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Sneaky HR Tasks Eating Your Time (and How to Fix Them)

It’s time to tackle those sneaky HR time thieves and take back your calendar. Here’s how.

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Your FREE HR Checklist

Here’s your checklist of important tasks related to payroll, benefits, compliance, and general HR. 

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These tasks shouldn’t take up your workweek. But when systems fall short, they do. If you’re a small or mid-size business owner or HR leader, you probably didn’t get into this role because you love tracking down time-off requests, chasing signatures, or answering the same benefits question 14 times.


And yet… here we are.

Studies show that small business owners spend about 16 hours (or two full days) per week on HR-related administrative work.

Most businesses lose valuable time to the slow drip of small, repetitive “this will only take a minute,” tasks that quietly eat up the workweek. Add them up, and suddenly your strategic HR goals, like recruitment, retention, and leadership development, get pushed aside.

Here are some of the most common areas that may be draining your time.

Time-Consuming HR-Related Tasks

They seem small. But over time, these tasks drain your attention, your energy, and your progress.

1. Repetitive Tasks and Rework

Every time you hunt down a missing signature or resend login details, you lose time you could be using elsewhere. The common offenders? Answering the same employee questions over and over:

“How do I add my baby to insurance?”
“When do benefits start?”
“How many PTO days do I have left?”

Sound familiar?


Individually, these are quick answers. Collectively? They’re a constant interruption machine. When you stop to respond, you lose focus, break momentum, and push higher-value work further down your list.

🛠️ How To Fix It:  Uncover the pain points. Which areas are bogging down the process due to repetition? Where can you create a self-service culture? This can mean establishing a simple internal HR hub (in your intranet, shared drive, or HR platform), short FAQs on benefits, PTO, payroll timing, and onboarding, or short videos that walk through routine processes.

Then, train employees to go there first. When someone asks a repeated question, send the link along with your answer. Over time, behavior shifts. HR becomes a source, not a help desk.

2. Correcting Payroll Errors

The latest software makes running payroll seem easy, but if something goes wrong, the liability is still yours. Miscalculating pay, outdated tax information, and manually tracking time off are time-consuming to fix, hard to catch, and expensive if you don’t, not just in terms of costs but also in lost time and eroded trust among your workers.

 



🛠️ How To Fix It:  Automate what you can. Look for tools that let employees request time off directly, route approvals to managers, automatically update balances, and sync with payroll.

When automation handles the basics, HR shifts away from data entry to policy guidance. You’ll still handle exceptions, but you won’t be stuck crunching numbers late at night.

➡️➡️READ MORE: DIY Payroll: Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should 

Or leave it to the experts by outsourcing payroll to an IRS-certified PEO. A PEO can simplify the payroll process with a cloud-based payroll portal for employers, online employee access to pay stubs, W-2s, benefits info, employee handbooks, and secure, paperless direct deposits. They can also take care of onboarding, payroll taxes, IRS deposits, benefits administration, compliance guidance, and provide HR support.

3. DIY Compliance Monitoring

Labor laws change constantly. Posting requirements update. Salary thresholds shift. Leave laws multiply. Keeping up with shifting deadlines, state-level compliance requirements, and studying the IRS’s recently updated guidance under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Trying to monitor all of this yourself is not only time-consuming – it’s also stressful.


One misstep can be costly. In 2025, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $259 million in back wages for nearly 177,000 employees. That’s an average of $1,465 per worker (the most since 2019).

🛠️ How To Fix It:  Don’t carry compliance alone. Get expert help by partnering with a professional. Whether it’s through a PEO, outside counsel, or a compliance partner, get support that keeps you updated on requirements that apply to your business.

➡️➡️READ MORE: Navigating Compliance Minefields

You’ll need advice on tricky employee situations, alerts on multi-state regulatory changes, new pay transparency rules, evolving paid leave requirements, changing wage-and-hour laws, new employment-related laws on AI, and much more. 

🚀 Pro Tip: Stay compliant with our HR Checklist covering the latest updates and deadlines related to compliance, benefits, payroll, and general HR that you need to take care of each quarter. Download your free HR Checklist ➡️ HERE

4. Updating Employee Data in Multiple Places

Name changes. Address changes. Promotions. New pay rates. If you’re entering the same update into payroll, benefits, retirement platforms, and internal trackers, you’re doing triple-plus work and increasing the chance of errors. 


🛠️ How To Fix It: Integrate your systems, invest in HR technology, or work with a PEO. A unified HR platform can help connect payroll, benefits, time tracking, and employee records, among other things.

With better integration, changes flow through automatically. That means fewer entries, fewer errors, and more free time.

5. Handling Every Employee Issue Personally

When you’re the only go-to for every conflict, complaint, or issue, your day gets hijacked fast. Some things absolutely belong with HR. But many could be resolved earlier and better by trained managers.

🛠️ How To Fix It: Upskill your managers by teaching them to give feedback, handle minor conflicts, and document specific issues.  This doesn’t remove HR from the process; rather, it elevates the role, moving them from firefighter to advisor.

Stop the HR Busy Work, Amplify Your Impact

Normalizing HR busy work has real consequences, including burnout. Your top performers may feel overwhelmed by constant overtime or pressure to meet demands. It also creates dependence on key team members, making it difficult to delegate when only a few people hold essential knowledge or responsibilities.

Maintaining inefficient processes limits growth, slows project delivery, and prevents your team from focusing on strategic initiatives. 🛠️ How To Fix It:  Partnering with an IRS-certified PEO can help. By taking on time-consuming tasks, PEOs help small businesses get back more time to focus on productivity and growth. In addition to saving time, a PEO can also save your business money by identifying inefficiencies, streamlining HR processes, and helping you make critical cost-cutting decisions.

Studies show that businesses working with a PEO:

☑️Grow twice as fast and are 50% less likely to go out of business

☑️Have a 12% lower employee turnover rate

☑️Have an ROI of 27.2 % per year, based on cost savings alone

☑️Experience double the annual median revenue growth, with an added 16% increase in profitability

If you constantly feel behind, the fix isn’t more hustle. It’s better tools, clearer processes, and the right support. A PEO can help you stop the small stuff from piling up, so you can invest your time where it matters most. And if you need help, just give us a call at📱 800-446-6567

Find Out What a PEO Can Do for You

If you’re a small to mid-sized business, a PEO can lighten your workload and strengthen your operations. Imagine focusing on growth while experts handle your payroll, taxes, benefits, HR, and compliance.

⬇️Read more about the advantages of working with a PEO in our series:

🔷 HELP WANTED: HR Team or PEO Partner


Investing in an HR team versus partnering with a PEO, which path is best for your small business? As your business grows, managing HR gets complicated – fast.

Should you build your own HR team or explore the benefits of partnering with a PEO? Here’s how to decide which choice best fits your business. ➡️Link #1Link #1Read More

🔷 NEW RESEARCH: More Small Businesses Are Turning to PEOs


Compelling research from the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) shows that PEOs are helping small businesses scale – a game-changer in 2026.

Working with a PEO isn’t about outsourcing; it’s about upgrading how you manage HR.  It’s about investing in smarter growth, happier employees, and peace of mind. In a business world that’s only getting more complex, that’s a benefit worth having on your side. Thousands of successful businesses are already doing it – and the data proves it works. ➡️Link #2Link #2Read More

IT’S HERE!

Your FREE HR Checklist

Here’s your checklist of important tasks related to payroll, benefits, compliance, and general HR. 

