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  • It’s common to hear people use the words “orientation” and “onboarding” interchangeably when referring to new employee training. While these two processes complement each other, they have essential but distinct purposes for establishing a solid workplace culture and cohesive workforce.

    After hiring a new team member, you must establish separate, structured programs to cover employee orientation and onboarding operations to accomplish a successful outcome. When you take the time to immerse new employees via orientation and onboarding, they are more likely to adapt to their position quicker – leading to an engaged, effective, and productive workforce.

    What Is Employee Orientation?

    Employee orientation is a formal introduction to your company’s HR personnel and leadership to welcome new employees from all departments into the company, focusing on big-picture items. It’s also a chance to introduce your company’s policies, procedures, and culture. This one-time event is often considered the “kick-off” to the onboarding process since it occurs on the employee’s first day or prior.

    Orientation can occur either on-site and in person or virtually, depending on the structure of your business, as it often takes place as a conference-style event. You can use presentations, videos, or schedule an open conversation among employees to help present information to new team members. While all orientations should relay the same information, you can alter your approach for different employees based on their learning styles.

    Employee orientation is not just an opportunity for new hires to get up to speed on your business; it provides an overview of the mission, vision, and values – the “why” behind all those things you ask of them at work. It helps orient employees into your organization’s culture so they can feel more engaged and contribute toward company-wide goals.

    When you are organizing and defining the items to cover during employee orientation, be sure to include the following:

    • Overview of your company’s mission, vision, and values
    • Tour of the workplace/facility 
    • Overview of company-wide policies and procedures regarding issues such as safety, health, and security 
    • Distribution of necessary resources, including relevant technology, software, and general office supplies 
    • Introductions to company leaders, managers, and coworkers
    • Discussion of benefit plans and enrollment instructions
    • Overview of business conduct and ethical business practices 
    • Workstation setup, including logins and security clearances 

    Benefits Of Employee Orientation 

    Having a dedicated new employee orientation is valuable to your team and the company as a whole. There are many benefits, including: 

    • Easing new employees into their position, immersing them without overwhelming
    • Increasing employee loyalty and commitment to your organization
    • Saving time spent answering questions in the future by preemptively conveying important company information to all new hires
    • Strengthening your company culture by starting your efforts on day one

    What Is Employee Onboarding? 

    Employee onboarding is a strategic process designed to introduce new hires to their day-to-day responsibilities and fully integrate them into the workplace. Typically, the process happens over 30-90 days and includes a series of meetings, starter projects, and job-specific training sessions. This helps to fully immerse new hires in the company culture and implement the values taught during orientation.

    Onboarding focuses on acclimating employees to their department or smaller team and is an ongoing process for the first few months of their position. It helps them get familiarized with how things work within that particular group so they can hit the ground running when it comes time for them to start contributing productively towards achieving goals set by management.

    Including ongoing check-ins with managers in the onboarding process allows employees to ask questions or express concerns as they learn how your company works. Regular meetings with coworkers also help them become part of an effective team right away, which is critical to any successful business.

    Separate from orientation, onboarding includes tasks such as: 

    • Regular meetings with a manager or supervisor
    • Training on specific job tasks
    • Goal setting for what they hope to accomplish in this new position
    • Test or starter projects
    • Filling out new hire paperwork such as I-9, W-4, and potentially direct deposit forms
    • Mentorships between long-term employees and new hires 

    Benefits Of Employee Onboarding

    Combined with employee orientation, onboarding can lead to many long-term benefits, including: 

    • Increased productivity by helping employees learn the job faster
    • Increased long-term employee retention by reinforcing a robust and collaborative company culture and improving the candidate experience 
    • Increased employee engagement by helping employees understand how they play an essential role in contributing to the overall mission of the company 
    • Decreased the possibility of miscommunication and confusion that could lead to lost time 

    Tips For Organizing A Successful Orientation And Onboarding Process 

    It can become confusing with all the vital information passed onto new hires and the steps to the orientation and onboarding processes. But following these helpful tips will help simplify and optimize your time. 

    Allocate enough time: Starting a new position can be overwhelming, and cramming a ton of new information into just one or two days can stress out your new team member. Instead, spread the training over multiple days. This way, they’re more likely to retain the information in a more relaxed environment. 

    Gift company swag: If possible, gifting a small welcome present, such as office essentials and company-branded items, including coffee mugs, backpacks, or sweatshirts, is a great way to welcome new employees. The new hire will feel a part of the team by owning items with the company logo. 

    Listen to feedback: Orientation and onboarding aren’t just for you to share information about your company but also to listen to new employees about their working style and collect feedback on the process to improve your program for future employees. 

    Announce new employees: Before a new employee starts, send out a memo to the current team, including information about the new hire, their position, and when they start. Knowing about someone joining the team prepares your entire company to welcome them. 

    Send first-day information early: Before a new employee heads to the office for their first day, you should email them all the information they’ll need to prepare. This should include directions for parking or how to access orientation if virtual, the agenda for the first few days, any items they need to bring, and contact information for the leaders for orientation/onboarding. 

    Why You Need Both Employee Orientation And Onboarding

    Employee orientation and onboarding both play an integral role in helping new employees feel accepted into an organization. Orientation provides a broad overview of expectations at work, including your company’s mission, vision, and values; policies such as dress code or vacation time; and where to find resources, including HR or IT support. Onboarding then goes into more detail about specific roles within departments or teams–it immerses employees into their new workplace by providing them with the necessary skills they need to succeed.

    The combined power of these two processes helps ensure that every employee has a complete picture of what it means to be part of your team: from understanding how each person contributes their unique talents toward achieving shared goals through teamwork, all the way down to knowing exactly where files stored on your cloud storage system.

    Building Solid Orientation And Onboarding Process

    In short, orientation and onboarding are critical for connecting your new employees with their company. While they’re similar in many ways, the key differences make both necessary to see a successful outcome that prepares new hires for their future at the company.

