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Tips for Getting the Most From Your HR Audit
HR Audit. No one likes to hear that word – audit. Review. Evaluation. Analysis. No matter what word you use, negative thoughts start to fill your head. We challenge you, however, to look at this event as a chance to review and renew. A properly conducted HR Audit can (and should) be a welcome review of your human resources function, helping you to remain the best in class or improve the function and services you provide. As with many things, how you prepare for an HR Audit will determine its effectiveness.
Why conduct an HR Audit?
An HR Audit involves an organized and structured review of your organization’s human resources practices. By reviewing policies, procedures, legal requirements, and processes, the HR Audit enhances the overall efficiency, compliance, and effectiveness of an organization’s HR practices – ensuring these are on track to focus your employees’ efforts in meeting your organization’s goals.
When conducted properly, the audit will reveal departmental strengths and shed light on gaps and areas for improvement. A skilled auditor will guide you through the findings and offer course-correcting recommendations.
Some reasons to conduct an HR Audit can be to:
- Ensure implementation of good and consistent HR practices and compliance
- Instill a sense of confidence in management and the human resources function
- Maintain or enhance the reputation of the organization
- Perform “due diligence” review for shareholders or potential investors/owners
- Establish a baseline for process improvement and enhanced customer service
How to prepare for an effective HR Audit?
How do you ensure your HR Audit is a constructive event resulting in improvements rather than demerits? The key to an effective audit is for it to be clearly defined and have the process work to your advantage. When selecting an auditor to review your human resources function, we recommend securing an individual or team that will work with you to make certain that you get what you want out of the review. To do that, interview those you are considering to take on the auditor role to verify that they understand your culture and your industry. Consider the following as you prepare for your HR Audit:
1. Define your desired outcome
What is the goal of your HR Audit? Is it a compliance-driven review? Is it a review of process and best practice? Some employers are confident that their compliance is on point and prefer a review of processes and best practices in functional activities such as recruiting, payroll processing, or even benefits administration. Others are solely concerned about compliance and keeping up with the myriad of changing legal requirements. Determine your desired outcome before you begin and tailor the review to meet those expectations on the front end.
2. Identify HR areas to review
Are you reviewing all of the functional aspects of HR or just one or two key areas? For example, some employers request an in-depth review of a specific area, such as their recruiting function, rather than a review of all areas. The audit would consist of an evaluation of both compliance and best practices in the recruiting process to identify areas of potential improvement surrounding their recruiting efforts.
Others prefer to have a review of all of the HR areas. In this type of audit, all functional areas under analysis would include recruiting and employment, recordkeeping, policy development, compensation, benefits, health and safety, communications, and payroll. These reviews typically involve a focus on compliance in these areas, but they also evaluate processes and procedures for each of the areas. The organizational effectiveness of the HR function can also be examined to ensure the department is meeting the needs of its internal customers.
3. Determine who should be involved
Will you only include human resources staff who regularly touch the function, or will you include your internal customers as well? For example, if you are doing a review of your recruiting and employment process, who will you include? Your HR recruiting staff is an obvious choice, but what about the hiring managers in the functional areas and/or those involved in orientation and onboarding?
4. Take action
The report provided at the end of the audit will include items that should be improved. Findings may include general compliance or regulatory items that need to be addressed or even a process improvement recommendation. Most audits help you to determine the high-priority items versus those of lower priority based on compliance concerns.
Once the action items are identified, it will be up to you and your team to prioritize the items and determine who will be responsible for implementing the changes. Determine how you will approach the “fixes” so expectations are clear at the onset. It’s unlikely for everything to be addressed immediately, so you’ll want to align on expected timelines.
To ease concerns ahead of time, be sure to prepare for an HR Audit with a well-designed plan and clear expectations. As experienced HR auditors ourselves, we encourage you to work cooperatively with your chosen auditor to make sure you are getting what you want out of the review so positive outcomes can be reached.
Thank you to Lorrie Diaz, MS, PHR, Senior HR Business Advisor, and Patti Dunham, MBA, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Director of Business Strategy and Quality for sharing their expertise on HR Audits.
Clark Schaefer Strategic HR knows that keeping abreast of HR Compliance issues can be daunting, especially when the laws keep changing. We can conduct an HR Audit to identify trouble spots in your HR function and help to mitigate compliance issues. If you would like a customized quote, you can Request an HR Audit Quote.
How to Re-Energize Your Team Through Training & Development
HR Question:
I’m concerned that our employee morale and engagement are waning. How can we re-energize our team through training and development?
HR Answer:
You’re smart to be concerned. The world continues to be a challenging place. So many of us have personal struggles and concerns that we may be dealing with at home. Not to mention concerns about the economy, politics, the influence of social media, and a general perception that the world is in decline. This weighs on employees and is bound to affect their morale and engagement. It’s a lot to expect employees to leave all of that at the door. In addition to that, the fluctuating job market means employers need to be concerned about keeping the good employees they have.
In recent Gallup surveys, employee engagement continues to decline. Some of the reasons cited are lack of role clarity, less connection to the organization and mission, and not feeling like someone cared about them. Additionally, survey data has also shown that employees want an opportunity for growth and development.
The good news is that organizations can address this by taking steps to support employees and leaders at all levels.
Include Your Employees From the Start
If you haven’t already done so, we recommend that you conduct a Training Needs Analysis to identify what types of training would be beneficial for your organization as a whole, in addition to assessing development options for individual employees.
When considering new or unique training and development opportunities, you may find a greater return on investment by asking the employees who will participate in those programs to share their thoughts on what training is needed. Connecting with your team and considering their suggestions for training and development content, as well as their preferred ways to learn, can be a great way to ensure that the training will be on target for what employees want and need. Plus, it can re-engage them in their current positions and stimulate their career growth interests.
Supporting Your Leaders
Organizations tend to underestimate the impact that managers and leaders have on engagement and retention. According to Gallup, 70% of engagement is tied to the behaviors of the manager. Additionally, DDI found that 57% of employees say they have left a job due to the manager.
Even on a tight budget, it’s critical to train and support your leaders. Many employees perceive their direct manager as “the company.” When they have a positive relationship with them and feel valued, the likelihood that they will stay with the company and give their best effort increases significantly. However, HR can’t assume that leaders know what employees need. Here are some things employees are looking for from their leaders:
Empathy – Given what we know employees may be dealing with, an empathetic leader is welcomed and appreciated. When an employee feels like someone cares about them, they can bring their best selves to work. However, this does not always come easily to leaders. Consider training such as:
- Managing with Empathy
- Building Trust
- Emotional Intelligence
Where do I fit in? – Employees want to feel that they are valued and that they are contributing to something more than just assembling widgets or processing orders. Leaders play a key role in helping employees see where they contribute to the organization and understand the bigger picture. Consider training such as:
- Delegation and Empowerment
- Giving Effective Feedback
Learning & Development for All Levels
Additionally, employees want opportunities to learn and grow with their employers. This can be done both formally or informally. Job shadowing, cross-training, and mentoring are great low-cost ways to provide development opportunities. Consider other training opportunities such as:
- Dealing with Conflict
- Exceptional Customer Service
- Utilizing AI to Enhance Your Role
- Being a Strategic Partner
It’s not surprising that LinkedIn’s recent Workplace Learning Report found 94% of employees say they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development. In order to attract and retain key talent – particularly during times like this when many are feeling tired and disengaged – savvy business leaders will recharge their teams with training and development for their organization. Reaching out and making sure that your employees know that your organization cares about and is committed to fostering their skills and career development can be a valuable retention tool.
Thank you to Cathleen Snyder, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Jeff Rouse, MSOL, and Melinda Canino, MS, for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week!
Is training your employees a goal for this year? Let the experts at Clark Schaefer Strategic HR help re-energize your team through Training and Development. We have the expertise to conduct a needs assessment and deliver impactful, customized training for your staff. Visit our Training & Development page to learn how we can help you achieve your training goals.
How Can I Use CliftonStrengths in my Organization?
HR Question:
I’ve heard about StrengthsFinder or CliftonStrengths. How could this help me or my organization?
HR Answer:
If you are considering using CliftonStrengths, you’re in good company! In fact, companies such as BMW, Home Depot, PepsiCo, and Wells Fargo are just a few representing the 90% of Fortune 500 companies who have used CliftonStrengths. As of 2023, 30 million people have taken the assessment.
CliftonStrengths, previously known as StrengthsFinder, is an assessment tool developed and introduced by Gallup in 2001 to help individuals and companies leverage individual talents and strengths in the workplace. The premise is that we all have a combination of innate talents unique to us. When we utilize those talents (and others utilize theirs), we can maximize our own development, achieve individual and group goals more easily, and get further in our day-to-day rather than when we use our “non-talent” areas – all while having more satisfaction overall.
Essentially, the assessment encourages you to lean into your strengths for optimal and maximum performance. The assessment findings can give you and your team more insights into why and how you do what you do.
How It Works
The CliftonStrengths tool categorizes 34 talent themes into four domains:
1. Executing
This domain describes the way you get things done. Some of these strengths include Responsibility, Achiever, and Activator. For example, if you’re well-organized, you may find that several of your strengths fall in this category.
Example: Responsibility – People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do as well as anything identified as needing to be done. Every team needs someone with one of these strengths – they don’t let projects fall.
2. Influencing
Talents that fall in this domain reflect how you influence people and situations at work. Some talents in this domain may include Command, Self-Assurance, and Competition.
Example: Communication – People who are especially talented in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. These skills may show in their ability to write, present, or communicate important details and influence others through various forms of communication.
3. Relationship Building
This domain includes talents that help you understand and connect well with others. You may find strengths such as Empathy, Individualization, and Positivity in this category.
Example: Developer – People who are especially talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in others. Developers can often make great mentors and managers in your organization.
4. Strategic Thinking
These strengths help you see the big picture and organize thoughts and ideas for action. Some examples may include Analytical, Intellection, and Input.
Example: Futuristic – People who are especially talented in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. Who better to include than a Futuristic in ideation sessions or discussing new ventures?
We all have many talents that vary by type and intensity. This tool will measure both the types of strengths that you possess among the 34 talent themes, as well as the prominence of each, resulting in a personal profile where you can easily see your dominant strengths within each of the four domains.
Applications of CliftonStrengths
The internal insight CliftonStrengths can give you is impressive. But how can organizations use the assessment to strengthen their internal teams?
Team Building and Collaboration
CliftonStrengths helps teams understand the unique strengths of each member, fostering a culture of collaboration. It allows teams to assign roles that align with individual strengths, leading to increased efficiency and job satisfaction.
Knowing that a diverse set of skills is needed for teams to be successful in all ways, CliftonStrengths can also help to identify any critical gaps in your team. For example, if your team excels at coming up with awesome ideas, yet struggles to get projects to the finish line, your team may be lacking representation from the Executing domain.
Personal Development, Goal Planning, and Reviews
By focusing on strengths rather than only how to improve weaknesses, CliftonStrengths encourages greater success in personal growth and development. It provides a positive framework for performance reviews focusing on how employees can use their strengths to shine, overcome challenges, and meet goals. Managers and employees will have the proof to know where time should be focused for goal planning.
