you to develop a benefits package your employees want and need. Whether you provide them with personal days or additional benefits they can use when they do reach that feeling of burnout, we help you every step of the way. We’re in this together. Contact us today to learn more.

  • Every year, we make resolutions to change bad habits into good ones. The turn of the year is a perfect time for this if you’re looking to kick things up a notch in 2023. These changes are aimed at improving your HR processes and environment. This change is necessary. But how do you know which changes you should make?

    Post-lockdown life has definitely made an impact on the workforce. With new terms like the Great Resignation and quiet-quitting, it can be hard to make sense of this ever-evolving time in history. It’s time for companies to be nimble and fully embrace innovation, or they may get pushed to the back of the crowd. Continue reading to learn how you can make changes to your business to ensure a successful 2023.

    Increased Focus On Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion 

    In the business world, diversity is a buzzword. The term shows up in mission statements, corporate social responsibility reports, and on conference panels. However, the lack of meaningful change in the numbers – and people – offers evidence that talk is cheap. Inclusion in the workplace must start with management and core company values. It’s critical that we find ways to create more inclusive work environments and to encourage diversity in our companies actively. If we don’t, we may lose out on having a diverse workforce. If we do, however, we can make great strides toward empowering employees and promoting acceptance of different backgrounds, genders, cultures, races, and ethnicities in our businesses.

    Diversity can contribute to the bottom line of a business by:

    • Improving employee satisfaction and engagement
    • Developing leadership skills across the organization
    • Creating opportunities to understand different perspectives 
    • Helping you recruit top talent
    • Improving team dynamics 
    • Reducing turnover
    • Increasing market share and connecting with diverse customers

    These are all positive things that contribute to long-term success. 

    Continuation Of Hybrid And Remote Work

    If you haven’t heard yet, hybrid and remote work schedules are here to stay. In fact, they’re desired. Flexible work schedules allow employees to work from home, giving them far more control over which hours they choose to put in. When it comes to small business owners, this means having a greater ability to drive an organization while having the flexibility to take care of family obligations (and vice versa). Other important needs such as exercise, meals with friends and family, and even getting outside for a walk (not just an inside stroll around the block) are all necessary components of a happy life. These are made easily accessible with remote work.

    Overall, a culture of work/life balance helps with employee productivity and engagement. Key benefits include:

    • Lower costs for businesses (leasing a building) and employees (commuting costs)
    • Lower environmental impact and improved sustainability 
    • Control over your office environment 
    • Improved productivity and performance 
    • Happier and healthier life
    • Better work-life balance
    • Easier recruitment and access to a larger talent pool 
    • Increased employee satisfaction and better employee retention

    Boosting Employee Skills

    According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), hiring managers consider soft skills to carry more weight in the hiring process than in previous years. These skills consist of empathy, emotional intelligence, mindfulness, adaptability, self-motivation, and resilience. These skills are seen as an even greater asset compared to hard workforce skills such as technical capabilities. Why? Because it’s harder to teach soft skills versus technical skills.

    Look for candidates that have these soft skills and then teach technical skills. Some ways in which you can boost these technical skills are by having your employees attend courses, seminars, and webinars.

    Wellness-Focused Employee Benefits 

    Since the pandemic, wellness has become a huge focus for most individuals. They’re realizing that work-life balance is a must and that work shouldn’t equate to stress and discomfort. In fact, a 2017 study from the University of California Riverside suggests that corporate wellness programs can boost employee productivity and satisfaction by empowering them to take care of their health in a way that fits their busy lives.

    You can achieve a wellness-focused work environment by providing:

    • Exercise and physical training opportunities 
    • Nutrition coaching and advice
    • Mental health support or mental health days
    • Stress management education
    • Office environment enhancement 
    • Remote or hybrid work 
    • Better PTO policies 

    Improvements In Company Culture And Engagement 

    While many topics we’ve already covered lead to a richer company culture, it’s important to keep in mind that people are the ultimate factor in this. Hiring folks that align with your core company values and are considerate of others leads to less gossip and better team dynamics. Having policies in place to combat these issues is also a priority.

