EffortlessHR Blog » Lead Articles

Back To School – Already?!

Lola Kakes — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:20:51 +0000

When you think of the phrase, “back to school” it can bring up several images – it could bring up memories of when you were a youngster, enjoying the summer and all of a sudden faced with the reality that school would be starting up again very shortly.

It could also bring up the parent’s checklist of making sure all the required shots and immunizations are in place, enrollment forms completed, paper and pencils purchased, new shoes bought, etc.

As a business owner it could mean one of two things and that is what I am going to go over. What are those two things?

Back to school could mean looking at your current programs to see if you have policies in place for your employees regarding day care, dependent medical coverage, time off requirements, and communication between employees and their supervisor.
The second issue of back to school could be looking at your current tuition policy and how supporting your current employees in furthering their education by going back to school can enhance your business and help retain some key people.

So, let’s look at these two issues.

The first one is probably the issue most employers need to concentrate on to start. The work/life balance is very important to the family worker who needs and wants the job, but also wants to make sure their children are in school. If you can make sure you have good clearly stated policies and programs, your employee will be more relaxed and productive at work. If they feel they have to hide what they are doing from you, they will not be as productive and your business may suffer.

This might be a good time to do an audit of your “back to school” policies and programs. Do you know what types of programs your employees need? Have you talked to your insurance broker to find out what types of insurance in available for a family and how to keep the cost down? Do your policies reflect what you what them to regarding flex time or school visitation? Some states have specific regulations that allow parents time off to attend school functions. Does your state have such a rule? Do you communicate openly with your employees to let them know you care and are flexible enough to work with them on this issue?

The second part of the issue is providing your own “back to school” for your employees. It could be as simple as adding some specific training that managers might have asked for but you haven’t implemented. Many employees want to increase their effectiveness on the job by taking classes. Maybe you can talk to your local community college and see if you can develop a program that will offer your employees the education they are looking for at a reasonable price. It may or may not be feasible but you won’t know until you ask.

Putting together a reimbursement policy will help define what you will offer and what the employee must do to participate. You might start with required training classes or supervision classes and see what the response might be. There are some great on-line courses and training programs. The bottom line is, if your employees know you care enough to help them go back to school, they will probably stay with you for a long, long time.

Therefore, brush off the heat of the summer and get ready for the new school year. The economy has been down, businesses have been slow, but you can turn up the pace by getting a jump start on going back to school.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Back To School – Already?!

Do We Need Succession Planning?

Lola Kakes — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:18:40 +0000

I was the VP of HR for a fairly large organization several years ago when the terrible unexpected happened.You always think, “This can’t be happening to us” only to find that it can and does happen. What is it that happened?

The second in command, who had been brought in to run the company when the founder retired, was killed in a terrible car accident. No one was prepared for the aftermath of that tragedy – especially the owner of the company as he had to regroup and rethink his retirement plans. The rest of the company also had to regroup and come to grip with a terrible loss and uncertainty as to what would happen next.

Can organizations prepare for this type of loss? You can never be fully prepared for a tragic loss, however a succession plan will go a long way in minimizing the effect of loss. The loss in this case was an untimely death, but many organizations today face the risk of losing a seasoned executive through age, retirement, and even hiring away by a competitor. It is therefore important to consider the issue of succession NOW rather than later. This will help with staffing changes and minimal disruption to not only the internal business operations but even to the external marketplace.

There are some key steps an organization can take to set up an effective succession plan.

1. Make sure you have identified the skills and competencies you need in a particular position. This might include the ability to delegate responsibility, think strategically, ability to make decisions, etc. While some think of this step as time-consuming, it is an important first step.

2. Make sure the top management team is on board and directing the plan. A succession plan is only successful if it comes from the top. Remember, some managers may resist establishing a plan and need to brought on board. This may happen by making them an important part of the process.

3. Develop a pool of employees that you can identify that have the potential to grow. The challenge is to find, develop, and encourage these employees. They need to be continually trained and given opportunities to advance. You need to make sure they want the added responsibilities and if not, they should be removed from the pool being considered.

4. Understand and identify skill and knowledge gaps. Work to fill those gaps by determining needs to happen with an individual or individuals to move them into new positions. Help these employees prepare for higher level positions.

5. Encourage employees to be proactive and identify themselves as possible candidates. The individual is the final person to determine availability and capability. When in doubt, ask them.

Don’t be caught unprepared – it can be detrimental to the whole organization.Have a plan and be prepared to keep it current – just in case.