Download Now
AdobeStock_277387980_01
About Propel HR. Propel HR is an IRS-certified PEO and a leading provider of human resources and payroll solutions for 30 years. Propel partners with small to mid-sized businesses to manage payroll, employee benefits, compliance and risks, and other HR functions in a way that maximizes efficiency and reduces costs. For more information, visit propelhr.com
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The Productivity Playbook: How to Turn Outsourcing into a Strategic Win

Here’s your game plan for turning outsourcing into a winning streak.

IT’S HERE!

Your FREE HR Checklist

Here’s your checklist of important tasks related to payroll, benefits, compliance, and general HR. 

Download Now

Productivity is the secret sauce that separates teams stuck on the sidelines from those with winning streaks. Chances are you’re juggling hiring, compliance, benefits, culture, and about a dozen other priorities . . . all while the clock keeps ticking.

➡️➡️Link #1Link #1Link #1Read More: HR Forecast: What’s Changing & How To Get Ready

Your power play? Outsourcing. When used strategically, it boosts productivity, streamlines operations, and frees you up to focus on what actually moves the scoreboard – your bottom line.

First Quarter: What Productivity Really Means

In HR, productivity isn’t about sprinting faster – it’s about running the right plays at the right time.


True HR productivity means delivering meaningful outcomes with minimal wasted effort. Speed matters, sure, but impact matters more.

Fast hiring doesn’t matter if turnover remains high. Smooth payroll is great . . .  unless errors keep forcing replays.

At its core, productivity is about consistent, high-quality execution that supports your business year-round.

Here’s the basic stat line. The fundamental formula HR teams use looks like this: Productivity = Total Output / Total Input.

📤Output: Projects completed, revenue generated, goals achieved

📥Input: Labor hours, number of employees, or financial costs

It’s simple math but powerful when you track the right metrics.

Why HR Productivity Is For Champions

When HR productivity is dialed in, your entire team plays better.

Here’s what that looks like on the field:

🎯Better Employee Experience. Faster responses, smoother onboarding, clearer policies – all retention fuel.

🎯Stronger Compliance Defense. Mistakes lead to fines, audits, and penalties – that’s expensive. Productive HR keeps risk off the scoreboard.

🎯Scoring Efficiency. In the Red Zone, the stakes are high, and scoring opportunities significantly increase. When your HR team isn’t buried in paperwork, they can make a more strategic impact by focusing on culture, performance, and growth.

🎯Leadership Trust. HR shifts from order-taker to trusted partner.

The results? A productive HR function is the engine that keeps your people – and your business – moving forward.

The Stats Don’t Lie: Proof from the League

The data backs it up:

➡️Flexibility & Remote Work. A Gartner report finds that 43% of employees working flexible hours say they are more productive. Gallup found that fully remote workers report the highest engagement levels.

➡️Engagement Matters. Highly engaged teams are 17% – 21% more productive than disengaged ones.

➡️The Productivity Gap. Top-tier companies grew more productive, while others saw declines due to inefficient collaboration and low engagement.

🎯Winning teams don’t guess; they measure, adjust, optimize, and power up.

The Box Score: Common HR Productivity Metrics


To know how your team is performing, you need the right stats:

📊 Output Metrics. Revenue per employee, output per hour, goals completed vs. assigned

📊 Efficiency Metrics. Time spent per task, employee utilization

📊 Quality Metrics. Accuracy and impact, not just speed

📊 Engagement Indicators. Engagement scores and absenteeism.

📊 Financial Metrics. Total Cost of Workforce (TCOW)

These numbers tell you whether your plays are working and what needs to be redesigned.

Second Half Adjustments

This is where smart teams pull ahead. One of the most effective strategies? Outsourcing to a Professional Employer Organization (PEO).

A PEO helps improve productivity by offloading time-consuming tasks while strengthening the entire employee lifecycle through MVP expertise and next-level HR tech.

🔥Think of it as adding multiple Tom Bradys to your roster.

THE GAME PLAN

Play #1: Reallocate Resources to Core Strengths


The fastest productivity gain comes from freeing your teams from admin overload. By outsourcing, you get:

✅Time Savings. Business owners can spend 20+ hours per month on HR admin-related tasks. Outsourcing frees up time for growth, sales, and strategy.

✅Administrative Relief. Payroll, benefits enrollment, and multi-state compliance tasks move off your plate and into expert hands.

✅A Team of MVPs. Outsourcing gives you access to a team of pros, ready to help when you need it.

Play #2: Build a Deeper Talent Bench that Flexes

An engaged workforce is naturally more productive.

💼 Lower Turnover. Companies using PEOs see 10%–14% lower turnover, reducing disruptions and retraining time.

💼 Big-league Benefits. PEOs provide access to Fortune 500-level benefits, boosting satisfaction and engagement.

💼 Faster Onboarding. Streamlined onboarding helps new hires get in the game.

Play #3: Upgrade Your Tech Stack

PEOs give small and mid-sized businesses access to advanced HR technology without the big-ticket price tag.

📊 Automation. Payroll and tax automation reduce errors and time-consuming fixes.

📊 Employee Self-service. Employees handle PTO, pay stubs, and benefits updates themselves with fewer interruptions for HR.

Play #4: Strengthen Your Compliance Defense


Compliance isn’t optional and managing it internally can drain focus fast. With a PEO on your team, you get:

🛡️Expert Guidance. A team of HR pros helps prevent fumbles and penalties. PEOs stay on top of federal, state, and local regulations, including ACA and FMLA.

🛡️Safety Programs. Proactive safety audits reduce workplace incidents and business disruption.

Play #5: Win on the Scoreboard

All these efficiencies lead to real, measurable stats:

🏆Faster Growth. Businesses using a PEO grow 7% – 9% faster than those that don’t. And are 50% Less Likely to Go Out of Business

🏆High ROI. The average annual return on investment is 27.2% based solely on cost savings.

💥That’s not just a win – it’s a blowout. It’s the stuff championships are made of.

FINAL CALL: Make Productivity Your Winning Play!


How far can you go? Productivity isn’t a one-time drill – it’s a GOAT mindset.

When you measure what matters, optimize repetitive work, and outsource strategically, you’re not just working faster . . . You’re working smarter. That’s for legends.

🔥Outsourcing is no rookie move. It’s a strategic productivity partner that helps HR shift from scrambling to scoring. And keeping that winning streak hot.

Ready to Turn HR into a Powerhouse?

Ready to hear your crowd ROOOAAARRR? 🎉 This power playbook is your first step.

➡️If you need some coaching or a huddle about your productivity game plan, we’ve got you all the way to the Super Bowl winning streak and beyond – just give us a call.

IT’S HERE!

Your FREE HR Checklist

Here’s your checklist of important tasks related to payroll, benefits, compliance, and general HR. 

Download Now
AdobeStock_277387980_01
About Propel HR. Propel HR is an IRS-certified PEO and a leading provider of human resources and payroll solutions for 30 years. Propel partners with small to mid-sized businesses to manage payroll, employee benefits, compliance, risk, and other HR functions in ways that maximize efficiency and reduce costs. To learn more, visit propelhr.com
Read More

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Scaling Smart: How a PEO Prepares Your Business for Growth

Is your business growing? Here’s how a PEO becomes a powerful advantage as you gear up for bigger things.

IT’S HERE!

Your FREE HR Checklist

Here’s your checklist of important tasks related to payroll, benefits, compliance, and general HR. 

Download Now

If you run a small or midsize business, you already know growth is exciting, yes — but also unpredictable, and sometimes overwhelming. That’s exactly why more business owners and HR leaders are choosing Professional Employer Organizations, or PEOs, not just to outsource HR tasks, but to grow smarter, faster, and more sustainably.