    Another key factor of company culture is regular feedback and recognition. Creating a space where you can inform people about what they’re doing right and how they can improve is crucial. When employees feel valued, it helps create a strong culture of belonging within an organization. And when in doubt, ask employees what they need to be successful. The follow-through will show that you care and lead to employees that are more engaged.

    Embracing New Technology 

    Technology has changed many aspects of our daily lives, not just in computers but also in the area of small businesses. Small businesses don’t just have to use technology to compete with bigger companies. It can help in various ways, such as helping you save money, time, and energy.

    Employee management apps, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud-based HR technologies are all ways you can add new technology to your business. Sometimes, it doesn’t even have to be to this extreme. You can start by upgrading old laptops and clunky tech gear to sleeker, space-saving designs with a smaller carbon footprint.

    Attract And Retain Talent 

    The average U.S. employer spends $4,000, and it takes 24 days to hire a new employee. That doesn’t even take into account the productivity and expertise a long-serving employee takes with them. Retaining talent saves you in the long run. But how do you get people to stay? These are the details employees consider when deciding whether to stay in their current role:

    • Atmosphere of an organization
    • Training opportunities
    • Working independently 
    • Leadership
    • Acceptable workload

    The ability to retain employees is a critical factor in determining the health of a business. A quality business has a competitive edge when employees have an emotional connection and feel appreciated for their hard work. Unhappy employees tend to churn out quickly and take valuable knowledge with them, which can set your organization back months or even years.

    A Human-Centric Approach

    Employees want to feel seen and heard. If they don’t, that’s usually a good reason to consider leaving an organization. Creating a human-centric work environment means safe self-expression at work, addressing the life needs of their employees instead of merely work needs, and managing tailored, flexible workflows. This could look like flex schedules or working from anywhere. It may even mean allowing people to work earlier in the day or later into the evening. Whatever works best for them!

    At the end of the day, good work and productivity happen when an employee can work the way that best suits them. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to working. Everyone has different needs and priorities, as well as different life circumstances. Supporting your employees in these circumstances goes a long way.

    Let’s Start The Year Off Strong

    As the new year approaches, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the demand of starting up a new business project or continuing old ones in addition to your daily job. Managing your staff can get tough, and some of us just don’t have the knowledge to do all these tasks by ourselves. That’s where GMS comes in. GMS can take on the administrative burdens associated with managing employees. Contact us to learn more.

  • Human resources (HR) outsourcing is an essential aspect of HR management. The hectic schedule of managing a company makes it nearly impossible for a manager to handle all the duties connected with HR. That’s where HR outsourcing comes in handy. It allows a business leader to focus on the day-to-day activities that are falling behind due to HR tasks.

    In today’s competitive market, finding the right partner for HR outsourcing can be challenging. Firms need to determine what they are looking for in a partner and what they need to focus on when evaluating them. You want to work with a company that will make your life easier, not harder. Similar to anything else, it requires the right research and knowledge beforehand so you can identify which firms best fit the job.

    Your Needs

    The first part of this process is asking yourself, “What do I want to gain from this partner?” “What are our needs?” This is not only a big step in identifying what needs to happen, but the HR consulting partner will want to know this too.

    Recruitment and payroll are two big services that you should consider outsourcing. These services take an extensive amount of time, focus, and resources. However, an HR consulting firm can easily handle this for you. The following are additional aspects to consider on your end:

    • Budget and costs
    • Who will be the key point of contact
    • Who will help vet this new partner
    • Who will assist with onboarding this new partner

    Specific Area Of Expertise And Experience 

    There is a whole market of HR consulting firms, but not all of them are alike. Some may specialize in specific services, while others are not niche enough. Choosing this partner will be dependent on what your needs are and whether their services align with these needs.

    Take a look at their knowledge, portfolio, and experience to gain a better understanding of what companies they have serviced in the past. Are these companies similar to yours? Did they have the same needs? What solutions did they offer? These are all important factors to consider when choosing the right partner.

    The best way to determine whether a provider is a good fit for your business is by interviewing them and asking questions about their experience and expertise with similar clients. This will also help you understand how well they will work with your team and handle specific challenges related to your industry or company culture.