Effective Succession Planning (human-resources-management.suite101.com)
Webinar: Succession Planning in High-Performance Organizations (hrmtoday.com)

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Do We Need Succession Planning?

EffortlessHR Announces Free Trial for Web-based Small Business HRIS / HRMS Software

Aaron Queen — Fri, 28 May 2010 21:08:29 +0000

That’s right!

We are bringing back our very popular free trial for our EffortlessHR Online HR Software system.

Just in case you read the blog, and have never visited our main site ( http://www.effortlesshr.com/ ) , We’ll list some of our exciting existing and new features below:

Online Employee & Personnel Management
Employee Portal
New! Custom Reports
HR Forms
Labor Laws
Labor Law Posters
HR Guide
Calendar & Reminders
New! Powerful Import & Export Capabilities
New! Multi-Layer Access Levels
Online File Storage
Company Property Tracking
Benefits Management
Company Data Management
Labor Law Updates

Be sure to check out everything we offer, and we’d love to hear your feedback. Click here to visit EffortlessHR.com

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | EffortlessHR Announces Free Trial for Web-based Small Business HRIS / HRMS Software

Building Your Own “Field of Dreams”

Lola Kakes — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:49:37 +0000

When I first started my own consulting business, in 2001, I was a sole owner/worker and thought I was on top of the world! I was really ready to have people knocking on my door, ready to use my incredible services. As any first time business owner will tell you, this is not an uncommon phenomenon, but it is most likely not reality.

That passion to be my own “boss” and to have my own business is still there. The difference is that now I understand how to build my specific “field of dreams”. In the movie, “Field of Dreams”, the famous line is, “If you build it they will come.” Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of merely putting their business together (building it) and expecting customers to flock to them.

Most entrepreneurs come from a corporate environment, where if they need specific assistance on a project, they pick up the phone and call that department or division and get the help they need. When they start their own business, the reality is they are the total business. They are expected to do all the various functions that make a business viable – logistics, scheduling, customer service, sales, marketing, hiring, writing, calling, — you name it and it has your name on it!

I remember that wake up call when I had been in business for 6 months and did not have a customer. I didn’t know how to market my services, how to explain my concept, or how to close the deal or how to price anything. I did know how to meet people and talk to people – so I involved my self with ASBA (Arizona Small Business Association) and NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners).

I discovered that the way to build my dream was to surround myself with men and especially women, smarter than I am in areas that I did not have expertise. I discovered that by forming alliances and partnerships with other businesses, I had the ability to develop customer service techniques, sales and marketing processes, writing newsletters and presentations, and how to tell others what I do. I may have been able to reach these areas of expertise on my own, but it would have taken a lot longer and would not have been as much fun.

So, what type of partnerships am I talking about? There are (in my mind) two types of partnerships:

Formal with written agreements and clauses
Informal with a handshake and an agreement to work on a specific area

Formal agreements usually come with a fee, and that is okay if that is what you need. I have used formal, paid partnerships and they have proven to be very helpful in my business growth.

The informal partnerships may or may not be paid, but are usually of a short duration and may reoccur throughout the course of your business.

Let me give you an example of these partnerships:

When I first started my business, I realized I needed a website. At a networking function I met Joey Ambrose and I hired him to put together my first website. It was a paid partnership with specific guidelines in place. I was excited and Joey was excited too as he was just starting his dream building. That partnership has developed over the past 7 years to a strong friendship, where we both trust and respect one another. So, when I dreamed about my own Internet HR program, the first person I spoke to was Joey, who helped my through the process and has been a strong supporter.

An informal partnership is developed over time and relationship building. My example of this type of partnership included my friendship with Ellen Kirton, who started out as my business coach and so believed in my dream that she asked to be able to share that dream. She brings knowledge to the business that I do not have but that is needed. We started with a formal agreement, moved to an informal arrangement and she is now an integral part of EffortlessHR.

You develop these partnerships/alliances through your involvement with organizations. I have been able to build a strong base through NAWBO and I consider my circle of influence to have grown over the past 7 years. Women, especially, need to develop the networking and building of relationships in their businesses. This is most easily accomplished through the participation in women business organizations where you can look for similar values among the women. Men have long ago established the “good old boy” network and women are now learning the value of these relationships. Our relationships are based more on nurturing and relationships but are long lasting and very, very effective.

So, my advice is to dream your dream, but surround yourself with smart women who have the experience you need to make the dream a reality. As you surround yourself with them, they are also surrounding their businesses with their supporters. Don’t be afraid to tap into these wonderful resources – we are really all in this together!

