POST CATEGORY : Human Resources

Evaluating Benefits 101 – Comparing Premium Costs is Just Not Enough

The current business environment is a difficult one. While businesses are still seeking to expand, prudent business executives and owners are also looking to economize in every way possible. These cost-cutting efforts will affect every department in a company, especially HR, as most companies spend the largest part of their revenue on salaries and wages.

Evaluating Employee Benefits

Not only will salaries and wages be tightly controlled but the depth and range of benefits packages will also be reconsidered every year. Lessening benefits and thus lowering premiums may seem the most obvious way to achieve savings but there are hidden costs that should also be considered before reducing a company’s benefits package.…

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Managing Business Growth: Fail To Prepare, Prepare To Fail

Managing an expansion is a difficult task. Should you be overzealous or over ambitious, you could end up doing your business more damage than good. Equally, it’s important not to be overcautious, subsequently missing opportunities. It’s up to you as a business owner to find the right balance and largely, your knowledge and experience will dictate this.

tips for managing business growth

That said, there are steps you can take to ensure you navigate the process more smoothly though. Here’s some things to consider before you undertake a big expansion…

Recruit wisely

With expansion, comes the need for extra staff. Integral to this process is a HR manager, so make sure they’re amongst the top of your recruitment priorities.…

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Incorporating Millennials Into Your Company

Incorporating Millennials Into Your Company

As the millennial generation enters the workforce in greater numbers now than ever before, employers need to shift their attention to how to recruit this new talent. The recruitment strategies that used to work may not be enough to entice millennials, who care more about following their passions and making a way for themselves in the world than conforming to existing structures. However, if your company is going to have longevity, you’ll need to capture the attention of millennials and incorporate them into your company.

Use Informal Recruiting Strategies

Millennials are tech savvy and personally connected, and they generally don’t mesh well with traditional  recruiting strategies.…

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Four Ways Social Media Has Changed The Recruitment Process

Ways Social Media Changed Recruitment Process

Most workers are aware that their employers routinely check their social media profiles and have probably heard of a few news reports where certain social media activities have led to termination. But many may be surprised to know how organizations and HR managers utilize social media during the hiring process and how it’s become an effective tool for implementing traditional ideas.

Organizations are casting wider nets

Many applicant tracking programs have integrated social media as part of their recruitment process in which open positions are not only uploaded on the software’s portal but shared though various social media sites, including blogs and other online communities, allowing others to re-post and forward job opportunities.…

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Are You Consultant-Phobic? Check Out These 6 Mind Blowing Benefits to External Advice

benefits of hiring a business consultant

Ever think about hiring a consultant? Think your business is too small to benefit from a consultant? You’re wrong! Check out these 6 benefits before you say “No Way”.

Regulatory Compliance: A consultant would be able to help decide on the most optimal structure for your specific situation. Other compliance requirements like documentation and tax filing are also better done by a third party. Most regulatory provisions are open to interpretation and a consultant would help you to minimize your compliance costs without incurring any penalties for violations.

Performance Optimization: Consultants typically have access to benchmarking data across diverse industries on areas such as best practices, cost elements, strategy options and so on.…

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3 Best Practices for Managing Employee Performance

Managing Employee Performance

When your company is small, having formalized employee performance and talent management processes can seem unnecessary. But since your staff are your most strategic resource, and your only sustainable competitive advantage, it makes sense to establish some HR processes that help maximize employee performance.

Here are 3 basic employee performance management best-practices that every company should have in place, regardless of their size:

  1. Goal management
  2. Performance feedback
  3. Development planning

Goal management starts with setting organizational goals and communicating these to all staff. Then, every employee should work with their manager to establish individual goals that are pertinent to their job/role, and help the organization achieve its goals.…

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4 Reasons You Should Continue Providing Your Employees Health Insurance

providing health insurance to employeesAs some of the Obama administration’s health care reform legislation goes into effect in 2014, many businesses are left wondering what they should do about their employee’s health insurance coverage.

One major law that will be enacted in 2014 is that small businesses (under 50 people) will no longer be required to provide coverage for their employees. These employees will now have the option of buying into state-based insurance exchanges.

If your business is larger than 50 people, it’s mandatory to provide or pay a $2,000 per employee fine. Some small businesses may be tempted to drop insurance coverage and perhaps bump their employees’ salaries.…

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5 Tips: Choosing the Right Team to Support Your Local Business

When we begin our journey as local business owners, we often go it alone for a bit and find that we wear a lot of the department hats ourselves. We’re the CEO, the accountant, the marketing team, the human resources team, and then some.

But at some point, we’re ready to hire a team of consultants, contractors, and/or employees to support our goals and vision. At this exciting and pivotal point in time, our business’ success largely hinges on whether or not we hire the right people to support us and our business.

Tips for Hiring Team to Support Your Local Business

It can be helpful to keep the following in mind when you’re recruiting a team to support your company:

Interviews Matter.…

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Top Seven Open Enrollment Tips for Small Businesses

seven cost-cutting open enrollment tips for small businessesWith open enrollment season officially underway, many small businesses, as well as their employees, are wrestling with the rising cost of health insurance.

According to a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, there was a spike in health insurance premiums this year, with the cost of employer-sponsored health insurance increasing 9 percent for family coverage and 8 percent for single coverage.

That’s especially troubling for small businesses when you consider that they pay up to 18 percent more per worker than large firms for the same health insurance policy.

The good news: there are many ways for small businesses to mitigate those increases.…

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How To Pick The Right Office Furniture And Why It Really Matters

choosing the right office furnitureAs a small business CEO, there is a ton to think about – finances, hiring, marketing, social media, branding, partnerships. As someone who gives advice to small business owners and entrepreneurs, I know just how much advice is out there when it comes to best practices and business plans.

However, as someone who also works in an office 40 hours a week, I also know that there is one subject that is not quite as discussed, but just as important – office furniture.

Many new CEO’s find themselves hard-pressed for time just before the opening of a new business, so office furniture is put by the wayside.…

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