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  • As 2022 comes to an end, it’s an excellent time to start thinking about your year-end performance reviews. During these annual performance reviews, managers usually evaluate and discuss an employee’s overall performance. It’s typically a formal conversation about an employee’s:

    • Achievements
    • Goals
    • Opportunities
    • Areas to improve on
    • Responsibilities 
    • Strengths

    As a business owner, you’ve probably conducted many of these before; however, having a strategic plan is vital for a prosperous new year. In addition, the Great Resignation and the effects of inflation forced employees to quit their jobs and go elsewhere, which provides them with better benefits and flexibility. These reviews can be an excellent time for your employees to discuss their concerns and allow you to address them before it’s too late.

    How To Make The Most Out Of Year-End Reviews

    Conducting performance reviews multiple times throughout the year helps you understand how well your employees are performing and how satisfied they are. 92% of employees want feedback more often than just once a year. However, focusing on your business takes up the majority of your time and can take away from being able to conduct these reviews more frequently. So, if you’re only conducting a year-end review, we’re here to provide insights on how you can make the most out of them.

    Let’s start with the basics. Performance reviews should include the following steps:

    1. Set clear goals for the process

    Alongside the standard goals of measuring and evaluating employee performance, consider the company-specific objectives you might want to include throughout all reviews. You should have a process in place that all managers in your organization use to ensure you’re consistent.

    2. Create structure and tools 

    Determine what tools you’ll be utilizing in the reviews or, if applicable, what structure you’ll use. For example, the most common tools used in businesses include an evaluation rubric, a pre-meeting and post-meeting reflection sheet, a goal-setting template, and an agenda. Whichever tools you decide to use, it’s essential that you have a digital copy and a place to store them for the duration of the employee’s tenure with the organization. You want to be able to look back at these reviews every time you conduct a new one to examine how the employee has improved over time.

    3. Clarify employer and employee roles and responsibilities 

    Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of both parties makes for a more prepared and engaging conversation. Explaining your responsibilities as their leader shows them that you’re there to help them succeed and provide employees with the necessary resources. Refreshing your employees of their roles and responsibilities is also an excellent way to make for a more impactful review

    4. Seek employee feedback

    If you conduct one annual review, it’s essential that you listen to your employees and allow them to provide feedback. Positive and negative employee feedback is essential as it helps break bad habits, reinforces positive behavior, and enables teams to work more effectively toward their goals. When employees feel confident enough to share feedback with their manager, it creates a better work environment.

    5. Evaluate the process periodically

    Once you have a year-end review that works for you and your employees, consider evaluating it periodically. Monitor the progress of your performance review process against the established goals. Are there areas in which you can improve upon? Are your employees taking something useful out of these? Are they helping you grow your business?

    Best Practices For Your Business

    We all understand how much time it can take to conduct performance reviews. Nonetheless, you understand the importance of these reviews and how it makes for a more productive workforce. As a business owner, performance management is critical to making training, career development, compensation, and promotion decisions. It allows you to set clear goals and expectations for each employee and provide feedback about their performance related to these goals. Joe Wenger, GMS’ Senior HR Generalist stated, “Annual performance reviews are essential. However, it’s necessary for management to meet with employees on a more frequent and informal basis to review goals and progress throughout the year. This approach allows for any necessary adjustments to be made as needed if any significant changes within the company have occurred. It keeps employees on track and reinforces the value of everyone’s role in achieving team and individual goals alike.”

    In addition, performance management is valued by employees as it can offer opportunities for them to grow within your organization and, ultimately, advance their careers. Partnering with a professional employer organization (PEO) like GMS makes your job much easier. GMS provides you with a performance review system that provides you with the following:

    • Consistent feedback
    • Employee development
    • Goal setting
    • Tracking and documentation
    • Reporting
    • Customizable email templates and calendar invites
    • Training and implementation

    Want to make the most out of your performance reviews? Contact us today to get started. 

  • As a business owner, training your employees is essential to growing your business. Training your employees allows them to expand their knowledge base and improve their skill set to become more effective. While this process can be costly, the return on investment is greater when you’re consistent. Companies that invest in training experience 24% higher profit margins. When you implement a strong training program, fewer employees will leave, translating to significant cost savings.

    The following are reasons why you should implement training programs for your employees:

    • Improves skills and knowledge
    • Prepares employees for higher responsibilities 
    • Shows your employees they are valued
    • Satisfies the recommendations of performance appraisals

    Developing a great work culture relies heavily on providing your employees with resources to learn and grow. How will you ensure your employee receives the training they desire?

    Train The Trainer

    While having an internal training program is a powerful way to ensure your employees are enhancing their skills and knowledge, other approaches exist. The train-the-trainer model is a framework for training employees into experts on a subject to enable them to then train other individuals within your business. For example, a group of employees with excellent leadership skills receives leadership training. Once they learn how to be an excellent leader, they will then teach this content to future employees.

    The effectiveness of this technique lies in its ability to teach new skills to a wide range of individuals by using internal resources to scale up the delivery of training. The following are the benefits of this training technique:

    • A tailored experience
    • A cost-effective practice
    • Development of an internal training team
    • Allows new employees to ask follow-up questions once the training has concluded
    • Internal trainers understand your business better than any external trainer could, allowing them to better tailor their training

    Alyse Kimble, Training and Development Coordinator at GMS expresses, “Developing the next generation of leaders is the top challenge for 5% of CEOs. Only 63% of millennials believe that they are being fully developed as a leader by their employers for management positions. This not only causes a problem with employee retention, but it’s also causing headaches for HR departments as they struggle to build strong benches for leadership openings within their organization. Having a leadership development plan for your organization is key to your business’s success.”

    How To Get Started

    Determining the best option for you and your business might take time. However, at the end of the day, you need to do what’s best for your employees. Your employees want training programs and a path to career advancement opportunities within your business. According to a survey, 76% of employees seek career growth opportunities and training programs. If you’re interested in implementing a train-the-trainer model, follow the steps below to receive the best results to improve your bottom line.

    1. Define your goals – You must determine what you want your train-the-trainer course to achieve. Do you want to train them to onboard new employees? Do you want to build a core team of trainers who will train the entire organization when a new product is released? How often do you want them to train other employees?