    Proof Of Trustworthiness

    An important trait for anyone who wants to work closely with clients is integrity, a quality that can only be achieved through experience and hard work. The best partners are those who know how important it is for them to maintain their reputation. Not to mention, honesty and trustworthiness are a priority in HR, so you want to make sure your partner exhibits these qualities before you sign on the dotted line. Asking for proof of results and case studies for the firm is not only okay but it’s encouraged. This is a great time for the firm to discuss its skills and accomplishments with other clients.

    You need to find a service provider with a good reputation in the industry and one who can meet your needs and expectations. If you still don’t know where to start, ask around or look at their website for testimonials from past clients.

    Understanding Changes And Delivering Results

    A cookie-cutter approach is not the way to go with an HR partner. You want a firm that will tailor their approach to best fit your needs. Because of this, services will ultimately change and evolve over time to continue delivering great results. Trust your partner in this and talk through it accordingly. The goal is for them to provide solutions, and change is a key sign that it’s working.

    Communication Is Set In Stone

    Communication in HR is one of the most important factors. How does this firm communicate with your employees? Do they listen to their needs? These details could make or break a business partnership. Take good note of how responsive they are at the start and how regularly they touch base with you. Are you consistently talking about goals and deadlines you agreed to? You should be speaking regularly with your partner and have frequent reporting calls.

    Updated On The Latest Trends

    The right partner will be well-versed in the latest trends in the field of HR. They should be able to keep up with new laws and regulations, which may affect your business. A good partner will also have access to industry news and information, which they can use to help you make decisions regarding your company. The ability to adapt quickly is critical for any business that wants to succeed in today’s economy.

    A good candidate will not only know all the latest legislation, but they’ll also be able to provide ideas on how these changes may affect your company — and what steps you should take now to prepare yourself for what’s coming down the pike.

    Good Organizational Skills

    An experienced HR consultant should be able to organize all the information you give them into a coherent report that outlines what needs to be fixed and how best to address these issues going forward. A good sense of organization means that they will be able to manage their time, prioritize tasks, and work with you to create a realistic plan of action. They should be able to communicate effectively and clearly and be able to answer your questions in a timely manner.

    Your Goals Align 

    An HR partner should understand what matters most to you and what goals you have for your organization. They should be able to provide insights into how they can help move those goals forward while also offering recommendations. They’ll be able to provide you with insights into what you need to do in order to attract and retain top talent, and they’ll also be able to help you develop strategies for building employee engagement.

    If you want to find an HR partner who will add value to your business, keep an eye out for the following:

    • They have experience working with startups
    • They understand your industry 
    • They have worked with other companies like yours
    • They are familiar with your specific challenges

    The Price Is Right

    Budget is another consideration when choosing an HR consulting partner. With any business relationship, you don’t want to get yourself into something that could cost more than expected or take longer than expected. However, it’s also important to have realistic expectations here, too. A good quality partner will not come cheap. If a vendor is charging less than average for their services, then it’s possible that they’re cutting corners in other areas, such as quality of service or experience level. This is definitely something to steer away from.

    While it’s tempting to go for the cheapest option, this may not be the best decision. It’s important to look at the total cost of ownership and see how much time and money each option will save you in the long run.

    New Year, New HR Partner!

    Now is the best time to consider your business efforts and find ways to improve next year. This might mean improving your HR solutions, too. GMS is here to help you. Whether you want to revamp your benefits offerings to provide more paid time off (PTO) or begin implementing a shorter workweek, our experts are here every step of the way. Ready to get started? Contact us now.

  • We are all aware of performance views by now and what they entail. Your organization’s goals, team members’ development, and the leader themselves are all fair game in an effective review. But your organization is constantly growing, changing, and evolving — it’s not practical to create the same plan every 90 or 60 days. As a leader, how can you help others succeed and develop while impacting the culture of your organization?

    Review planning is often overlooked in organizations as leaders, managers, and supervisors are busy focusing on the work that’s most essential to their success. It doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, ongoing review planning for your leaders is essential to organizational productivity and growth. When you implement an investment plan for reviewing your leaders’ future potential, you will see a positive impact on your team’s efficiency and performance throughout the organization.

    What Is A Review Plan?

    According to recent findings from a study conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership, 88% of leaders fail in their first 18 months. That’s a scary statistic and should be enough to convince most leaders that before they assume their new roles, they need a structured review plan.