The Top 10

A PEO helps you scale without letting the behind-the-scenes stuff collapse under the weight of bigger payrolls, more onboarding, greater compliance risk, and higher employee expectations. It’s like adding an entire HR department overnight, minus the overhead and recruitment scramble. A few advantages include:

1. You Get HR Infrastructure Before You Actually Need It (Which Is Exactly When You Need It)

Most small businesses don’t feel the pain of HR complexity until it’s too late. Payroll errors start multiplying, employees want benefits you’re not equipped to provide, and suddenly you’re Googling state labor laws at 11:30 p.m.

A PEO lays the foundation before those cracks show. Payroll scales without drama. Whether you have 10 people or 110, payroll stays smooth, compliant, and on time. Onboarding becomes a real process and not a scramble. Templates, checklists, digital forms, background screening, and automated workflows ensure consistency as you grow. Policies adjust proactively. A PEO helps you build employee handbooks, update them with new laws, and create clear rules that reduce risk as your headcount increases.

➡️➡️READ MORE:  Are You Ready for 2026? Here’s Your HR Checklist for Q1

2. A PEO Delivers the Big-Company Benefits Employees Want

Here’s the part that often surprises business owners: a PEO can give you access to benefits packages typically reserved for much larger companies.

Because a PEO pools together employees across its client base, you essentially get to “buy in bulk,” accessing high-quality benefits at lower rates. That means you can offer your team robust health plans, retirement savings options, and other top-tier benefits typically reserved for larger companies (and top talent expects).

🎯When employees enjoy comprehensive benefits without compromise, your company is seen as a long-term career option. Retention rises, and as every HR pro knows, that’s a growth strategy.

3. Compliance Stops Being a Guessing Game

Growth = risk.  New states. New regulations. New employment laws. New reporting requirements.

This is where many small businesses unintentionally step into danger territory. The rules change constantly and the stakes are high.

A PEO becomes your compliance command center:

✅They track federal, state, and local employment laws.

✅They help maintain the required documentation.

✅They ensure new hires are classified correctly.

✅They reduce risk with structured workplace policies.

✅And because of the co-employment relationship, many PEOs also share certain administrative responsibilities – meaning you’re not alone if something goes sideways.

🎯Growing is risky. Growing without compliance support? That’s gambling.

4. HR Technology You Don’t Have to Build Yourself

Scaling is smoother when everything is connected, such as payroll, onboarding, PTO tracking, benefits enrollment, performance management, and reporting. But building your own HR tech stack or licensing multiple vendors gets expensive fast.

🎯A PEO delivers the all-in-one HR command center designed for your business. Better data, better workflows, better decision-making.

5. A PEO Frees Up Time (A Lot of It)

If you’re a business owner, your job is to grow the business, not troubleshoot payroll deductions. If you’re an HR manager, your job is to support the people strategy, not drown in admin work.

A PEO takes on repetitive, time-consuming tasks, such as processing payroll, managing benefits, handling tax filings, and preparing compliance documentation. The more you grow, the more time you reclaim, instead of watching your workload escalate with each hire.

6. You Gain a Team of HR Experts Without Expanding Your Staff

Growing companies don’t always have the luxury of immediately hiring a full HR team — HR generalists, benefits specialists, payroll administrators, compliance officers, recruiters, risk managers, the whole lineup.

A PEO gives you access to exactly those roles, on-demand expertise, without the full-time salary load.

➡️➡️READ MORE: HR Help Wanted: In-house Team or PEO Partner

Need help rolling out a new PTO policy? Preparing for benefits renewal? Handling a sensitive employee relations issue? There’s an expert for that. It’s like having a seasoned HR department already onboard, ready to advise you every step of the way.

7. You Become More Attractive to Investors and Partners

Here’s something entrepreneurs don’t always think about: investors love operational maturity. When a PEO is part of your infrastructure, it signals you’re compliant, manage risks well, your HR processes are stable and that you can scale responsibly.

🎯For investors, lenders, and potential partners, a strong HR foundation = reduced risk. And reduced risk makes you a better bet. For acquisitions and rapid growth phases, a PEO can also make integration smoother.

8. A PEO Helps You Build a Better Employee Experience

Growth doesn’t just require more people; it requires keeping the good people you already have on board.

A PEO helps you:

✅Improve communication and access to information.

✅Build modern HR processes that employees trust.

✅Provide competitive benefits

✅Create fair, consistent workplace policies.

🎯A better employee experience leads to lower turnover and higher morale. And in high-growth companies, stability is gold.

9. You Can Expand Into New States With Confidence

Need to hire employees in another state? That’s great for growth, but it creates compliance challenges due to different tax rules and labor law requirements. 

🎯A PEO handles all of it, letting you recruit the best talent in any location without losing sleep or risking penalties.

10. You Scale Strategically

Growth can stress your business when operations lag behind headcount. A PEO aligns both, so you’re expanding strategically.

🎯The result? Smooth transitions. Predictable costs. Cleaner processes. Less risk. Happier employees. And more time to focus on what actually grows the business — not on what slows it down.

Growth Is Easier ➡️When You’re Not Doing Everything Yourself

If you’re preparing to scale — or even thinking about it — the question isn’t whether you can handle growth alone. It’s whether you should.

With a PEO, growth is a plan.

A PEO delivers the infrastructure, expertise, and stability that power growing companies, without requiring a major investment or a staff increase.

Ready to see what a PEO can do? We can lighten your workload and help you drive growth, just give us a call at (800) 446-6567 or visit propelhr.com

🎯PEO Series: The PEO Difference🎯

Learn more about how a PEO can help your business in our series:

🔶HR Help Wanted: In-house Team or PEO Partner. Investing in an HR team versus partnering with a PEO, which path is best for your small business? As your business grows, managing HR gets complicated –  fast. Should you build your own HR team or explore the benefits of partnering with a PEO? Here’s how to decide which choice best fits your business. Read More

🔶Navigating Compliance Minefields. Navigating HR compliance can feel like tiptoeing through a minefield — one wrong move can trigger costly consequences. From pay transparency laws to overtime thresholds, new regulations evolve faster than most small HR teams can keep up with. Here’s a look at the top HR compliance challenges and how to avoid turning small missteps into expensive lessons. Read More

🔶New Research Shows Why More Small Businesses Are Turning to PEOs. The data is in! And it shows how partnering with a PEO will be the smartest move for small businesses in 2026. Recently released research from the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) shows that PEO partnerships are helping small businesses scale. It’s smarter, more efficient, and a game-changer. Here’s what the latest data shows. Read More

IT’S HERE!

Your FREE HR Checklist

Here’s your checklist of important tasks related to payroll, benefits, compliance, and general HR. 

Download Now
AdobeStock_277387980_01

About Propel HR. Propel HR is an IRS-certified PEO that has been a leading provider of human resources and payroll solutions for more than 25 years. Propel partners with small to mid-sized businesses to manage payroll, employee benefits, compliance and risks, and other HR functions in a way that maximizes efficiency and reduces costs. For more information, visit www.propelhr.com

Read More

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New South Carolina Law Protects Pregnant and Nursing Employees

One of our employees just shared news of her new grandson, and our office team was elated! Everyone loves new babies, right? As employers, it is helpful to keep the same sense of congratulatory excitement as we consider how we treat expecting mothers in our workplace.