    However, each process has many tasks and goals, and structuring a new orientation and onboarding program can be overwhelming. That is where our dedicated employees at GMS come in. We’re here to help with recruiting your new employees through onboarding and training.

    Our online employee training programs for small and mid-sized businesses target your employees’ specific job functions to streamline the process, improve employee performance, and reduce training costs. Your workers can easily access training courses online with our learning management system (LMS), so they gain the necessary skills to support your business. Do you need help preparing new employees to join your company? Give us a call; we’d love to help!

  • Learning is essential in the modern workplace. New technology and growing internal needs are forcing employees and employers to learn new skills over time. As a result, businesses that invest in education and improvement have an edge these days.

    Research shows that business owners who invest in learning innovation enjoy more than 9% improvement in organizational growth, productivity, profit, and transformation. This development is why more organizations have embraced the benefits of using a learning management system to support employee learning – and help their business grow along with them.

    Of course, it’s important to understand the intricacies of a learning management system before your business implements and offers one. Let’s break down the basics, benefits, and key features of learning management systems and how they impact your business.

    What Is A Learning Management System?

    A learning management system (LMS) is a web-based platform or software application used to implement and monitor a learning process. This type of system is instrumental in e-learning and mainly consists of the two following components:

    • A server responsible for maintaining the base functionality of the system
    • A user interface that students, administrators, and instructors use

    In a business setting, an LMS is used to deploy learning strategies across the workplace, facilitate experiential and formal learning, manage compliance training, and enhance sales enablement. These processes are streamlined through online learning functionality like user access, notifications, attendance, calendars, content sharing, and communication.

    Previously, LMS technology was limited in its functionality. Today, new technology allows employers to incorporate different activities such as gamification and mobile learning. These features allow an LMS to promote learning, establish a learning culture in the organization, boost productivity, and improve employee engagement.

    What Are The Benefits Of Using A Learning Management System?

    Learning management technology is beneficial for both the employees and their employer. Here are some of the main benefits of using an LMS for your business.

    Reduced learning and development costs

    The use of learning technology allows businesses to eliminate a variety of costs. By embracing online learning, organizations can cut out expenses associated with in-person learning.

    There are several hidden costs associated with in-person training. For example, businesses may need to account for travel, accommodation, and meals for some employees. Even if workers are nearby, there are costs associated with printing learning materials and either renting or maintaining physical meeting spaces.

    Those costs aren’t as necessary if most or all of your employees’ training can be done from anywhere with an internet connection. Learning technology allows your business to limit in-person training and shed costs through online functionality.

    Shorter, more streamlined onboarding process

    A good LMS is also designed to shorten the onboarding process for your employees and save both you and your workers time. There are a few ways an LMS can streamline employee onboarding.

    • Starter Pack – You can create a starter pack for the employees, including a virtual tour of the company and an introductory presentation. When employees have a good onboarding experience, 69% of them are more likely to stay at a company for a long time.
    • Content Management – Organizations can also make content easily available for employees. When the employees have educational content at their fingertips, they can learn quicker and better.
    • Microlearning – Businesses can create microlearning assets for their new recruits on the LMS. This ability enables employees to learn through bite-sized lessons, streamlining their onboarding process while keeping their attention.

    Fewer compliance issues

    Regardless of the industry, all organizations need to stay compliant with certain regulations. Businesses can add new compliance standards to their LMS allowing the system to update employees with any change in compliance laws. With just a few minutes of education, businesses can reduce issues and avoid both monetary penalties and reputational damage.

    Improved employee performance

    Another benefits of an LMS is that it can improve employee performance through multiple means. For instance, businesses can gamify training and create a reward-based learning model where employees can make regular progress.

    Certain systems can also enhance employee collaboration, which is paramount in making your team-building efforts a success. Employees can share resources, discuss projects, and benefit from social learning immensely. These efforts help employees personally invest in learning.

    Performance tracking

    Churning out training material or curating learning resources isn’t enough. Businesses also need to track the progress of their employees to determine the effectiveness of their learning initiatives. The majority of LMS options have analytical and reporting tools where employers can monitor learner progress and identify any shortcomings that need to be covered.

    Help employees upskill or reskill

    Nearly two-thirds of companies commit to reskilling or upskilling employees to address internal changes and new technologies. Besides hard skills, businesses can also teach their employees soft skills through an LMS.

    Online technology helps employers deliver, monitor, and track training courses to build essential knowledge and skills in your workforce. The right LMS gives employees unlimited access to learning resources and material so that they can learn at their own pace on whichever device or platform they prefer.

    What Are Key Business Requirements For A Learning Management System?

    Nowadays, there are several LMS vendors with different systems. As you may expect, some may be better for your organizational needs than others. There are multiple LMS features that your business should consider when selecting a system.

    Ease of use and customization

    One of the highlighting benefits of these systems is that they simplify both learning and tracking progress. An essential business requirement for an LMS is that it’s equally accessible and easy to use for employers and employees. Here are some features to look for:

    • Device Compatibility – The LMS should be compatible with different devices and provide the same user experience across platforms.
    • Appearance – The LMS should not have overly bright colors or distracting visuals that make navigation difficult.
    • Layout – The layout of the LMS should make it easy for users to find the resources and tools they need on desktop and mobile devices.
    • Additional Tools – If you have people with visual disabilities in your workforce, make sure the LMS also adds options for users to listen to content rather than read it. Make sure content is available in different formats so that it’s accessible to as many people as possible.

    System customization is another key feature. The right system should make it easy to create courses and offer plenty of room for customization so that you can personalize it for your organization’s use. If an LMS is not flexible or scalable, it will only hinder the learning experience and cause headaches when making adjustments to existing learning resources.

