Contact

BLOG

Filter By:

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.

IT’S HERE!

Your FREE HR Checklist

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

Download Now

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
Read More

Featured

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

Featured

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

Featured

The Power of No

“No” – this word may be small but it is mighty. It is only 2 letters, yet it can be one of the most difficult words to say aloud. We are raised to be people pleasers and as humans, we have an innate desire for people to like us. This leads us to say “yes” to people when often the best answer is a simple “no.”

At work, employees are expected to complete tasks assigned and to move the goals and mission of the company forward. They are expected to be “Yes” people and to positively and diligently work on the current objectives. Most team players want to be helpful and contribute to the overall goal and saying “yes” seems natural.

As a manager, my job is to promote the mission of the organization by hiring the right people with the right skills and effectively supervising their work. I consider myself a pretty good manager who values people’s skills and helps them effectively handle projects. I believe in good communication and an open-door policy. However, I recently realized that I didn’t understand the full power of “No” and how as an effective manager, I need to empower my team to use that simple word more. I have learned that team members who chronically say “yes” can feel overwhelmed, overworked, and underappreciated. 

Further Reading: The Importance of Self-Questioning

There is a smart balance of “yes” and “no” that every organization, team, and individual must find. Companies that are most successful stick to their mission and don’t try to be all things to all people. Likewise, individuals need to stick to their greatest strengths and work within deadlines and priorities to be most effective. As a leader in my business, I need to help team members learn when to say “no.”

When determining what should be considered a “yes” or “no,” take all factors into account:

  • Is the request critical to the mission of the company and the annual goals?
  • Is the deadline possible while also fulfilling the current duties?
  • If the new request becomes a top priority, are the other responsibilities able to be reprioritized or reassigned?
  • Will the new assignment provide a learning opportunity to the individual?
  • Who in the company is the best fit for this assignment?
  • Who has the most time available to do the best job?
  • Is this the most effective use of time, resources, and skills?

Open communication and transparency between a manager and employee is necessary to achieve the correct balance. Unfortunately, work is still work and we all must do things we don’t always love to do, but that we must do because it is part of our job. However, if one says “yes” to everything, then they may never do anything to the best of their ability. Honesty to oneself and to the team is necessary. Managers need to be careful to not always assign new projects to the people who say “yes” the most often. They need to look at the whole team and review all the work and deadlines. The manager needs to manage the plan and help reassign so that all priorities are achieved.

Remember there is always a third option, “Yes, but not right now.” This response is often a welcome response. It affirms that the job will be handled and sets the expectations. Next steps are to set a deadline, communicate along the way, and complete on time. As for myself, I plan to ask more probing questions of my team and give them the space to say “no” if that is best. I will respect the power of “no.”

Read More

Holiday Blues

Tis’ the season to be jolly, right? The songs, the decorations, and the spirit of the season should make us all merrier during the holidays, but the reality can be very different. The holidays tend to bring MORE of everything, both the good and the bad. We have more opportunities to gather for fun and festivities, but we also spend more money, have more pressure to do everything in even less time than usual, and have higher expectations all around.

Employees are stressed with their holiday obligations at home and at work. Most workplaces feel like Santa’s workshop without the full staff of elves. There are holiday-shortened deadlines, end-of-the-year business needs, and frantic customers. There is not enough time to get everything done and the stress of the season can really weigh on everyone. Productivity can also be affected if employees are more focused on their personal to-do lists than their professional responsibilities. This time of the year can lead to a mild case of the blues, or for some people, real depression.

Further Reading: Create a Culture of Professionalism

What can a business do to support their employees during this stressful time of the year?

  • Offer flexible schedules – If possible, provide some flexible scheduling. Find a balance between family obligations and work deadlines, and be open to adjusting work hours as long as the job gets done.
  • Create a spirit of fun – Channel your inner Kris Kringle. Host a holiday party, decorate workspaces, or encourage a Secret Santa Exchange. Just make sure the purpose remains fun and does not add additional obligations and stress to your team.
  • Provide healthy options – If your office is like ours, there is plenty to eat around the holidays. The break room is always full of cookies, cakes, and baked goods. Too much sugar at work causes afternoon fatigue and a general feeling of malaise. Bring vegetables instead of more cookies. Form a team of co-workers to walk during lunch hour. Encourage healthy choices and don’t pressure others to overindulge.
  • Seek professional help – For some individuals, the holidays can be a time of severe stress, grief, and depression. If you are concerned about yourself or a co-worker, ask about your company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or seek professional help through other avenues.
  • Give to others – We all know it is better to give than to receive and there is no greater feeling than helping others. Cultivate this giving spirit at work by organizing a company-wide canned food drive, offering time off for volunteer work, or helping a family in need. Giving as a group will foster positive teamwork and instill a sense of workplace community.