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Managing Change

Lola Kakes — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:12:16 +0000

The elections are finally behind us and the political ads are over – at least for now. President Obama has reiterated that he is an agent for change – change in how government works, change in who we are in the global experience, change in many other ways. So, what is change?

All organizations go through change. There might be a change in management, or a change in policy, change in staff, change in location, change in customers, and even change in size of the organization as in mergers and acquisitions. We even face change in our personal lives – change in marital status, change in family dynamics, relocation of family, and change in job status.

Change is all around us. It is what we do with change and how we react to change that causes the most difficulty. The issue becomes how do we manage change?

I’m not sure how President Obama will affect change in our bureaucratic society; nor how the world will react to some of the changes he has indicated he will implement. I do know he has his work cut out for him and his staff and we

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Health Care Reform – Some thoughts

Lola Kakes — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:51:15 +0000

What’s a small company to do if required to offer health insurance? This is a question many small business owners are facing. The federal government is gearing up to tell the American business owner:

When or how to form a union
When to provide paid sick leave
When to provide paid family medical leave and
When to provide health care benefits

All of these issues are important – not only to the business owner but to the employees that they hire. There are really three perspectives that we need to look at:

The HR Perspective
The Business Perspective
The Government Perspective

The HR perspective is that in order to attract and retain quality employees, quality benefits need to be available. These benefits could include paid sick leave and/or paid leave for medical reasons, and especially health benefits – usually for employee and sometimes for employee and family. The unionization of a company may become easier if the card-check provision of the Employee Free Choice Act passes. With only 7% of private business employees belonging to a union, the issues at stake are very high. From an HR perspective, many organizations might face new forms of HR issues that they have not had to deal with in the past, such as labor negotiations.

The Business Perspective, especially for the small to mid-sized business, is one of focus and cost. Most small businesses want to be able to provide the incentives that attract quality employees. However, if they are forced to comply, many small businesses may have no other choice than to close the door. Being forced to accept a union under the proposed law would require a business to seek labor specialists to help in the establishing of a union. That might force an employer to stop thinking about the day to day business issues and to focus on labor laws instead. Negotiation can be expensive and that is another nail that small business owners cannot afford.

Small businesses, who are forced to pay sick leave or medical leave, or provide health care benefits, may find the cost of doing business too great. It may not be that they don’t want to provide better benefits – they just might not be able to afford them. Or, if they are forced to provide these benefits, they will most likely be forced to raise their prices, which will impact the public as well.

The Government Perspective seems to be a very altruistic thought process. If only 7% of the private sector is currently unionized, what makes the government think the other 93% wishes to be unionized? Have they done a focus group? Have they surveyed those businesses? Or are they listening to lobbyist who are encouraging them to act? I doubt if many of the Senators and probably just a few of the Representatives, have every been a business owner. The cost of doing business runs from not providing benefits and paying for it by not being able to attract “star” players, to providing benefits at a cost of approximately 40% of the salary of the employees. If a business has a salary total of $100,000, the cost of benefits may reach $40,000.

Many individuals believe that health care is their right. It is not a covered issue in the Constitution. It is however, a privilege, just as voting is a privilege. Most employers want to provide and promote that privilege, but I do not believe we should mandate that privilege, especially when it may cost a business their opportunity to succeed.

We can put a man on the moon and do many other wonderful things, so surely we should be able to fix this problem. The bottom line is that businesses know what they can afford (both from a cost standpoint to the HR issue) and it should be left to them to fix their own problem. If they can provide some sort of paid health benefit they stand a better chance of attracting good employees, which in turn will help them grow their business. If they can’t, they may have to pay the piper and either stagnate or close the door. Either way, it should be their choice.

Related articles 1

Health Care Plan Could Undermine Small Business (myventurepad.com)
Will health reform chase employers away? (money.cnn.com)

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Health Care Reform – Some thoughts

Carnival of HR for July 08

Aaron Queen — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:00:12 +0000

EffortlessHR is honored to be hosting this week’s Carnival of HR.

Thanks to HR Minion for keeping track and organizing the carnivals! As this is our first time hosting the carnival, please forgive any mistakes.