Leadership Development
For leaders, understanding their own strengths and those of their team members can lead to more effective leadership, better delegation to strengths, and fostering overall engagement.
The benefits of CliftonStrengths are numerous. Overall, it is meant to promote a positive workplace culture, increase employee engagement, and lead to higher productivity.
Only 1 in 33 million will have the same combination and order of their top 5 strengths – proof we are all uniquely valuable.
According to Gallup’s website, people who use their strengths every day are 3x more likely to report having an excellent quality of life, 6x more likely to be engaged at work, 8% more productive, and 15% less likely to quit their jobs.
However, it’s important to note a limitation. While focusing on natural talents and working in strengths can lead to more significant improvements than working in areas of no talent, it should not completely replace the need to address weaknesses, especially if those interfere with performance in the workplace.
How do you get started?
CliftonStrengths is just one of a few powerful assessments that can be an impactful tool for HR professionals, managers, and organizational leaders. Depending on your organization’s goals, you can consider different approaches with CliftonStrengths or other assessments. Check out Gallup’s options or contact Clark Schaefer Strategic HR’s training team today to learn more.
Most importantly, don’t just stop after taking an assessment. The true gains come when individuals and groups understand how to use their valuable talents and apply those strengths daily.
Special thanks to Andrea Whalen, Senior HR Business Strategist, for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week!
Employee assessment tools can be used to help you assess a wide range of both soft and hard skills that are needed to be successful in your organization. To find out what assessment tools might be best for your organization, contact Clark Schaefer Strategic HR or visit our Employee Assessment Tools webpage today!
How Can Managers Reduce Turnover?
HR Question:
We recently lost a couple of very good employees. They said in their exit interviews that they were offered better pay, but I’m skeptical that was the only reason that they left. I feel that their manager could have done more to make them want to stay. What can our managers do to help retain employees and reduce turnover?
HR Answer:
As you conduct exit interviews, keep in mind that employees may tell you that they are leaving because they got a better offer from another employer, but there are often multiple underlying reasons why they chose to leave. Chances are something triggered them to think about leaving long before they began actively looking for another job. Furthermore, their boss may not have recognized that their employee was even thinking of leaving.
According to Gallup Workplace, 52 percent of exiting employees say that their manager or organization could have done something to prevent them from leaving their job. But only about one-third of former employees said they had a conversation with their manager about leaving before they quit. Wow! If you ever doubted the power of communication, this should allay your skepticism. Imagine how a conversation or two could have dramatically impacted the outcome to be a story of engagement and retention, rather than a goodbye.
Good leaders can reduce turnover and improve retention. The key is understanding what skills a leader must possess to do this. Here are some of the critical skills managers will need to mitigate attrition:
The Power of Active Listening
The simplest way a manager can be alert to the signs of potential turnover is to start listening. Active listening goes beyond just hearing. It requires the manager to devote time to check in with employees on how they’re doing. It also calls for their undivided attention to ensure they truly understand what their employee is saying and how they are feeling. Employees want to feel like their voices and opinions matter. When managers improve the quality and frequency of their conversations with their employees, chances are those team members will feel good that someone cares about them and wants them to succeed.
The Art of Giving Feedback
Managers need to be skilled at giving positive and constructive feedback effectively. Employees typically want to do a good job, and they like knowing that what they do matters. Research by Inc. showed that when people don’t feel they matter, they may also feel isolated, lonely, insignificant, rejected, or socially worthless.
Now more than ever, leaders must prioritize helping people on their team to feel their sense of worth. Clear and specific feedback can help employees to see how their work contributes to the success of their team and their organization. Helping an employee to improve their performance – and recognizing them when they do – can help them to feel valued.
Empower Employees to Solve Problems Themselves
These days, most people have become quite adept at finding answers to questions and solving problems all by themselves, using the Internet, social media, and self-improvement activities. However, at work, they may feel they don’t have the power to make improvements to their own work processes. A manager who uses a coaching style of leadership can help employees feel they are actively involved in improving their work processes. Oftentimes, employees will feel more engaged in their work when they are more empowered.
Stay Tuned into Workloads and Warning Signs of Burnout
It’s important to recognize when an employee is overworked. Burnout is often a key driver of an employee’s desire to look elsewhere. A study by the Wharton School of Business found people are far more likely to quit when given too many difficult assignments in a row, compared with a workflow that is balanced out with easier tasks. A manager who helps an employee simplify their work processes or lighten their workload can significantly improve an employee’s satisfaction at work and their desire to stay.
We’ve highlighted some red flags and critical skills that managers need to implement to help retain their staff. These skills are not innate; they are learned. So, take a look at the training your managers have received. Are they properly prepared to apply the necessary skills? Investing in ongoing training and coaching of your organization’s leaders can make a demonstrable difference in reducing turnover and increasing retention.
Thank you to Terry Wilson, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Training & Development Practice Manager for contributing to this HR Question of the Week.
We’ve never heard anyone regret training their managers to be effective leaders, but we sure know of plenty who wish they had done it – especially when poor managers have led to ineffective and unproductive teams, low morale, and turnover. Clark Schaefer Strategic HR can help to set your managers up for success with our Leadership and Management Training. We also provide customized training to meet your specific needs – contact us to learn more.
Steps Toward a Successful Recruitment Process
HR Question:
I understand that we’re living in a “candidate’s market,” which means I need to be both efficient and effective when recruiting for new talent. I want to know what best practices are to create a strong candidate and brand experience. What steps should I take to build a successful recruitment process?
HR Answer:
You’re right – today, businesses are operating in what’s called a “candidate’s market.” This means that job seekers have more opportunities and professional options to choose from. More importantly, though, it means that the top-tier candidates have the most leverage for the best opportunities. Secondly, it means that you can no longer use the same old hiring practices that you’ve used in the past when there were more candidates than there were jobs.
While the recruitment process may look different depending on factors such as business size, industry, or seniority of the position, some fundamental steps can be taken to help ensure a successful recruiting process.
Define the Position
The most successful recruiting efforts are built on clearly defined roles, which means creating (or updating) the job description for the role. You should meet with the relevant stakeholders (i.e., managers and peers) to understand which skills, tasks, and experiences are critical to the success of the position, and possibly missing from the team and organization, to update the job description.
Then, for clarity and effective candidate screening, a best practice can be to identify the top three to five skills or qualifications that are essential to the position (rather than providing an exhaustive list of potential needs) and build your job ad around those items.
The difference between job descriptions and job ads
It’s important to note that your job description and your job ad are not the same thing! Your job description should provide a detailed view of the job requirements, expectations, reporting structure, etc. Your job ad should give a brief overview of the position and highlight the most critical qualifications needed to be successful.
Your ad should also provide compelling reasons why candidates would love to work for your company. Remember, your job ad needs to be intriguing enough to potentially woo someone away from their current job. This is your chance to highlight why they should consider making that leap.
Another key task in these early stages is making sure that you have a clear description of the culture and what a “strong fit” may look like for the existing team. Be sure you understand your “need-to-have” qualities (such as the ability to pivot quickly or experience with certain software) versus “nice-to-have” qualities (i.e., it would be great if the candidate came with these skills, but I can teach them if they don’t).
When it comes time to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), consider the following:
- Job ads should be easily read on a mobile device with minimal scrolling, as almost 70% of job seekers in 2021 applied via their mobile devices.
- Utilize catch statements at the beginning of the ad (i.e., are you looking for a fast-paced, creative environment?) that speak to the candidate you may be looking for.
- Use a short paragraph to summarize the major responsibilities of the position. No more than three to five sentences.
Post the Position
Once your job ad is written, it’s time to cast a wide net to attract a diverse candidate pool. Consider major job boards like Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter, as well as a number of free job boards, niche/industry-specific job boards, diversity job boards, and social media groups. Don’t forget to leverage your own network, including LinkedIn alumni groups and associations in the area you are recruiting in. Be sure to post it on your company’s career page too.
As you post the role, be sure to simplify the candidate’s ability to post/apply to positions. Remove any unnecessary steps that make the application process lengthy or complex, which may turn off the candidates from even applying in the first place.
If you use pre-screen questionnaires, make sure they are optimally designed and easy to complete. Wait until after initial conversations with a candidate before making them complete lengthy applications or assessments. This allows for an opportunity to “sell” the position and the employment brand of the company and to get the candidate interested in moving forward through those tasks.
Be Proactive!
In a tight candidate market, you may not want to solely rely on waiting for the candidate to come to you. Research organizations, social media outlets, or other networking options that are relevant to the position or company. Routinely connect with your network, share news, and let them know that you are hiring.
And if you are competing for the same candidates as other organizations, be ready to sell the candidate on why your company will be their best choice. This is not just a discussion of pay and benefits, but more about the culture, mission of the company, and potential career growth. So, if your organization does a great job of providing career paths and development opportunities, be proud of that, put that message first and foremost ahead of pay and benefits.
Focus on Candidate Experience!
As candidates come rolling in, you’ve reached a crucial time in a successful recruitment process – you need to make sure you’re reviewing and responding to candidates in a timely fashion. A best practice is responding to the candidate with an acknowledgment, if not the next steps, within one to two business days. This can be a simple email that thanks them for their interest and includes an explanation of what the next steps in the process will be. The candidate will appreciate the follow-up, which will also help protect the employment brand of your company.
Other best practices include:
- Utilizing readily available technology to find alternate ways to reach out to candidates. For example, texting can be an effective way of quickly getting in touch with candidates, as it boosts engagement and may cut down on the amount of time spent playing phone tag. This is especially true if your organization has a lot of high-volume recruiting.
- If you know that there will be multiple steps in the process, communicate that as early as possible. This also opens the door to encouraging the candidate to keep you informed as well should there be any developments in their current job search.
- Simplify the interview process as much as possible. Avoid having candidates come on-site multiple times for interviews by scheduling as much as necessary in one or two visits, max. Top-tier candidates are usually currently employed, which makes it very difficult for them to take time off to interview.
Be sure that your entire hiring team prioritizes the recruitment process and that they are actively involved in the hiring process so that you do not lose top talent to roadblocks caused solely by the hiring team. More often than not, your best candidates may come in the first round of resumes that you receive. Encourage anyone involved in the hiring process to keep this in mind as they recruit and to be timely in making decisions.
Thank you to Lisa Johnson, CIR and Samantha Kelly for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week!
A successful recruitment process is much more than just posting an ad. It requires a targeted message, the right resources, and a significant amount of candidate engagement. Are you overwhelmed with your recruiting? Our on-demand recruitment services can give you the support you need no matter where you are in the process. Visit our Outsourced Recruitment page to learn more, or contact us today!
Marijuana in the Workplace
HR Question:
Now that Issue 2, legalizing recreational marijuana in Ohio, has passed, what does it mean for my employment policies? Does this mean my drug-free workplace policies are no longer valid? How should I navigate marijuana in the workplace?