    Integration capabilities

    Like other systems, life is much easier when your LMS integrates easily with other business systems. The ability to connect with customer relationship management (CRM) tools, content management systems (CMS), and other forms of software will help streamline the management process, enable more data-driven decisions, and enhance the overall learning experience. Another valuable integration is single sign on, which automatically signs employees in the the LMS when they are signed on to other integrations such as email or SharePoint.

    Tracking and reporting capabilities

    LMS reporting refers to a system of data analysis and collection in the learning management system. This information lets you monitor the training process and measure its success. Moreover, you can use the LMS reports to identify components of your training process that can be improved.

    It’s important for the LMS to have tracking capabilities so that you can assess the progress of your employees and collect feedback to measure their level of satisfaction. Over time, you can use meaningful data to improve training programs, update course materials, and make other changes to course content and other processes to help enable your organization’s learning goals.

    Automation capabilities

    Automation has become a must-have for almost every business process these days, and for good reason. LMS automation allows employees and instructors to save time on menial tasks and streamline the learning process. These are some ways automation helps your education endeavors:

    • Portal Invites – Invites are automatically sent to new recruits as soon as you enter their information in the LMS.
    • Enrollment Reminders – The LMS automatically sends reminders to employees, encouraging them to finish the enrollment process on time.
    • Calendars – Employees can set reminders for certain tasks or learning sessions.
    • Auto-Assign – Instructors can set auto-assign rules based on predetermined criteria, such as an employee’s department or enrolled learning session. For instance, an instructor can set the criteria that certain learning resources must be sent to all employees in the sales team who are enrolled in the summer learning session.

    Artificial intelligence (AI)

    Automation and AI go hand in hand. Modern AI-based learning platforms can create solutions, such as speed recognition, decision-making, translating learning resources to different languages, and more.

    AI also helps instructors by giving them recommendations on how to curate and present information in the best way possible for specific users. This feature allows employers to modify training content and make online courses more effective.

    Embrace Learning To Help Your Employees Grow

    Employee education is a tremendous opportunity for businesses trying to onboard new hires, tap into their workers’ potential, and support your team. An LMS allows employers to streamline and optimize the education process.

    Of course, it takes more than just software to maximize your business’ education efforts. GMS is a professional employer organization (PEO) that gives businesses access to cutting-edge technology and expert support so that your employees are set up to succeed.

    Ready to save time and grow your business through expert HR management and technology? Contact us now about how we can simplify your business through comprehensive HR solutions and our industry-leading HRIS.

  • Workplace safety is essential for any business, but it takes on even more importance for construction workers. According to OSHA, nearly 20% of private industry worker fatalities were in the construction industry. That inherent danger is exactly why safety meetings are a critical tool for any construction company.

    Regular construction safety meetings, often referred to as toolbox talks, are a key part of any safety program. Sharing the right construction site safety tips during these meetings can help protect people, keep your company compliant, and reduce workers’ compensation costs. That’s why it’s essential to educate employees and keep everyone on the same page about a variety of topics.

    What To Discuss During Your Construction Safety Meetings

    Every meeting is an opportunity to tackle important safety concepts, topics, and guidelines that will keep your employees healthy and productive. Whether you plan to tackle a variety of subjects in one meeting or want to dedicate an entire session to a specific theme, consider these nine construction safety meeting topics to share at your next meeting:

    • Personal protective equipment (PPE)
    • Fall protection
    • Hazard identification
    • Lockout/tagout
    • Hand and power tools
    • Fire safety
    • First aid

    Personal protective equipment (PPE)

    Good preparation is pivotal. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is designed to minimize an individual’s exposure to various hazards that can cause serious injuries and illnesses while they’re in the workplace. PPE comes in many forms that range from hard hats to full body suits, but every piece of PPE plays a role in protecting your team.

    Employers are required to provide workers with any necessary PPE to complete their job, along with proper training and guidelines on how to use each piece of PPE. A construction safety meeting is an excellent place to educate employees on your PPE program. That process includes discussing the following PPE-related topics.

    • When PPE is necessary.
    • The types of PPE that are necessary in different situations.
    • How to properly put on, adjust, wear, and take off PPE.
    • The limitations of PPE.
    • Proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal directions for PPE.

    Fall protection

    Slips, trips, and falls are a hazard in any setting, but the construction industry is especially at risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), construction accounts for roughly half of all on-the-job falls and more than one-third of fall-related fatalities. Discussing the following construction site safety topics with your employees can help your business reduce or eliminate these types of accidents.

    • An overview of fall protection.
    • Common fall hazards and hazard recognition.
    • The different forms of passive and active fall protection.
    • On-site fall safety requirements for different worksite environments.
    • Training on how to proceed around fall hazards and how to use appropriate equipment.
    • What to do if there is a fall.

    Hazard identification

    OSHA defines a hazard as “an inherent property of a substance that is capable of causing an adverse effect.” Simply put, hazards qualify as anything that can hurt someone in your workplace and need to be identified as quickly as possible. Safety is a team effort, which is why hazard identification should be a notable topic for an upcoming safety meeting.

    Teaching employees about hazard recognition is a process that goes beyond spotting danger. Take the following steps the next time you highlight hazard identification during a toolbox talk.

    • Educate employees on the definition of the term “hazard” and how it applies to them.
    • Highlight the different forms hazards can take in the workplace and provide relevant examples. These include:
      • Physical hazards – Excessive noise, cutting risks, etc.
      • Chemical hazards – Exposure to toxic substances, accidental ingestion, etc.
      • Airborne hazards – Fumes, gas leaks, etc.
      • Ergonomic hazards – Improper lifting techniques, improper posture, etc.
      • Biological hazards – Mold, bacterial growth, etc.
    • Practice hazard identification with employees through demonstrations and other tests like OSHA’s Hazard Identification Training Tool.
    • Share the appropriate process for when an employee spots a hazard, including:
      • How to communicate with the team about a hazard.
      • Assessing the risk of the hazard.
      • Putting controls in places to eliminate or reduce the hazard’s ability to cause harm.