    Review plans help new leaders in your organization understand what behaviors you want them to achieve and how you want them to achieve them. By writing out a review plan, you can help:

    • Give clear expectations upfront
    • Ensure all employees are reviewed consistently 
    • Ensure that your review plan includes all the key areas of a performance review

    What To Cover In Review Plans

    I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” That is especially true in the business world. Review plans guide leaders and managers through the critical process of providing feedback to employees on their job performance and accomplishments. Feedback, setting goals, and providing resources are all key to creating an effective leader. But what does an effective review plan even look like? What should get covered?

    It’s a good practice to establish a formal, documented plan for conducting performance reviews for both supervisory and non-supervisory employees. It can be beneficial for managers and employees to have a standard process with set timelines and expectations. The following are key characteristics of a solid review plan:

    • Document it: A review should be well-documented whether you use current software or create your own filing system. This makes it easy to look back on in the future and assess growth and development.
    • Set a timeline: Reviews don’t have to be an annual thing. When bringing on new hires, 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day reviews can be crucial to the success and onboarding of an employee. This allows them to present challenges or discuss expectations. After that, feel free to switch to a six-month or annual review cadence. 
    • Create room for discussion: Apart from anything, a review should be a time to have a safe and honest discussion. This creates a space where the employee can ask questions and bring up circumstances that they can learn from. 
    • Allow feedback: Some companies opt for peer reviewing for reviews, and others choose to have higher-ups give the feedback. Whatever you choose, make sure it fits your company culture and the goals you hope to reach through a solid review plan. If you opt for peer review, make sure it’s anonymous.
    • Set goals: Reviews are an ideal time to set goals to reach by the next review. Perhaps this employee wants to become a manager or learn a new skill. Whatever these goals might be, discuss them honestly and plan to have follow-up discussions to check in on progress.
    • Express needs: Whether you have requests for this employee or they have requests for you, a review allows space to make those needs known. Perhaps they need a better workspace or want to change their schedule. Creating room to speak about these things only leads to a better work culture.
    • Discuss accomplishments and challenges: Lastly, talk about wins and fails. It’s ok not to have it all figured out, and as humans, we all make mistakes. What’s important is that we learn from them while also remembering to celebrate our accomplishments.

    Everyone wants to be a better leader, and review plans certainly help. It’s not an easy role, and it takes time, practice, and discipline. That’s why most leaders will have mentors, coaches, and other resources they can lean on during this time of growth. One of the best ways to do this is by going a step beyond and creating a leadership development program.

    What Is A Leadership Development Program?

    There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all leadership development program. Effective and productive leadership development programs are designed according to the individual needs of each leader in your organization. However, it can be helpful to structure your leader training sessions with a well-thought-out structured approach.

    Leadership development programs cover everything from goals, performance reviews, professional growth and development, ratings, learning opportunities, check-ins, and more. It gives leadership a tangible way to assess how they’re doing and what they could improve while also consistently learning.

    Why Should You Create A Leadership Development Program?

    With the right tools, your leadership development program can help you change or refine your approach to leadership roles. It can also provide a framework for building a personal brand within the company. Creating a leadership development program will give your employees the tools they need to succeed and an opportunity to feel seen and heard.

    These programs also give peers the opportunity to review each other anonymously, which creates a judgment-free and honest work environment. This feedback can be instrumental in setting communication goals and strengthening work relationships. Some of the benefits of leadership development programs are that it:

    • Sharpens everyone’s communication skills so that individuals have a better understanding of how to work as a team, boosting teamwork, and collaboration
    • Helps guide a business toward success and growth opportunities 
    • Helps manage change and demonstrates what adaptability looks like
    • Demonstrates confidence and authority in project leadership
    • Promotes an educating, empowering, and encouraging company culture
    • Helps with employee retention

    How To Create A Leadership Development Program

    There is not a one-size-fits-all to a good leadership development plan. However, there are several methods you can use when building one out. It’s important to ask yourself what you want to gain from it. Here are some questions to consider:

    • What does our leadership currently look like? 
    • What are common problems we’d like to solve?
    • Do our leaders feel set up for success?
    • Do we have a culture of feedback and transparency?