Recently, the South Carolina General Assembly passed the SC Pregnancy Accommodations Act last month as communicated in the legislation’s intent statement.

It is the intent of the General Assembly by this act to combat pregnancy discrimination, promote public health, and ensure full and equal participation for women in the labor force by requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees for medical needs arising from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.  Current workplace laws are inadequate to protect pregnant women from being forced out or fired when they need a simple, reasonable accommodation in order to stay on the job.  Many pregnant women are single mothers or the primary breadwinners for their families; if they lose their jobs then the whole family will suffer.  This is not an outcome that families can afford in today’s difficult economy.

Signed into law by Governor McMaster last month, the SC Human Affairs Law, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, was amended to include the language, “… because of or on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to, lactation.” The new SC Pregnancy Accommodations Act not only reinforces the protections under the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act, it has offered guidance regarding pregnancy and lactation accommodations along with new posting and notice requirements for SC employers. 

Employers have learned that it makes good business sense to create a work environment where expectant and nursing mothers feel valued and respected.

As a reminder, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has already issued guidance on this topic under the PDA:

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) is an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions constitutes unlawful sex discrimination under Title VII.  Women affected by pregnancy or related conditions must be treated in the same manner as other applicants or employees who are similar in their ability or inability to work.

If an employee is temporarily unable to perform her job due to pregnancy, the employer must treat her the same as any other temporarily disabled employee; for example, by providing light duty, modified tasks, alternative assignments, disability leave, or leave without pay.

Additionally, impairments resulting from pregnancy (for example, gestational diabetes) may be disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  An employer may have to provide a reasonable accommodation for a disability related to pregnancy, absent undue hardship (significant difficulty or expense).

So what does all this mean for South Carolina employers?

There are no significant changes regarding how we treat pregnant employees. If you were already engaging in the interactive process to offer reasonable accommodations to pregnant workers and lactating mothers, stay the course. As we have learned from several high-profile cases and “the Court of Public Opinion,” many employers have learned that it makes good business sense to create a work environment where expectant and nursing mothers feel valued and respected.

Further Reading: Create a Culture of Professionalism

If you are unsure about accommodations, the new SC Pregnancy Discrimination Act does state clearer expectations to define unlawful employment practices:

  1. Failing or refusing to make reasonable accommodations for these employees and/or applicants
  2. Denying employment or opportunities to an employee or applicant if the denial is based on the employee’s or applicant’s need for a reasonable accommodation
  3. Requiring a pregnant employee or applicant to accept an accommodation not of her choosing, if the applicant or employee does not have a known limitation related to pregnancy or the accommodation is unnecessary for her to perform essential job functions
  4. Requiring the employee to take leave under any leave law or policy if another reasonable accommodation can be provided
  5. Taking adverse action against an applicant or employee for requesting or using a reasonable accommodation

With the attention around these issues, employers should fully explore solutions for accommodation requests and consult with HR professionals and/or legal counsel to perform and document your undue hardship analysis before deciding no reason accommodations are available.

Further Reading: The Value of HR Assessments

Another important point to note from this list is requiring employees to accept an accommodation not agreed upon by employee. This reiterates the importance of the interactive conversation between the employer and employee. Once a request is received, the employer and employee should engage in dialogue to determine how to proceed and document this meeting. Be aware that solutions may vary by employee based on their individual need, so employers should not apply blanket practices to employees, such as requiring all pregnant workers to automatically transition to a certain position in their final trimester.

Employees have the right to be free from discrimination for medical needs arising from pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.

What may be new to some SC employers are the lactation accommodations. Under this Act, employers are now required to allow time and offer a private place, not a bathroom stall, for employees to express milk. The time allotment, frequency and logistics for this process should be discussed with the nursing employee to determine a schedule to meet the needs of both the business and the employee. While there is no requirement for this time to be paid, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulations still apply for breaks of less than 20 minutes and for exempt pay deductions.


From an administrative perspective, there are a few key action items employers will also need to note regarding policies, employee notices and postings.

  • Handbook Policies – To align with the SC Pregnancy Accommodations Act language, it is recommended that employers review and update their Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) handbook policy to add language to include “individuals affected by pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, including but not limited to lactation,” and their Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) handbook policy to add language to include “individuals with medical needs arising from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.”
  • Employee Notice – Employers are also required to provide written notice “of the right to be free from discrimination for medical needs arising from pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions” new hires at the time of hire and to existing employees within 120 days of the effective date of this Act, which would be September 18, 2018.
  • Posting Requirements – Employers are required to conspicuously post in an area accessible by employees a similar notice as referenced above, “… the right to be free from discrimination for medical needs arising from pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.”

The regulatory arm of this Act is the SC Human Affairs Commission. Since they have not issued a specific employee notice or specific employer posting requirements at this time, this is will be something to continue to look out for. With this legislation being effective immediately, some law firms are providing suggested language for these documents now, which could be helpful for large and/or remote teams to meet the September 18th deadline.

While this precautionary measure does allow for more rollout time, if specific language is issued by the SC Human Affairs Commission (SCHAC), this may create additional work for your team. In either case, employers should ensure they are consistently accommodating pregnant workers and nursing mothers immediately as that due date has passed.

Whereas baby showers, bottles and gifts may be the way employees convey excitement for a colleague’s new addition, effective accommodations and fair treatment is the way employers show compassion and enthusiasm for their employee.

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The Startup Mentality

When you think of a startup company, you immediately think of passion. You envision a founder who may be penniless but who is consumed by a passion to follow his or her dreams. The entrepreneur enthusiastically communicates her vision and creates the energy to sustain it. Others jump on the bandwagon and work tirelessly to help the dream become a reality. A company in the infant stages has a naturally high energy level with an engaged workforce who believe in the vision. But as the company matures and becomes more established, that early sense of passion can decrease as the grind of just staying ahead becomes the focus.

Further Reading: Passionate Employees

How do you continue to energize employees and maintain a startup mentality?

  • Clarify the purpose – Passion without purpose is wasted energy. A startup organization has a clear sense of purpose imbedded with passion. Make sure that as the company matures, the mission and purpose still serves as the guiding light. Communicate successes, failures, and where the organization is headed as well as how employees can contribute to the plan.
  • Lead with passion – Passion must start from the top for it to flow to all employees. Who wants to work for someone who is just going through the motions? Leaders need to provide a purpose and instill a sense of passion in their team.
  • Weed out toxic employees – Do you have a whiner on your team, someone who relentlessly complains but is not willing to be part of a solution? One toxic employee can compromise a culture of passion. Identify these people and replace them.
  • Create Collaborative Space – Innovative ideas are bred from diverse groups working together towards a common mission. If possible, your work space should reflect this intentional collaboration. If you can’t physically have your marketing department next to your operations team, then create events or virtual spaces to encourage collaborative thinking.
  • Celebrate Accomplishments – Employees need to feel that their contributions make a difference. Take the time to recognize and celebrate exemplary service and innovation. Passionate people have strong work ethics and aren’t afraid to burn the midnight oil for a purpose they believe in. Celebrate hard work and reward employees for the sacrifices they make.

Further Reading: How to Hire Passionate Employees

No matter where your company is on the life cycle of a business, you can still foster the energy that is typically associated with a startup. If you stick to your mission, clearly communicate the objectives, hire engaged individuals, and encourage innovative collaboration, then you will be able to harness the power of the startup and take your business to the next level.

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How does a PEO Change the Hiring Game for a Small to Medium Business?

Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) tackle some of the hardest tasks facing any business owner, human resources management. While most businesses want hiring and firing control, the hassles of payroll, updating employee handbooks and building successful training programs all require special expertise. When a business owner or manager lacks that expertise, new talent is needed. In-house talent can mean spiraling employee costs that may not add immediate organizational value. PEOs change the conversation.

What is a PEO?

PEOs serve the same function as a fully staffed HR department, but as a third-party provider. Working with a PEO shifts certain operational responsibilities to the vendor, leaving business owners to get on with their core functions. Payroll and all of the management activities that go along with it move to the PEO. Essentially, all of your employees now work for the PEO, but you define their workday. The PEO writes the checks, files the payroll taxes and tracks time off, but all work activities are carried out at your business.

Expand Your HR Offerings With out Increasing Costs

A PEO does a lot more than just handle payroll. Small businesses are among the least likely to offer compensation packages that include things like retirement benefits, but these are the benefits employees want the most. When top qualified candidates have a choice between a compensation package that includes retirement benefits and one that doesn’t, they are likely to go with the larger company that can afford a better benefits package. PEOs change the game. Almost all, 98 percent, of PEOs offer some type of retirement plan to their clients. Since one of the most cited reasons why small businesses fail to offer employer-sponsored retirement plans is the cost of administration and setup, participation jumps tremendously when these plans are available as part of an existing HR service contract. The PEO rolls the administrative costs into the total service, making it easier for employers to opt in. PEOs also include services including but not limited to:

  • Compliance assistance for HR-related regulations
  • Online training program development, delivery and tracking
  • Building customized employee handbooks
  • Background screening
  • Employee satisfaction surveys
  • Exit interviews

These services can benefit you by offloading complex, time-consuming tasks where a mistake can be very costly, and benefit your employees by helping to build more engagement and job satisfaction.

Retain Your Best Employees, Longer

Retirement benefits do more than just attract new talent. They also help you retain your existing top performers. Employees already invested in a retirement package are often reluctant to leave. Average employee turnover in the United States sits at 42 percent, but companies that work with PEOs enjoy rates as low as 28 percent.

Choose a Certified PEO Partner

Certified Professional Employer Organizations (CPEOs) have certification from the IRS and pass along specific tax benefits to their clients. Propel HR has the honor of being one of the first PEO companies to earn certified status, and the only one headquartered in the Carolinas. CPEO applies nationwide. To get the maximum benefit of working with a PEO and to minimize potential liability, working with a CPEO is a solid choice. CPEOs take on all tax liability along with their payroll management services, so any errors do not pass on to you. When you offload HR responsibilities, it can be with serious peace of mind, as long as your PEO is a CPEO.

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What Is A PEO, And Why Does That Matter To ME?

Understanding Professional Employer Organizations, Or PEOs

The term PEO stands for Professional Employer Organization. These groups specialize in certain aspects of operation which would be infrastructural, rather than core, to most businesses. Generally, such tasks revolve around employee management. Services PEOs provide include:

  • Employee Benefits
  • Payroll
  • Workman’s Compensation
  • Recruitment
  • Legal/Regulatory Compliance
  • Management Of Safety And/Or Risk
  • Employee Development
  • Employee Training

No Business Is An Island

Every one of these things can be done internally. Similarly, individuals need never drive a car, live in town, or use any trappings of modern civilization. Your business could be like some antiquated mountain man, living so independently you prepare all things for sustenance internally—from meals to clothes—you get the idea. But we all have in our minds the quintessential image of the mountain man—he’s a hermit decked out in skins that have been cobbled together seemingly without rhyme or reason. Is such an individual likely to be a socialite?

Your business is like a mountain man if you do everything internally and neglect to use that which is advantageous beyond your operations. If you’re trying to run everything internally, you’re likely to end up appearing as some socially-estranged vagabond in the business community. Because you do everything yourself, you may find certain businesses are wary to work with you. Consider a brewery that only sells their own product, and refuses to carry any mainstream beers. They’re going to lose money over time. Well, your employees, your internal infrastructure, compliance issues, employee training—these things have all been professionally maximized through PEO organizations. They have made a business out of providing such things more efficiently and cost-effectively than internal businesses can. So doing everything only internally can work against you, when better options are available.

PEOs Save Time And Money While Providing Better Employees

Meanwhile, a PEO regularly provides qualified individuals who are screened in advance for a variety of applicable positions. They make it their core prerogative to source personnel which fit the needs of their clients so that, at a moment’s notice, they can provide solutions nigh-instantaneously.

Something else to consider is that there are over 700 PEO organizations throughout the United States, from South Carolina to Texas to Alaska, and everywhere in between. This means not only are employee management tasks a PEO’s core prerogative, additionally they are in competition for your business with other PEOs. This is a natural factor inducing qualitative services.

Proper Legal Compliance

It is additionally worth noting that PEOs are apt to have breaking information pertaining to market trends and legal compliance issues. Dealing with multiple clients, they’ve really got no choice in the matter if they want to remain competitive. This means should there be some legal issue lurking in obscurity, you will be made aware of it immediately—and new changes as they come will also be passed on to the appropriate people in your organization as your PEO becomes aware of them.

Statistically Vetted Growth

For the last 14 years, PEOs have been able to provide steady growth for businesses to the tune of a 7% to 9% annually given proper implementation. This is coupled with further statistics from the same NAPEO website which indicate between 10% and 14% less employee turnover, allowing you to maximize ROI, expanding resources.

Upgrading Your Operations

Altogether, what these things indicate is that you stand to have more streamlined, profitable operations through engagement of a qualified PEO organization. If you haven’t looked into such an option, it may be worth considering. 7-9% annual growth can definitely give you competitive advantage, and additionally is likely to make your business more sustainable.

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Navigating the Leave-Management Maze

When an employee requires a leave of absence because of a medical issue or disability, the situation is not always straightforward, and the best way to manage it is not always clear. Adding to the confusion employers face is an ever-changing alphabet soup of federal and state laws and regulations, starting with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Not knowing the ins and outs of leave-management can put your business in jeopardy, resulting in costly fines and lawsuits.

Here’s a real world example:

Mark works in your Quality Department. He is a solid performer and has been with your company for more than 6 years. While at lunch with several managers, Mark mentions that he is exhausted because he has to take his son to chemo-therapy appointments. His supervisor, Joe, hears his comment, but he’s already given notice to leave the company, so he’s not concerned that Mark has been missing a lot of work. Soon after the new manager arrives in the Quality Department, she writes up Mark for excessive absenteeism and assigns him to a part-time schedule.

Did Mark give enough information to indicate that his absences may be protected under FMLA?

In fact, by mentioning the serious medical condition of his son, he has put his company on notice that he may qualify for FMLA.

Should Joe have done something differently at work to protect himself and the company?

Joe should have recognized that the absences may be covered under a leave of absence law and should have reported in to management or Human Resources.

Is the company at risk?

Yes! A disciplinary action based on his absences could put the company at risk for a lawsuit for discrimination under FMLA. Help!

Further Reading: The Ultimate Guide to HR Acronyms and Initialisms

Today, organizations must consider the many laws that may govern a job-protected leave of absence, in addition to their own policies relating to paid or unpaid time off. Factors such as the organization size, location, and the reason the employee needs time off, may affect an employee’s right to a leave of absence. Employment laws governing job-protected leaves include Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Pregnancy Discrimination Act, and worker’s compensation laws. Human Resources professionals can help management navigate through the sensitive nature of the employee’s issue and the organization’s obligations. Every situation should be analyzed based on the employee’s situation, and whether their reason is covered by a law or company policy.