Plenty of posts came in this week, so without further delay, let’s get going:

Jason Seiden was the first to submit his article and writes about how social media is blending our personal and professional lives, making it harder to hide behind corporate facades in his post entitled “Ethics, social media, and… “profersonalism”

Susannah from Advorto chimes in with her 15-minute guide to recruiting graduates in a recession

Cathy Martin from Intellectual Capital Consulting wants us to ponder if Engaged Employees can Sell more Soup

Sharlyn Lauby from ITM has an excellent post on business agility

Erik Samdahl of i4cp would like us to think about How High-Performers Support Employee Engagement

Mark Stelzner, who hosted the previous HR carnival over at the Inflexion Point Blog has some Observations & Conclusions from SHRM 2009

Drew Tarvin shows us how to Team-Build Through 3 Pictures

Jon Ingham explains about developing people management strategy and the value of templates in this process

Dan McCarthy wants us to Beware of Cult-like Leadership Development Programs

Mark, Amy, and Meg (The TalentedApps team) discusses social networking in their submission One, but not the same

Marie Adams has 2 very good posts this week: Are “lunch and learns” bad for business? and When cookie-cutter sexual harassment training just won’t cut it

From the G.Neil HR Forum, some insight on Employees putting your data security at risk

Lisa Rosendahl writes about Easier Federal Job Applications

Trisha McFarlane has an interesting article entitled Yo Adrian! You Don’t Have to Win to be Great (yes you have to read it to understand the title!)

Amit Bhagria lets us all think about How to Manage Human Capital

Lexi Ruben Clifford Junio from PRECEPT has an excellent article on Health Care Reform: The Simple Truth

Chris Young posts a Book Review on Three Laws of Performance
Susan Burns has a good article on What’s your Employment Brand Relevancy
Michael VanDervort authored an article titled Social Media and Human Resources
Wally Bock gives us a lesson on Home Depot at 30: A Lesson in Corporate Culture

There you have it.. The last few were fairly late entries so they may have been rushed on here. We’ve been incredibly busy with the launch of Effortless Business Forms and the new pricing model for Effortless HR Software that our blog postings have been slow lately. We’ll be sure to catch up and get some recent posts online ASAP.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Carnival of HR for July 08

EffortlessHR.com Introduces New Pricing Model

Aaron Queen — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:34:07 +0000

We have been hard at work with our new pricing plans and are proud to announce that effective today, you can find our new pricing at http://www.effortlesshr.com/

Our lowest cost plan is just $29.95/month and includes a full featured online HR Software solution.

Let us know what you think and if we are crazy or not for offering the most affordable Online HRIS in the world.

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Join EffortlessHR.com on Twitter and Facebook!

Aaron Queen — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:11:27 +0000

This post should have been made a long time ago. This is just friendly reminder that we are (and have been) on Twitter and Facebook.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/effortlesshr

Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34653399510 (for all HR bloggers and Professionals)

That’s all for now. Have a good 4th guys and gals!

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Are You Ready for a TRIP?

Lola Kakes — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:22:58 +0000

Everyone says the economy will be turning around by the end of the 4^th quarter 2009, with the employment outlook ticking upwards the first part of 2010. As a business owner, we can only imagine what the journey over the next couple of months will be. Because of the economic upheaval of the past few months, the face of business as we know it has changed. We need to understand and acknowledge the changes. We can do this by putting together our own TRIP ticket.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) has a wonderful program to help their customers prepare for a trip by providing them with a Trip Ticket. It is a detailed map from point of origin to final destination, with references to detours and obstacles. They provide guidebooks of points of interest and places to stay, to dine, to visit.

As we come out of this recession, are you ready? I suggest that as a business owner, we need to prepare our own TRIP ticket. We, too, need a road map of how to get to where we want to go, what obstacles may be in our way, and how to navigate the detours, We need to be aware of our competition (points of interest) and understand our processes (where to stay and visit) What does TRIP stand for, you may ask? TRIP stands for:

T – Technology
R – Realignment
I – Infrastructure
P – People

T is for Technology

Computers are smaller and faster than ever. I-Pods and I-Phones, as well as BlueTooth, BlueWave and a multitude of handheld devices are all the rage. In addition, we have You Tube, FaceBook, Linked In, blogs, and the newest Tweeters. Technology has taken enormous steps to help business owners stay in contact with their clients, their employees, and the global community. If your business is not in sync with the latest technology, you will have a harder time keeping up.

Is this an easy thing to do? It depends upon your mindset. Younger entrepreneurs will most likely be there already. The more mature or seasoned entrepreneur may struggle with all the “social media” that is out there. I recommend, however, that this is a good time to take a class, talk to the up and coming young business mind to learn how to stay current with technology. Look at your website (and if you don’t have a website, get one) and make sure it is current and appealing. It makes me stop and think if I see a website that has not been updated for several years. That in itself sends a message – and not always a good message.