    Once you’ve asked yourself these questions, now it’s time to develop a program. It’s critical to remember that, as a leader, your role is to develop future leaders in the organization. All new hires will eventually join your team as managers, so this program can be used for any employee, regardless of their title. Leadership development methods can include:

    • Leadership workshops: This is the most common way of going through leadership training, focusing on one topic at a time. Workshops usually involve hands-on activities or example scenarios. This gives a real-life approach to situations.
    • Leadership seminars: Seminars are for larger groups of people and offer an interactive way for teams to learn together and network with other professionals.
    • Online courses: If you’re looking to learn at your own pace, an online leadership course can be a great option. Not only does this work great for being a better manager, but they also are handy in learning or brushing up on new skills.
    • Leadership conferences: Conferences help those already in leadership positions strengthen existing skills. It’s also a great opportunity to learn from other great leaders and share that knowledge.
    • Review plans: While we already covered this, review plans are a huge part of a healthy leadership development plan. Without reviews, it’s difficult to determine what needs improvement and what you’re doing well.
    • Consistent coaching and one-on-ones: You already have great leaders within your organization. Having your current employees shadow them and meet with them creates an environment of coaching. Consistent one-on-ones with managers allow leaders to create ongoing goals and opportunities to ask for advice.

    Putting Leadership Development Into Practice

    You might be thinking to yourself, “This all sounds like a lot of work.” And it is. However, if you want to retain good quality leaders, investing in them is key. Leadership development isn’t just extra tasks and things to do – it’s a culture. To truly put this into practice, you must create an environment that is development friendly. You can do this by:

    • Setting expectations: Let current employees know that this is happening. Meet with them to introduce them to this new program and how review plans work. This is a time when they can ask questions.
    • Enforce this plan: A plan only works if people are filling out the reviews and attending the one-on-ones. While things happen and meetings may need moved, be sure to follow up and express the importance of the leadership development plan.
    • Incorporate it into your onboarding: When onboarding new leadership, enforce and discuss this program from the start. Inform them of your review cycles and create training resources that are focused on development.

    Your company will benefit greatly from putting leadership and feedback at the forefront. Doing so weeds out leaders who may not be a good fit for your company and rewards leaders who do a great job. Not only that, but this plan can build up those qualities in all of your employees, which means better work and happier employees.

    Create Leadership Programs And Review Plans With Ease

    Review plans allow you the opportunity to grow leaders and talent in your organization but creating and managing them can be daunting. Recruiting, hiring, and training staff is time-consuming and costly. See how GMS can assist with training and recruiting for your company by reaching out today! Contact us to learn more.

  • As inflation continues to hit U.S. workers, they struggle to pay for basic needs such as gas, housing, groceries, and much more. When inflation rises, the buying power of workers’ take-home pay shrinks. A study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BSL) showed that average hourly earnings fell 3.6 percent from June 2021 to June 2022. While wage growth rose to the highest it has seen in years during the pandemic, 55% of employees still say their earnings are not keeping up with the highest inflation seen in decades. This has forced many employees to look for other jobs that pay more, or for some, they had to take on side hustles to earn extra money to get through these challenging times.

    What To Do As A Business Owner

    Inflation has put more pressure on business owners to increase the wages of their employees. According to a study, 63% of businesses say they will adjust wages in response to inflation. Even after many employers increased wages, these increases haven’t been significant enough to cover increased prices for necessities. As a business owner, you understand the effects of inflation and how it affects your personal life, so you can only imagine its impact on your employees.

    If increasing the wages and salaries isn’t working with the detrimental effects of inflation, what else can you do? The following are ways you can support your employees during these unprecedented times:

    • Offer bonuses more frequently
    • Offer flexibility 
    • Provide competitive benefits
    • Promote from within
    • Offer career development

    Conduct A Market Analysis

    In addition to being creative with how you can offer your employees more money, a market analysis is an additional step you could take. A market analysis is a detailed assessment of your business’s target market and the competitive landscape within a specific industry. They typically include quantitative data such as the actual size of the market you want to serve, prices consumers are willing to pay, and revenue projections.

    In addition, conducting a compensation analysis reviews employee pay about an organization’s pay philosophy. It ultimately considers internal equity and external competitiveness to ensure your pay is fair and will attract, engage, and retain talent. During unprecedented times, you must stay competitive and do your best to attract and retain top talent.