Help make this holiday a little less stressful and a lot jollier by focusing on the spirit of the season. By implementing these simple steps at work, you can help chase away the holiday blues.

Read More

Create a Culture of Professionalism

You can’t scroll through your social media feed or turn on the news right now without learning of another allegation of sexual harassment. The news coverage has illuminated the magnitude of this problem. Sexual harassment is certainly not a new concept but maybe we are at a pivotal time in history where the recent abundance of cases will produce some real progress.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the main federal law that prohibits sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is any uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that creates a hostile or offensive working environment.

Some examples of harassment include:
  • A manager implies that an employee must sleep with her to keep a job.
  • An employee sends sexually explicit jokes to coworkers.
  • A sales clerk makes demeaning comments about female customers.
  • A vendor frequents the workplace telling crude jokes and pinching certain workers.

The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, manager, co-worker or even a non-employee under certain situations. Sexual harassment is a gender-neutral offense and harassers can be male or female, however most claims are brought by women.

Employers have a responsibility to maintain a workplace that is free of sexual harassment. This is not only a legal requirement, but it also makes good business sense. A workplace that struggles with a hostile environment is at risk for expensive lawsuits and is prone to low employee morale, low productivity, and an overall toxic environment.

There are steps that businesses can take to reduce the risk of sexual harassment:
  • Adopt a clear harassment policy. The policy should be in the employee handbook and should clearly state that harassment will not be tolerated. It should outline the complaint procedure and address retaliation as a form of discrimination as well.
  • Conduct training sessions. Training should be performed at least once a year for all employees. It is recommended that an additional session be provided for supervisors to provide them with the additional knowledge of how to identify and prevent harassment.
  • Have multiple channels for reporting. Employees should never feel that they don’t have a path to report harassment. The policy and the trainings should address how to properly file a complaint. If employees are uncomfortable going to their supervisor, employees should have the option to report the complaint to another supervisor, HR, or a third-party hotline.
  • Take all complaints seriously. If a complaint is made, act immediately to investigate and involve HR outsourcing firms or legal counsel as necessary. If the complaint turns out to be valid, take immediate and appropriate action.

Most importantly, create a culture of professionalism. We must learn from the recent news of sexual harassment and not allow the sheer volume of claims to desensitize us to the importance of the message. If companies create and maintain workplaces that promote respect and value hard work, then there will be no place for crude jokes, unwanted advances, or offensive behaviors. No employee should ever have to face hostility at work. 

Further Reading: The Importance of Corporate Culture

Read More

How Well Do You Know Propel?

At Propel HR we trace our roots back over 20 years, when we began as a PEO (Professional Employer Organization) and the PEO relationship has always been a great option for a large core of our clients. Nearly 10 years ago though we recognized that the business world was evolving and that we needed to offer new payroll and HR partnerships to fit our clients’ changing needs. Never wanting to pigeonhole our partners into a single type of relationship, we began offering all our services á la carte.

By offering our HR outsourcing solutions individually or as a full-service co-employment relationship, Propel HR has evolved with our partners as they’ve excelled and grown in a variety of industries. Adding this flexibility provided our clients with custom solutions to fit all types of different business scenarios and needs.

In hopes of educating our current clients and prospects about all the different services Propel HR offers, we’ve decided to put together a piece that goes over the high level version of our different service offerings. Some of the main areas we provide solutions in are:

  • Payroll Processing (that’s a given!)
  • Benefits Administration
  • Worker’s Compensation Insurance
  • Human Resources
  • Retirement Solutions
  • Comprehensive PEO Solutions
  • Time and Labor Management
  • ACA Compliance
  • Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS)

Payroll Processing

Payroll is the engine that drives everything from PTO to health benefits, so you have to make sure your business has a solid payroll process in place. While payroll is pretty standard from provider to provider, great customer service is not. The main thing you want to understand when looking for a payroll processor is the level of customer support they bring to the table. Are you always getting someone different when you call with questions about your payroll, or do you get the same friendly voice on the other end of the line every time you call? While this may not seem like a necessity, try explaining your issue to someone who’s never looked at your payroll before; it becomes crucial pretty quickly!

Further reading: Shopping Payroll and HR Providers: 5 Ways to Save Time and Money

Benefits Administration

To attract and retain top industry talent, good employee benefits are a must. If you don’t offer benefits to your employees, you could be losing top talent to your competition. In order to run a successful company you have to have talented leadership and employees in place, and that means your employees need to be satisfied in their positions.

Did you know 96% of employees that are satisfied with their benefits are satisfied with their jobs (Aflac)?

96% satisfaction is a staggering number, and that’s why Propel HR offers a whole host of different benefits packages to our partners. Not only do we have a master 401(k) policy, but we also offer a master health plan, and any other ancillary products you may need including dental, life, vision, and many more.