There are mandatory and voluntary types of leave. A leave is mandatory based on federal and/or state laws. There are factors for each leave that will determine if your company must, by law, provide a job-protected leave of absence to your employees.   

 

The areas of regulated leaves include:

 
Family/Medical

The Federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is required for employers with 50 or more employees. The leave allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks off of unpaid FMLA leave for certain qualifying events. Employers must continue health care benefits during the leave (as long as the employee maintains payment for benefit premiums) and the employee must be reinstated to their former position, or equivalent, when they return to work. Some states have passed additional Family/Medical leaves that will need to be taken in to consideration.

Jury Duty

Employers are required to grant leave time for employees who are called for civic duty. Some states have requirements that employees pay cannot be docked when employees are on jury duty. Several states have passed laws that also require leave for an employee to act as a witness. This leave may be paid or unpaid depending on your state’s law.

Time Off to Vote

Some states have passed laws that require employers to make a certain amount of time, paid or unpaid depending on the state, on election day to vote.

Military

Employers must grant a leave of absence to an employee who is drafted or voluntarily enlists in the U.S. Armed Forces, or who volunteers for the National Guard or Military Reserves.

Paid Sick Leave

Numerous states and municipalities have passed mandated paid sick leave laws over the last few years. It is important to know if your state requires it and to make sure that your handbook is in alignment with the requirements. If you are in a state that does NOT have PSL, you may choose to offer a Sick Pay Policy (or Paid Time Off policy which includes sick time). The amount earned would be governed by a company policy.

Bereavement

This leave is to allow employees to have time off when they experience a death in the family. Some states have mandated bereavement. If you are not in a state that mandates it, then this policy would be voluntary and the specifics would be defined in your policy.

Certain states have employment laws that govern leaves. This is just an example. Please check with a Human Resources professional for laws applicable to your company.

Further Reading: How To Avoid These Six Common HR Nightmares

Leave policies that are voluntary and are implemented for the benefit of the employee per company policy include:

 
Vacation/Paid Time Off

This is considered a benefit earned as employees work for the company and allows for employees to take time off with pay for short-term absences and vacation. Check your states guidelines on if this needs to be paid out at termination.

Holiday

Company policy will determine if holidays, paid or unpaid, are taken by employees for private companies. 

Medical/Personal

Companies may choose to offer time off for reasons that may not be covered under mandated laws, because they are not eligible for a mandated leave, or because they have exhausted their Paid Time Off. 

In addition to knowing what leave laws you must provide for your employees, you also need to know that there are other laws that may come in to play when an employee asks for time off. 

The first is Worker’s Compensation (W/C). Worker’s Compensation is governed by state law. If you have an employee injured on the job, they may be entitled to medical leave (FMLA if you are over 50 employees). There are many factors and scenarios for W/C, but specific to a medical leave, if it involves an FMLA-covered employer with an FMLA-eligible employee and a medical leave is required by the treating physician, the FMLA time should run concurrent with W/C benefits.

The second is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). ADA is a Federal law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and required employers to provide reasonable workplace accommodations (so long as it is not an undue hardship) to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. This law applies to private employers with 15 or more employees. The ADA may work concurrently with FMLA or it may be applicable all of its own. In addition, an extension of a leave of absence may be necessary under the ADA. It is important when an employee requests time off for a medical reason, determine an employee’s eligibility under ADA, FMLA, and/or any state leave laws separately.

As you can see, there are a multitude of factors to consider when an employee requests time off from work. It is also important to know how to manage the day-to-day absences from day one until the granted leave is complete. To ensure compliance of changing leave laws, make sure you audit your practices and update your handbook regularly. Ensure you have a single point of contact at the company to review and approve/deny leave requests so that you are consistently applying your policies and complying with relevant employment law.

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Better HR with a PEO

Need help with Personnel?

Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) tackle some of the hardest tasks facing any business owner—human resources management. While most businesses want to maintain control of hiring and firing, the hassles of administering payroll, updating employee handbooks and tracking employment regulation changes all require special expertise. When a business owner or manager lacks that expertise, one solution is HR outsourcing. An in-house HR department can mean spiraling costs that may not add immediate organizational value, but the right PEO can change the conversation.

What is a PEO?

A PEO serves the same function as a fully staffed payroll and HR department, but as a third-party provider. The PEO enters into a “co-employment” relationship with clients, where the PEO provides human resource services and assumes partial liability for the employees. Working with a PEO allows a business owner to focus on growing her business. Essentially, all of your employees are taken care of by the PEO, but you define their workday. The PEO writes the checks, files the payroll taxes and tracks time off, but all work activities are carried out at your business. 

Expand Your HR Offerings Without Increasing Costs

A PEO does a lot more than just handle payroll. Small businesses are among the least likely to offer compensation packages that include things like retirement benefits, but these are the benefits employees want the most. When top qualified candidates have a choice between a compensation package that includes retirement benefits and one that doesn’t, they are likely to go with the larger company that can afford a better benefits package. PEOs change the game. Almost all, 98 percent, of PEOs offer some type of retirement plan to their clients. Since one of the most cited reasons why small businesses fail to offer employer-sponsored retirement plans is the cost of administration and setup, participation jumps tremendously when these plans are available as part of an existing HR service contract. The PEO rolls the administrative costs into the total service, making it easier for employers to opt in. PEOs also include services like:

  • Compliance assistance for HR-related regulations
  • Online training program development, delivery and tracking
  • Building customized employee handbooks
  • Background screening
  • Employee satisfaction surveys
  • Exit interviews
  • and much more!

These services can benefit you by offloading complex, time-consuming tasks where a mistake can be very costly, and they benefit your employees by helping to build more engagement and job satisfaction.

Retain Your Best Employees Longer

Retirement benefits do more than just attract new talent. They also help you retain your existing top performers. Employees already invested in a retirement package are often reluctant to leave. Average employee turnover in the United States sits at 42 percent, but companies that work with PEOs enjoy rates as low as 28 percent.

Choose a Certified PEO Partner

Certified Professional Employer Organizations (CPEOs) have certification from the IRS and pass along specific tax benefits to their clients. Propel HR has the honor of being one of the first PEO companies to earn certified status, and the only one headquartered in the Carolinas. CPEO applies nationwide. CPEOs take on certain tax liabilities in addition to their payroll management services, so your company is not responsible for any errors they make. Outsourcing payroll and HR responsibilities comes with peace of mind, as long as your PEO is a CPEO.

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Propel Your Business Forward

https://propelhr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Propel-Your-Business-Forward.mp4

Running a business is complicated. It’s more than just doing what you do. There are taxes, regulations, filing deadlines. Making mistakes can result in costly fines and lawsuits.

Propel HR streamlines these processes with powerful Human Capital Management software that automates payroll, time and labor management, and even Workers’ Comp.

Our Human Resources Experts help you smooth out employee relations and help your company stay compliant with constantly shifting federal and state regulations.

Further Reading: How Well Do You Know Propel?

As your business grows and you experience new challenges, we can customize our services and our software to best support your needs.

 Our full-service solutions reduce liability and let you focus your full attention on reaching new heights for your business.

Propel HR. Customizable HR and Payroll solutions that propel your business forward.

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How to Hire Passionate Employees

A passionate workforce can have a direct impact on a company’s bottom line. Passionate people are enthusiastic, caring, and committed about their causes and interests. Employees who are passionate about their jobs will naturally produce high-quality results and always strive for improvement. When faced with an obstacle, they search for solutions rather than viewing it as a burden.