    Partner With GMS

    As a new year approaches, you’re getting ready to kick-start the year strong. However, adding in inflation and dissatisfied employees makes it quite challenging. Fortunately, when you partner with GMS, we give you the resources you need to start the new year off the way you had planned. Our HR experts work with you to conduct a market analysis to ensure all employees are paid fairly and create salaries for future employees that are competitive enough for your industry. GMS makes your life simpler, safer, and stronger. Start the new year strong and partner with GMS. Contact us today.

  • The COVID-19 pandemic changed how we work and forced many of us to reflect on our current lifestyles. Many realized the jobs they were working weren’t fulfilling or flexible. Countless people began quitting their jobs which became known as “The Great Resignation.” UKG conducted a survey which showed that nearly half of employees worldwide would never recommend their company or profession to their children or to people they care about.

    As a business owner, you may wonder if your workers feel this way about your business. Sometimes, you may never know the truth, making it challenging to eliminate the feeling your employees are experiencing. However, if you conduct performance reviews or simply enforce one-on-one meetings with your leaders and their team, it can create a more welcoming environment for your employees to open up in. Unfortunately, that might not be all you need to combat these feelings.

    Continue reading to learn how you can ensure your employees enjoy working for your company and recommend you to their network.

    Purposeful Work = Job Satisfaction

    The main question employees should be asking themselves is what’s more important, a good salary or meaningful work? 52% of employees worldwide tell their children that meaningful work is the most important aspect to consider. However, 50% say the same about salary. In addition, generations that are making their way into the workforce are said to care more about the following aspects of one’s career:

    • Time to care for and spend with family
    • A feeling of fulfillment
    • A successful career path

    Since the feeling of purposeful work is a main priority for the coming generations, it’s your job as a business owner to take the necessary steps to ensure your employees feel fulfilled and find purpose in their actions. The following will help your employees find more meaning in their work.

    Provide support and employee care benefits

    Offering benefits to your employees is essential as it shows them you’re invested in their overall health and future. In addition, a quality benefits package will ultimately help you attract and retain top talent. The following are benefits you should consider adding to your benefits package if you don’t already:

    • Health insurance
    • Paid time off (PTO)
    • Paid holidays
    • Flexible schedules
    • Education assistance
    • Paid sick time
    • Volunteer opportunities

    In addition to providing your employees with resources for good health, it also gives them more purpose in their daily tasks. If they know they have a certain number of vacation days, they are more productive at work, knowing they can take a day off. You must encourage your employees to take breaks and use their PTO, letting them know it’s more than okay to take time for themselves. Try implementing a “use it or lose it” policy, so your employees are encouraged to take time off; otherwise, they will lose their vacation time at the end of the calendar year.

    Build a positive work environment

    One of the most important factors in adding more purpose to your employee’s work is creating a positive work environment. Let’s face it, creating a healthy, positive working environment brings out the best in everyone. The following are factors to consider when creating a positive work environment:

    • Social connection
    • Open communication
    • A culture of empathy
    • Willingness to help

    A positive work environment makes employees feel that the culture reflects their values and beliefs, making them more efficient, effective, and fulfilled in their work. The following are additional benefits of a positive workplace that may convince you that a positive environment helps workers feel more purpose in their work:

    • Employees take more pride in the work they do for a company they believe in
    • There’s an inverse relationship between cost and employees’ levels of happiness
    • It builds a supportive culture that fosters growth for individuals and your organization

    Link personal drivers with a team or organizational goals

    When employees understand their job’s greater purpose, they are happier, more engaged, and more creative. As a business owner, when your employees see how their job fits the company’s goals, staff turnover decreases, and productivity rises. To learn about your team members’ goals and drivers, it’s essential that you and your leaders meet with each employee to determine their drivers. From there, they’ll need to assess how they can connect their motivations with the organization’s goals. For example, if one of your company’s goals is transparent actions and your employee’s driver is to build honest relationships, that would be more motivating since you both are working towards the same goals.