    Lockout and tagout

    Heavy equipment and machinery are not uncommon in the construction industry, but they can pose a threat if not dealt with appropriately. Proper lockout and tagout procedures can help employees safely depower these machines to prevent future injuries.

    A safety topics for construction meeting is an excellent opportunity to educate employees about proper maintenance and service protocol. Present written lockout/tagout procedures for every machine during the meeting (and create them if they don’t exist). You’ll also want to walk through the exact procedures for any relevant machines. For example, the following steps represent a typical lockout/tagout process:

    1. Notify employees affected by lockout/tagout procedures.
    2. Shut down equipment according to written guidelines.
    3. Isolate the energy source.
    4. Attach the appropriate lockout device.
    5. Release or restrain any energy stored in the machine.
    6. Verify the lockout with the proper personnel.

    Hand and power tools

    Heavy equipment isn’t the only potential danger on a job site. Common construction tools and other machines can pose hazards without proper training and use. Employers can use safety meetings as a refresher courses for existing tools, special sessions for new devices, or a combination of both. Regardless, the following topics are good subjects during these meetings:

    • How to keep all tools in good condition through proper storage and regular maintenance.
    • How to select the right tool(s) for each task or job.
    • How to examine tools for any damage or other warning signs prior to use.
    • Correct operating procedures for each tool (including manufacturers’ instructions if applicable).
    • How to spot environmental issues that can impact tool safety (ex. wet conditions for electrical equipment).
    • When and how to properly use the right PPE for relevant tools.

    Fire safety

    Between electrical tools and flammable materials, fires are a real risk on many construction sites. A fire can break out at any time, so it’s best to educate employees about what they can do to prevent them – and what to do in case one does occur. Below are some notable topics that your business should discuss during a fire safety toolbox talk.

    • Common job site fire safety hazards.
    • How to handle and store flammable materials.
    • How to use equipment that can create sparks and other potential fire safety issues.
    • Proper procedures during a fire and other related response plans.
    • Where to find fire response equipment (and how to use that equipment).

    First aid

    While businesses can take several precautions to make their work environment as safe as possible, there’s always a chance someone can get hurt. OSHA requires construction companies to have someone properly trained in first aid on-site, but it’s also good to remind workers about first aid basis. That discussion should include the following topics:

    • The location of any first aid kids on-site and what these kits contain.
    • Any other safety supplies that may be required on-site, such as an automatic external defibrillator.
    • How to use first aid skills for minor treatments, such as cleaning minor cuts, applying bandages, and more.
    • A review of your emergency action plan, including the following steps:
      • How to survey an accident scene.
      • How to identify injuries and other issues.
      • How to contact emergency medical services (and what information you should share with them).

    Take A Proactive Approach To Workplace Safety Management

    From ladder safety to hazard recognition, a little prevention goes a long way toward protecting your employees and business from injuries, illnesses, and worse. Construction safety meetings are an excellent way to train workers, encourage discussion, and keep everyone accountable. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to stay ahead of safety and compliance risks alone.

    Group Management Services partners with businesses to make their business safer and more efficient. Our workplace safety experts take a proactive approach through onsite consulting, jobsite inspections, workplace safety courses, and other key services. Contact us now about how GMS can make your business a safer place.

  • It’s no surprise that businesses faced an onslaught of challenges in recent years. From the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to The Great Resignation, employers needed to adapt in order to maintain a positive, efficient working environment.

    The future of work is rapidly evolving, and those same changes have led to new human resource trends geared toward addressing employee retention, operational efficiencies, and other critical issues. While many of these trends were created by trying times, they now provide employers with new opportunities to strengthen their business.

    Let’s break down some of top HR trends for 2022 and how you can apply them for your business.

    Hybrid Working Arrangements

    While the pandemic necessitated many businesses to utilize remote working arrangements, the demand for telecommuting isn’t slowing down. According to a WeWork survey, “75% would give up at least one benefit or perk for the freedom to choose their work environment.”

    That desire for flexible working accommodations is attractive for both current and future employees – and an important focus for many businesses in 2022. That same WeWork survey found that nearly 80% of C-Suite employees would allow workers to split time between traditional office space and remote working as long as their jobs didn’t require them to always be on premises.

    What does this trend mean for your business? Hybrid working arrangements are becoming the norm. A flexible work environment directly impacts employees’ wellbeing and helps keep them engaged. Now that employees and businesses have found that they can both succeed remotely, companies must either pave the way for remote work or compete against other employers that provide that level of flexibility.

    Of course, there are some steps employers and HR teams need to take in order to transition to a hybrid workplace. The following steps are all essential parts of a hybrid working arrangement.

    • Identify which staff is eligible for hybrid work (and to what extent).
    • Enact a work from home policy for proper social distancing, measures for dealing with any exposures, and any other relevant procedures that employees should know.
    • Ensure your office is tech-ready for remote work. This process includes setting up Virtual Private Networks (VPN), preparing work devices for at-home use, and enacting strict cybersecurity measures.
    • Use communication channels available to both on-site and remote workers to communicate and share information consistently among all employees.

    Reskilling, Upskilling, And Flexible Development

    Work environments aren’t the only part of your company that may need to adapt. The people within your organization will likely need to evolve as well.

    According to Gartner, “nearly one in three skills that were needed for a job in 2018 will not be needed by 2022 – and that the average number of skills per job is increasing steadily.” Between new workplace technology and greater internal needs, 2022 is an important year for skills-building. Here are a few ways that businesses can help employees develop in 2022.