R is for Realignment

According to the dictionary, realignment means to reorganize or make new groupings. The recent problems with credit availability, high executive salaries, poor business decisions in the big automobile industry, should be telling all the small to mid-size business that they need to look at their current business plan and see where and how to realign their culture to meet the needs of the 21^st Century consumer. Ensuring there are the right work ethics in your company is imperative in the new business culture of this Century. If you do not realign your policies and your procedures, you run the risk of falling behind and losing the ability to grow.

How do you do this? You look at your mission and vision statement and determine if it fits where you are in your business or where you want to be. Are you following your mission and vision, or are they merely pretty words used to inspire. Do you “walk the walk and talk the talk” or do you say to your staff “do as I say, not as I do”. Realignment comes from the top – you, as the decision maker, have to believe it is important and make it a priority, Change is not easy, especially in organizations. It takes time and dedication and belief. With the economic down turn, now may be the right time, so that you position yourself well for the “trip” ahead.

I is for Infrastructure

When you talk about infrastructure, most people think about the roads, highways and bridges. In our Nation, the economic stimulus packages are aimed at developing jobs rebuilding our infrastructure. In a company, the infrastructure I think about is the communication highway. Communication is a cornerstone to building a strong business.

Have you revisited your business plan since the recession started? Have you built in policies and procedures to help guide you through this time? Do you have an up-to-date Employee Manual and use it to communicate your policies to your employees? Are you putting together good training programs for your customer service people to empower them in responding to customer questions, thus increasing customer retention? Have you identified your “star” performers and looked to see why they shine and be sure these attributes can be found in other employees or new hires?

Look at your office layout (which is also part of your infrastructure) and see if you have “dead” space that can be eliminated or put to better use. Now may be a good time to do your performance reviews and determine if you have the right people in the right positions or if you can let someone go.

It is also a good time to look at your benefits by talking to your agent and determining if there are other options available, Now is the time to shore up your infrastructure to be better prepared in the future.

P is for People

We touched on the “people” aspect above, but let’s really look at our People. The people element of doing business is probably one of the biggest expenses for businesses. On average, an employee is about 40% of a business expense. That includes salary and benefits. I know of some businesses that think of their employees as a necessary evil and that if they had a choice they wouldn’t have employees.

Those businesses probably don’t have loyal employees or have a very good reputation as a good place to work. They probably have high turnover, low morale, and wonder why customers don’t come back. I believe that if you have employees, you have them to help you grow your business. How you treat your employees will determine the type of business you are or what you will become,

Do you have the right people in place? Do you have good job descriptions and do you check them regularly? Do you communicate with your employees so they feel they are a part of the process? Do you conduct performance appraisals and coach your employees through a rough time?

If your business has slowed down, as many businesses have, now may be the time to look at your people and make sure all the above mentioned issues are being properly managed. Be prepared and be ready to move forward.

Having your own TRIP ticket is important as we move out of this recession. It will put you ahead of those businesses that have “hunkered” down and done nothing but complain. Take advantage of the situation and you will be stronger for it. See you down the highway!

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Are You Ready for a TRIP?

EffortlessHR launches “Effortless Forms” for Business and HR

Aaron Queen — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:01:00 +0000

Well.. We finished up our programming and design ahead of schedule and are proud to introduce Effortless Forms.

http://www.EffortlessForms.com has 325 business and HR forms (many of which are free!) , templates, and spreadsheets available at the time of launch. We will be rapidly expanding our database and would love your feedback on what other types and categories of forms you would like to see on this site.

That’s it.. short and sweet! Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think of the site.

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Can You Make an Angry Customer Loyal?

Darrell Griffiths — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:58:06 +0000

One of the most difficult situations we come across in business, is the “angry customer”. We want nothing more than to slap this person and send them on their way. Please resist this urge as it’s not worth losing that customer or going to jailJ Seriously, fighting will just make the situation worse and you could lose the customer or even lose many customers.

Understanding where that anger comes from will help you avoid being sucked into a fight with a customer. Psychologists say that anger is not a primary emotion. Anger usually comes from fear or a feeling of hurt. Once you realize that yelling and strong words come from fear or hurt then you can figure out how to calm that customer down.

If a friend came to you upset and in tears, what would you do? Would you yell at them or kick them? No, you would sit there and listen to them and validate them. Even if they aren’t right in what they are saying, they just want to be heard and validated. Try to remember this when dealing with an angry customer.