HR Answer:
Medical marijuana was legalized in Ohio in September 2016, and retail sales began in January 2019, when the first four licensed dispensaries opened for business. On December 7, 2023, Issue 2, decriminalizing non-medical marijuana use, will go into effect – opening the door for adults 21 and over to legally possess, purchase, and share up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis. As reported by WCPO, the law isn’t without its limits, however, as it prohibits:
- Using marijuana in public
- Operating a vehicle while under the influence of marijuana
- Being a passenger in a vehicle and using marijuana at the same time
Additionally, landlords and employers can still prohibit marijuana use based on their policies. So, what do employers need to consider as they navigate this new law?
Considerations for Recreational Marijuana in the Workplace
First and foremost, it’s up to the organization to decide if the use of the drug will be tolerated or affect current drug testing policies. The employer would potentially need to reevaluate, for example, whether or not there is an acceptable amount of marijuana that could be found in someone’s drug test, and how that amount may impact the decision of whether or not to terminate an employee (or not to hire). Additionally, it’s necessary to consider how to ensure current employees aren’t using marijuana at work or before they come in.
Depending on how your organization wants to proceed, there are a few paths to take:
- You could choose to eliminate confusion and maintain (or start) a zero-tolerance drug-free workplace. The drawback here is that you could have a harder time finding applicants for job openings. If that’s the case, you could remove or modify any existing testing policies to eliminate cannabis, much like many employers don’t test for alcohol.
- If you open up your organization’s policies to permit legal marijuana use, one option is to shift the focus from testing what’s in someone’s system, which may linger for weeks after the fact, and instead come up with a new standard aimed at determining whether an employee is actually impaired. Some employers have begun to implement alertness assessments, which allows employers to test someone’s cognitive function that day. Of course, this would require training your leaders and managers and communicating expectations across the board to all employees.
Considerations for Medical Marijuana in the Workplace
What about medical marijuana? In outlining employers’ rights, Ohio’s Revised Code 3796.28 states that an employee has no specific protections, which could be interpreted that you do not have to accommodate an employee’s need to use the substance. An employer has the right to not hire an employee based on medical marijuana use, possession, or distribution. At this time, the law does not allow a cause of action against an employer if an employee believes he or she was discriminated against due to medical marijuana use. An employer is allowed to have a zero-tolerance drug-free policy in place, with or without special accommodations for those who use medical marijuana.
The Bottom Line
No, this does not mean your drug-free workplace policies are no longer valid. But what this does mean is that this is a key opportunity to review any drug-related policies to make sure they are up-to-date, accurate, and reflect the needs of your organization. And, as always, consult your legal counsel to ensure that you’re avoiding discriminatory actions and complying with federal, state, and local laws. If you make any changes, be sure to distribute and explain the policy and have employees sign off on the acknowledgment.
Thank you to Alisa Fedders, MA, SPHR, and Samantha Kelly for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week.
Do you struggle with doing what is right for your company and right for your employees when it comes to creating a Drug-Free Workplace? Sometimes the “right” solution isn’t always easily identified. Strategic HR understands your dilemma of being between a rock and a hard place. We can provide you with best practices, policies, and training when it comes to creating a Drug-Free Workplace or any needs concerning the health and well-being of your workforce. Please visit our Health, Safety, & Security page for more information on any of these services.
How Can My Company Choose Between Different Types of Recruitment Services?
If your organization is struggling to get candidates to apply or remain in your selection process, can’t seem to find the right person to fill a key role, or simply don’t have the bandwidth to fill the volume of open positions, it may be time to consider external recruitment solutions. There are many types of recruitment services that can often help you find and hire the right talent faster, improve your recruitment function’s effectiveness, and save you money in the process.
So, how do you get started and what should you look for?
Four Types of Recruitment Services
We’ll break down four different types of recruitment services to help you understand what they can do, their typical pricing/fee structure, and how to decide if it’s right for you.
1. Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)
RPOs, also known as outsourced recruitment services, are described by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association as being similar to business process outsourcing, where “an employer transfers all or parts of its recruitment processes to an external service provider.” An RPO can manage some or all of your recruiting process while also offering options for establishing or improving your internal hiring function.
How do RPOs work?
Full-service RPOs act similar to an internal recruitment team as they work on your behalf representing your organization and employer branding. Many times, because they are a seamless extension of your company, candidates don’t know these recruiters aren’t on your staff unless it is shared.
These recruiting experts can tackle all aspects of your recruiting from initial scope to onboarding including:
- Creating compelling job ads and posting to their curated networks
- Screening resumes and sourcing candidates
- Conducting interviews, setting up interviews for your hiring managers, and gathering feedback
- Communicating with your decision makers and candidates – ensuring an excellent client and candidate experience throughout the process
- Conducting reference and background checks
- Extending offers and assisting with negotiations
- Arranging and leading onboarding
There is additional value as you leverage their candidate reach, discounted job ads packages (including social media), technology, and applicant tracking tools. Many outsourced recruitment services can use your applicant tracking tools, provide their own, or even help you establish new ones.
RPOs are often strategic consulting partners for your organization. In addition to supporting or managing your hiring process, they can address underlying issues with your recruitment strategy, refine your processes, and identify cost-saving opportunities.
This structure allows for an on-demand approach, as outsourced recruitment services can manage as much (or as little) of your recruitment as you prefer. Some companies choose to use an RPO to manage their entire recruiting function – eliminating the need for an in-house recruiting team. Others take an à la carte approach using outsourced recruitment services to support their biggest area of need, such as advertising or initial screening.
Ideal for:
- Organizations of any size that have limited, overburdened, or no dedicated staff for recruiting. They allow business owners and managers to focus on their business.
- If you don’t have the resources or your plate is too full, an RPO can keep your timeline moving with a minimal time commitment on your part.
Pricing/Fee Structure:
As you can imagine, not all RPOs are alike, and neither are their pricing structures. Some charge an hourly rate for time worked while others charge monthly, project-based, or cost-per-hire rates. So it’s important to do your homework!
For companies seeking recruiting support with the most flexibility and time and cost-savings, outsourced recruitment services that charge by the hour may be the best fit. That way, you’re only charged for their time working on your needs, and not charged when they’re not.
2. Interim/Temporary Staffing Agency:
This type of recruitment service is also a third-party entity that operates entirely independently of your company. Temporary agencies usually have a database and network of individuals who can quickly fill in for short-term needs. These candidates may be on the payroll for that staffing agency or simply be employed on contract as needed.
Ideal for:
- Quickly filling an interim position
- Bulk hiring for short-term projects or seasonal staffing needs
Pricing/Fee Structure:
Employers typically pay an hourly rate to the agency and the agency determines the temp’s pay rate.
Some agencies may also offer the contract-to-hire option, where you pay the hourly rate, but have an option to hire the temporary employee long-term. At that point, you often pay a conversion rate or a placement fee when you hire.
3. Retained Search
Retained search firms often take a deep dive into understanding the needs and expectations of the open role, in addition to their clients’ company branding, culture, vision, and mission to fill a position. They use this information to identify ideal candidates more accurately.
Retained search firms often find and present a few top candidates after conducting thorough screening and interviews. They also help with ongoing communications with those candidates if you choose to interview them. The firm will also help negotiate and provide offer expectations for their candidate(s).
Ideal for:
- When your recruiting team doesn’t have the appropriate network or time to dedicate to this key position
- Guaranteeing you’ll get a hire for a hard-to-fill or important role within your team.
Pricing/Fee Structure:
Many firms charge 30-40% of the position’s first year salary. Employers pay an upfront retainer fee and get a “guarantee” of a hire, often accompanied by a prorated rate refund or replacement if the hire leaves within a short period.
4. Contingency Recruiters
These recruiters set themselves apart as they are only paid if you hire their candidate(s). They recruit for entry- all the way through senior-level positions and work to develop a wide network of candidates for various roles in multiple industries.
To increase their chances of securing a hire (and getting paid!), they tend to recruit for multiple companies and may submit the same candidate to more than one company. Because of this, it is important that you act quickly if a candidate is a great fit so as not to lose them to a competitor.
When using this recruiting approach, you’ll want to understand what happens to your search if you opt for a contingent option while the firm’s other clients are using the retained search model. This can lengthen your time-to-hire.
Ideal for:
- Similar to a retained search, when your recruiting team doesn’t have the appropriate network or time to dedicate to the position
- In tight labor markets when you need to search your competitors’ rosters
Pricing/Fee Structure:
You pay only if you hire the candidate they present. Typical fees range from 25-35% of the new hire’s first-year pay.
How to choose the best recruiting service for you
No matter which of the types of recruitment services you choose to explore, we recommend that you:
- Check client and candidate references to understand their reputation with both groups.
- Ask how they find and recruit candidates. Do you still have to pay for job ads, professional membership fees, etc.?
- Learn about the process including if they utilize your ATS or their own.
- Understand the average or expected time to hire or similar analytics.
- Know your time/involvement needed upfront and on-going.
- Ask how they provide a positive candidate experience, as well as who/how they will handle all follow-ups.
- Do the math! Compare costs between your top options. You might be shocked at how much you can save.
Bottom line, any of these staffing options can offer support when you need it. The key is to find the best fit for your needs, as well as budgetary and time constraints.
Thank you to Andrea Whalen, Senior HR Business Strategist, and Melinda Canino, MS, Senior HR Communications Advisor, for contributing to this article.
Do you need recruiting help? Our Outsourced Recruitment Services may be the perfect solution. We’ll manage the full process or support just where you need it for one or all of your positions. Plus, we offer flexible pricing options including retained, contingency, and hourly rates! Call Clark Schaefer Strategic HR today at (513) 697-9855 or email us for a free recruiting consultation.
If you don’t have openings but still want to evaluate that your process is top-notch, it may be the ideal time to take our Free Recruitment Checkup.
What Is the Difference Between FSAs and HSAs
HR Question:
We’ve been fielding a lot of benefits questions from our employees and some are trying to choose between opting into an FSA or HSA. What’s a good way to describe the difference between FSAs and HSAs?
HR Answer:
HR professionals play an important role in helping employees understand their benefits options so they can make the best decisions for themselves and their families. When it comes to managing healthcare expenses, it’s important for employees to be aware of the various options available to them. Two popular options are Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Both accounts are designed to help individuals and families save money for medical expenses, but they have distinct features and eligibility criteria.
What are Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)?
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a type of tax-advantaged savings account offered by many employers as part of their benefits package. FSAs allow an employee to set aside pre-tax dollars from their paycheck to cover eligible medical expenses. These expenses can include medical, dental, and vision costs that are not covered by their health insurance plan, such as co-payments, deductibles, prescription medications, and certain over-the-counter items.
One important characteristic of FSAs is the “use-it-or-lose-it” rule. This means that any funds contributed to an FSA must be used within the plan year, or the employee risks forfeiting the unused balance. Some plans offer a grace period or a limited rollover option, but these rules can vary, so be sure to explain your specific plan options.
Using FSAs for Dependent Care:
One noteworthy advantage of FSAs is their potential use for dependent care expenses, including childcare. If your organization offers a dependent care FSA, employees can contribute pre-tax dollars to cover eligible expenses related to the care of their children, disabled spouse, or elderly relatives who require care while they work or attend school. Eligible childcare expenses can include daycare services, after-school programs, summer day camps, and more. This feature can provide valuable financial relief for families with young children or dependents requiring care.
What are Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)?