Do you have a broker you like working with? Unlike many national providers, Propel HR is willing and happy to work with any existing partnerships you may have. With larger, national providers many times it’s an “all or nothing” relationship when it comes to benefits. With Propel HR, we are happy to carve out any existing policies you have and work with your broker to ensure all your needs revolving around your benefits plans are met.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance:

Depending on your industry, workers’ compensation insurance can be one of your biggest expenditures, and we have several different ways we can help mitigate this cost at Propel HR. By offering a few different master workers’ comp policies, Propel HR has been able to solve several issues our partners have faced when dealing with workers’ comp insurance. By choosing to be a part of our master workers’ comp policy, many of our current clients have been able to eliminate their up-front premiums and year-end audits. By eliminating these two things, our partners have experienced better cash flow and more accurate projections for their expenditures in this area.

Did you know that workers’ comp fraud costs US employers tens of billions of dollars in stolen premiums and bogus claims?

By letting Propel HR manage your workers comp needs you’ll be able to increase cash flow and leverage your buying power with a large pool of policyholders.

Human Resources

Did you know that many entrepreneurs and business owners say managing their company is roughly 90% human resources? To sustain growth in your business you have to be able to attract and retain talented employees, and an effective HR strategy is key to continued employee satisfaction. By reviewing and bringing your HR policies up to date with industry standards, you are able to position your business as one that takes care of its most valuable resource—your employees.

Since our inception Propel HR has focused on being Human Resources experts. In our 20 years in HR consulting we have done everything from creating handbooks to doing a complete overhaul of HR policies, procedures, and practices. Whether you need a little HR help or a complete reworking of policies, we have several different relationship structures to fit any of your needs.

Further reading: Assess the Health of Your HR

Retirement Solutions

By offering affordable retirement solutions, you’re able to attract employees with vision enough to save for the future.

Did you know only 22% of US workers are “very certain” they have enough money to last them through retirement? Worse than that, as much as 45% of the US workforce has saved absolutely nothing for retirement.

One of the biggest headaches that comes along with offering a 401(k) is the administration of the policy. There are many different nuances that dictate how much an employer can put in vs. what an employee can put in, and if regulations aren’t followed, serious fines can result. When you choose to offer an employee 401(k) policy through Propel, we handle all the administration to ensure you’re legally compliant.

Comprehensive PEO Solutions

While the PEO relationship doesn’t fit every single business, it does provide a great solution to a diverse range of companies depending on the current state of operations. Many companies that choose the PEO relationship want to focus solely on growing their businesses without all the additional work that comes along with hiring employees.

Did you know that businesses who use a PEO are 50% less likely to go out of business and have 15% less employee turnover than industry averages?

Not only is employee turnover reduced, these businesses tend to grow at a rate of 7-9% faster than their competition. By selecting the PEO relationship you’ll be able to focus more on growing your company and less on Human Resources.

Propel HR has been designated by the IRS as a Certified Professional Employer Organization (CPEO), which has been awarded to less than 10% of Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) in the country, and we’re the only CPEO headquartered in the Carolinas. This certification places more safeguards in place for all of our PEO clients, and we are thrilled to be able to provide more protection for our valued partners.

Further Reading: PEO, Your Next Trusted Advisor

Time and Labor Management

With workplace schedule flexibility becoming the norm, it’s a must to compete in today’s business world. However, there are certain industries and types of work that require hours to be tracked for billing and wage purposes. Did you know that US employers lose nearly $400 billion in lost productivity due to “time theft”? By putting solid timekeeping and reporting procedures in place, you’re able to better track where time and resources are going in your business operations.

While all industries can benefit from closer monitoring of time and attendance, we have seen the most benefits when tracking time in throughout the manufacturing process. Many of our manufacturing clients handle the production of their products from beginning to end, and this means there are typically several cost centers for every product. By tracking useful time and attendance metrics, our partners have seen a more efficient use in both time and resources.

ACA Compliance

It is hard to find a more polarizing subject in Human Resources than healthcare. Regardless of what the healthcare environment looks like, we have a full team of benefits specialists that can walk you through any open enrollment, deduction codes, and healthcare plans that you come up against.

Did you know that an additional 17.6 million Americans have gained access to health insurance due to the ACA?

While offering a health plan to employees can sometimes be expensive, it’s a must to compete in your respective industry. By taking advantage of solutions offered by payroll and HR providers, many smaller businesses find that they are able to save considerable amounts of money by using a provider with a master health policy. In a nutshell this means your business is pooled together with other businesses to increase buying power and offer more affordable healthcare rates. If you would like more information on Propel HR’s master health plan, please reach out.

Further Reading: ACA Compliance – How to Determine If You’re an Applicable Large Employer (ALE)

Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)

While paper will always be required for certain tasks (doodling, folding an origami swan, or making a paper airplane), it is quickly becoming a thing of the past when managing and tracking employee information.