    Use feedback to boost positivity

    Positive feedback helps motivation, boosts confidence, and shows your employees you value them. Giving positive feedback should be a simple part of your manager’s daily tasks. Research shows that 68% of employees who receive accurate and consistent feedback feel fulfilled. When you provide them with feedback, it motivates them, and they better understand how and where improvements are needed and where their strengths lie. In addition, when you share success stories or feedback from clients for a job well done, it’s a powerful way to inspire your team and keep them connected with the people they’re helping.

    GMS Is Here To Help

    When you partner with GMS, you are given the tools and resources to help you determine your employee’s goals and drivers. We provide you with performance review services that help you with the following:

    • Demystify the approach to implementing performance management
    • Recommend the best way to set up an employee appraisal and review process
    • Assess and develop employee performance reviews
    • Move an organization to an online, electronic system for maximum efficiency when conducting a review process

    Our HR experts take on the administrative burdens you don’t have the time to focus on. Let us do the heavy lifting so you can focus on what you do best, growing your business. Contact us today.

  • For businesses located in areas affected by winter storms, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with wage and hour rules. There can be severe winter storms that prevent employees from coming to work. As a business owner, you may question if and when you need to pay employees affected by weather-related disruptions. Whether your employees are late for work due to road conditions, having to shovel their driveways, kids’ schools being closed, or even the business being closed, it’s critical that you understand your responsibility in all situations. However, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and other state laws don’t stop, even during a blizzard.

    What You Must Know

    Employee pay ultimately comes down to the following factors:

    • Non-exempt status
    • Exempt status
    • State and Federal laws
    • Company policies

    Non-exempt status

    Pay for non-exempt, hourly employees is straightforward, with a few exceptions. Non-exempt workers are entitled to minimum wage and overtime pay when working more than 40 hours per week. These workers are to be paid for the hours they work. If the employer closes the business early or the employee is late due to road conditions, they only need to be paid for the time they work.

    However, in some states, there are laws in place for “reporting time pay” or “show-up pay” that requires non-exempt employees to be paid for a certain number of hours whenever the employees report to work as scheduled, even if work isn’t available. In addition, state and city laws could affect an employee’s pay, which requires an employer to allow an employee to use paid leave for an absence related to a snow emergency or school closing. As laws vary from state to state, you must stay on top of the ever-changing rules and regulations.

    Exempt status

    Exempt employees do not receive overtime pay and don’t qualify for minimum wage as they are typically paid a salary rather than by the hour. During the winter months, when roads are dangerous, and businesses shut down, it matters whether the employer is closed for business, or the employee is unable or unwilling to come to work because of the weather. For example, if a business is closed because of weather conditions, exempt employees must be paid their normal salary for the week if they’ve worked at least one day throughout that week.

    However, if the business is open but the employee chooses not to come in due to a storm, then the FLSA permits the employer to treat that as personal time off. Should an employee arrive late or leave early due to poor driving conditions, the FLSA does not permit employers to deduct partial days from these workers’ wages. Depending on state or local laws, it could require more from an employer than federal law does.

    Let’s Have A Compliant Winter Season

    Any business owner who has experienced winter storms understands it can have a drastic effect on one’s business. From having to shut your business down for the day to employees not coming to work due to dangerous driving conditions, you’ve been there. It’s time to have a safe and compliant winter season and partner with GMS. Our experts can help you navigate the intricacies of wage and hour laws. Megan Wagner, PHR, GMS’ Client Services Manager, emphasizes, “One of the biggest ways employers can prepare for winter is to develop handbook policies addressing inclement weather. These policies should include details on how employees will be notified if the business closes, whom they should notify if they are unable to make it to work, and who is eligible to work remotely when conditions preclude commuting into the office. You also must consider if your non-exempt employees can work remotely for part of the day, and how a later commute should be noted on their timesheet. Companies are required to comply with FLSA guidelines regardless of weather conditions, so employers need to understand how to manage exempt versus non-exempt time.”

    Contact us today to learn more.

  • As technology continues to change, it’s essential for business owners to stay ahead of the curve. While reviewing your business operations, you likely think about paying your employees, hiring and recruiting, and how to grow your business. What you (likely) haven’t considered is how the right HR technology can check all the boxes of your business’ needs – and then some.