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is another type of tax-advantaged account designed to help individuals save for qualified medical expenses. HSAs are typically paired with high-deductible health insurance plans. To be eligible for an HSA, the employee must be enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) and cannot be covered by other health insurance, such as Medicare or another non-HDHP plan.
One significant advantage of HSAs is that the funds contributed are not subject to federal income tax, and they can grow tax-free over time. Unlike FSAs, there is no “use-it-or-lose-it” rule for HSAs. Any unused funds in an HSA can be carried over from year to year, allowing the employee to build up savings for future medical expenses or even retirement.
5 Key Differences Between FSAs and HSAs:
1. Eligibility
- FSAs: Generally available to employees regardless of their health insurance plan.
- HSAs: Available only to individuals with a qualified high-deductible health plan (HDHP).
2. Contribution Limits
- FSAs: The IRS sets annual contribution limits, and these limits can vary from year to year. The FSA contribution limits for 2023 are $3,050 with a maximum allowable carryover amount of $610.
- HSAs: The IRS also sets contribution limits for HSAs, and these limits are generally higher than those for FSAs. The limits may vary based on whether the employee has individual or family coverage. The HSA contribution limits for 2023 are $3,850 for self-only coverage and $7,750 for family coverage. Those 55 and older can contribute an additional $1,000 as a catch-up contribution.
3. Tax Treatment
- FSAs: Contributions are made with pre-tax dollars, reducing the employee’s taxable income.
- HSAs: Contributions are made with pre-tax dollars and can be invested, with earnings growing tax-free. Withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are also tax-free.
4. Rolling Over Funds
- FSAs: Typically have a “use-it-or-lose-it” rule, with limited exceptions for grace periods or rollovers. You should clarify your plan options to ensure your employees are correctly informed.
- HSAs: Funds can be carried over from year to year, and they remain available even if you change employers or health insurance plans.
5. Ownership
- FSAs: Generally owned by the employer, though employees can use the funds for eligible expenses.
- HSAs: Owned by the individual, allowing for more control over the account and its investments.
Choosing the Right Option:
When deciding between an FSA and an HSA, employees should consider their current health insurance plan, medical expenses, and financial goals. If an employee has a high-deductible health plan and wants the flexibility to save for future medical expenses, an HSA might be the better choice. On the other hand, if the employee prefers to use funds within a specific plan year and has a more traditional health insurance plan, an FSA could be more suitable.
Remind your employees that both FSAs and HSAs can provide valuable tax benefits and help them manage their healthcare costs more effectively. Encourage them to review the specific terms, contribution limits, and rules associated with each option before making a decision.
FSAs and HSAs are valuable tools for managing healthcare expenses, each with its own set of advantages and considerations. Understanding the key differences between these two accounts can empower employees to make a well-informed choice that aligns with their financial and medical needs.
Special thank you to Paula Alexander, MA, PHR, SHRM-CP, HR Business Advisor for contributing to this HR Question of the Week.
Do you find yourself without answers to tough Benefits and Compensation questions? Whether you need an analysis of your current benefit offerings, a review of your salary structure, or outsourced payroll/benefits administration, Clark Schaefer Strategic HR can do the job. Please visit our Benefits & Compensation page for more information or Contact Us.
5 Key Points To Use Assessments in the Employee Life Cycle
What is so significant about the term experience? Experience is how we remember life. An experience awakens the senses and, for better or worse, leaves a lasting impression. Often, those impressions are shared with others, especially with the ease of the Internet and social media. Driven by this, organizations today strive to leave a positive impression on the experience of customers, clients, and employees. For our purposes, we’re going to focus on how employers can significantly impact the employee experience.
We often hear, “Timing is everything.” So, when should you focus on the employee experience? Successful organizations are thinking about the employee experience along every phase of the employee life cycle. The good news is there are many new tools and technologies to help organizations build a unique and impactful employee experience, and one that remains tried and true is the use of assessments across the employee life cycle.
Below are five key points in the employee life cycle where the use of assessments can make a lasting impression on your employees and play an important role in your organization’s ability to attract, develop, and retain employees.
1. Enhancing Hiring Decisions
Let’s start at the beginning of the employee life cycle – recruitment. Assessments used in this stage, such as pre-screen questionnaires, can significantly enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of the hiring process.
Try using assessments in two ways – internally and externally. Before you begin sourcing or searching for candidates, consider using assessments to help internally benchmark what you’re looking for in the role, including the competencies required. Are there skills or traits your current team is missing, or are there different perspectives that could help create diversity of thought? Once you identify these measurable competencies, you can highlight them in your job ad.
When the external search begins, assessments can provide additional insights that screening and interviewing may not be able to. Plus, assessments can provide unbiased and data-driven results that traditional screening methods can’t.
Whether it’s cognitive, personality, or behavioral assessments, you can glean valuable insights into a variety of different competencies. This can help your organization minimize bias, reduce turnover, and hire candidates who are more likely to succeed.
2. Identifying and Developing Potential
After a successful hire, your focus should shift to engagement and retention. From what we’ve learned about generational preferences in the workplace, we know that growth and development opportunities are among the top reasons employees choose to join an organization. This presents a great opportunity to use assessments to help identify and develop an employee’s potential within your organization.
Don’t believe us? Consider Estée Lauder’s example as they embedded the CliftonStrengths assessment into their culture, processes, and key metrics. When employees understand their strengths and how to leverage them for themselves, their team, and the organization as a whole, it can be a powerful realization for employees and a winning combination for employers. For Estée Lauder, by identifying and cultivating individual strengths, employees felt valued, empowered, and motivated to do their best work, thereby leading the company to award-winning heights.
Today’s expected employee tenure is already short – a median of just over four years, according to the BLS. However, when organizations leverage assessments and subsequent reports to support the employee’s career path within the company, it allows the employee to pursue roles that are more aligned with their interests and career goals. These growth and learning opportunities help to increase that tenure (and potentially turn employees into ambassadors for your organization).
3. Designing Training and Development Programs
On an organization-wide scale, assessments can empower HR to offer training and development programs that meet targeted and personalized needs. Depending on the kind of assessment (technical, cognitive, behavioral, skill, leadership, etc.), the appropriate training programs or providers can be brought in to support a team’s growth and learning in areas that are aligned with the desired organizational outcomes.
Assessments aren’t just for your human talent, however, they can and should be used to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs as well. Pre- and post-training assessments can measure the impact of training, enabling organizations to assess knowledge gain, skills application, and overall program success.
4. Strengthening Career and Performance Management
Assessments can do much more than identify strengths and potential. By providing data-based assessments, employees and employers can work together to identify areas for improvement without the interference of human opinion, limiting the impact of ego and emotion in early performance conversations. Employees can understand where they scored, employers can understand where to support their team members, and both parties can agree on goals together.
By building in regular performance assessments, employees can also find motivation as they see their skills and competencies improve along the way. This can also empower them to reach for new heights within the organization, especially if those roles are benchmarked in similar fashions.
5. Building Effective Teams
Finally, don’t forget about the importance of building strong and competent teams. While this happens at all stages of the employee life cycle, assessments can play an integral role here. With assessment data and well-designed training, HR and management can build diverse, balanced teams across the organization, and even call attention to potential issues or challenges ahead of time to minimize interruptions and conflict.
For example, we have found the Everything DiSC® assessment to be a highly effective tool in helping people to work better together. The DiSC assessment, coupled with training and follow-up resources, helps employees to understand their own personalities, how they are similar or different from their co-workers, and how to improve communication and collaboration across different work styles. This has been a valuable tool to help people better understand themselves and those around them leading to decreased conflict and stronger, more productive workplaces.
When choosing team assessments, you’ll want to look for tools that align with your organizational goals, encourage self-awareness, and foster a culture of mutual understanding and respect. By understanding individual strengths and limitations, team members are better equipped to complement each other’s skills.
Assessments for the Win!
Building out a thoughtful employee experience along every phase of the employee life cycle is critical to support retention, productivity, and employee morale. When considering the employee life cycle, we highly recommend exploring opportunities to add assessments into the process that support your organization’s goals and help you to build a strong employee experience in a consistent and sustainable way.
Special thanks to Julie A. Johnson, PHR, SHRM-CP, Sr. HR Business Strategist, Melinda Canino, MS, Sr. HR Communications Advisor, and Samantha Kelly for contributing to this insightful article.
Do you need help identifying or implementing the right assessments for your employees and your organization? Don’t worry. The HR experts at Strategic HR can help you find the best employee assessment tools for you. We’re also an Authorized Partner for Everything DiSC®, so we’re happy to be your go-to resource for the DiSC assessment and training too. Contact us to get started!
How To Handle Drug and Alcohol Abuse in the Workplace
HR Question:
I am part of our HR team, and a supervisor approached me because they suspect one of their employees may be drunk or on some type of drug that is inhibiting their performance. We have a policy prohibiting workplace drug and alcohol abuse that allows us to test if we have reasonable suspicion. Is that enough? What should I do?
HR Answer:
First, we recommend that you talk with the supervisor to understand and specifically document the employee’s behavior that’s causing concern. Is it behavior that is not typical (i.e., appearance, odor, etc.)? It is ideal to have two parties observe and document the behaviors to independently confirm reasonable suspicion of drug and alcohol abuse. However, it is not required if you do not have the ability to do this. If you’re able to have two observers, one party is often the supervisor and the other party is typically someone in management or HR.
If the employee has a safety-sensitive job or appears to present a safety concern for others, the manager and/or HR professional may need to remove the employee immediately from their work area. In this case, escort the employee to wait in a safe and private location (i.e., a conference room, an office, etc.) to discuss the concerns and observations.
How to Communicate the Concern
After documenting the employee’s behaviors, it is important to promptly discuss this information with the employee. It’s helpful to approach this type of conversation from a position of care and concern for the employee versus an accusatory approach. The observations should be shared in a fact-based manner. It is not necessary to specify the drug or alcohol you suspect they may have used. Instead, focus on the concern that they appear to be impaired in some way.
The company’s workplace drug and alcohol abuse policy should be reviewed with the employee, and it should be explained that they are being required to be tested as outlined in the policy. It is also important to explain the consequences if they refuse to comply. (And this should be addressed in your policy as well.) If you have any doubt about your policy’s ability to protect your organization or your employees, we recommend having your attorney review it.
Drug and Alcohol Testing
Given the nature of the situation, the employee should not be allowed to drive themselves to the testing facility. Rather, the employee will need to be transported to the drug/alcohol screening facility. It is best practice to have someone in management or HR alert your testing facility of the situation and to transport the employee. Keep in mind, if you use a facility that does not provide instant results, you will also need to transport the employee to their home or ask them to identify someone who can pick them up and take them home.
It is best practice to not have the employee return to work until the test results are available. If you’re wondering how to handle the employee’s pay during this time, you are not obligated to pay an hourly (non-exempt) employee for time missed from work while waiting on the test results. This may not be the case for salary (exempt) employees according to the FLSA.
Negative Test Results
If the test results are negative, the manager or HR professional should contact the employee and advise them they can return to work on their next scheduled day. It’s also best practice to pay employees for time missed from work while waiting on the results.
Positive Test Results
If the test results are positive, you should follow your company’s policy and procedure. This may involve a last-chance agreement, treatment and/or Employee Assistance Program (EAP), or immediate termination if the company has a no-tolerance policy.