So if you remember that anger is a fight or flight emotion and that fighting back will not work, you will be able to handle the angry customer in way that is not confrontational. Remember their anger is not personal, they are afraid or hurt.

When you listen, validate, and talk calmly, and once the customer has calmed down, you can resolve the problem and calm their emotional state. When you take care of their emotional need, you will form a bond to that customer that will be hard to break. Their confidence and trust in you will grow tremendously and you just may have that customer for life. All it takes is a little understanding and you can turn an angry client into a loyal customer.

- Apple and AT&T Royally Screw Loyal iPhone 3G Customers | Cult of Mac

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Can You Make an Angry Customer Loyal?

Human Resource Management at Work

Lola Kakes — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:50:45 +0000

Human Resource management is the process a company uses to ensure the effective and efficient use of their “people” talents to accomplish organizational goals. If these resources are managed properly and effective, the organization would most likely increase profits, sell more items, produce in a more efficient manner, and be able to do all this while staying in legal compliance.

A product or service is only as good as the people that make it, design it, or sell it. This means that one of the most important assets of any organization is their human capital. If you have qualified, enthusiastic individuals, you will have a better chance of maintaining a leading edge over your competitor. If you have poor morale, low production, ineffective service, or untrained individuals – the chances are pretty high that your organization will be in the top 33% of all organizations that fail. People really do make the difference.

It is easy to see why HR is the most expensive part of doing business if you consider that studies show that the expense of having employees is about 40% of a company’s profit,. Large organizations have always seemed to have HR expertise – they have fully staffed HR or Personnel Departments with varying degrees of specialties, such as compensation, benefits, training, recruiting, etc. A fully staffed HR Department in a large organization might consist of at least three people at a cost of about $200,000 per year – just for salaries. Just imagine what you, the small company owner, could do with a staff of 5 people and an overhead budget of approximately $200,000 per year.

Well, in the first place you would not need 5 HR people. Most small companies can do quite well with a part-time HR person that is capable of giving good HR advice and counseling. Costs may vary, depending upon the expertise you are looking for, however, if you find an independent contractor with solid HR experience, an hourly rate for tasks completed would probably be very cost effective.

What can you, as a small company owner or manager do to have the leading edge and have your employees weigh in on the asset side of the ledger and not on the liability side? Talk to various human resource consultants and pick one that is right for your organization – one with experience, capabilities, and knowledge of human resource functions. Look at tools and resources that will help you develop your staff. One such tool is EffortlessHR, an Internet based “HR in a Box” program that is affordable and provides a wealth of information. Look it over and see what it can do for you or, check out other available tools and resources and find the right one for you.

Once you decide on the right combination you can get on with what you do best – run your company.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Human Resource Management at Work

H1N1, Swine Flu, Pandemic – What does an employer do?

Aaron Queen — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:31:44 +0000

With all of the news out there involving the current world news…

Here are some reasonable steps to prepare for a pandemic:

Designate one person as the office contact

If the WHO (World Health Organization) increases the health risk level to 6 (pandemic), you should be ready to do telecommuting.

Plan to have your employee’s notify you if they are traveling to any of the high risk areas (locally or abroad).

Restrict employee travel to high risk areas.

Be sensitive to employees with children.

OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Act) prevents employers from retaliating against employees who refuse to work if they reasonably believe they would be in danger at work.

Have a policy or an emergency plan in place.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | H1N1, Swine Flu, Pandemic – What does an employer do?

EffortlessHR Introduces Online Employee Handbook Builder

Aaron Queen — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:29:51 +0000

EffortlessHR announces new software which allows a company to stay green by creating and storing HR policy manuals online. Many businesses are too small to have a human resource professional on staff to handle the important task of developing an employee handbook. Now they have access to an affordable online solution that allows them to develop a handbook quickly and efficiently by answering a few simple questions. Written by top human resource professionals and designed to protect against liability and lawsuits, EffortlessHR’s online software explains company policies and guidelines in understandable language. The manual incorporates state-specific laws and regulations which may be applicable to a company’s organizational size and needs.

Lola Kakes, CEO of EffortlessHR, says, “Employee handbooks help managers guide employee expectations, while assuring employees that the company will treat them fairly and objectively. Our employee handbook builder is a quick, simple solution for small businesses needing to develop and communicate policies.”