Did you know that 75% of hiring and talent managers use some form of an HRIS system?

An HRIS system helps Human Resource professionals better track employee information, and if your system is compatible across all your pieces of HR software, you only need to input employee data once.

Statistics show that companies that use a newly upgraded HR software system see a cost savings of 22% per employee. By using an HRIS system, you aren’t simply just saving paper, you’re also saving countless hours of data entry while reducing the risk of manual data-entry mistakes. With Propel HR’s Kronos system, you input information once, and it is saved across the entire platform. No more touching employee data multiple times!

Further Reading: Six Ways HRIS Technology Can Help Your Growing Business

Conclusion

While some businesses want a full service solution such as the PEO relationship, other companies want to be able to pick and choose their service offerings and tailor their solutions to fit their individual needs. Whether you’re in need of comprehensive services or just a few tailored solutions, Propel HR has the relationship model to fit your needs. If you would like any more information on our services, please feel free to reach out or submit a “Needs Assessment” on the homepage of our website. We look forward to speaking with you soon!

Read More

How The DACA Rescission Affects Your Business

The Trump Administration rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program on September 5, 2017. As an employer, you need to be aware what this may mean for your business, regardless of your political position on the issue. You need to know if you have any employees who are DACA beneficiaries and what the rescission means to their employment status with your company.

DACA was implemented in 2012 to allow certain individuals who came to the United States as undocumented children to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation. Participants in the DACA program are often referred to as “Dreamers” and they are eligible for a work permit known as an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). 

For the record, California and Texas have the highest numbers of DACA beneficiaries in the country, followed by New York, Illinois, and Florida. DACA provided work authorizations to approximately 700,000 – 800,000 individuals who would have otherwise been subject to deportation.

Under the rescission, the Department of Homeland Security has said that DACA beneficiaries will be allowed to retain both their DACA status and their EAD until those documents expire. Depending on when an individual last received it, DACA-issued EADs are due to expire sometime between this year and 2019. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has stated that they will adjudicate properly filed pending DACA initial requests and associated applications for EADs which were filed and accepted as of September 5, 2017. Pending DACA renewal requests and associated applications for EADs where work authorizations will expire between September 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018 will be adjudicated if the renewal request was filed prior to October 5, 2017. 

DACA participants who have not filed renewal requests within these guidelines may face deportation upon the expiration of their current documents, and employers may face significant penalties if they employ a DACA participant with an expired EAD.

As an employer, how do you know if you have a DACA affected employee?

Audit your I-9 forms.

Upon hiring, employers are required to complete an I-9 form with the new hire. A DACA participant would have presented their current EAD for completing the form. As with all presented work authorization documents that expire, employers should have a system in place to monitor for expiring work authorization document dates and notify the employee at least 90-days prior to expiration that they must present a new and current work authorization form before the expiration date.

Related Reading: The New, New I-9 Form

An easy way to track Work authorization expiration dates is via a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) credential tracking tool. This feature allows you to create and track credentials that can be tied to employees. Within the tracking tool, automatic email notifications are created and sent to the employee, their manager and Human Resources to remind them that their work authorization must be renewed. These notifications can be set up via several date intervals to ensure that all parties are informed in a timely manner in order to take the appropriate steps needed to ensure compliance. Link #1Contact a Propel HR Representative to learn more about the HRIS tracking tool.

For those without the HRIS feature, many employers within required E-Verify states utilize the E-Verify system to help monitor for expiring work authorization dates. Others simply utilize a spreadsheet, e-calendar with reminders set, or an old-fashion “tickler file”. Regardless of how, it is crucial for employers to keep these records current to avoid compliance issues. If you haven’t already, you should schedule a complete I-9 audit as soon as possible.

Once the employee provides the new work authorization document, an employer is required to re-verify the employee using Section 3 of the Form I-9. Given that the DACA program is being phased out, current participants may not have a valid EAD once their current work authorization expires and may therefore NOT be eligible for continuing employment. 

It is important to note that DACA participants are lawfully able to live and work in the United States until their current EADs expire. The program is being phased out and has not ended effective immediately. However, once an employee’s temporary EAD expires—regardless of whether they are a DACA participant or not—his continuing work authorization must be re-verified or they must stop working for the employer. There is no grace period once someone’s temporary work authorization expires.

Additional resources provided by DHS may be found at these links:

Neither Propel PEO, Inc. nor Propel HR, Inc. is a law firm. This blog is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up‐to‐date.

Contact Us
Read More

Little Moments

My daughter has a writing assignment that she has been pondering. Her teacher asked the class to think of three different “little moments” and then choose one for a final essay. The essay should capture a short space in time that left an indelible memory. My 10-year-old has contemplated this assignment for days and has polled the family for advice on her best “little moments.” Most of her moments came from times when the family was all together, whether on a trip or at home. Her memories of these moments are full of details and laughter. The moments may be little, but to her, they are very big.