Whether the result is positive or negative, the situation must be handled respectfully and professionally. Keep in mind this is an uncomfortable situation for everyone and should be treated with the utmost discretion for all parties involved.
Special thanks to Marie Frey, SHRM-CP, HR Business Advisor for contributing to this HR Question of the Week.
Handling drug and alcohol use in the workplace can be stressful…especially if you don’t have the right policies, procedures, or training. Strategic HR can provide you with best practices, policies, and training when it comes to creating a Drug-Free Workplace or providing an overall safe and healthy work environment. Visit our Health, Safety & Security or Training & Development pages to learn more.
Can I Fire Someone During Their Introductory Period?
HR Question:
Can I fire someone during their introductory period? Are there ways to reduce our risk?
HR Answer:
The short answer can be yes. As long as an employer has a properly written (and implemented) introductory period, there should be little concern over terminating someone during their new hire period. In fact, sometimes it is actually easier to terminate someone during this period of employment. A key component is to ensure that your introductory period policy and practices apply the employment-at-will status, as allowed by your state or locality. In that case, you should be able to rest easy with your decision, although we recommend consulting your attorney if you have any doubts.
On the other hand, if you don’t have a well-designed introductory period, your organization is at higher risk. If you’re unsure about your policy or implementation, read on to learn why introductory periods are important, what to consider in their design, and ways to reduce termination risks.
Why is a new hire introductory period important?
Introductory periods are an important phase of employment as they allow the new hire and employer to evaluate their fit with each other. These programs typically range from the first thirty days of employment up to six months and can be extended, if necessary.
Keep in mind that appropriate design and implementation are critical. According to the Society for Human Resources Management, some labor experts warn of the legal implications of introductory periods (including discouraging the use of the term “probationary period”). However, if implemented properly, employers can use the time to sufficiently train and evaluate the hire.
Setting appropriate expectations
During the introductory period, the employee has the opportunity to learn their role, acquire and demonstrate the skills necessary to perform the duties of the job, and understand how their role fits into the overall organization. Employers typically use this time to evaluate the employee to determine if they are a good fit for the position by reviewing their skills, knowledge, abilities, overall job performance (quantity and quality of work), work habits and behaviors, and attendance.
Although employees in this defined new hire period are essentially the same as all other employees, there are often special requirements placed on the individuals during this evaluation period. For example, some employers put in place stricter attendance requirements during the introductory period, (i.e., requiring new hires to work on-site for a defined period of time before allowing remote work situations). Other employers reduce the productivity requirements for new hires during this period as they are learning their roles.
Whether you are making the expectations more or less strict as compared to other employees, it is important to ensure that new hires are made aware of the expectations and how they will change after the completion of the introductory period.
Reduce termination risk during the new hire introductory period
Termination of employment at any time can be inherently risky. Here are some suggestions to consider that may bolster your new hire period policies and implementation:
- Clearly define the introductory period, including the length of time, and state that it can be extended, if necessary.
- Clearly express employment-at-will, if allowed in your jurisdiction and it applies to your situation. This statement indicates that the employment relationship is terminable at any time, including during the new hire period, and completion of the introductory period does not change that status.
- Provide a clear explanation to the new hire of how they will be evaluated, including specific expectations during the period and if/how these expectations are going to change once the new hire period is successfully completed.
- Evaluate your new hire regularly. Provide frequent and immediate feedback including written evaluations.
- If the new hire is failing to meet expectations, discuss what must be done to achieve acceptable performance as well as the next steps if there is no improvement.
Following these guidelines will help to ensure the new hire is treated fairly during the process. We also recommend that you consult your attorney to be sure that your introductory policies and procedures are optimally designed to mitigate your organization’s risk.
Special thanks to Patti Dunham, MBA, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week.
Terminations are one of the most difficult aspects of Human Resources. Strategic HR can walk you through a termination, assist with the investigation, and provide a third-party objective look at each case. Visit our Employee Relations page to see how we can help you navigate through challenging situations while also building a positive relationship with your employees.
Why Do I Need An Employee Handbook?
HR Question:
Why do I need an Employee Handbook? Are they required?
HR Answer:
While it is not a requirement to have an employee handbook, having one can be an effective tool for you to communicate expectations throughout your organization. The employee handbook can be a quick reference for commonly asked questions such as “When am I eligible for vacation?” or “How do I call in sick?” Beyond communication with employees, a well-crafted employee handbook can provide many benefits to your organization.
Benefits For Employees
Orientation and Onboarding
For new employees, the handbook serves as an important introduction to your company. In addition to explaining work rules and expectations, it introduces new employees to the vision, values, and mission of your organization. An employee handbook can be a roadmap during orientation to help new employees get onboarded more quickly and reduce misunderstandings.
Organizational Culture
Your employee handbook is also an introduction to your company culture. The way that policies are phrased – such as expected working hours and location(s), ways to submit PTO requests or time off, how to communicate family/personal crises should they come up, etc. – can speak to your organization’s flexibility, inclusiveness, open-mindedness, or work-life balance expectations. Drafting policies that promote and reward desired behaviors (and perhaps, even explain the reasons behind them) can help nurture a healthy workplace culture.
Benefits For Employers
Protection for Employers
The employee handbook serves as a legal statement of policy on behalf of the employer. When signed by both the employee and employer, it can stand as evidence that not only were expectations communicated, but they were also agreed to as a requirement of working within the organization. For example, including anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, as well as bystander reporting requirements and complaint filing procedures, can provide guidance and protection for both employees and the employer should difficult situations arise.
An employee handbook can also clearly communicate the organization’s right to end employment based on performance, reorganization, financial downturn, or any other reason (commonly known as an “employment-at-will” statement). Without this, an employee may claim that an employment contract was made through other means of communication. Having a clear at-will-employment statement in the handbook may provide some protection from these types of claims.
It is critical for your handbook to be constructed properly for it to provide protection versus risk. Therefore, we highly recommend having your legal counsel review your handbook to ensure that it provides optimal protection for your organization.
HR Compliance
Your employee handbook can be used to meet the requirements of federal, state, and local laws. For example, federal law requires employers who are covered by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to inform employees of their FMLA rights. If FMLA applies to your organization, an employee handbook provides an opportunity to inform employees of their rights, your internal processes, and answer any frequently asked questions that come up when addressing FMLA needs.
In addition, businesses that have employees across states, cities, and towns may have to comply with the laws in those work locations. Creating state handbook policy addendums for different states or jurisdictions can help the organization in communicating these requirements.
Consistency in Work Rules
An employee handbook formalizes the company’s policies on workplace matters, ideally encouraging a fair and consistent workplace. Managers can refer back to the handbook as a guide when it comes to discipline, internal processes, expectations, or review policies to ensure consistent treatment for each employee.
Including policies such as a progressive disciplinary policy can inform managers and employees of the company’s expectations on how disciplinary issues will be handled, providing a sense of trust and reducing confusion in challenging situations.
Additional Considerations
Evaluating Policies and Communicating Changes
Maintaining company policies in an employee handbook provides an opportunity to examine your policies for contradictory, illegal, or outdated rules. Annual revisions to your handbook will encourage you to identify policy changes that should be made based on company goals, new laws, court rulings, and industry standards.
As with any HR policy revision, it is important to communicate the changes to employees. As a best practice, many organizations require employee signatures verifying that they have received the revised handbook.
Yes – Your Handbook Can Be Used Against You
An employee handbook is significant for what it includes, as well as what it does not include. It should provide policy direction, flexibility when necessary, and a clear outline of practices that your organization can follow consistently.
It is also essential not to include things in the handbook that you are NOT doing. For example, if your handbook indicates that you plan to review employee performance every year, but you haven’t reviewed anyone in over five years, then it would be important to review and revise that statement to reflect the practices you actually follow.
Ensure Your Handbook Is Customized For YOU
Be cautious of handbook templates or copying another organization’s handbook. Avoid including policies that do not apply to your company such as policies for companies with over 50 employees because you think you might be over 50 employees within the next 3 years. Also, make sure you have your attorney review your handbook to ensure they are comfortable defending you, should something ever go to court, based on what is written in the handbook.
Wondering if you’re up to date on policy trends? Learn more about the Top Employee Handbook Policies to Include this Year.
Thank you to Colleen Mahoney, PHR, HR Business Advisor, for contributing to this week’s HR Question of the Week.
Don’t have a handbook and not sure where to begin? Concerned that your current handbook is outdated? Don’t worry. Clark Schaefer Strategic HR can help you to create or revise your handbook to ensure that it serves as a meaningful communication tool helping to protect your employees and your business. To learn more, request a free handbook consultation today.
How Long Should We Keep Resumes and Applications?
HR Question:
We’ve received a lot of resumes recently – some have been for positions we’ve posted, and some are unsolicited. Do we have to keep all of these resumes, and if so, how long do we need to keep the resumes and applications?
HR Answer:
First, let’s address what to do with unsolicited resumes. You are not obligated to store unsolicited resumes; however, it is important to be consistent with your approach. If there are any unsolicited resumes that you have kept for further consideration, your best approach is to keep all unsolicited resumes for the same duration of time that you retain your solicited resumes.
For resumes and applications that you have received in relation to a job opening, there are a few federal laws that require employers to retain employment applications and related documents ranging for a period of one to two years from the date of the hiring decision (the date the position was filled, not posted). Employers are responsible for following the federal laws under which they are covered as well as any contractual requirements that they may have (i.e., union contracts) that may require additional time to maintain records.
Another important item to note regarding applicant recordkeeping is that you are required to maintain not only employment applications for a position, but the entire hiring record. Hiring records could include such things as applications, resumes, screening tools and assessments, background checks, and reference checks. Anything that you use in assisting you with an employment decision is considered part of your hiring records.
Major federal laws that address employment records retention requirements include:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Requires employers to keep various employment records, including job applications, for one year from the date the application was received.
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act – Requires employers to retain employment applications for one year. There is language, however, that indicates if you are aware the applicant is over age 40, you should retain it for as long as two years.
- Americans with Disabilities Act – Requires employers to retain job applications and documents for one year. There is some variation based upon whether or not the applications are solicited or unsolicited, but the maximum retention is two years.
- Executive Order 11246 – If you are a government contractor and have less than 150 employees or a contract of at least $150,000 you must retain these records for one year. If you have at least 150 employees or more and a contract of $150,000, you are required to keep the records for two years. If you have a resume on hand from a previous search and decide to consider it for a new position months down the road, you will need to keep that resume or application for the time required based on the last viewing of the document (i.e., 1-2 years past the fill date of the second position).
A word of caution – if there is a discrimination charge or unlawful employment practice brought against the employer, employment applications must be retained until the matter reaches a resolution. This can get tricky if someone claims discrimination because they did not get a promotion; the employer is then required to keep all the applications received for that promotion until the claim is resolved. With a lengthy lawsuit and litigation, this could be an extended amount of time.
Generally speaking, good practice is to keep resumes and applications of non-hired individuals for two years following the date the hiring process is completed for a position (i.e., from the time the new employee starts working). Remember to consult state laws in addition to federal regulations when determining how long to keep employee records.