    • Invest in training programs to help reskill and upskill employees.
    • Allocate an education and improvement budget for employees to purchase books, attend events, and pursue other learning opportunities.
    • Set company-wide learning goals and tie them into your business goals.
    • Encourage peer learning so that employees can share their experience and abilities with other and help each other grow.

    These measures have dual benefits. First, employees will be able to learn the skills required to stay efficient and effective. Second, a dedication to reskilling and upskilling individuals shows workers that your business is invested in them. In turn, these efforts can help improve the employee experience and keep them engaged.

    Leadership Training And Internal Mobility

    Talent retention has been critical for a long time, but the aftermath of The Great Resignation has spurred more businesses to put measures in place to keep top employees. That desire to retain and train key workers is why more employers plan to focus on developing leadership training and an internal mobility program in 2022.

    There are plenty of practical benefits to hiring internally – lower costs, shortened onboarding times, etc. A true leadership and internal mobility program takes those benefits to the next level. Businesses can utilize training programs, upskilling initiatives, and leadership coaching to turn high-value employees into decision makers who are invested in the process.

    Employees can also see the value in leadership and internal mobility initiatives. This practice allows employees to give employees a clear means to advance their careers within the company and become future leaders. This ability to grow and attain long-term career goals is a great retention tool that can help businesses retain more top talent in 2022.

    Embracing Data Through People Analytics

    Business technology grows more sophisticated each year, and people analytics and other data-driven initiatives are set to be a big opportunity in 2022. The adoption of new digital tools are giving businesses the ability to use existing data and make informed decisions. There’s just one big problem – most businesses don’t quite know how to properly use that data.

    According to Deloitte, nearly three quarters of companies view people analytics as a high priority, but less than 10% have usable data or know how apply that information. Fortunately, new technology can help make data more accessible.

    A good HRIS system and other increasingly popular HR solutions have made it easier for businesses to track data. For example, the following metrics are hugely beneficial when it comes to talent management and overall operational improvement:

    • Revenue per employee
    • Cost per hire
    • Average time from candidate application to employment offer
    • Early turnover rates
    • Annual absenteeism rate

    Increased Automation Efforts

    Another major advantage of improving technology is that it’s now easier for businesses to automate various processes than ever before. There are several HR functions and other internal business needs that require a lot of manual labor. Automating different workflows, communication efforts, and other components of your business is a simple way to improve efficiency for you and all your employees.

    Automation can also do more than just save time. An HRIS and other computerized tools can gather more data than what is possible through manual means. Meanwhile, automated HR tools limit the opportunity for human error, which is especially important for payroll tax compliance and other regulatory concerns. These benefits are why the following types of HR automation tools should continue to grow in popularity in 2022:

    • Payroll tax automation software
    • Online employee onboarding processes
    • Open enrollment portals
    • Time tracking and scheduling systems
    • Instant manager approvals
    • Chatbot services
    • Data reporting, analysis, and alerts
    • Employee self-service capabilities

    Take Advantage Of New HR Trends With GMS

    Change is inevitable, especially when it comes to managing an efficient workplace. Between new regulations, cultural shifts, and other challenges, it’s not easy to stay on top of the latest news and HR trends.

    Fortunately, GMS is here to help business owners simplify their business and stay competitive. Our dedicated experts and cutting-edge HRIS technology allow us to modernize your workplace and keep you up-to-date with all the latest news and legislation. In turn, you can spend your time on growing your business while our HR professionals deal with payroll, benefits administration, and other time-consuming tasks.

    Ready to prepare your business for 2022 and beyond? Contact GMS today to have us take on your toughest HR challenges.

  • Utilizing A Learning Management System For Your Small Business 

    Whether it’s learning your business model, or transforming your company policies and procedures into a more robust training, a Learning Management Systems (LMS) can help by ensuring your employees receive a uniform experience across the board. E-learning offers many competitive advantages that traditional training can’t always deliver – such as learning at one’s own pace, greater program variety, and of course, progress tracking.  

    Keeping your courses up-to-date has never been so seamless. You can edit the information in one area online and be sure that your employees see the changes in no time. An important fact that eLearning Industry points out is that an LMS provides a more secure platform than hard drives or paper, which helps reduce the risk of losing important data. It is recommended to use this for new hire, quarterly, and yearly training. You can easily track how your team is doing on this platform and see what lessons are difficult for them.  

    A plethora of companies are switching over to paperless for varied reasons that benefit companies. Regarding the LMS platform, paper can be a big hassle when you need to edit information in a small amount of time. eLearning helps your company’s green initiatives by not reprinting material every time a small change is made. Moreover, quizzes and other learning activities no longer require being printed either. However, there are print options still along the way, such as printing a certificate of completion when an employee successfully completes a training.  

    According to this Cornerstone article, training is best understood when it is customized to an employee. Personalized information is one of the most important aspects to consider when wanting everyone to fully understand the information they are being taught. Each department has job-specific knowledge they need their employees to learn, which LMS makes very appealing.  

    According to Mercer Consulting’s trend report, employees want to feel a sense of purpose at work, which understanding your business model can help with. It’s no surprise that many people leave a company because they don’t have an opportunity to learn or grow. Implementing an LMS encourages your employees to continuously grow their skillset while also helping them to understand the business better.  

    As you may know, we are on the verge of what some experts deem “the great employee resignation.” The time is now to show your employees that you are invested in their education and future. By offering continued education through an LMS, you can offer your employees tailored content to help develop them professionally.  

  • Whether you need to follow legal regulations or simply have some company rules, workplace compliance requirements are crucial for any small business. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to get employees on the same page. 

    It’s important for small businesses to take some steps toward encouraging a compliant workplace. Encouraging this type of culture can help businesses save on workers’ compensation, create a safer workplace, and help everyone stay on the same page. Let’s break down what you can do to get your employees to buy in to your company’s rules. 