    2. Define how you measure progress – How will you track progress towards these goals in the above step?

    3. Design your train-the-trainer course

    4. Create training materials

    GMS Has Your Back

    Training employees, whether they are current or new, takes an extensive amount of time; however, if you do it right, it’s worth it in the long run. When you partner with GMS, we ensure it’s done right. You’ll gain access to online employee training programs targeted to your employees’ specific job functions. The software allows you to streamline job training, improve employee performance, and reduce learning costs for learning platforms and in-person training. Contact our experts today to learn more.

  • The thought of working fewer hours and having more days off each week sounds great, doesn’t it? Many businesses have implemented shorter workweeks already, such as Basecamp, Bolt, and Panasonic, and have experienced significant benefits. Researchers found that businesses that adopted a four-day workweek found that 78% of their employees were happier, 70% were less stressed, and 62% took fewer days off.

    Background Of The Traditional Workweek

    Before we dive into what it means to implement a four-day workweek, let’s recall how the 40-hour workweek came to life. Almost 100 years ago, the U.S. revolutionized the way we worked by introducing a 40-hour “typical” workweek. The Industrial Revolution was a chaotic time forcing labor laws and practices to be tested.

    Henry Ford, an American industrialist who founded the Ford Motor Company, was the first to examine productivity and found that the more individuals worked, the less productive they were. This was the start of the standard 40-hour workweek. From there, the Fair Labor Standards Act was implemented in 1938, providing overtime pay for those who worked more than 40 hours within a week. This forced employers to create schedules so employees weren’t working overtime.

    Deep Dive Into A Four-Day Workweek

    Since COVID-19 and the Great Resignation, the typical 40-hour workweek has been a hot topic. It’s forced a new level of flexibility as remote work has become increasingly popular, encouraging employees to find more flexible careers. With work-life balance perks becoming more favored, businesses have begun testing and implementing the four-day workweek.

    A shorter work week usually means employees are in the office four days per week instead of five. While businesses have already implemented the four-day workweek, others have their employees complete four, 10-hour days. The truly shortened workweek reduces hours worked, usually 32 hours per week. You might be thinking that having your employees work fewer hours might not seem like the best idea. However, we’re here to tell you that it benefits you, your employees, and your business.

    The following are the benefits of implementing a shorter workweek:

    • Reduces company costs
    • Reduces employee costs
    • Greater work-life balance
    • Happier employees
    • Improved employee well-being
    • Increased productivity 
    • Attracts more job applicants

    A Guide To Implementing The Four-Day Workweek

    All of these benefits sound perfect, don’t they? You may wonder where to begin or test it to see if it’s a good fit for your business. We will start with the bad news. Moving to a four-day workweek will require serious task reprioritization and workload reorganization. Now the good news. Implementing a shorter workweek can be done through the following steps:

    • Set clear guidelines
    • Use automation and artificial intelligence
    • Free up your and your employees’ to-do lists
    • Reduce the time spent on meetings
    • Inform your clients about the switch
    • Keep track of your key performance indicators (KPIs)

    With businesses already implementing this shortened schedule for their workers, the results are overwhelmingly positive. Companies have reported a 40% increase in productivity.

    New Year, New Schedule!

    As the new year approaches, it’s a great time to analyze your business efforts and find ways to improve next year. While this may seem stressful and challenging to jump into, 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. Our goal is to help you and your employees succeed by simplifying your business. Contact us now.

  • Over the past two years, small business owners have faced many obstacles. The COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to shut down, pushing businesses to operate differently while facing labor shortages, a supply chain crisis, and increasing costs caused by inflation. This has left business owners questioning whether or not a recession will happen in the coming months. A recession is a significant, widespread, and prolonged downturn in economic activity. In a recent survey, 70% of small business owners dictated that they expect a recession within the next six months; however, significantly fewer respondents feel prepared to cope with it. The question of a recession is no longer if, but when.

    As a business owner, it’s crucial to consider what you can do to survive this recession. While most business owners have reported cutting costs where they can, others are contemplating changes that could impact the jobs market. In addition, business owners have considered decreasing their current insurance coverage to reduce operational expenses. So, since there is now a 98% chance of a global recession within the next 12 months, what steps will you take to ensure your business is prepared?

    Continue reading to learn how to prepare for a recession before it’s too late.

    Steps You Should Take As A Small Business Owner

    With the prediction of a recession coming in the next year, you must take every step possible to ensure the effects of a recession don’t blindside your business. The following are ways in which a recession could affect your business if you don’t take a proactive approach now:

    • Plummeting sales
    • Credit impairment
    • Bankruptcy
    • Employee layoffs
    • Benefits reductions
    • Decrease in asset prices

    However, rest assured there are approaches you can take to safeguard your business.

    Consider raising prices

    Whether you’re a business that sells tangible goods or even intangible services, you can certainly raise the prices of your product or service. Businesses are implementing this tactic to compensate for the lost revenue they see instead of laying off employees.

    Temporarily cut wages

    Employees are your biggest asset so losing them during a recession is never a good idea. While some businesses may have to resort to laying off their employees, try reducing your employees’ salaries first. This is an excellent approach to reducing the number of employees you lay off.

    Cut back on spending 

    You may think this is an obvious step in fighting the effects of a recession. However, many business owners don’t fully understand how to do that. As soon as you are made aware of a possible recession, it’s critical that you immediately review all expenditures and determine ways to reduce or eliminate unnecessary costs. The following are ways to cut back on spending:

    • Eliminate discretionary spending
    • Buy more strategically 
    • Stop paying for equipment you don’t need
    • Renegotiate your lease or move elsewhere
    • Eliminate unnecessary perks
    • Cut business travel 
    • Cut back on insurance expenses where applicable
    • Look for new vendors
    • Shop around for more competitive rates
    • Join a coworking space
    • Outsource business task

    While this is essential amidst a recession, cutting costs shouldn’t just be a periodic exercise to improve your bottom line. Throughout the year, consider where you could be cutting expenses – with or without a recession, the opportunity to improve one’s bottom line is always welcomed.

    Outsource Your HR Functions

    At GMS, we understand the word recession is the last thing you want to hear. When you partner with GMS, you gain experts in all areas of your business, including HR, payroll, benefits, and risk management, to ensure your business doesn’t go awry during a recession. Our competitive rates, partnered with our streamlined approach, can save your business thousands. Let’s combat this recession together. Contact us today.