Recordkeeping can be a daunting task, especially when you are trying to clean out old records and maintain the pertinent ones to remain compliant. Clark Schaefer Strategic HR understands your frustration and has many tried-and-trusted tips on recordkeeping. Visit our HR Compliance & Recordkeeping Services to learn more about ways we can help you to get your employment records in order.
Why Is Harassment Training Important?
HR Question:
Do I really need to provide harassment training? Isn’t having an anti-harassment policy sufficient?
HR Answer:
While it’s definitely a great place to start, having an anti-harassment policy isn’t enough. It’s crucial to ensure that your entire team is on the same page when it comes to definitions, expectations, and consequences surrounding harassment in the workplace. Because harassment can look and feel differently depending on the situation and the context, you want to leave no room for misunderstandings or confusion – especially when trying to create a psychologically safe work environment.
Three Reasons Why You Need Harassment Training
1. It promotes and fosters a positive, inclusive, and diverse work environment. Harassment training helps to create a workplace culture that values respect, dignity, and inclusivity. It raises awareness about inappropriate behavior and ensures that employees have an understanding of the importance of treating their colleagues with respect. It eliminates confusion, helps educate and share perspectives that employees may not have experienced or had access to, and helps raise the value of all experiences in the workplace.
2. It can mitigate legal issues. Providing harassment training allows organizations to educate their employees about their rights and responsibilities in relation to harassment laws. This also provides an opportunity for everyone in the organization to have clear outlines of what is not acceptable. It’s part of the employer’s responsibility to create a safe workplace for their employees, and this is just one of many steps in doing so.
3. It can protect employees and promote a psychologically safe work environment. Harassment can have severe emotional, psychological, and even physical effects on individuals. By providing regular harassment training, organizations can aim to protect their employees from experiencing or witnessing such behavior by clearly outlining actions that are unacceptable in the workplace. Training provides employees with the knowledge and tools needed to identify, report, and address harassment more effectively and in a timely manner.
Keep the Training Going!
Between the 2018 and 2021 fiscal years, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received a total of 98,411 charges alleging harassment under any basis and 27,291 charges alleging sexual harassment. Since an employer can be held legally responsible for the actions of their employees, it stands to reason that every effort should be made to regularly remind employees of the expectations of their behavior, rather than assuming the training can be a “one and done” scenario.
So how can organizations continue the thread of anti-harassment throughout their organization?
- Start at the beginning of the employee life cycle. Include training on the types of harassment, the consequences of engaging in harassment, and the steps to prevent harassment to get new employees started off on the right foot, ensuring that they are familiar with what personal conduct will and will not be accepted in the workplace.
- Make sure you regularly repeat the training. Many organizations conduct annual education/training sessions that include harassment as part of the training. This is a great opportunity to refresh your employees’ knowledge of the subject matter and to further emphasize the company’s no-tolerance policy with regard to harassment.
- Be sure to review your anti-harassment policy regularly. Remember, the policy is still a great tool in your anti-harassment toolbelt. If you’re not sure where to start, the Society for Human Resource Management provides five ways to update and upgrade your current policy to make sure it’s in line with best practices.
Keep in mind, while federal law advises periodic harassment training, some states may require such training. For example, in California, employers with 50+ employees must provide two hours of sexual harassment training for supervisors every two years. Be aware of the specific requirements of your state or locale when it comes to harassment education for your employees.
Special thanks to Julie Schroer, SHRM-CP, for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week!
Are you overdue on harassment or other annual training? Does your current training curriculum need to be refreshed to reflect changes in company policy or legal requirements? Strategic HR has the expertise and resources to help. Visit our Training & Development page to learn more.
What Should We Include On Our Careers Page?
HR Question:
What should we include on our company Careers page to ensure we’re keeping up with the times?
HR Answer:
You’re wise to have the quality of your company’s Careers page on your radar. This is a critical recruitment marketing tool to capture the attention of potential candidates. Your page’s content, look, and feel must grab their attention fast to keep job seekers engaged and interested in applying. Otherwise, you lose them before they even apply. You’ll want to make sure that you seize the opportunity to showcase who you are, what you have to offer, and why job seekers would want to work at your organization.
Your Careers page should be designed to intrigue candidates to want to learn more; actively engage them with your content; and compel them to apply. There are many components that you can consider to optimize your Careers page. Here are some suggestions to get you started.
Nine Tips to Optimize Your Careers Page:
1. Showcase your employer brand
Your employer brand encompasses your mission, values, benefits/perks, and overall company culture. It can be viewed as your company’s reputation as an employer, which is a critical piece that job seekers want to understand.
Although this is different than your company brand, your employer branding should be aligned with your company brand. We’ll touch upon some components of employer branding below, but to dive in further, check out this LinkedIn article, “What Is Employer Branding and How Can It Grow Your Business?”
2. Share your mission and values
According to what we’ve learned about generational preferences, a “values match” between the candidate and the company ranks among the top reasons any generation would prioritize when deciding whether or not to join an organization. By incorporating your company’s mission and values on your Careers page, candidates can connect to your company’s purpose.
A great way to showcase this can be through testimonials from your employees sharing how your values come to life in your workplace. This presents a good opportunity to ensure that you are indeed living the values that you profess for your company.
3. Include benefits / perks
It should be no surprise that job seekers want to know about the benefits and perks that you offer. This is a prime opportunity to market what you offer to your employees and tout why it’s great to work at your company. Wondering what today’s job seeker values the most? Check out Forbes’s “Best Employee Benefits of 2023.”
4. Shine a light on company culture
Your company culture is what makes your organization uniquely YOU. Candidates want to have a realistic picture of what it’s like to work at your company so they can assess if it feels like a good fit for them. A powerful way to communicate your culture can be through videos. For example, you could share “A day in the life” videos showing real employees at work and hearing about their experiences.
Not sure where to start? Check out 8 Steps to Producing a Great Employment Video for tips and tricks!
5. Ensure a fast and easy application process
If you capture the job seeker’s interest to the point where they’re ready to apply, make sure you don’t lose them in the application process! Many applications are too long, and with the number of current job openings far exceeding the available talent to fill them, job seekers can pick and choose where they want to apply.
Make sure your application only asks for the information that you absolutely need at that stage in your selection process. It should be quick and easy to complete – target completion in 5 minutes or less.
6. Make it mobile friendly
Many candidates (particularly millennials) conduct their job search on the go using their phones, so be sure that your Careers page is mobile-friendly. To the point made above, you’ll also want to ensure that your job application is mobile-optimized as well. If you’re not sure, try it out for yourself!
7. Offer job alerts
Don’t count on job seekers to go back to your Careers page on their own if they don’t see a job opening that interests them when they first visit your page. Your Careers page should offer the opportunity for job seekers to sign up to receive job alerts for the type(s) of position(s) they want to pursue. This push notification can help to re-engage that candidate when an appropriate job becomes available.
8. Allow applications without a job opening
Don’t let a potential candidate slip through your fingers simply because you don’t have the right job opening for them today. Seize the opportunity to engage that candidate in a future job opportunity by allowing them to apply for a future fit position. If you do this, be sure that you source your ATS when new positions become available to ensure that you re-engage these candidates who have expressed an interest in your company.
9. Explain your hiring process
Job seekers want to understand your hiring process. They want to know the expected steps it takes to get hired. They also want to know what they can expect from you in this process. Providing an explanation of your hiring process either through text or video can help to manage candidates’ expectations and answer some of their questions on the front end.
After you’ve completed the suggestions above, consider taking it a step further! Reviewing your entire recruitment process annually – from application to offer to acceptance – is a great way to ensure that you’re creating a welcoming, efficient, and attractive process for potential talent to follow should they want to join your team.
Thank you to Samantha Kelly and Stephanie Kolodziejski, Talent Acquisition Consultant, for updating this HR Question of the Week.
Do you need help creating or updating your Careers page? Give us a call! Our expert Talent Acquisition Consultants can help evaluate, streamline, and suggest ways to build efficiencies into your recruitment process. Or better yet, take it off your hands completely! Visit our Outsourced Recruitment page for more information on how we can help you effectively and efficiently find your next employee.
How will AI impact the Human Resources function?
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked debate about its effect on a wide variety of industries and job roles—and the Human Resources function is one of them! Many have wondered if AI’s impact on HR will lead to a significant reduction or complete elimination of HR professionals. Surely, it’s not possible to take the “human” element out of “human resources.”
At Strategic HR, it’s our belief that while AI has the potential to streamline HR processes and provide more information to enhance decision-making, organizations will continue to need HR professionals who have a nuanced understanding of people to lead and manage their HR function. In fact, AI’s continued evolution actually provides HR leaders with a unique position to make a significant organizational impact in a few ways: by understanding, utilizing, and providing guidance within their organization.
How AI can impact HR and recruiting functions
In a world of labor shortages and an increased need for efficiency, many organizations are consistently looking for ways to do more with less. One way that AI can impact the HR function (or better yet, streamline the HR function) would be in the recruiting process. For example, advanced algorithms can swiftly analyze vast amounts of data and eliminate human bias in the initial stages of reviewing resumes. We’ve seen advances in areas such as writing job descriptions, suggesting interview questions, screening resumes, and analyzing hiring criteria. Some AI bots are even conducting initial screening interviews with candidates.
Because of AI’s ability to process and analyze large volumes of data rapidly, HR professionals can leverage AI-powered analytics tools to gain valuable insights into other HR areas such as employee engagement, performance, and overall organizational culture. By identifying patterns and trends, AI can assist HR professionals in making data-driven decisions that optimize recruitment strategies, training programs, and performance evaluations.
Whether AI is handling simple or complex tasks, the key in any HR situation is to empower HR professionals to utilize AI in ways that allow them to focus on more complex or nuanced issues, rather than taking the “human” element away.
Chatbots and ChatGPT have changed the game
AI chatbots are the latest game-changer to impact HR in the evolution of AI technology innovation. For example, some companies use AI chatbots to provide 24/7 support to employees, answering frequently asked questions and freeing HR professionals to focus on more strategic and interpersonal aspects of their roles.
While there are several versions of Chatbots available, the most recent emergence of ChatGPT, an open AI platform that interacts with users in a conversational way, has been highly notable. In addition to synthesizing content like a search engine, this technology also learns relationships between data elements and can reassemble responses in a meaningful way based on the prompt question. The output is as fast as doing an online search, yet the resulting data far exceeds the robustness and usefulness compared to many internet queries. This tool has the potential to significantly increase the efficiency of HR professionals and employees alike by gathering and synthesizing meaningful data.
According to the Microsoft Work Trend Index Annual Report, far more employees (70%) would choose to maximize the use of AI to lighten their workloads compared to 49% of people who are concerned about losing their jobs to AI. As the world of work moves forward with an increased focus on workplace efficiencies, some use of AI may be inevitable. Perhaps one thing that HR professionals can do to allay employees’ concerns is to identify the skills needed to manage and augment the AI and provide the training, development, and growth opportunities to help employees succeed in the technology transition.