    HR technology is a broad term referring to the software and tools used to automate essential HR functions. It ultimately helps HR professionals, office managers, and business owners streamline time-consuming tasks, which may include the following:

    • Filing
    • Talent acquisition
    • Talent management
    • Compensation management
    • Performance management
    • Data storage, organization, and analysis

    However, that’s just the beginning. We’ll dive into the benefits of HR technology that you may not have considered.

    Streamlined Onboarding

    Onboarding employees is one of the most critical steps in the hiring process. This is when your new hires get acquainted with your business culture, their new role, the team they’re working with, and so much more. You must set the foundation for the relationship between the company and the employee. Did you know, 20% of turnover happens within the first 45 days of a new hire’s employment? HR technology is essential to your onboarding process to limit this turnover rate.

    Technology can help you cultivate a seamless, orderly, and positive employee experience from the very beginning. You’ll be able to complete administrative tasks in the pre-boarding stage, such as background checks and employee verification. According to HR experts, new employees typically complete an average of 54 activities for onboarding purposes, 41 administrative tasks, and three documents to complete. That’s a lot to keep track of and quite overwhelming for new employees if you don’t have the right technology to simplify the process.

    In addition, any training the new hire should complete can be done through a learning management system (LMS) in the comfort of their home. HR technology makes your job easier as a business owner but simplifies onboarding for the new hire. Perhaps best of all, utilizing HR technology reduces the need for physical paperwork, which can also minimize your responsibilities in ensuring those documents are properly and safely stored.

    Recruiting Efforts Can Be Simplified

    In a time where the Great Resignation has impacted businesses across the country, are you scrambling to fill a position? Fortunately, HR technology can also help you with this aspect of your business. HR technology will help you find and attract valuable employees that will help you grow your business. Alongside using social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Indeed, an applicant tracking system (ATS) is an essential tool you should consider utilizing. An ATS assists companies by organizing and tracking candidates for hiring and recruiting purposes. It simplifies the recruiting process by using automated intelligence to screen for the best, most qualified candidates.

    In many cases, open job positions can attract hundreds or even thousands of candidates without the necessary qualifications you’re looking for. ATS saves companies and recruiters time that would otherwise be spent manually screening out these candidates.

    The following are the benefits of ATS:

    • Automatically upload job postings to various job boards in one click
    • Collection and storage of candidate information are automated
    • Easily schedule interviews with candidates
    • Secure new hires with e-signatures
    • Seamless communication from application to offer
    • Quicker screening and better clarity of where they stand
    • Shorter time-to-hire
    • Improved cost-per-hire

    Payroll Made Easier

    Automating functions of one’s business has become increasingly critical as technology continues to advance. One of the most essential functions of your business to consider automating is payroll. An automated payroll system simplifies the most complex tasks of tax calculations. Payroll automation software helps with the following:

    • Protects data
    • Minimizes error
    • Reduces risks of information theft
    • Tracks working hours more easily
    • Make necessary changes to the salary structure
    • Proper tax management

    In addition, keeping up with ever-changing employment and payroll processing laws is one of the most challenging tasks for business owners. Should you fail to do so can result in hefty fines. Utilizing payroll automation software alleviates the daily compliance burdens you may face.

    More Efficient Benefits Enrollment

    If you dread the open enrollment period every year, you’ve come to the right place. Open enrollment is the annual period when your employees have the opportunity to make changes to their benefits plan. It can be a nightmare for many business owners who handle this function. The good news is that you can utilize technology to remove the migraine you experience each year.

    A human resource information system (HRIS) is software designed to help businesses meet core HR needs and improve the productivity of both managers and employees. More specifically, it is beneficial during the open enrollment period and benefits administration. This internet-based software offers an employee self-service model for employee benefits. Employees can compare plans in the system and select the benefits they are looking for wherever they are.

    Outsource Your Administrative Functions To GMS

    Maintaining the many processes of your business, such as payroll, open enrollment, and hiring and recruiting employees leaves you no time to grow your business. However, technology can benefit organizations in a variety of ways. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, technology has severely impacted the way we work and live. COVID-19 forced businesses to shut down, demonstrating our reliance on technology to keep society and businesses running as usual.

    When you partner with GMS, you gain access to HR technology to make your business simpler, safer, and stronger. We work diligently with small businesses to make their operations more efficient by blending proprietary technology with dedicated service and support. Contact us today to learn more.