    How to Ensure Compliance in the Workplace

    There are a few different steps that employers can take to help cultivate compliance in the workplace. Here are six ways that you can make sure that your workforce complies with existing policies and procedures.

    Document any rules your employees need to follow

    The first step toward workplace compliance is to make sure everyone knows your policies and procedures. It’s important to document your company’s rules in your employee handbook. This way you can give each employee a handbook so that they can review the regulations you have in place. 

    This process will not only give everyone a document to review their rights and obligations, but also serves as a compliance tool in case there are any occasions where people violate company policies. You can have employees sign off on receiving and reviewing your handbook. You can also create checklists to ensure employees understand all the right steps for certain procedures.

    It’s also important to make sure your policies and procedures stay up to date with any new federal laws or business trends. You can update your handbook to add new policies or tweak existing rules, just make sure that every employee has a means to access these rule changes so that they can stay compliant. Finally, these documents should be easily accessible so that employees can review them at their own leisure.

    Consistently apply those policies and procedures

    Having policies and procedures in place is one thing, the way you apply them is another. Your compliance rules affect everyone at your company, from the top executive to the newest member of your team. 

    It’s important to make sure that you consistently apply those policies and procedures equally so that your whole organization sees that there isn’t any special treatment. If employees see that the rules aren’t applied equally, they’ll be much less likely to buy into them. That disenchantment can quickly lead to non-compliance.

    The best way to avoid this potential problem is to reinforce how important these policies and procedures are for everyone. Have regular handbook reviews where you go over key policies and company culture with your whole staff and reinforce that it takes buy-in from everyone. By setting an example and making sure everyone is accountable, you can instill a culture of compliance and avoid issues stemming from inconsistent treatment.

    Take a positive approach instead of just saying “no”

    If you want people to truly buy in to a culture of compliance, it’s best to focus on what they should do instead of telling them what not to do. Taking an “anti” approach with workplace policies is like telling someone “no” over and over – at some point, they may stop listening.

    This natural reaction to being told what not to do is why it’s better to focus on proper behaviors and educate employees on why that approach is best. If you have certain safety rules in place, create policies of what employees should do and why those behaviors are best. 

    For example, lay out guidelines on the safety equipment employees should use and how that equipment keeps them safe and healthy. That type of message will naturally hit home harder than simply saying “don’t work without a harness.” By providing positive instructions and providing the reason behind it, your workforce can at least understand why those rules are in place, even if they don’t like it.

    Invest in employee compliancetraining

    Once you have your policies in place, you’ll want to do more than just communicate them with employees. Training will help reinforce those compliance procedures and policies so that they’re less likely to make mistakes. These training sessions should cover the following topics.

    • Safety and health policies, goals, and procedures
    • Functions of the safety program
    • Proper contacts for any questions or concerns about the program
    • How to report hazards, injuries, illnesses, and close calls/near misses
    • What to do in an emergency

    Training should also be more than a one-time event. An ongoing training program can help your employees stay aware of company policies and procedures, especially if there are any changes to your compliance guidelines. 

    Use positive reinforcement for doing the right thing

    Let’s be honest, the average person doesn’t think of workplace compliance as a fun topic. That doesn’t mean the subject has to be a drag. Utilizing positive reinforcement to reinforce your policies and procedures can not only help prevent problems, but also encourage your employees to actively participate in workplace compliance measures.

    There are several different ways that you can go about this process. If you’re trying to get people into compliance training, the company could buy lunch for employees to get them more excited about the session. You can also incentivize employees by setting up a small rewards program for people who actively engage in compliant behaviors. If you make compliance a positive experience, employees will be much more likely to follow company policies and procedures.

    Keep employees engaged

    Positive reinforcement is one step in the right direction, but don’t forget that compliance is a two-way street. It’s critical to keep communication open for any employees who want to talk about workplace compliance. Those conversations will not only help your employees feel heard, but also uncover some potential opportunities for improvement.

    Sometimes these conversations aren’t exactly enjoyable. If someone breaks company rules about safety, harassment, or something else, it’s time to have a serious discussion about unacceptable behavior. It’s important to foster a compliant work environment, so these conversations are necessary to explain why an employee’s behavior went against company policy and how to move forward.

    It’s also important to keep an open dialogue with employees to see what’s going on around the workplace. If employees are experiencing difficulties with certain policies or have some feedback about how to create a safer work culture, let them know that management is there to listen. Allowing people to share what they’re experiencing can help foster a more engaged workforce and help identify potential opportunities to improve compliance. 

    Create a Culture of Compliance

    From safety regulations to parking policies, it’s important to make sure that everyone buys in to your company’s rules. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through this process alone.

    GMS works with businesses to develop a culture of workplace compliance and help them save time and money through expert HR outsourcing. Our team can help instill a culture of compliance through employee training, documentation, and other measures to help prevent future issues.

    Ready to make your company simpler, safer, and stronger? Contact GMS today about how we can support your business through comprehensive human resource services.

  • Conducting an employee review is one of the most disliked tasks among managers and business owners. However, these evaluation opportunities are critical in retaining good employees, motivating employees to remain productive and maintaining a good relationship with your staff. 

    Before you sit down to complete your laundry list of assessment points, consider the following tips to help your employee reviews be more effective than ever:

    Listen

    While it is tempting to run down the list of “grades” the employee has earned throughout the year, engaging in an open discussion is the best form of evaluation. Instead of leading with the company form, ask your employee about their performance throughout the year, the problems and challenges they have encountered and how they overcame those obstacles. Carefully listen to your employee to help solve their work-related problems and create goals for the coming year. 

    Leave the money out…for now

    Conduct separate meetings for performance and compensation discussions. If performance is discussed with the yearly bonus or raise “elephant in the room,” your employee may be more defensive about any constructive criticism you have to offer. Instead of using the meeting as a compensation conversation, structure your review as a developmental strategy session. This shift in focus allows you and your employee to talk about what steps can be taken to mutually improve while trying to achieve company and personal goals. Set a separate day to go over compensation or bonus topics to allow you both to focus on, and get the most value from, the performance review. 