In the quest of building a culture of employees who truly love their work, we need to determine how businesses recruit employees who are passionate.

According to Glassdoor Data, the average hiring process in America is approximately 23 days. When a company needs to hire an employee, there are many associated tasks which account for this time:

  • First, the job is posted and resumes are gathered.
  • After the culling of the resumes, phone interviews are performed.
  • The field is then narrowed and candidates are interviewed in person and basic job skills are assessed.
  • Depending on the size of the company and the job needs, a second interview is often completed before the final candidate is chosen.

Further Reading: Passionate Employees

The entire process may take approximately 23 days, but the actual face-to-face time with a potential new hire may only be a few short hours. How can a hiring manager determine a candidate’s level of passion in just a few hours of face-time?

There are several ways to help an employer identify passionate candidates who will be a good fit in their company’s culture.

  • Ask the right questions – If a candidate has made it to the interview stage, you can assume they have the skill set for the job. Frame your interview questions with “why” instead of “how” and “what.” It is not as important to know what they have done as it is to know why they did it in the first place.
  • Observe body language – Do their eyes light up when they describe a problem they solved? Do they look you in the eye with confidence? Do you hear excitement in their voice as they recount an achievement? If the candidate does not exude that type of energy or confidence, you may not want them on your team.
  • Ask about hobbies – An applicant that is excited to tell you about their hobbies, sports, or non-profit causes, is likely to be a passionate individual. Remember, passion is a character trait and when someone is passionate about other aspects of their life, that enthusiasm will carry over into their career.
  • Conduct a team interview – If possible, include members of the current team in the interview process. This approach provides more objectivity and can quickly determine if the candidate is the right fit for the company culture.
  • Use behavioral assessment tools – There are many options available to assess your current team and future new hires. Propel HR uses behavioral assessments to determine if candidates will work well in our culture and with our team. By comparing results of candidates to our current employees, we can determine if a prospective employee will be suited for the job and have the passion to succeed. It is a valuable tool and worth the investment.

Further Reading: The Value of HR Assessments

Anyone who has ever had the responsibility to hire new employees has made mistakes. Hiring the wrong person can be costly and can hurt employee morale. Passion is a key component of a high-performing team and it is a trait that must be sought out in future employees. By adding these extra steps to help identify passionate traits, you can help create a culture of passion at your company.    

 

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How Does A PEO Help Me?

What Is A PEO?

PEO stands for Professional Employer Organization. If you want to condense the services of such an organization down to an illustrative term, think of it as an optimization resource delivering sustainable Return On Investment (ROI); or an outsourced ROI resource.

PEOs have been shown to save money for businesses large and small, facilitating statistically representative expansion–this is reflected in the size of the industry itself, which is between $136 and $156 billion. For some perspective, Ford Motor Company is a $151 billion dollar company.

Now, granted, that’s a single business; the PEO industry represents many hundreds of separate providers. But the idea here is to communicate just how valuable these services are. And according to NAPEO, the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations, businesses who use PEO services experience a growth of between 7 and 9 percent annually. NAPEO goes on to point out that companies using PEO services are half as likely to go out of business.

To illustrate that numerically, if you would have grown $100 million in a year, PEO services would expand that growth to between $107 and $109 million. If you paid $2 million for what they provide (which overstates cost substantially for many PEOs), you see an increase on investment of between 250% and 450%. This can be achieved through several primary areas of operation including:

  • Payroll
  • Benefits
  • Human Resources
  • Tax Administration
  • Regulatory Compliance

Core Prerogatives
Granted, you as a business are certainly capable of managing these things internally. However, ask yourself: is payroll, HR, benefits, tax management, and compliance core to the prerogatives which define your business? Or is your business about…something else?

Say you’re in manufacturing, automotive, or the aerospace industry: is your core focus tracking federal employment regulations, or is your core focus centered around developing top-tier products which outshine competitors? Certainly, your focus is the latter. This means anything secondary to that focus cannot be the core prerogative of your company.

Accordingly, personnel working within your company will naturally be limited in their resources by existing prerogatives. Furthermore, providing internal employees resources likely won’t be a ROI-rich investment, as there is an upper limit to even the best internal employee’s ultimate scope.

Meanwhile, PEO organizations have as their core prerogative providing ease of personnel acquisition to clients. It is the center of their business to ensure you are in total regulatory compliance, even in regard to new strictures which weren’t on the books a year ago. They make it their primary focus to ensure payroll and benefits management are streamlined such that there are no unnecessarily costly aspects of operation defining them. Saving you money in terms of taxes, and helping you avoid heavy penalties for improper tax management, is additionally a prime focus of PEO businesses. For them to experience profit, they must continually make breakthroughs in these areas.

Optimizing Your Business
The bottom line is, a PEO isn’t strictly necessary, but the numbers indicate using such a group will expand your growth while streamlining operations and reducing fallout from under-informed decisions. There’s a reason this industry is worth $130+ billion annually and growing.

 

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Passionate Employees

I recently traveled with my daughter and friends to Washington, D.C. Every time I visit that city, I am overwhelmed with patriotism and pride. This trip was extra special because I watched history literally come to life in the eyes of my 11-year-old daughter. There were so many special moments on this trip, yet one individual we met has been in my thoughts at work this week.

The National Archives is a beautiful and formidable building that houses the three most important documents of our democracy: The Declaration of Independence; the Constitution; and the Bill of Rights. The Rotunda houses all three in an awe-inspiring and reverent fashion. The building is open to the public but only a certain number of guests are allowed into the Rotunda at a time to allow everyone to see the documents. The area is guarded as one would expect, yet we met a security guard that defied all expectations.

Officer Williams was the security personnel monitoring the number of visitors in the Rotunda on the day of our visit. Before letting us into the area, he quizzed us on history and talked to the children about the foundation of our government. As we entered, he pointed out fun facts about each document and the building. He made it feel like a game and our children hung on his every word. When we left the area, he offered the children advice on the other exhibits and instilled a sense of curiosity. We thanked him graciously and he replied with a big smile, “I love my job.”

Further Reading: 6 Ways To Increase Employee Engagement

Officer Williams was different than the other guards in the room. He did not stand in the corner observing and reminding guests not to touch; he engaged with the visitors enthusiastically and shared his knowledge with pride. He was a guard and a teacher. He had a passion for what he was protecting. Officer Williams realized that he was protecting more than priceless documents; in his own special way, he was protecting our democracy.

Home from vacation and back in the office, I keep thinking about Officer Williams and the value he provided to his employer. How do businesses recruit employees who are passionate? How do organizations motivate their workforce? How much more successful could a company be if all employees had the spirit of Officer Williams? How can business leaders encourage employees to strive for this level of engagement?

Further Reading: Every Employee is a Sales Person

Answers to these questions vary among businesses and individuals and require an honest, in-depth review of your industry, culture, and employment practices. Many factors, such as hiring processes, communication styles, and HR policies, play a role in the establishment of an engaged culture. A passionate workforce can have a direct impact to a company’s bottom line.

Unfortunately, we were not able to take a photo with Officer Williams since there is no photography in the Rotunda, but I don’t need a photo to remember his contagious spirit, his passion for U.S. history, and his love for his country and his job. He made an impression on me and his positive attitude will serve as an inspiration in the exploration of passion.

 

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Decoding Communication Styles

With a fast-approaching deadline, your client hasn’t responded to multiple emails about a project. What’s the holdup? Everyone’s favorite, fun-loving managing director is wildly popular. He seems to know how to motive his staff, so why is the turnover rate in his division the highest in the company? Your sales team just scored a big win for the company. Already battling downtime issues, your plants are not prepared to meet the new client’s deadline requirements promised by the sales team. Sound familiar?