  • Company culture, a once cliché term, is now at the forefront of every leader’s brain. Pair the up-and-coming millennial generation that continues to shift the nation’s workforce with the hundreds of thousands of employees who have become accustomed to working at home over the last year and a half, and there you have it… The Great Resignation.

    According to the U.S. Department of Labor, during the months of April, May, and June 2021, a total of 11.5 million workers quit their jobs. This voluntary workforce mass exodus has left businesses of all sizes and industries wondering how, if at all, they could combat such an occurrence.

    As a business owner, you’re likely already aware that a solid culture could be your best defense in the fight. But what you may not have realized is that culture isn’t the casual dress code Fridays and suction-cup basketball hoops on the wall that once deemed an organization as a good place to work. Now, culture is developed on the premise of a much different set of values, including work-life balance, inspiring leadership, and professional development – just to name a few. Millennials and Gen Z workers are looking for a workplace that truly values them, and workplace culture is a huge piece of that puzzle.

    Every company will develop a certain type of culture over time, but it’s your job as the business owner to control the values, beliefs, and attitudes you create. Keeping an eye on this can help boost productivity and decrease turnover and negative behaviors. According to Balance Careers, your employees are more likely to enjoy their work and be more productive if you focus efforts on culture and making sure that your employees are happy while getting the job done. It’s not just about your current employees, though. If you’re looking to grow your business, consider how your culture may appear to candidates. 56% of workers ranked a strong workplace culture as being more important than salary, with more than three-in-four workers saying they’d consider a company’s culture before applying for a job there.

    Why Younger Generations Are Seeking New Jobs

    Some may call it “job-hopping,” but for these generations, they’re simply looking for a good fit. No one wants to feel like they’re stuck in a dead-end job. Millennials and Gen Z are generations who have seen unhealthy trends in the workplace with their parents and they’re not having it. Here are a few reasons why these generations are seeking new opportunities:

    • Money: We’re all feeling the effects of inflation in 2022, but this generation is the most familiar with pay inequality. Even before prices skyrocketed, students were racking up thousands in student debt just to have a solid career. These jobs often have not changed their pay structure, leaving people out of college struggling to pay their loans and make ends meet. The math is simple: once prices go up, you won’t be able to afford as much. But the issue here is that pay often stays the same. This is typically the reason why these generations job-hop. It’s proven that they’ll receive at least an 8-10% pay increase by doing so, even in the same industry. The best way to retain workers is by paying them fairly and being willing to increase wages to match inflation and work performance.
    • Lack of opportunities: The pay may be great, but if a Millennial feels stuck in a job with zero opportunities for advancement, they’re going to look elsewhere. These younger generations are striving to make an impact and they’re looking to do the same with their work. Giving your employees room to grow, resources, and career-building opportunities plays a significant role in retaining them long-term.
    • Relocation: Millennials and Gen Z are no longer children. These generations are currently in or graduated from college, getting married, and starting families of their own. The oldest millennials are actually in their late 30s. Relocation is often a factor in these big life changes. In a Cornerstone study, 77% of respondents revealed that they’d considered relocation to another town, state, or overseas as an exciting, positive career move.
    • Company culture: The big piece in all of this is company culture. A great career with good pay is worth nothing to a Millennial if it risks their mental health and well-being. Work-life balance is a priority more than ever for these younger generations. They value time with their loved ones, having an exciting personal life, and maintaining a solid career. It’s ok to want both! If your company culture is negative or doesn’t support employees the way they need it, you risk losing them.

    Five Aspects That Millennials Care About Most

    There are five aspects that can impact your company culture: opportunity, success, appreciation, well-being, and purpose. All five aspects are arguably subjective, but equally important.

    • Opportunity: Opportunity can look different for every role and every employee. Is it the opportunity to learn a new skill or the opportunity to one day have a higher title? If opportunity breeds success, why limit what opportunities are available to your employees?
    • Success: Both personal success and the company’s success should be key drivers for your culture, but at what cost? What does success look like to your leadership team and how will you communicate it along the way? How will you celebrate successes, and, on the contrary, how will you develop and coach employees when they fall short of it?
    • Appreciation: Heavily important to millennials, your employees seek recognition. The age-old saying, “A person who feels appreciated will always do more than expected,” still holds true. Is your management team expressing appreciation and recognizing achievements? Taking it one step further, are you recognizing your employee in a way that resonates with that particular person? Finally, recognize that communication is crucial in expressing your appreciation, don’t assume your employees know that you appreciate them.
    • Well-being: One of the most talked about topics as the country begins to put an emphasis on mental health, what does your culture offer for employees’ well-being? Sure, not every organization can offer mental health days or an office puppy to boost morale. But are your leaders trained to recognize burnout? Do your managers have a zero-tolerance policy for gossip? Are you working to create healthy relationships, or are you giving never-ending to-do lists and nonstop deadlines?
    • Purpose: The infamous “why.” What’s your company’s why? What is your employee’s why? Does your job candidate have a why? (Spoiler alert: if they don’t, they likely will lose motivation) Do those align? Are the values made clear?

    Tips On Retaining Millennial Employees

    Now that you have an idea of what these younger generations are looking for, here are some ideas to implement that will promote a healthy work culture and retain Millennials and Gen Z employees:

    Lose the stigma

    There is a common misconception that younger generations are lazy and unmotivated. This cannot be further from the truth. In fact, these generations want to make a change in processes and systems that no longer work. Seeing this side of them and championing their innovative ideas will not only break this negative stigma with their generation, but it will allow them to feel seen and heard.

    Root for teamwork

    Feeling a part of a team is a must, especially for Gen Z. Even in this ever-growing remote work culture, there are tools and resources that can help improve teamwork. Encourage your employees to jump on brainstorming Zoom calls with their peers or invest in processes that make communication easier.

    Make efforts toward diversity

    These younger generations understand the importance of diversity and are diverse themselves. No one should have to feel the effects of being denied opportunities because of what they look like. It’s one thing to say you are inclusive but making efforts to be inclusive is a completely different ballgame.