Ethical, legal, and security concerns
While it has great potential, there are still limitations, risks, and lingering questions about the use of AI. It’s important to recognize that many times AI lacks a nuanced ability in analyzing data. A human being who can consider various contextual factors, use intuition, and integrate empathy is needed before making final decisions. There are also ethical implications, legal considerations, and security concerns that must all be addressed before companies can fully take advantage of the technology. We’re not quite ready to let AI replace human judgment.
Geoffrey Hinton, a pioneer of artificial intelligence, quit his position at Google so he could talk more openly about the risks and dangers of AI technology. According to Reuters, Hinton states his primary concern is that the technology could become too smart sooner than experts expected and create convincing false images and texts which would result in not being able to discern what is true. While this may sound like a risk far into the future, there are additional immediate concerns that need to be considered including:
- ChatGPT is currently based on internet information through 2021, so some recent happenings and facts are not reflected.
- The answers are based on internet information, so they are only as accurate as the data on the internet. The AI-technology does not have the ability to know what is true.
- AI systems use historical data, which raises concerns about potential biases. If AI were to take over HR departments entirely, the risk of perpetuating systemic biases could increase.
- There is the possibility of giving proprietary or personal information that the system may “learn” and repeat in another answer which could cause security and liability risks.
How HR leaders can guide AI adoption
Proactive HR leaders can provide guidance to their organization that can add clarity and peace of mind during a tumultuous time of change. Consider the following actions leaders can take to help frame the discussions and drive decisions in organizations:
- Understand where the organization is considering and/or could benefit from AI technology.
- Create a roadmap to define business uses and outcomes for AI technology with guardrails to limit risk.
- Identify the technology skills and resource gaps that need to be filled to effectively harness the AI options.
- Develop strategic principles and policies (considering security and accuracy) to aid in the evaluation of how/when to utilize different AI options.
HR Leaders can support and perform these types of activities rather than allow the technology to be introduced without intentional consideration. Helping organizational leaders to consider both the impact and risk of utilizing a framework and strategic actions will lead to more informed decisions.
It is clear that AI technology has the potential to revolutionize HR practices by automating and streamlining processes; however, it is our firm belief that it is highly unlikely for AI to entirely take over the HR department. The human element in HR—empathy, emotional intelligence, and nuanced judgment—remains indispensable for managing a diverse workforce. HR leaders who can maintain a balance between AI and human expertise will make the most significant impact. And, those organizations with leaders that prepare, provide guidance, and make sound decisions will gain a competitive edge and thrive in the AI-enabled future.
Special thank you to Becky Foster, Senior HR Business Strategist, for contributing to this Emerging Issues in HR.
Do you need help with developing your HR strategy and identifying the tools you need to get there? The experts at Clark Schaefer Strategic HR are here for you! To learn more, visit our HR Strategy Services page or contact us.
At-Will Employment Termination Risks
HR Question:
We’ve got a team member who just isn’t working out. The problem is we haven’t taken all of the right steps in documenting the issues, but we’re an at-will employer – can’t we just terminate anyway? What are the risks of at-will employment termination?
HR Answer:
The term “Employment At-Will” is a familiar one for most employees and companies. So, what exactly does this term mean? Conceptually, it means either the employer or the employee is free to end the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice or cause. A majority of employers throughout the United States establish at-will relationships with their employees, either as the result of the law, existing policy, or a combination of both. However, does this mean it gives an employer the freedom from risk should they decide to terminate an employee on the basis of the at-will employment relationship? Not exactly.
At-Will Termination Risks
As a best practice, an employer should not completely rely on an employee’s at-will status to defend a termination decision. Even though good cause is not needed to end an at-will employment relationship, most employers typically have a valid reason for termination, such as continual poor performance.
Prior to terminating an employee under at-will circumstances, keep in mind that it’s not uncommon to receive a retaliation claim, a discrimination claim, or a similar action.
Additional justification is expected when putting an individual out of their job, whether it has to do with the person’s performance, violation of company policy, or another workplace issue entirely. Providing justification can reduce the time and resources related to managing a termination.
Protect Yourself with the Basics
It’s important to establish best practices on the front end, and consistently follow them to reduce your at-will termination risks. Ideally, no one should be surprised by a termination notice. Considering all of the dynamics that are usually in play when it comes to terminations, the best way to approach an at-will termination is to follow solidified HR practices from the beginning. As the age-old HR saying goes “document, document, document!”
Having clearly defined procedures, training, practices, and consistent follow-through allows an employer to navigate the waters of risk when it comes to at-will terminations.
If issues have not been documented, there are a few things to consider:
- If progressive disciplinary action is listed in the employee handbook, it’s important to follow it consistently.
- Before taking steps toward termination, consider the approach. Are these actions in line with the company’s culture? Are they representative of the company’s values?
- It is okay (encouraged, even) for HR to press the “pause” button on the situation and require the necessary documentation before authorizing a termination.
Steps to Reduce Employer Liability and Risks
There are easily established processes and policies that can be implemented to reduce liability and risk throughout the employee’s life cycle. We recommend that employers:
- Use disclaimers in the new-hire process (offer letters and new-hire orientation) and require signed acknowledgments.
- Clearly outline employment expectations.
- Implement a progressive discipline policy.
- Adopt a grievance procedure.
- Train supervisors on how to properly document disciplinary actions.
- Include human resources in the disciplinary process.
- Review situations carefully and seek legal guidance prior to making adverse employment decisions.
Culture and Morale Matter
It’s important to consider all of the issues that go along with terminating someone who is employed on an at-will basis. Parting ways with an employee, justified or not, can have an impact on your culture and morale. Handling terminations in a manner that is consistent, ethical, and shows dignity and respect for the individual involved plays a critical role in how your remaining employees view the company’s leadership.
There is always a risk in termination. It is always good practice to involve your attorney before pulling the final trigger to ensure support if a legal issue may arise.
Thank you to Julie Schroer, SHRM-CP, for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week!
Let the HR experts at Clark Schaefer Strategic HR help you navigate the employment law minefield. Check out our HR Compliance and Recordkeeping page to learn more, or contact us directly!
Do I Need a Heat Safety Plan? How Do I Build One?
HR Question:
As an employer, I understand it’s my responsibility to take precautions when employees work outside in the heat. Additionally, I learned that OSHA is now conducting Heat Safety Inspections. Do I need a heat safety plan? If so, how do I build one?
HR Answer:
As summer heats up and the temperatures rise above 80°F, so too will heat-related illnesses. Employers should be aware that OSHA places a duty on employers to protect employees from occupational heat-related illnesses both indoors and outdoors. SHRM reports that employers should prepare for an increase in heat-related workplace inspections by OSHA especially as the heat index rises!
Despite being commonly underreported, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that since 2011 there have been 436 work-related deaths caused by environmental heat exposure. The death of postal worker Peggy Frank from heat stroke in her mail truck led to legislation that require all postal vehicles to be modified to include air conditioning within three years. In 2021, OSHA announced an enforcement initiative on heat-related hazards, developing a National Emphasis Program on heat inspections, and launching a rulemaking process to develop a workplace heat standard.
Starting a Heat Safety Plan
A job safety analysis will provide a better understanding of the heat risks that your employees experience. Positions commonly at risk for heat-related occupational illness are workers in agriculture, construction, landscaping, and mail and package delivery. Indoor environments such as manufacturing plants and distribution centers can create high-heat environments, which through ambient heat and protective clothing can be just as dangerous as the outdoors. When building your heat safety plan, be particularly mindful of the dangers involved with physically demanding positions and positions requiring bulky equipment or gear in high heat.
Monitor The Heat
When the heat index reaches 80°F or higher, serious occupational heat-related illnesses and injuries increase. This is especially true when employees are not yet acclimatized to the heat, performing strenuous work in direct sunlight, or in radiant heat without frequent access to cool water and shade. Monitor ambient temperatures and prepare for high heat events to ensure adequate measures are taken to protect employee health. Businesses with high-heat environments should establish a heat alert program so adjustments can be made to the physical demands of employees working in high heat. Businesses may consider scheduling hot jobs for cooler parts of the day or planning scheduled maintenance or repair work for cooler seasons.
Evaluate Your Tools
Once there is a thorough understanding of the organization’s heat safety risks, evaluate environmental controls such as air conditioning, fans, heat shields, ventilation, or other ways of reducing radiant heat sources. Investments made in improving employee working conditions will improve productivity and provide a boost to morale. Employers can continue to reduce the risk of occupational heat illnesses by providing frequent breaks, and shaded cooling stations with ample cool water that is easily accessible to workers. Establishing a regular schedule of rest and hydration breaks will promote a culture of well-being where employee health and safety are the top priority.
Pay close attention to new hires in high-heat environments as they have not had an opportunity to acclimate to the environment. Provide even more frequent breaks to new employees and ease them into the physical demands. Providing body cooling and protective clothing such as cooling vests can help reduce the impact of the heat on the employee’s health.
Train Your Managers / Supervisors and Employees
Train employees and managers on heat safety to ensure that everyone knows the signs and symptoms of heat stress and is trained on heat-related illness first aid. OSHA fined a Florida-based employer heavily for exposing workers to hazards related to high ambient heat without adequately training someone to perform first aid and ensure they were available to render assistance in heat-related emergencies. Training is key to ensuring employees are educated on heat-related hazards to manage their exposure, take breaks, stay hydrated, and monitor signs of heat stress. Managers need to be trained on heat-related hazards, safety protocols to reduce heat-related illnesses, and how to obtain first aid for any employee suffering from heat-related illness.
Employers can consult the Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Heat and Hot Environments for more recommendations on how to build a heat safety program and keep employees safe from heat-related illnesses.
Special thanks to Colleen Mahoney, PHR, for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week!
Have you had a safety audit recently? Do you know which OSHA forms you are required to complete? A safe environment plays a key role in keeping a company Healthy, Safe, and Secure. Strategic HR has the expertise you need to ensure your policies and practices are keeping your workers, and customers, safe. Visit our Health, Safety, and Security page to learn more about how we can assist you.
What Do I Do Now That I-9 Flexibilities Are Ending?
HR Question:
In July 2023, the Department of US Citizenship and Immigration Services eliminated the Form I-9 flexibilities put into place due to COVID-19. Recently, I understand they are again allowing the remote review of I-9 documents. Is this accurate?
HR Answer:
Yes, you’re correct – the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that the temporary flexibilities for verifying documents for I-9 forms expired on July 31, 2023. Any remote team members hired during the COVID-19 pandemic (on or after March 20, 2020) whose I-9 documents were verified remotely, had to have their documents physically inspected. That verification was required to be completed by August 30, 2023.
While we all scrambled to update these documents, USCIS came out with additional guidance on July 25, 2023, that provided an alternative procedure for Form I-9. The Notice indicated that employers who meet the following four (4) requirements may choose an alternative procedure in lieu of physically examining Form I-9 documentation that had been examined remotely under the COVID-19 flexibilities.
To qualify for the alternative procedure, an employer must have:
- Performed remote examination of an employee’s documents between March 20, 2020, and July 31, 2023;
- Been enrolled in E-Verify at the time they completed the Form I-9 for that employee;
- Created a case in E-Verify for that employee (except for re-verification); and
- Be currently enrolled in and continue to participate in E-Verify.