    Honesty

    Even though it sounds like common sense, many employers struggle with being straightforward with their staff during evaluations. Whether it’s done to avoid confrontation or an uncomfortable conversation, not being completely honest will prevent your employee from making necessary improvements and could make firing the employee in the future difficult. When tackling an area that needs to be improved by the employee, focus on the issue, not the person. By providing this type of feedback, you can effectively address areas of weakness while building a strategy for improved performance. 

    Provide guidance and set goals

    As mentioned above, it is critical to lay out some measurement of performance for overall productivity measurement and future reviews. As an employer, you are the coach of your organization. Look closely at each employee and define a work strategy that capitalizes on their strengths while defining opportunities to build upon their areas of weakness. Having mutual goals for both you and your employee help create a more productive and open environment. 

  • Employee retention is a significant area of focus for most  business owners. According to talent management and HR site ERE Media, “78 percent of business leaders rank employee retention as important or urgent,” showing that the average owner wants to avoid losing good talent. 

    There are many reasons why an unexpected departure can prove problematic for employers. It can disrupt workflow. It can have a negative impact on chemistry. Also, it can cost up to 50 percent of an entry-level employee’s annual salary to find someone to replace your outgoing employee. That’s a pricey goodbye.

    Retention is a big issue that many employers want to address before their company turns into a revolving door for talent. Fortunately, Professional Employer Organizations can help your business improve employee retention. Here’s how.

    Attract the Right Employees

    Excited about a new employee you just hired? There’s a chance that he or she might not stick around for too long. The Society for Human Resource Management cited a study in which one-third of new employees left their jobs within six months.

    An important part of retaining employees is to find the right people  from the start. Rushing through the hiring process or settling on a candidate can lead to personnel who just don’t fit your company. A PEO has a dedicated group of experienced recruiters on staff that can manage every step of the hiring process to ensure that you put your business in the best position to hire the right candidate. This includes the initial phone interview, background screening, and other services, while the employer still retains control of final hiring decisions. 

    Utilize Employee Training and Onboarding Programs

    Once you hire someone, you should put them in the best position to succeed. That includes proper onboarding and training. According to SHRM, “66 percent of companies with onboarding programs claimed a higher rate of successful assimilation of new hires into company culture, 62 percent had higher time-to-productivity ratios, and 54 percent reported higher employee engagement.”

    That initial amount of time spent to  integrate your new worker into the company can help them understand their roles and feel at home. A PEO can help your business set up proper training programs to ensure the employee is set up for success in their current career path.

    Make the Business More Desirable to New and Current Employees

    A well-trained employee is a great start. Now you have to make sure that they don’t get entranced by what they see as greener pastures. A SHRM survey shows that 60 percent of employees view their benefits package as a major contributor to their overall job satisfaction. 

    Without the right package in place, your business may be at risk of losing top talent. A PEO can help you institute 401k and benefits plans that can add even more value to your employees’ current positions, as well as add extra incentive for potential job candidates.

    Focus on Growth with a PEO

    Investing on employee retention strategies is an important way to keep your team strong and retain new talent. However, proper hiring, training, and benefits packages are all time-consuming endeavors, especially for people with little-to-no training in those fields. With a PEO, that isn’t a problem.

    A PEO can manage important services like employee training and recruiting and benefits administration, allowing you to focus your time on growing the business. This growth makes the employer even more desirable to current employees and potential candidates. Contact GMS today to talk to one of our experts about what we can do help your business with employee retention.

  • Employee training is an effective way to teach new employees and develop existing workers. However, employers may be concerned about related expenses, as employee training has been estimated to cost around $1,888 per employee for companies with fewer than 500 workers. 

    That’s quite a bit of money, but the cost of training can be well worth the investment. Here are three big reasons why a commitment to employee training is a great financial decision for your business.

    Image of employee training to keep your workforce engaged.

    Training Keeps Employees Engaged

    Employees want to feel like their boss cares for their future. Research-based consulting company Gallup reports that 87 percent of millennials find professional or career growth and development opportunities important for their jobs. 69 percent of non-millennials agreed.

    Investing in employee development can help advance your employees and show them that you value their future and contributions to your business and improve engagement. According to Gallup, improved employee engagement can have a huge impact on your business. Gallup shared the difference between companies with the best and worst rates of employee engagement. The top companies enjoyed the following benefits:

    • 37 percent less absenteeism
    • 48 percent fewer safety incidents
    • 41 percent fewer quality defects
    • 21 percent greater productivity
    • 22 percent greater profitability

    Training Lowers Staff Turnover

    Another benefit of engaging your workforce with training is that it can help you retain good employees. The initial onboarding experience can have a major impact on whether an employee stays with a company or heads off for a new opportunity. 

    The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that “newly hired employees are 58 percent more likely to still be at the company three years later if they had completed a structured onboarding process.” That’s a huge difference since a lower turnover rate does more than just keep familiar faces around the office. Performance-based training organization Dale Carnegie reports that businesses in the U.S. collectively lose around $11 billion each year due to employee turnover.

    Training Develops Employees for the Present and the Future

    Training can better prepare your employees for their tasks, allowing them to be more efficient and effective. Ongoing training and development also allows you to groom your employees for bigger and better roles. 

    By developing talent internally, you can promote an employee who already knows the ins and outs of your business. That allows you to avoid some extra hiring costs, as SHRM reports that “external hires earn 18 percent to 20 percent more than existing employees promoted to similar positions.”

    Investing in Your Employees and Your Future

    The right employees can make a major difference for your business. We can help you invest in your current and future workers through employee training and recruiting services. Contact us today to talk to one of our experts about how we can help you recruit, train, and retain your employees and keep them engaged and effective.