    Be flexible

    A key part in a healthy work-life balance is a schedule that works for an employee, not against them. More and more organizations are jumping on board with a flexible work culture. This can often look like half-day Fridays, an employee-made schedule, or working what used to be unconventional hours. Life happens, and employees want to be able to know their workplace understands and promotes flexibility when needed.

    Retain Younger Generations With Ease

    Taking the necessary footsteps above to define your culture could save you from losing your top talent. Still, it can be overwhelming to even get started. From improving skills to making employees feel valued, GMS can help you retain employees – and limit turnover costs. Contact us today to discuss your options.

  • Between making high-stakes decisions, budgeting, and strategizing, it’s safe to say business owners have their hands full. However, with a growing business comes more employees and a greater need for a reliable human resources team. This sounds like a great idea until business owners realize how expensive an in-house HR team can be, not to mention how much work goes into building one.

    But what if we told you about another alternative? HR outsourcing is the solution to all your HR problems, no additional staff is needed. If you’re not sure what all HR Outsourcing entails, we’re here to help!

    What Is HR Outsourcing?

    HR outsourcing is the practice of delegating some or all of an organization’s human resource functions to a third-party service provider. This can include functions such as payroll, benefits administration, recruiting, training and development, employee relations, and more.

    It allows companies to focus on their core competencies while outsourcing the complex aspects of HR management. Companies that outsource HR services can focus on improving their core business processes and procedures without having to worry about managing the day-to-day operations related to human resources. Sounds like a win-win!

    What Does HR Outsourcing Include?

    Outsourcing your HR department can save you money while also providing you with access to a wide range of resources. You’ll gain access to a dedicated team that can handle all your staffing needs without ever having to worry about hiring an employee or finding space for them in your office. The following are a variety of services that HR outsourcing includes:

    Benefits

    Putting together a benefits package takes work, but with HR outsourcing, all the benefits you want to provide for your employees are rolled into one package. If you use a professional employer organization (PEO) for this, they can give you access to high-quality, affordable benefits while also assisting you throughout the entire process. These benefits can include:

    • Access to top health care, dental, vision, life, short-term disability, long-term disability, and other types of insurance
    • Voluntary benefits and employee assistance programs
    • COBRA administration
    • 401(k) plan and administration
    • Section 125 plan administration
    • Paid time off (PTO) tracking

    Payroll

    Payroll is yet another time-consuming and challenging task for business owners. But with payroll management services, paying your employees is completely hands-off and handled by a professional. Small and mid-sized companies spend an average of $2,250 per employee per year to manage payroll, and if you’re doing the math right, that’s a significant amount of cash. Payroll management allows you to save money and gives you peace of mind knowing your finances are in good hands. These services often include:

    • Payroll processing
    • Payroll software
    • Payroll tax management
    • Employee self-service

    Human resources

    HR doesn’t just stop at payroll and benefits. There are many functions when it comes to human resources management such as recruiting and retaining talent, tracking vacation time and having a trained professional to answer employee questions. HR outsourcing companies allow you to spend more time growing your business and less time on human resource management.

    Risk management and workplace safety

    Lastly, risk management and workplace safety are among the most important services. U.S. employers are responsible for dealing with the consequences of workplace injuries. According to OSHA, millions of workers suffer serious job-related injuries or illnesses every year. In addition to the resulting downtime and lost productivity, these incidents result in workers’ compensation claims for employers, increasing their insurance rates. Taking proactive measures can help create a safer work environment for your employees, which HR outsourcing companies can assist with.

    How Outsourcing HR Services Can Benefit Your Business

    A few years ago, the term “HR outsourcing” was a foreign concept to most people. But today, it’s becoming more common for companies to outsource their human resources management responsibilities to third parties.

    It’s easy to see why there are many benefits to outsourcing your HR functions, including reduced costs and increased efficiency. The following are additional benefits HR outsourcing includes:

    • Flexibility: You have the ability to choose how many employees you want to hire and how much time you want them to work. In addition, you can adjust your needs, which might mean adding or removing employees from your team depending on the season or other factors.
    • Cost savings: By outsourcing your HR functions, you can save money by not having to hire an entire department of people just for HR tasks. This can help reduce costs while still providing the same level of service as if you were hiring an entire team internally.
    • Efficiency: Outsourcing allows companies with limited resources or expertise in specific areas, such as compliance or payroll management, to receive additional help. This way, they have support from outside experts who specialize in those areas without having to hire an entire team internally (e.g., only payroll experts).

    Difference Between A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) And HR Outsourcing

    As we’ve covered, HR outsourcing is the act of outsourcing the functions of human resources to a third party. A PEO, or professional employer organization, is an organization that provides these services. They are not a staffing agency, and they don’t just provide payroll services—they provide all the administrative support that comes with managing employees, including benefits administration, employee screening, recruitment, payroll processing, and tax reporting.

    In addition to providing administrative support for your business operations, PEOs also offer several other benefits:

    • Reduced risk: By outsourcing HR functions, you’re able to reduce your legal liability and exposure to regulatory fines by hiring professionals who specialize in these areas.
    • Improved efficiency: PEOs can process paperwork faster than you could ever hope to do on your own — saving you time and money!
    • Hassle-free administration: Many small businesses find it difficult to keep up with the ever-changing regulations required by law. Outsourcing those responsibilities allows you to focus on what really matters—running your business.

    Common Myths About HR Outsourcing

    HR outsourcing is surrounded by many myths however, we’re here to set the record straight. The following are the most common myths we’ve heard, and why they aren’t true:

    Myth: You’ll have to deal with a bunch of different people from one company who all have different ideas about how things should be done.

    Reality: A PEO is made up of experts in their field, so you won’t have to worry about having multiple people working on your account. You have one HR expert as your point of contact. There’s no more calling a 1-800 number and having to wait on hold.

    Myth: It’s expensive.

    Reality: Most PEOs charge on a per-employee basis, and you are only paying for what your staffing levels required. This saves you money in the long term.

    Myth: You’ll be losing control over your employees.

    Reality: If you’re outsourcing your HR functions, you’ll be able to maintain your own compliance standards alongside their services, including employee benefits programs and payroll management. You’ll also have access to all their resources, so if there are any issues with your employees’ performance or attendance policies, you can contact them directly instead of having to wait for an answer from someone.