EffortlessHR.com provides small business employers affordable online access to professional HR tools. For more information about their Effortless Employee Handbook Software, go to http://www.effortlessemployeehandbook.com/ or call 520.546.3947

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | EffortlessHR Introduces Online Employee Handbook Builder

COBRA Alert – New Rules & Changes from ARRA Stimulus Package

Lola Kakes — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:24:22 +0000

Taming the COBRA “Lion”

The old adage, “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb” is proving to be too very true for companies across the country. Why? Well, effective March 1st, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) President Obama’s Stimulus package, goes into effect and includes major and significant changes to the current COBRA continuation coverage. This “Lion” is causing business owners and HR departments to scramble to understand and comply with the massive changes in a very short period of time.

As a reminder, COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) is a federal regulation that is applicable to employers of 20 or more employees who offer a regular group medical plan. If you do not have 20 or more employees or offer a group medical plan, then this new coverage is not applicable to you.

The reasoning is basic, the economy has been in a tail-spin and the President wants to make sure that the millions of individuals that have lost their jobs due to this economic crisis have the resources to continue their medical coverage. All this and still letting the employer know that they will be entitled to a subsidy to provide this coverage to their terminated employee.

The main gist of the ARRA is:

Provide a 65% federal subsidy of COBRA premiums to eligible individuals for a maximum period of 9 months;
Requires employers to pay 65% of the insurance premium upfront and then deduct the cost from their payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare) and the terminated worker paying the remaining 35% (this occurs with the regular federal reporting of the 941 Tax form);
Allows employees who became unemployed back to 9/1/2008 (and who originally rejected COBRA) to reconsider and sign up for COBRA benefits.

What does this mean to the business owner and what must they do to be in compliance?

These new provisions to COBRA require employers and benefit administrators (i.e., HR Departments, Payroll, Benefits, etc.) to take prompt action to implement the new procedures. Some of the decisions and procedures to be made include:

Identifying eligible employees (and their covered dependents/spouses) who were covered by the group health plan and whose employment was involuntarily terminated since 9/1/2008, including their last known addresses.
Identify which terminated employees are currently receiving COBRA coverage and which are entitled to the special enrollment period. According to the DOL, Plan administrators must provide notice about the premium reduction to individuals who have a COBRA qualifying event during the period from September 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009. Plan administrators may provide notices separately or along with notices they provide following a COBRA qualifying event. This notice must go to all individuals, whether they have COBRA coverage or not, who had a qualifying event from September 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009.

Individuals eligible for the special COBRA election period described above also must receive a notice informing them of this opportunity. This notice must be provided within 60 days following February 17, 2009.

Determine the correct premium subsidy that applies to those unemployed workers who are not being required to pay the full COBRA premium.
Develop a process for applying the excess of any COBRA premiums above 35% received from a COBRA recipient for March and April 2009 to future premiums or refund the excess.
Adjust administrative procedures to reflect the maximum 9 months of available coverage.
Develop and provide the notices required by the ARRA. Where can wording be found?

We at EffortlessHR are following this issue very carefully. We are actively assembling Forms, How To’s, and providing alerts to our clients and prospective clients. We are also placing the new regulations on the Law section of the Effortless HR Software program. In addition, the Department of Labor and the IRS have extensive information available regarding this new law. Their contact information is
IRS http://www.irs.gov and Department of Labor: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRA.html. If you are using a third party COBRA administrator, they will also be able to assist you.

We would recommend that employers not react in a way that could jeopardize existing employees when reviewing the benefits currently provided. You have offered benefits as a retention tool and that same reason to continue benefits remains.

The important thing to remember is to be organized, follow the guidelines, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and hopefully you will be able to exit March as a lamb.

Lola Kakes, CEO EffortlessHR

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COBRA Alert – New Rules & Changes from ARRA Stimulus Package

Assessments – Tools to Maximize Productivity

Cathy Baniewicz — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:54:06 +0000

It is critical for the success of a company for the right people to be in the right jobs. It is also important that the tools a company uses to make hiring or promotion decisions are reliable and valid.

There has been an increase in employment testing due in part to post 9-11 security, as well as concerns about workplace violence, safety and liability. Likewise, there has been an increase in discrimination claims based on background checks and other selection procedures.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recognizes that assessments can be a very effective means of determining which applicants or employees are most qualified for a particular job. The use of assessment tools can violate federal anti-discrimination laws if the employer intentionally uses them to discriminate based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability or age. The use of validated tests and other selection procedures can help avoid discrimination lawsuits.

EffortlessHR uses the Profiles International assessment instruments. These assessment tools are geared to all phases of employment from hiring, training, coaching and management performance. Profiles assessments are continually re-validated and updated. Their predictive reliability and validity scores are the highest in the industry.