Her contemplation of finding the perfect “little moment” made me think more about how the little things in life certainly do add up to something big. Even in business, where we tend to value the big clients, big deals, and big vendors, I have realized that less can often be more.

  • Customer Service – Excellent customer service is almost always made up of “little moments.” Think of the relationships you have with customers and vendors and it is usually the little things that will stick out. The moments they asked about your family, the moments they took time and went one step farther, and the moments you felt valued as a human. Make sure you are delivering this human touch in your own business.
  • Sales – It is always exciting to go for the big deal and yes, when a huge sale closes, it is worth it. However, often time and energy is wasted on trying to close a monster deal that is a long shot and may not even be a good fit for your company. Some of the most successful sales people are focused on more appropriate account sizes and faster close ratios. Take time to evaluate your current best customers to determine the right size prospect for your business.
  • Projects – The old saying, “eat the elephant one bite at a time” is usually true. If you take a large project and divide it into smaller pieces, the job becomes doable. Whether you perform all the associated tasks or you divide them among a team, you have a greater chance of success by reducing a large project into “little moments”.
  • Gratitude – We often manage differently than we parent. As parents, most of us are quick to praise and acknowledge small achievements. However, as managers, we often wait until year-end evaluations, bonus season, or a monumental achievement to tell an employee that they have done a good job. We expect good work to be part of the job description, therefore we don’t show appreciation regularly. Yet, “little moments” of gratitude and praise can go a long way by increasing morale which ultimately leads to better performance. Take time every day to thank an employee.
Related Reading: Simple School Lessons

Lately, I have been working under a huge deadline and my days have been filled with long hours and additional stress. As my daughter was going over her favorite moments to write about, I realized that I had not slowed down to appreciate the little moments at home or at work recently. This past weekend, I intentionally took time to just play with my kids and by Sunday night, my daughter had a new favorite “little moment” to add to her list. As we reflected on our fun weekend, I was reminded once again, that a Big Life is made up of Little Moments.

Contact Us
Read More

Shopping Payroll and HR Providers: 5 Ways to Save Time and Money

As the end of the year gets closer, businesses get busier and busier preparing financials and compiling projections for a new year. With a fresh slate starting in a few months, now is a great time to shop payroll and HR outsourcing services and compare vendors to make sure you are getting the best service, software, and pricing.

Which areas do you need to focus on when shopping payroll and HR providers?

Service levels vary from company to company, so how is it possible to compare providers? Here are the key areas you should target when shopping payroll and HR providers to maximize your return on investment and save you the most time possible.

Workers’ Comp

Although a lot of businesses get their Workers’ Comp insurance from a standalone insurance broker, a great way to save money and time is to become a part of a Workers’ Comp master policy with a payroll provider or a Professional Employer Organization (PEO). Not only do you have access to more buying power through a master Workers’ Comp policy, but some payroll providers even offer options to help you save time and improve cash flow.

When shopping your workers’ comp policy, make sure to ask the provider if they offer a “pay-as-you-go” option. With the pay-as-you-go option, there’s no need to pay a large premium up front for your policy. Because workers’ comp payments are tied to the amount your company pays out in wages, you can pay on a month to month schedule through your payroll provider. This eliminates the large premium up front plus an additional payment at your year end audit. Because you’re paying on a monthly schedule, there is also no need for a year end audit saving you time, and money!

Health Insurance

For a lot of companies, going to the market for a healthcare plan can be very expensive. Until your company has several hundred employees, you typically don’t have the volume to qualify for discounted pricing on healthcare. This makes it expensive to compete with larger competitors when it comes to offering comparable employee benefit packages to attract and retain top industry talent.

By working with a payroll and HR provider that also has a master health policy, you are able to gain access to healthcare pricing usually reserved for very large companies. Not only does a master health policy potentially save you thousands of dollars, but you are also in a better position to attract and retain key industry talent when you provide a competitive healthcare plan.

Relationship Models

Is your current payroll and HR provider a “one-size-fits-all” relationship model? If so, you could potentially be paying for things that you’re not taking full advantage of. As your company grows and evolves, so do your needs. Sometimes this means an increase in your service level, but there are other times when it makes more sense to bring something in house and downsize your service level.

In the PEO relationship, typically a vendor will provide you with a complete HR infrastructure and take on legal responsibility for making sure you are compliant with government regulations. However, if you don’t need all the services, there is no need to pay for them. As your company brings certain functions in house, you may need a change in your service level, which is why it’s important for your HR outsourcing provider to offer PEO as well as ASO relationships. In an ASO relationship you’re able to pick and choose what services you want to outsource and what services you want to keep in house, saving you from paying for services you don’t need.