    Myth: A PEO is the same as a staffing agency.

    Reality: PEOs don’t hire people on behalf of clients. Instead, they provide them with all the tools they need to manage their own HR needs themselves-from recruiting to hiring to payroll administration. They do this by working directly with clients’ existing employees to make sure everyone has what they need to do their jobs well and efficiently—and that no one falls through the cracks.

    Who Should Use HR Outsourcing? 

    You may have read this far and are still wondering whether HR outsourcing is a good move for you. But believe us when we say HR outsourcing is truly for every business, big or small. HR plays a critical role in protecting your business from legal issues and creating the right policies, practices, and strategies. Without a solid HR team, your business will likely face these issues:

    • Compliance risks
    • Bad hiring practices
    • Low morale and toxic work environment (sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination, and more)
    • High turnover rates
    • Poor performance

    Any of these issues could seriously derail your business. What if you’re not sure if it’s right for you? Here are questions to ask yourself when deciding:

    • Do I need to add or change my company’s benefits package?
    • Are there any HR processes that are taking up too much time?
    • Do I have specific knowledge and expertise in an area that isn’t related to my core business? (For example, if you’re an insurance company and want to start offering 401(k) plans but don’t have the knowledge or experience in this area.)
    • Have my employees brought various HR issues to my attention? 
    • Do I feel like my time would be better suited somewhere else?
    • Could I provide more benefits or HR services to my employees?

    Where To Get HR Outsourcing

    All of this information about HR outsourcing may have given you a better understanding of what is provided, but you may not know whom to choose. With GMS, you can be sure that your HR outsourcing is handled by trained professionals who understand the industry and have the experience to get the job done. We’ve got a team of experts who can help you find the right people for your business and manage them so that they’re at their best. We also offer benefits administration, payroll services, and more. If you’re interested in learning more about what we can do for your business and how we can help you reach your goals, contact us today!

  • If you’re a business owner, you’ve probably had to hire and fire employees in your time. You know how hard it is to find good people, especially when the job market is where it is today. What happens when you don’t take the time to conduct pre-employment background screenings? You could end up with an employee who can’t do the job or isn’t a good fit, or worse, someone who steals from your company.

    In this guide, we’ll discuss the importance of pre-employment screenings, as well as how to implement them into your hiring process so that you can ensure that every employee is a good fit for your company culture.

    What Is Pre-Employment Screening?

    Pre-employment screening is an assessment of a potential employee’s background. This typically includes information including their personal history and education level but can also include criminal record checks or drug tests. The goal of employee background screening is to make sure that you’re hiring someone who will be a good fit for your organization. They can also help you avoid lawsuits, prevent employee theft, and protect your brand’s reputation.

    Employee screening is an essential part of hiring a new employee, but it can be tricky to navigate. With so many options out there, it can be challenging to know where to start or what kind of testing is right for your business. That’s where GMS hopes to help!

    Why Is Pre-Employment Screening Important?

    There are many reasons why an employer would want to perform pre-employment screening on candidates before hiring them. Employers must ensure that their employees are safe at work, which means they must be confident in their abilities and behaviors. In addition, they need to make sure that their employees are not going to cause trouble for the company or otherwise disrupt operations. It’s essential that employers do not hire anyone who might bring negative attention upon them.

    In addition to checking a candidate’s criminal record, they may check their credit score and history of employment. This can help determine if they have been fired from previous jobs or if they have had any financial problems in the past.

    It’s important to keep in mind when doing pre-employment screening that it should be designed to protect both parties-the company and the applicant.

    To protect yourself, you need to make sure that you clearly understand what information you’re legally allowed to request from candidates, and how much of it they are required by law to disclose. You also want to make sure that all your questions are appropriate for an employment setting—not too personal and not too invasive—and that they conform with any laws or regulations related to confidentiality in your state.

    If you’re concerned that pre-employment screening may violate an applicant’s rights or privacy, that’s where HR professionals can step in.

    Types Of Employee Screening Tests & Methods

    Pre-employment screening includes a variety of methods, including written tests, interviews, background checks, and drug tests. They’re used when you want to find out more about an applicant’s skills and qualifications. They help you determine whether the applicant will be able to perform the job well. Pre-employment screening also gives you additional information about a candidate before making an offer. If there are any red flags in their background check or pre-employment screening report (such as criminal records), then this must be addressed before moving forward with an offer. If there are zero red flags, these tests can simply be used to tell whether a candidate will fit in with your company culture and get along well with your team.

    The following are different types of screening methods and where you can use them in the hiring process:

    Before the interview:

    Application and resume screening

    Many employers know this as the first step in the hiring process, but it’s important not to stop here. Application and resume screening allow you to weed out the right candidates through work experience and education requirements. You can also add job-related questions on applications to see how your applicant feels about the role.

    Aptitude tests

    Aptitude tests are a great way to assess whether applicants have what it takes to succeed in their roles. They can be used as a stand-alone tool or as part of a larger screening process. These tests measure a person’s ability to perform specific tasks, such as solving problems or working with numbers.

    The aptitude test typically consists of two types of questions: those related directly to the job duties and those that are more theoretical in nature. For example, if you’re applying for an administrative assistant position at a law firm, one type of question might be, “What is the difference between ‘trial’ and ‘appellate?’” Another type might be, “How many people work in our billing department?”

    Personality tests

    Personality tests are a popular pre-employment screening tool. They help employers make sure that the person they hire will be a good fit for their culture by assessing their traits and personality type. Commonly used personality tests include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test, DISC assessment, and the Enneagram.

    During the interview:

    Phone or video interview

    Once your candidates make it through the initial stages, it’s now time for the official interview. Depending on your process, you may wish to conduct several interview rounds. Some, if not all, of these can be conducted over the phone or via video. This is especially useful if your candidate lives in another state or is being considered for a remote position. 

    In-person interview

    While in-person interviews aren’t always necessary, they can be useful if your candidate will be working in a set location or office. In-person interviews give you an opportunity to observe a candidate’s communication skills, personality traits, and behavior in social situations. In addition to these observations, you can also ask questions about previous employment experiences and future career aspirations during an interview. This can also be a great opportunity to give a tour of the office location.