As companies struggle to be more profitable during these tough economic times, it is important to hire, train and retain qualified individuals who are in tune with your company’s mission, objectives and values. The Profiles assessments are designed to help you make better human resources decisions.

For more information, click on the Assessments tab at www.effortlesshr.com or visit Employee Assessments

References:

Importance of an EEOC Statement (affinitycgi.com)
Punk Rock HR Secrets: Job Loss (punkrockhr.com)

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Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments

Cathy Baniewicz — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:04:10 +0000

The Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act (ADAAA)

Effective January 1, 2009 the law amending the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) goes into effect.

The Act retains the ADA’s basic definition of “disability” as an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment. However, it changes the way that these statutory terms should be interpreted.

There are three major changes to the current law.

1. The ADAAA prohibits employers from considering the effects of mitigating measures such as hearing aids, medication, prosthetic devices, etc. when determining whether someone has a disability. However, eyeglasses and contact lenses may still be taken into account.

2. The amendment expands the list of “major Life activities” to include:

caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating,sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, working and the operation of major bodily functions, such as functions of the immune system, normal cell growth and digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine and reproductive functions.

3. The law covers workers whose employers discriminate against them basedon a perception that the worker is impaired, regardless of whether the worker has a disability. This protection does not apply to persons with short-term impairments. The ADA provides broad coverage to protect anyone who faces discrimination on the basis of a disability.

Employers should review their employment policies regarding disabilities and reasonable accommodations. Employers with lengthy, detailed policies which include definitions of what constitutes a disability should consult with legal counsel about whether any changes are necessary.

Managers should trained on the changes to the ADA’s definition of a person who is “regarded as” disabled. It is now possible for just about anyone with a non-temporary impairment to bring a charge of discrimination. Companies will probably receive more requests for reasonable accommodations due to the changes in the law.

For additional information go to the EEOC website:

http://www.eeoc.gov/types/ada.html

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments

Time to vote – Bloggers Choice Awards 2009

Aaron Queen — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:13:03 +0000

Hey guys and gals.. I usually don’t ask for anything from you, but if you enjoy this blog, please vote for us in the Blogger’s Choice Awards!

Just click the picture below or visit the url to vote:

http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/53819/?utm_source=bloggerschoiceawards&utm_medium=badge&utm_content=bestbusinessblog

Thanks for your help.. Any suggestions for the site or comments, just reply here!

Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Time to vote – Bloggers Choice Awards 2009

What is the “State” of your Employee Handbook?

Cathy Baniewicz — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:58:49 +0000

With the New Year approaching and upcoming changes to laws regarding the Family Medical Leave Act, Military Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it’s timely to review your handbook to make certain that it is current.

Why an employee handbook?

Handbooks can be valuable communication and employee relations tools.
They help maintain consistency among supervisors to avoid misunderstandings about workplace policies.
Handbooks help orient new employees and let them know what is expected of them.
Written statements of policies can help reduce the need for employees to seek out union representation in the workplace.
Clear work rules help support your disciplinary procedures and avoid discrimination charges.

DO’s

Handbooks should be written in a clear, organized and non-technical style to avoid excessive questions and errors in interpretation.
Every employee should receive a copy of the company’s handbook.
When introducing a new handbook or major revisions, the company should have a representative go over the material personally with every employee.
Have the employee sign an acknowledgement of receipt of the handbook which includes the statements that the handbook does not constitute a contract of employment; is not all inclusive and is only a set of guidelines; and that changes can be made to the handbook and policies at any time.
Keep your handbook up to date and notify employees in writing of any changes in policies and procedures.

DONT’S

Use terminology that could imply that the handbook is an employment contract, such as “permanent” empoyees — use the term “regular”.
Make statements such as “You will have a job as long as you perform your duties”. This implies a long-term or indefinite commitment.
Use “cause” of “Just cause” as it relates to termination. You may have to prove that termination is not overly severe and the violation merits termination.
Use excessive “legalese” which may upset or confuse employees. The handbook should be written in a positive manner.

The above recommendations are not all-inclusive of what needs to be considered in preparing your employee handbook. Some employers have lost discrimination cases because of poorly written handbooks. On the other hand, if you have been trying to avoid having a written handbook and are relying on unwritten policies, you might have a problem proving what your policies are in the case of a discrimination case.

We at EffortlessHR believe that an effective employee handbook is a foundation upon which you can build your organization. To assist you in this effort, check out our new venture, Effortless Employee Handbook Builder

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