In most cases, workforce conflicts like these are the result of a simple miscommunication or disconnect and could be the underlying reason your company is not reaching its goals. While effective communications is not a new concept, learning how to identify and relate to different communication styles is more important than ever before. It’s a winning business strategy in preventing conflicts, keeping employees productive, making smart hires, and protecting your bottom line.

According to the Harvard Business Review, when global CEOs were surveyed about their biggest challenges, strategy execution topped the list ahead of concerns about top-line growth, innovation and geopolitical instability. In addition, studies have found that the main reason organizations struggle is because leadership focuses on the wrong issues. The most common? Believing that communicating a message will result in understanding that message.

The more you talk about your company’s strategy, the more everyone will fully understand it, right?

Not exactly. For example, just half of the C-suite executives surveyed said they had a good understanding of their company’s strategic priorities. But down the command chain, when messages reached managers, team leaders and frontline supervisors, only 16 percent had a solid grasp of their company’s priorities.

Part of the problem is failing to recognize that we all communicate differently, so using the same approach to reach all audiences is not effective. Often, management will concentrate on the quantity of messages delivered, the number of emails and meetings, rather than focusing on helping staff to understand the message.

The good news? There’s a solution.

Further Reading: Focus on Growth But Prepare For HR

 

TOP 4 COMMUNICATION STYLES

In today’s workplace, communications is a 360-approach and training your staff, at all levels, can greatly transform outcomes. HR assessment tools, like D.A.R.E, SENTIO, Birkman, DISC, and Omnia, are just a few resources available to help companies decode the communications styles influencing work-place behavior.

Generally, people fall into one of four widely-accepted communication styles.

  • The Driver. The Driver is motivated to win. Goal-oriented and often the extrovert, the Driver likes control and is often a risk-taker. This direct, go-getter style makes the Driver ideal for strong leadership roles, but may not be as effective where patience and sensitivity skills are required.
  • The Analytical. Reserved and organized, the Analytical is the ultimate problem-solver. Often viewed as a perfectionist, the Analytical follows a very methodical, logical process supported by facts. Because they are extremely thorough, the Analytical takes a low-risk approach and deliberates on decisions, often reaching analysis paralysis.
  • The Relator. Loyal, hardworking and dependable, the Relator is a people-person and an ideal team player. The Relator is generally a peacemaker and avoids conflict. Because relationships come first, the Relator values trust, which can be established by a connection centered on intuition and feelings.
  • The Expressive. Creative and enthusiastic, the Expressive enjoys the spotlight and is completely comfortable in a social setting. Good listeners and supportive team players, the Expressive looks at the big picture and tends to focus more on developing long-lasting relationships and less on the tasks and details.
 

HOW IT WORKS: IDENTIFY, ADAPT AND DELIVER

The value of understanding how to communicate with each different style is not only effective in relating to your employees, but also with clients, prospects and vendors – all relationships where business and revenue are at stake.

Here’s a common example. The head of your sales team has had a long-standing relationship with the marketing director of your largest client. Both are Drivers and share similar interests. The marketing director buys your company’s product, not only for its quality, but also for its reputation as an industry leader. The marketing director supports your company’s causes and enjoys the visibility of being associated with your company’s prestigious brand. Over the years, your sales director has invested much of his time with the marketing director at social events and on the golf course where deals and important decisions are often made. As a result, the relationship has flourished which has positively impacted your bottom line — until the marketing director is promoted and relocated to another division.

The decision-rights have now changed. The new marketing director is data-driven and more focused on your product’s performance attributes and cost-saving benefits than your company’s stellar brand reputation.

Can the relationship be saved? Absolutely. By recognizing the behavior queues of this analytical style, your team was able to win-over the new marketing director by delivering an action plan detailing responsibilities, production deadlines and fee schedules. Effective communications saved the business.

Further Reading: The Importance of Human Resources in Business Decision-Making

 

BENEFITS TO YOUR BUSINESS

While miscommunication, workforce conflicts, bad hires, and difficult relationships are often unavoidable, equipping your workforce with techniques to build effective relationships is an investment with long-lasting benefits.

Here are a few:  

  • Stronger HR hiring practices. Trained employees are better able to identify high-quality candidates that fit with the team
  • Protects your bottom line. Understanding how to relate to different communication styles lowers the risk of revenue loss as a result of miscommunications and workplace conflicts.
  • Adds value to your leadership team. Skilled managers are able to anticipate workforce behaviors and build stronger teams.
  • More productive work habits. A knowledgeable workforce leads to improved business outcomes.
 

DECODING YOUR STYLE

Need help with identifying the different communication styles of your workforce? A corporate coach or HR professional can help your business make the most of your current workforce, as well as provide the guidance to attract new hires and strategically assemble your teams. Learn how to establish trust, negotiate without alienation, and successfully build strong relationships.

From selecting the right assessment tool for your company to management and employee development and training, our experienced professionals can help strengthen your workforce and propel your business forward.

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Your Professional Association: A Good Investment

I have been involved with the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) since I first entered this business twenty years ago. Over the years, I have worked on committees at the state level, advocated for changing federal and state legislation, and served on the national board. Last week, I was honored among a group of peers for my individual contribution to the organization. Having colleagues speak on my behalf was a humbling experience and it really made me think about what this organization has meant to me over the years.

While membership costs may be expensive, the benefits are worth the investment.

Being a part of NAPEO has been an investment of both time and resources, but I assure you, the dividends have been high. I am surprised by how many people choose not to belong to a professional or trade association. While membership costs may be expensive, the benefits that you and your company receive are worth the investment. Here are several of the benefits that I have experienced by joining an association.

  • Networking – Throughout my years with NAPEO, I have met many people in the industry and leveraged their knowledge to better my company. I have been introduced to vendors who understand our industry and I have formed friendships with competitors who understand life in the trenches of our business. To have the ability to call a fellow business owner and ask for advice on specific issues is worth the price of membership.

  • Education – Professional associations are a source of education to their members offering webinars, large conferences, and online resources. As a business that focuses on the ever-changing area of human resources, the education provided by our professional association is invaluable. As a member of NAPEO, Propel HR has access to top practitioners who focus on best practices and current regulations. All of our employees are exposed to NAPEO training which ultimately elevates our service to our clients.
  • Research – Most trade and professional associations conduct research and publish statistics on the industry and related topics. This is a valuable service that most companies can’t afford to fund on their own. The data compiled by the associations can be very beneficial to the marketing and organizational structure of their members. As a business owner, I know the value of our service, but it is often anecdotal. NAPEO’s market research has given me real statistics to support the positive stories surrounding our service model.
 
 
  • Advocacy – Trade and professional associations are dedicated to protecting and advancing the needs of the industry. This includes lobbying on behalf of the industry at local, state, and national levels. Our business does not have the resources to hire a lobbyist to advocate for our needs, but through our membership with NAPEO, our voice is still being heard.

I strongly encourage all business owners and professionals to consider joining and getting involved in business associations. As with all things in life, what you put in, is what you get out. For me, it was not enough to just join NAPEO, I knew that the real value came from being involved and making the most of the organization. The friendships I have formed and the lessons I have learned through the membership have been critical in the success of my business, as well as my personal development. Last week’s honor was very special and gave me a chance to reflect on what NAPEO means to me. Although being a part of a professional association is a commitment of time and resources, it is all well worth the investment.

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