    Interview methods

    In today’s economy, it’s more important than ever for companies to make sure that their employees are happy in their roles. That means that you need to be able to interview effectively and make sure your potential hires will be a good fit.

    If you’re looking for help with the interviewing process, here are some tips on how to ensure you’re attracting the right people:

    1. Start by asking questions that are relevant to the position they’re applying for

    2. Ask open-ended questions (“What do you think about this?” or, “How would you handle this situation?”, rather than yes and no questions)

    3. Make sure there’s time in your interview schedule for both parties to ask each other questions—this gives everyone a chance to gain a better understanding of each other and how well they’d work together.

    4. Find out about their experience. What did they do at their last job? What did they like about it? What could they have done better?

    5. Make sure your applicants know what kind of company culture you have (if there are any specific perks or benefits), so they can decide whether it suits them before accepting an offer from you. 

    After the interview

    Verifications

    As much as we’d like to take someone’s word for their background and experience, it can be beneficial to verify just in case. A few different types of verifications you can perform are:

    • Reference checks
    • Employment verification
    • Education/degree verification
    • Licensing and professional certification verification
    • Military services records

    Background checks

    If you’re hiring someone, it’s important to know if they have any criminal history. This will help you decide whether they are suitable for the role. A criminal background check can also reveal if they have a history of drug use and alcohol abuse, as well as other personal issues that could affect their performance at work.

    Legal Considerations During Pre-Employment Screening

    The legal considerations of pre-employment screening are important to consider when conducting the process. There are various industries that require extensive screening and background checks, such as careers in healthcare, government positions, education fields, and working with children.

    The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency that oversees compliance with federal discrimination laws, but many states also have their own laws that must be followed. As employers, you may be responsible for any damages awarded due to a lawsuit brought against your company by an employee who feels they have been treated unfairly in the hiring process.

    It’s also important that employers know what they can legally ask during pre-employment screening. For example, if an applicant has been arrested but has never been charged with or convicted of any crime, employers should not ask about their arrest record on an application form—but they do have the right to ask about convictions (and even arrests) during in-person interviews.

    Pre-Employment Screening Tools

    There are various tools and programs that can make the screening process much easier, including assessment programs and tests. You can also use free methods for pre-employment screening. This can include double-checking the candidate’s professional LinkedIn account for experience and awards and asking for a portfolio of their work.

    Assistance With Pre-Employment Screening

    The results of your employee screening process should give you a good idea of whether this is the right candidate for the job. If they check all the boxes, then you can feel confident that they will contribute positively to your company. If not, you’ll know that you need to look elsewhere for someone who is more qualified for the position.

    Does all of this sound overwhelming? What if you don’t know where to start in the employee background screening process? GMS can help. Our human resources experts work closely with you to offer guidance on hiring and training, along with supporting the administrative burdens associated with all aspects of the employee life cycle. You retain complete control over hiring decisions, we just simplify the process. Contact us for more information!

  • Our recent history is shaped by two major events: the pandemic and the Great Resignation. Thousands of people were left without jobs, and it was a big challenge for recruiters to replace them. As a result of such challenging times, individuals have realized the value of family and close relationships even more than ever, which has caused them to look for better opportunities. Approximately 47 million people resigned from their jobs in 2021 in the United States. Candidates aren’t settling for life in cubicles with a 45-minute commute. They’re looking ahead to a more promising career path.

    In this post-pandemic world, it’s time for businesses to pivot. With the volume of candidates and the number of positions available in 2023, you know it will be challenging to attract new employees. Here are tips on how you can attract candidates to fill your open jobs in the upcoming year.

    Establish Your Goals

    Attracting the best talent and building an effective team takes more than a job posting. It takes a strategic plan that includes goals, processes, communication channels, and more. This will be your foundation when driving forward your recruiting plan and retaining top-tier talent. Ask yourself:

    • What does a top performer look like to our organization?
    • What will our organization look like in 2023? What are we trying to achieve?
    • What specific roles are we looking to hire for?
    • What skill sets do we need to fill those roles?
    • What can we do to better our organization for incoming talent? What can we improve?

    You may have some heavy lifting to do before you can hire the talent you’re looking for. However, asking these questions will help assess those areas so you can create a solid plan.

    Revise Your Recruiting Plan

    Once you’ve asked yourself these important questions and created some goals, it’s time to get started on a plan that will put those goals into action. It’s essential to have a clear hiring plan in place before you bring on new talent. When you have a sense of what you need, you can attract new candidates with better quality.

    A strategic recruitment plan will typically cover:

    • Headcount planning
    • Ideal candidate profiles
    • Your employee value proposition
    • Your recruitment marketing strategy
    • Your selection processes
    • Your onboarding processes
    • Tools and technology
    • Your recruitment budgets
    • Your timeline

    This is also the time to decide who will help you achieve this plan. You may decide to outsource this help if you don’t have a proper internal recruitment process or simply outsource assistance for specific tasks. These tasks can include writing job descriptions, reviewing applications, and reaching out to candidates to schedule interviews.

    How To Attract And Retain New Talent

    While a recruiting plan will help you in your overall strategy, it’s important to consider what your potential candidates are looking for in a company and within the hiring process. They will carefully assess how you conduct business and what you offer them, which will ultimately be the deciding factor when accepting the position. Once you attract talent, the goal is to retain that talent; it’s beneficial to look at how your organization functions and why people should work for you. 

    Consider remote work

    In this post-pandemic world, remote work is becoming normalized and, to some degree, expected. While not all jobs can be performed in an at-home setting, remote work has opened the door for better flexibility around working hours. This means candidates are keeping an eye out for hybrid schedules or fewer constraints around business hours. In fact, two days of remote work is the new requirement for job seekers.

    Incorporate branding

    86% of HR professionals surveyed indicated recruitment is becoming more like marketing. And in a way, it is! Branding plays a huge part in the vetting process for job seekers. They’ll scope your business social media platforms, company website, and read your latest blogs to get an idea of who you are as an organization. If they don’t like what they see, this will definitely impact their decision to choose your offer over someone else’s.