Further Reading: Assess the Health of Your HR

Software

If you are operating on an outdated or incompatible software platform, you could be wasting valuable time and resources, not to mention increasing your level of frustration. Human Capital Management (HCM) technology is crucial to competing in today’s business world, and if you aren’t proactively reviewing your different software systems, the rest of the industry could pass you by on the way to the top.

One area of complication that we see repeatedly when we begin talking to a potential client is that many companies are using too many software systems instead of one comprehensive system. They have one platform for payroll, another system for benefits, another piece of software for timekeeping and attendance, and even a different program for tracking employee data! When operating in multiple systems, the potential for error becomes extremely high, especially if you have to manually input information in multiple systems. Even if your different platforms do “talk” together, there is always a potential for complications when using middleware to make those systems communicate back and forth. In addition to increasing your potential for reporting errors, you’re also paying for multiple software systems which is almost always more expensive than one complete HCM system.

Customer Service and Support

While all the above things are important when shopping payroll and HR providers, none of them outweigh great customer support. How does your current vendor view customer support? Is customer service at the front of their minds, or is it just an afterthought? Do you have a dedicated payroll specialist you know by name, or do you get someone new every time you call with questions regarding your payroll or HR outsourcing services?

Any time you switch to a new vendor, there is always the potential for some slight bumps in the road, but that’s just a small cost in comparison to all the benefits of being in the right relationship with your payroll and HR provider.

What’s most important to remember is how responsive your support team is and how quickly they begin working on a solution when problems do arise. Does it take days or even weeks to hear from your current vendor, or do you get a helpful call as soon as possible? If you’re waiting on the edge of your seat for a call back from your current vendor, it may be time for a switch.

In Conclusion

The end of the year is a great time to review your current vendor relationships. If you focus on the above areas involving payroll and HR, you will maximize your time, ROI, and savings in the shortest timeframe possible. Is it time to start shopping your payroll services today? Give us a call at Propel HR for a free review of your current payroll and HR functions as well as a review of your software systems. We’ll show you how to propel your business forward with powerful technology, competitive benefits, and stellar customer service.

Read More

Every Employee is a Sales Person

The only way for a company to stay in business is to bring in revenue. No revenue means no business, and no business means no jobs. As the landscape of sales continues to change and consumers have more control over how they buy and who they buy from, it is more important than ever to make sure your customers and clients are thrilled throughout their entire relationship with your company, not just during the sales process. In my experience with both account management and sales, much of the work happens after the new client has already agreed to buy from you.

A great way to set your company apart and outperform your competition is to cultivate a sales culture throughout your company, not just on the sales team. It only makes sense that the higher the percentage of your employees that are “selling,” the more revenue your business will generate per employee, but the benefits don’t stop there. Here are some ways that developing a sales culture throughout each of your departments can take your business to the next level.

1. Winning together builds and strengthens teams.

In business, just like in sports, there are winners and losers, and I’m sure we all agree winning together always feels much better than losing together. As you begin to develop a sales culture across the different departments in your business, you are promoting positive conversations among employees about how to solve the most common client issues heard by each department. As communication is increased throughout your organization, a common vision and message are shared by each department. Sharing a common vision and message equips each of your employees to represent your company and communicate a similar message whether they are interacting with a current client or even another parent at their kid’s sporting event. Business leads come from a lot of different places and during a lot of different times, not just during the 9 to 5. The more consistent your messaging is throughout your organization, the better your chance for closing new business.

2. Customer retention is better when each department focuses on selling their value during each client interaction. 

If you’ve ever been in account management for any length of time, you understand how much more smoothly projects go when each team is communicating well together with the end goal of providing value during every client interaction. When your team is working well together, that positivity is passed on to your customers who in turn feel good about working with your business.

If you’re in a business that provides ongoing services, customer retention is even more important because your relationship with each customer depends on how well you can meet their needs on an ongoing basis. If each of your employees is “selling” their value during every client interaction, issues will be resolved more quickly and the focus remains on providing the best customer experience possible.

3. Encouraging business generation ideas across departments boosts communication and teamwork. 

The more you can encourage communication across departments in your business, the more seamless your teams will work together. A great way to boost communication across departments is to encourage business generation ideas to be shared and rewarded. Not only will this help foster communication across organizational departments, but you’ll also bring in more business as you have a larger percentage of your team selling and generating leads. It doesn’t have to be complicated and can be as easy as brainstorming ideas over lunch. The main point is bringing together your different departments with a shared goal: to bring in more business.

Related Reading: 6 Ways to Increase Employee Engagement

4. Cultivating a sales culture helps create consistent messaging among employees.

If you’ve been involved in sales to any degree, you know how important it is to have a 30-second elevator pitch of what you sell and what problems your company solves. However, a short pitch is also important for each department because it helps create consistent messaging about who you are and what you do. If you can’t explain your business in 30 seconds and make it easy enough for a child to understand, you need to work on your messaging. The more consistent your messaging is across departments, the better your employees will understand your business and their roll within it.