  • From payroll to benefits to recruitment, human resources is an important function that keeps a business running. And like any other business function, the management and implementation of these HR responsibilities all incur costs that you’ll need to factor into your budget as you plan for the new year.

    Whether you’re basing your budget on last year’s expenditures or planning every budget item from scratch, it’s important to review your different HR needs, so you don’t come up short in the places where you need extra funds. The better you can understand these HR costs, the better you can plan what the next year will look like for your company. Done well, an HR budget will help to prevent over-hiring and understaffing and ensure you have the resources to keep your team engaged on the job. Here are some key HR components that you should consider when planning a yearly budget.

    Image of money set aside for HR budgeting items for next year.

    Recruitment

    There is one big question when it comes to employee recruitment: How many people do you expect to add next year? The answer to that question will dictate how much you’ll need to put into recruitment efforts for your business.

    Employee recruitment can be expensive. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) writes that companies spend an average of $4,129 per hire in recruitment costs. These costs include attempts to find candidates and actions to help qualify those targeted recruits, such as:

    • Advertising
    • Travel and events (e.g., College job fairs)
    • Drug testing
    • Background checks
    • Agency fees
    • Relocation

    Not to mention, you’ll have to account for the time it takes to screen and interview candidates, which could take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months. Every hour spent during the hiring process is an hour taken away from other essential business tasks. 

    Whether you’re looking to expand your staff or work in a high turnover industry, you should create a budget for your planned recruiting efforts. If you’ve been keeping track of how much you’ve spent on recruiting in past years, extrapolate that number based on how many candidates you want to hire in the coming year so that you don’t come up short when you need to fill an important position.

    Training and Development

    Once you hire new employees, you’ll need to train them. Not only can training better prepare your new employees for their positions, “95 percent of hiring managers considered employee training as a key retention tool,” according to a study conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

    Of course, training and development costs money. According to the Association for Talent Development, the average cost of training is $1,888 per employee for businesses with fewer than 500 workers. These costs can include:

    • Internal training programs
    • Event registration fees
    • Travel expenses
    • Educational materials
    • Consulting fees

    Employee Wages and Salaries

    Payroll is one of the biggest items that you’ll have in your HR budget. The Houston Chronicle estimates that the average business spends somewhere between 15 to 30 percent of its gross revenue on payroll, although companies in the service industry may be closer to the 50 percent range. Regardless of your industry, make sure to take employee salaries into account, plus any estimated costs for any new employees you expect to add on in the coming year.

    While salaries are a huge part of your compensation budget, there are other considerations as well, such as payroll management costs, potential overtime hours, and any incentive programs. This also includes any raises, whether you give employees raises that coincide with performance evaluations or annual cost of living raises to account for inflation.

    Employee Benefits

    In addition to employee pay, there’s also a wide variety of benefits, such as health insurance, 401(k) contributions, and any other ancillary benefits, that you may offer as part of your overall employee compensation package. These costs will require a portion of your HR budget, too. 

    If you offer health insurance, as many small businesses do, it will likely take up a sizable portion of that budget. According to SHRM, the “average cost of providing healthcare makes up 7.6 percent of a company’s annual operating budget.” As an employer, you can control some of these costs by electing how much of the health insurance premium you’ll contribute and how much will be your employees’ responsibility. As you go through the budgeting process, you’ll want to account for any possible increases for next year’s health insurance premium, as well as review your contribution strategy. Keep in mind, these healthcare costs don’t necessarily include other insurance benefits you may offer, such as dental, vision, and life insurance. 

    Additionally, if you contribute to your employees’ 401(k) retirement plans, you’ll need to factor these amounts in to your budget as well. Fortunately, this should be an easy line item to budget for next year. Since it’s a fixed percentage, you can estimate that all employees will receive a specific amount.

    Employee and Labor Relations

    While compensation, benefits, and training can go a long way toward improving employee morale, there are some other measures you can take to reward workers. These include:

    • Service awards
    • Recognition efforts
    • Performance and attendance incentives
    • Company events
    • Employee birthday perks and gifts

    These items may not make up a massive part of your budget compared to other key HR needs, but they can be important additions to your company culture. Also, you never want to find out that you have to cancel those service awards because you forgot to plan ahead for them in past budgeting meetings. 

    On the flip side, you may also want to consider setting aside a small portion of the budget in case you face any labor relations issues. Budgeting for outplacement or legal fees can help your business prepare in case you have any unexpected issues in the upcoming year. 

    Health, Safety, and Security

    HR budgeting also gives you a chance to invest in the well-being of your employees by making your work environment a safer, healthier place. By putting aside some of the budget for certain programs or initiatives, your business can reap the rewards of focusing on health, safety, and security.

    In terms of workplace safety, GMS’ own Jeff Costin notes that workplace safety programs can increase workplace productivity, improve retention rates, and reduce costs affiliated with injuries at work. Budgeting for safety training programs, new safety manuals, regular inspections, and other strategies can help you manage workers’ compensation claims costs and make your workplace safer in the coming year.

    Budgeting for health-related programs can also be a worthwhile expense to plan for the next year, as 75 percent of all healthcare costs are attributed to preventable conditions. A workplace wellness program can help your employees develop a healthier lifestyle through a variety of initiatives, such as:

    • Smoking cessation programs
    • The addition of a fitness facility or space
    • Health screenings
    • Lunch and learn events

    An HR Budgeting Partner

    Once you have your HR budget in place, you’ll need to have the support to move forward with all your plans and manage your HR administration needs. A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) like Group Management Services (GMS) can help businesses manage these HR functions, including payroll and benefits administration. 

    If you have any questions about how to get the most out of your HR budget or are worried about any compliance concerns associated with managing HR, contact GMS today to talk with one of our experts about how we can help your business prepare for the future.