    Write a solid job description

    The job description is the first thing your potential hire is going to read. What does it covey about your company? Are your values reflected? If not, it may be time for a rewrite. Job descriptions that don’t sell your company and clarify what this particular position will involve can be a stumbling block to landing the right person. A good job description should include the following:

    • Job title
    • Duties and responsibilities 
    • Location
    • Education and skill requirements
    • Salary range
    • Benefits and company perks

    Clearly communicate during the hiring process

    Recruiters are often the first interaction candidates will have in the interview process. This first impression reflects your organization, so be sure they’re a good choice for your brand and have strong people skills. A good interview and communication process can speak volumes about your company and a good recruiter will follow up with candidates regularly. This includes quick responses when scheduling follow-up interviews, communicating the hiring process, and being prompt in answering questions.

    Show candidates that you value them

    Showing that you value your potential hires can be good during the interview process, but it’s especially beneficial in the long term. Investing in and supporting employees is one of the key ingredients to maintaining a good relationship, and in turn, retains good talent. You don’t want to lose great employees just because they feel undervalued. Be sure to present them with new opportunities and reward their hard work.

    Make their priorities a priority

    Any talented employee will encounter problems at some point, whether with people or processes. They’ll often go to management to voice concerns or offer solutions, so it’s vital that your management team is ready to handle these issues head-on. New hires often notice room for improvement pretty quickly. Being open to feedback shows that you value growth and make their priorities your priority.

    Curate a good company culture

    No company can master a good company culture overnight. It’s a practice that takes years of work, good management, mindful hires, and diligence, but it’s a crucial key in retaining employees. This post-pandemic age is proof that employees can be successful all while working from the comfort of their homes, so a healthy work-life balance is what any good hire is looking for. Setting this as a priority will lead to long-term success.

    Assess your processes

    We’re all familiar with the day-to-day grind and the toll it can take, especially when you don’t have the proper tools to do your job. That’s where streamlining processes can come in handy for your employees. Invest in tools and resources that make them efficient. Efficiency = productivity.

    Show them the money

    The majority of workers who quit a job in 2021 said low pay, no opportunities for advancement, and feeling disrespected at work were reasons why they quit. Securing top-tier talent goes hand-in-hand with proper compensation. Being open and transparent about salary and advancement opportunities shows a candidate that they’ll be valued, which retains them in the long run. Benefits are a part of the compensation package as well, so a good benefits program is also key.

    Ways To Find New Talent

    Recruiting new talent can be one of your most important tasks. But what if individuals are just simply not applying? You may have to get creative with your efforts or post jobs where you normally wouldn’t.

    Social media

    Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and even TikTok are becoming revolutionary ways to find new talent. With these platforms, you’re able to capture attention in a way that is both engaging and informative. Use your job posting as a guide when crafting social content, and include the link to gain more applicants. For platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, try inviting them to visit your website for more information.

    Job board and career sites

    This one may sound like a no-brainer, but there is a likely chance that there are other job boards you may not have tried out. There are also various career sites catered to specific professions. By scoping out the most relevant job boards for your vacancies, you’ll spend less time reviewing irrelevant applications and attracting the most suitable candidates.

    Networking events

    Orchestrating or finding networking opportunities can be an easy way to discover new talent. Everyone attends networking events to gain something, whether it be mentorships, new opportunities, or work relationships. Even if it doesn’t result in an immediate hire, networking can lead to a pool of mutuals that may apply in the future.

    Employee referrals

    Everyone knows someone, and this is true with professionals, too. Offering employee referrals can be a great way to find like-minded individuals to fill open positions. You can incentivize your employees to do this as well through a referral program set by your organization. For example, companies commonly offer $1,000 to the employee that gave the referral.

    Let’s Find The Right Candidates

    Hiring in 2023 doesn’t have to be an impossible feat. By putting in the effort and following a solid recruitment plan, you’re bound to find job seekers who are eager to work for your organization. But the journey doesn’t end there. Building a good company culture and offering room for growth is truly the key to success.

    Between ongoing training and employee recruitment services, it takes a lot of time and effort to find, hire and develop the right people for your organization. At GMS, we give you access to the tools and resources necessary to take on these responsibilities while improving your overall recruiting, hiring, and training efforts. Our human resources experts work closely with you to offer guidance on these processes. We’d love to help!

  • The U.S. economy is experiencing a continuous rise in inflation and interest rates. As a result, many businesses are facing uncertainty. The current economic climate has forced companies to make the challenging decision to adjust their number of employees. By reducing the employee headcount, many employers hope to reduce total costs and increase efficiencies.

    As an employer, you want to take a proactive approach. Even if you’re not planning on implementing employee layoffs, it is vital to begin developing a strategy. A well-planned strategy mitigates litigation risk while remaining compliant with local, state, and federal laws. While building your strategy, the following are a few things to keep in mind.

    Reduce Discrimination Claims

    In the decision to make a reduction in workforce (RIF), employers should consider conducting a statistical analysis. By making this analysis, employers can ensure that the RIF selection criteria does not discriminate against protected classes such as age, race, and gender. While there are multiple reasons for a claim, starting with a statistical analysis can mitigate these claims.

    If an employer chooses, they may focus their RIF selection qualifications on objective factors, such as length of employment. Following this style of selection is more likely to protect you from discrimination claims.

    Federal, State, and Local Requirements

    Depending on the industry, employers must consider additional obligations under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. This act requires employers to give employees at least a 60-days-notice of a mass layoff or a plant shutdown.

    A multi-state employer must implement a “mini-WARN” act. When it comes to managing the mini-WARNs, they vary widely in scope. Each state differentiates from the time frame of notice to when employees are expected to receive final payments. There are currently 16 states operating under this act.

    Severance and Voluntary Separation

    Implementing a RIF can be challenging for a business owner, however, there is an alternative. Employers can offer severance packages due to a voluntary separation. The purpose of voluntary separation is to allow business owners to minimize the impact of RIF by allowing employees to leave voluntarily.

    Regardless of whether the separation is voluntary or not, employers should consider offering severance agreements. Employees who resign within the active RIF period will be offered severance pay. The amount of employee severance is based upon the length of service and salary at the separation.

    Who Receives Severance

    The voluntary RIF separation program is only applicable after an announcement declaring a downsize has been made throughout the organization. However, this can only be implemented if the employee did not place their resignation notice before the RIF. Those who volunteer to leave the company will receive the same benefits and entitlements as the employees subject to involuntary RIF separations. If there is an overwhelming amount of voluntary RIF applicants, they will be processed in order of seniority.