As you grow your business and develop your employees, don’t forget about what got your business started in the first place—paying customers. A solid lead generation system that incorporates each department is a sure way to stay ahead of your competition and become a market leader in your industry.

If you’d like to discuss more ways to encourage growth and develop communication in your organization, please contact Propel HR today.

Read More

Helping Employees Weather the Storm

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and with Irma and Jose fast approaching the East Coast, many employers have questions about the best ways to support their employees and what role the company needs to play in the aftermath of a disaster. With all of the uncertainty surrounding the weather conditions, employers can offer employees some relief through clear communication about policies and procedures that affect office closings, absences from work and employee pay.

If your company has an Inclement Weather policy, now is a great time to review it and ensure it has been communicated to your team, even if you’re not affected by the present storms. If your company does not have an Inclement Weather policy, here are a few guidelines:

Office Closings – As a leadership team, determine who is going to make the decision to open your location and/or close early. Once the decision is made, make sure there is a way to communicate this to all of your employees. Use multiple communication methods (email, text message, employee emergency hotline if available) to ensure you reach everyone.

It is important to note that even if your work location is not impacted by the severe weather, employees may live in impacted areas or have family members in these areas. Consideration will need to be made for these employees as well. Try to empathize with each situation, discuss the employee’s specific needs and create an action plan.

Absences From Work and Employee Pay – As expected, this area is critical to both employees and employers. Typically, for exempt employees, time away from work during inclement weather is still paid as there are few criteria under which employers may take deductions from exempt pay. Since they will continue to be compensated, you may want to ask exempt employees to work remotely if the option is available to them. Of course, in the case of a large-scale disaster, even remote work may not be possible.

For non-exempt (hourly) employees, employers have more discretion but should consider what seems fair. Typically, if the office closes, many employers pay hourly employees for the hours they would have typically worked. Again, this would be another time to prepare options for remote work to offset the expense. If employees are not able to work remotely, some employers make accommodations to offer other paid time off (PTO) options such as vacation pay or sick pay. In cases where the business can afford it, some companies simply pay these employees without charging paid time allotments.

If the company location remains open and employees are not able to report to work or work remotely, employers may choose to not pay employees for this time away from work. These employees may also exercise their option to use PTO time if available. Be aware. If you are requiring non-exempt workers to use their PTO allotments during this time, you may want to require exempt employees to do the same. The caveat here is that if their PTO allotment has been exhausted, you would still need to pay the employee their usual salary.

Further Reading: Is Your Business Prepared for a Disaster?

There are many factors to consider when preparing your business for hurricanes and other natural disasters. As you are making decisions, review your policies, practices and resources, but don’t forget the human side. In most cases, anything you can do to help calm the waters for your employees will be greatly appreciated.

Read More

The New, New I-9 Form

As a reminder, starting on Monday, September 18th, companies will be required to use the newly revised Form I-9 issued by UCIS this summer. With the two revisions appearing to be identical, employers should check the revision dates before using any I-9 form. The most current I-9 Form will have a revision date of 07/17/2017. Since the forms are so similar, many people have been asking what the difference is between I-9 Form issued in November of 2016 and the updated version issued this summer.

The content changes to the new I-9 form are found sections not typically retained by the employer – the Instructions at the beginning of document and the List of Acceptable Documents on Page 3 of the Form I-9. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services site, revisions were as follows:

Form I-9 Instructions:

  • USCIS changed the name of the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices to its new name, Immigrant and Employee Rights Section.
  • USCIS removed “the end of” from the phrase “the first day of employment.”

The List of Acceptable Documents on Form I-9:

  • USCIS added the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) to List C. Employers completing Form I-9 on a computer will be able to select Form FS-240 from the drop-down menus available in List C of Sections 2 and 3. E-Verify users will also be able to select Form FS-240 when creating a case for an employee who has presented this document for Form I-9.
  • USCIS combined all the certifications of report of birth issued by the Department of State (Form FS-545, Form DS-1350, and Form FS-240) into selection C #2 in List C.
  • USCIS renumbered all List C documents except the Social Security card. For example, the employment authorization document issued by the Department of Homeland Security on List C changed from List C #8 to List C #7.

Important Note: The only changes on the newly revised I-9 Form retained by employers is the revision date in the bottom left corner.

To avoid confusion, employers should dispose of outdated forms immediately. If an employee has already started completing the old form dated 11/14/2016 for their first day of work, prior to the new rollout date, employers may continue with completing this form within three business days as their usual practice. A new form does not need to be initiated.

The most recent I-9 form is available online at https://www.uscis.gov/system/files_force/files/form/i-9-paper-version.pdf

Read More

Is Your Business Prepared for a Disaster?