    GMS’ Support

    When it comes to managing a RIF, employers need quality HR management. As a business owner in times of uncertainty, you need a strong partner to lean on. Our HR experts will provide you with the proper options allowing you to make the best choice for your business while remaining compliant. While times remain uncertain, GMS’ support does not. Contact us today to learn more.

  • While COVID-19 is winding down, employees are returning to work and trying to get back to “normal.” However, employers are still experiencing challenges in attracting new employees and retaining existing employees. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most employees could work from home. Now, employers are trying to bring their employees back into the office, forcing them to contemplate what they truly want from their jobs and commute. For the most part, employees have resorted to finding a new employer as a direct path toward their goals. In January 2022, 4.25 million individuals quit their job.

    Based on the new requirements employees are requesting, employers should consider implementing the following:

    • Providing remote or hybrid working arrangements
    • Expanding employee assistance programs to help with mental health and burnout
    • Increasing compensation and/or bonuses
    • Planning more frequent meetings with managers and employees regarding engagement levels and ways to improve them

    However, there is one solution HR professionals haven’t fully grasped to retain employees – technology. Continue reading to learn strategies in which technology can assist you with retention while providing a more positive employee experience.

    Leveraging Technology To Retain Employees 

    Technology can be utilized to retain employees and reduce turnover. Below are strategies you should begin implementing to provide a more positive employee experience.

    1. Conduct surveys 

    The first question to ask yourself is why your employees are leaving. Turnover, in most cases, results from employees feeling burned out or underappreciated. These feelings from your employee develop from poor relationships, lack of work-life balance, or maybe even from lack of growth opportunities. To combat these feelings, you must ensure you’re checking in on your employees. An excellent tool that helps with this is by conducting surveys. Employee surveys help keep track of and improve team collaboration and ensure that all employees feel valued and heard. Simply asking questions and providing employees the opportunity to make their voices heard can lead to more positive behaviors and, ultimately, lower turnover.

    The following are examples of questions you could ask to get the most out of your employee surveys:

    • How do you feel at work today?
    • Do you feel excited about coming to work?
    • Would you recommend this company to your friends as an employer?
    • Are you satisfied with your current compensation and benefits?
    • Do you enjoy working with your team?

    Once your employees complete the survey, it’s vital that you analyze the results and act to address your employee’s feedback.

    2. Professional development

    When business owners encourage their employees to seek professional development opportunities, they experience increased productivity and job satisfaction. Businesses that don’t offer professional development opportunities see greater turnover than those that do provide resources. While there are various programs out there used for professional development, a learning management system (LMS) has been one of the most common platforms. An LMS is a web-based platform or software application to implement and monitor a learning process. It’s used to deploy learning strategies across the workplace, facilitate experiential and formal learning, manage compliance training, and enhance sales enablement.

    3. Offer competitive pay

    Employee compensation is essential for employee retention as it helps businesses avoid the high costs associated with turnover. Compensation has been one of the main reasons employees change jobs. A study showed that 63% of employees reported low pay as a key reason they left their job in 2021. The loose labor market has given employees more leverage regarding pay and benefits. As the employer, you must determine the most competitive salary or pay for your employees to retain and attract the talent you need. By conducting a salary analysis, you can compare a specific position with similar roles within your industry to determine the proper pay. Perhaps you offer slightly over that number to ensure you stand out from similar organizations.

    4. Reward and recognize good performance 

    When business owners incorporate a reward and recognition program, it helps employee engagement which leads to many benefits for the company, including increased productivity and retention. By focusing on the positives, recognition initiatives convey that what employees do matters and are not unnoticed. When you reward excellent performance with benefits your employees want, it keeps them focused and driven to perform better. Starting a rewards and recognition program will:

    • Increase motivation
    • Show appreciation
    • Encourage friendly competition
    • Improve productivity 
    • Boost employee retention
    • Create a positive workplace

    To incorporate an employee recognition program, you can begin implementing the following: 

    • Weekly shoutout on social media
    • Conduct surveys to determine employee of the quarter, month, or even the year
    • Press releases
    • Newsletters
    • Internal software to acknowledge a job well done

    You can utilize many ideas to ensure you have the appropriate program set in place for your business. 

    5. Work/life balance

    One’s job plays a significant part in their life and takes up a huge chunk of each day. Our jobs ensure that we have a roof over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our bodies, and so much more. As a business owner, your job is to ensure that your employees maintain a healthy work-life balance. Work-life balance is defined as the state of equilibrium where a person equally prioritizes the demands of one’s career and the demands of one’s personal life.

    While showing up at work is essential for your business’s growth, your employees’ well-being is the most important aspect of your business. If your employees are sick or burned out, it will cost you now and in the long run. By creating a workplace culture that doesn’t feel like a chore, your employees will work hard, make fewer mistakes, and are more likely to become advocates for your brand.

    The following are tips you can use to improve work-life balance in your business:

    • Encourage time off
    • Implement short breaks throughout the day
    • Practice what you preach
    • Maintain a regular schedule for working hours
    • Establish a sacred work area
    • Support flexible hours
    • Empathize with and tolerate absenteeism

    Implementing cloud technology with your standard technology platforms allows your employees to access everything from any location. It gives your employees the flexibility of working from home and empowers them to be more productive while also managing their personal lives.

    Why You Should Outsource These Efforts 

    With the loose labor market, you must ensure you are doing everything you can to retain and attract top talent. At GMS, we understand how many tasks you handle day-to-day and know that it can be challenging to increase these efforts. We’re here to tell you not to worry anymore. GMS experts are here to help. From providing you with an LMS and cloud-based technology to creating benefits that will attract and retain the talent you need, we do it all in-house. Kalynn Muha, GMS’ Recruitment Specialist, expressed, “One of the most important aspects of an organization is their success, and employee retention promotes this. Hiring new employees is costly and consumes so much of the employer’s time. In addition, turnover can cause rifts in employee morale and low productivity. In today’s market, hiring is a long and tiring process. It’s more important than ever for business owners to retain their valuable employees before they go elsewhere.”

    Contact us today, so you don’t have to be part of the effects of the Great Resignation.