All of America has watched in horror as Houston and surrounding areas have endured the force of Hurricane Harvey. The images have been terrifying and hard to even comprehend. Yet, as always, it has been inspiring to see the goodness of mankind prevail in the face of adversity.

There is a tendency for all of us to believe that a large-scale disaster won’t happen where we live. When we watch T.V. and see natural disasters happening in places all around the world, it seems far removed from our daily lives. Yet, when catastrophes such as Harvey happen, it is important that as individuals, community members, and business leaders, we take the time to learn from these events and prepare ourselves for the possibility of a disaster in our own backyard. 

Is your business prepared if a disaster happens in your community? Here are just a few areas for you to focus on to ensure that your business will be protected.

  • Insurance – Now is the time to call your insurance agent and review your policies. Confirm that the limits of insurance are enough to cover your business properly. If your business has grown or you have new equipment, it is important to update your policies. Also, Business Interruption coverage is recommended to protect your financial loss if you must close your business for a length of time.
  • Safety – Hopefully, there would be early warnings if a disaster was about to strike, but that is not always the case. Therefore, it is important to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Employee safety is paramount. Evacuation routes should be planned and communicated to staff. Have a first aid kit at each location. Prepare a survival kit with items such as flashlights, batteries, water, and a weather radio. Periodically, check the building’s alarms, fire extinguishers, and generator if you have one, so that you are confident that they will work when you need them the most.
  • Information Technology – Discuss with your IT department or outsourced IT provider how your network security will be handled in case of a disaster. If you use a cloud solution or have offsite storage, make sure that your network service provider has redundancy through a disaster recovery center. If your service is onsite, make sure that critical files are backed up regularly and stored at offsite locations.
  • Business Continuity Plan – Prepare a plan to keep your business running if possible. Evaluate different scenarios and plan accordingly. Are you able to relocate temporarily? Will employees be able to work remotely? What happens if your suppliers shut down?
  • Communication Strategy – During a time of crisis, communication is vital. Key employees need to be assigned as spokespersons for communication with media, insurance carriers, and important business relations if necessary. Put an effective system into place to contact clients and vendors about business operations and create a phone tree or email blast to keep in touch with employees. Make sure all staff members know their role in the disaster preparedness strategy.

More Information: Insurance Institute For Business & Home Safety – Business Continuity Planning

Hurricane Harvey has wreaked havoc on an entire region. Homes have been destroyed, people have been killed, and families have been displaced. Businesses have also been ravaged and many of those businesses will be unable to resume operations any time soon, if ever at all. According to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, 40% of small businesses never reopen following severe weather events. Let Hurricane Harvey be a wakeup call for us all. Prepare for any future catastrophe.

Read More

Simple School Lessons

Every year around this time, the back to school spirit takes hold of me. I have not been in a formal classroom setting in a long time, but I find inspiration every August when I see school supplies on sale. I like to take this month to get organized at home and at work. As my children go back to school, I tend to reflect on my own school experience and the valuable lessons I learned along the way.

As a student, I thought Algebra was a waste of my time, yet now I realize I use it every day. The lessons I learned from researching history papers provided me the foundation to research business solutions. The group projects in elementary school helped prepare me to work in a team business setting. My 5th grade year as a safety patrol taught me lessons in leadership, responsibility, and work ethic that contribute to my success today.

I believe that what we learned as children in school should still be applied to our daily lives. I am reminded of the wonderful poem by Robert Fulghum, All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. If we all applied the lessons we learned from our childhood to the workplace, imagine how much kinder our environments would be and what a difference it would make to your corporate culture.

Here are just a few bits of wisdom from Fulghum’s poem applied to the work setting:

Share everything. Imagine what more your business could accomplish if all employees shared a little more. I don’t just mean sharing the coffee creamer or office supplies, but what if teams shared knowledge, processes, and when necessary, workload.

Clean up your own mess. Everyone makes mistakes. When you make a mistake at work, own it by acknowledging the error, apologize if necessary, and then work to resolve it.

Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Sometimes in a corporate environment, this simple rule can get blurred. However, think back to kindergarten and it will become more clear. If someone tells you a wonderful idea, don’t claim it as your own at the next staff meeting. Don’t use the company postage machine and supply closet for personal use. And if you accidently take a pen from a colleague’s desk, return it with a smile.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Even adults need breaks and workplaces benefit from friendly social gatherings. In the waning days of summer, plan an ice cream social for your team to get everyone in the mood for a productive fall.

Further Reading: Take Time to Celebrate

Learn some and think some. Learning does not end with school. Encourage employees to constantly acquire new skills and allow them the opportunities to attend seminars, classes, and additional training. It may take time away from the tasks today, but they will be better workers tomorrow.

Whether you are readying your own child for the first day of school or you just love back-to-school supplies, take a moment this month to reflect on the lessons you learned in your formative years. Apply those simple lessons to be a better worker, a better leader, and even a better person.

 

Read More