Employers who do not meet all four requirements must perform an in-person physical examination of documents by August 30, 2023.
The USCIS provides details on the alternative procedure and examples of properly completed forms.
New Form and Additional Flexibilities
Although many HR professionals celebrated the alternative procedure that was provided, we had more to celebrate when the flexibility was extended. In August 2023, the USCIS allowed permanent remote examination of employees’ Form I-9 documents IF they are enrolled in the E-Verify program. For more guidance, refer to the detailed alternative procedure.
Finally, the department did issue a new I-9 form in August 2023. The form dated “10/19/2019” can continue to be used through October 31, 2023, but beginning November 1, 2023, only the new Form I-9 dated “08/01/2023” can be used.
What if an Employee Refuses?
If an employee is unwilling or unable to provide documentation for physical confirmation or remotely if you qualify, that employee is subject to termination. Employers cannot retain an employee who has not provided documentation for the I-9 form, including presenting their documents for physical inspection. Organizations that retain an employee who is not authorized to work in the United States, or who have not reviewed documentation in person, are subject to hefty fines by the USCIS.
Remember, I-9 forms should be kept in a separate file from the employee’s personnel file, and make sure you retain the updated I-9 forms. For additional information, be sure to check out USCIS’s FAQ for Employers.
Special thank you to Patti Dunham, MBA, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Director of HR Solutions and Sheryl Fleming, MA, SHRM-SCP, HR Business Advisor for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week!
I-9 forms and other employment verification processes are important to get right – otherwise, you might be subject to costly fines and legal fees. Let our HR experts lend a hand! Learn more about how we can support your compliance efforts by visiting our HR Compliance and Recordkeeping page or by contacting us today.
What Are The Benefits of Providing a Mentoring Program?
HR Question:
Our team members have been asking for additional development opportunities and a mentoring program has been suggested. What are the benefits of a mentoring program, and how do we implement one?
HR Answer:
The benefits of having a mentor can be immeasurable. Almost 80% of CEO’s say they had mentors throughout their careers which led to greater career success. Mentors can provide a different lens to see challenges through; they can also provide excellent advice on both professional and personal fronts – and where those fronts intersect.
Having a mentor can make a clear, positive impact on someone’s career. But what can a mentorship program do for employers, as well?
Benefits of Having a Mentoring Program
For Employees:
Both the mentee and the mentor can benefit significantly from a mentor program. The mentee is able to find guidance, increase their knowledge and their network, and have a trusted and tested ally to bounce ideas off of. For the mentor, this relationship can give them the opportunity to give back or to pay their success forward. Additionally, the mentee may ask questions of the mentor that prompt the mentor to re-evaluate or re-examine their own opportunities through a different lens.
In the end, both parties can benefit from a trusted partner, an honest conversation, and someone they know they can lean on in the workplace, creating psychological safety.
For Employers:
As the University of California, Davis illustrates, the benefits are not for the employees alone! By implementing a mentorship program internally, organizations can:
- Increase retention by showing a commitment to growth, leadership, and continuous learning.
- Maintain institutional knowledge and encourage knowledge transfer.
- Foster an inclusive and diverse environment, improving their employment brand.
How to Implement Successfully
When implementing a mentoring program, follow the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)’s five-step plan:
- Establish requirements for participation from both groups.
- Establish specific activities and guidelines for the mentors.
- Acquire mentors and mentees.
- Match mentors and mentees.
- Monitor and evaluate the program during and after.
While each step is important in its own way, it is incredibly important to connect any activities, actions, or guidelines with your own goals for the organization. For example, do you have a goal of increasing retention and hiring from within? Make sure that you have activities related to how employees could see themselves growing in, up, and through the company. Is your goal to create a safe space and trusted ally between mentors and mentees for mental/physical health? Then make sure exercises, questions, and activities are geared toward building trust and open communication.
What Makes a Mentoring Program Excel
Meeting with your mentor on a regular basis with an outlined agenda will help you utilize your time wisely. Be prepared to talk about your goals and how you have moved the needle closer to the goal. What are the roadblocks you’ve experienced; how did you overcome them; how did you implement your mentor’s previous advice? You should talk about key takeaways and next steps for your next meeting.
When establishing a mentor program, make sure all participants are on the same page. When mentors and mentees aren’t aligned on desired outcomes, mentors might give advice that doesn’t match the situation, or mentees might feel disillusioned or frustrated. The partners don’t always have to agree – nor is each party always right – but setting expectations for open and respectful dialogue and honest feedback can be helpful for both sides.
Be sure to provide an out. If one party isn’t giving the amount of energy necessary for a successful partnership, or if roles aren’t being taken seriously, it’s important that everyone understands that the arrangement should only go on as long as both parties feel it is beneficial.
Special thanks to Tracy Walker and Sammie Kelly for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week!
Providing impactful training and development opportunities can be a key factor in attracting and retaining the best talent. Learn more about how Strategic HR can help you build the right training and development programs for your workforce. Check out our Training and Development page or contact us today to learn more.
Building A DEI&B Roadmap
When considering how to implement a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B) roadmap, many organizations may feel intimidated. It can feel like a mountain to climb when it comes to the sheer number of possibilities, programs, and efforts that you can undertake.
So, what’s a measured and structured way of implementing (or evaluating already established) DEI&B programs within your organization? We will share our recommendations for the steps you can take to develop your program objectives and goals, as well as how to create a Cultural DEI&B Roadmap to help you on this journey.
Step 1: Understand Your Purpose & Define Your Vision
The first step is to identify and define the overall purpose of your DEI program. For example, is your organization considering the program to remain on par with competitors in the market? Is the ultimate objective to establish and nurture an inclusive culture? Or potentially, is a DEI&B program on your radar because the organization lacks the diversity that you would like to see compared to the surrounding community?
There could be many reasons behind it – it could include all the reasons listed above, and more! Whatever your reasons for developing DEI&B programming, they should inform your program goals and objectives.
Step 2: Define Your Strategic Objectives
Before you can effectively build a plan for where you want to go, you must first understand where you currently are. To do this, you will need to do a statistical analysis to understand the makeup of your current workforce by analyzing employee data from your HR information system (HRIS) and/or payroll system. We also highly recommend conducting a confidential employee survey to gather honest feedback on your organization’s DEI&B status.
Once you’ve gathered the data and have a better picture of what your organization’s DEI&B landscape looks like, it’s important to establish a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Timebound) goal to drive your strategic objectives. An example goal could be, “In order to accurately reflect the diversity of our community and to position ourselves as an employer of choice, we want to increase our organization’s racial diversity by 20% in the next three years.”
That’s a great goal! Now how do you achieve that?
Step 3: Create a DEI&B Cultural Roadmap
To build a comprehensive DEI&B roadmap to meet your goal, you have to define the strategic objectives that you will use to get there. To define those objectives, you should consider four key pillars: Attract, Belong, Promote, and Influence. Each pillar holds up a different aspect of a comprehensive DEI&B plan and together will help you to develop a cultural DEI&B roadmap.
There are four main pillars in DEI&B Cultural Roadmaps:
- Attract – Recruiting a diverse workforce – talent acquisition management
- Belong- Employee engagement, belonging, and retention
- Promote – Career pathing, career progression, learning & development, and succession planning.
- Influence – how are we operating an organization within our community and within the world? Includes community relations and volunteer opportunities. Includes do you have a DEI-focused vendor list?
You MUST include all 4 pillars, or your efforts will fall down just as a three-legged chair. And each one of those pillars, what we do is we roll up various initiatives underneath each one of those pillars over a several-year road map in order to get where we want to go long term.
Attract
If your goal is to increase the diversity of your workforce, it may seem obvious that you will need to attract a more diverse pool of talent. But how can you do this? An excellent place to start is by reviewing your job descriptions and scrutinizing whether any of your current requirements detract diverse candidates from applying. For example, are the education, background, and day-to-day requirements absolute “need-to-haves”, or are you willing to be flexible? Could your requirements be open to experience in exchange for formal education? Do they have to have a driver’s license, or do you just need to confirm that they have reliable transportation to and from work?
Belong
Belonging is one of the newer concepts to enter the diversity, equity, and inclusion conversation, but it requires no less attention. By appropriately promoting and creating the paths for promotion for our diverse team members, it allows team members of any background to see the potential for themselves in roles they may not have had access to before.
If they can see someone who looks like them, thinks like them, operates like them, lives like them in a high-achieving role, it can make an incredible impact. Or, if a high-level role isn’t attractive to some individuals, we can still achieve a sense of belonging by engaging mentors and advisors to help guide and educate our team. Having those individuals in our professional lives that have similarities with us, whether that’s culturally, physically, spiritually, or otherwise, can make it a lot easier for people to be motivated and incentivized to engage and remain with the organization.
Promote
So, how can your organization promote diverse candidates internally if your organization is already lacking diversity? Minority entities and groups of individuals who haven’t had the same access to opportunities may already be at a disadvantage when considering growing through the company.
How can the organization provide access to training or education to allow these groups the opportunity to grow within and through the company? Promoting from within requires this key action.
And while promoting from within requires a longer timeline in comparison to attracting diverse talent (potentially three years versus a couple of months), this action will set your organization up for success in the long run. If you’re looking for a truly successful promotion-from-within strategy, be prepared to take steps in these initiatives over five to ten years. Tactics for this strategy can look like career pathing and building lines of succession. By taking smaller steps towards inclusion under the “promote” pillar, you’re creating an even more inclusive environment that will retain the diverse talent that you worked so hard to attract.
Influence
When we consider “influence,” we may initially assume that we’re hoping to influence internally – whether that’s decision-making, culture, or inclusive conversations. And while those are absolutely areas that we should consider and impact through this process, the concept of “influencing” through your DEI&B roadmap actually applies outside of the organization. It involves asking questions such as “How can we show the community that we live and/or operate in that we promote and encourage and support particular minority groups?” Is it engaging in Black History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, Native American Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Pride, or more? And is that engagement something that we (as an organization) can continue year-round?
This external “influencing” goes hand-in-hand with attracting diverse team members – by getting involved and positively impacting community groups, then you’re positioning yourself as an employer of choice.
A successful DEI&B roadmap takes time, effort, planning, and funds. Whether your organization is still in the foundational stages of building a DEI&B program or reevaluating previously made goals for your current program, a roadmap can help guide the key players towards success in achieving the strategic level goals.
Special thanks to Mary Mitchell, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CHRS, and Samantha Kelly for contributing to this Emerging Issues in HR!
Building a comprehensive and inclusive diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging plan can improve team morale, create a welcoming work environment, and position your organization as an employer of choice in a difficult labor market. If you need assistance or guidance in building this plan, visit our DEIB Consulting Services page or contact us today!
What Are Stay Interviews and What Questions Should I Ask?
HR Question:
Can you explain stay interviews – what are they? How should we use them and what should we ask?
HR Answer:
Not to be confused with exit interviews (meant for seeking to understand why departing employees are leaving), stay interviews are a great tool to understand why your employees choose to stay with your organization. They can also help to uncover potential areas of concern that may cause employees to leave if not addressed. Conducting stay interviews shows that you care about employees’ experiences and gives you the opportunity to make changes to retain your most valuable asset – your employees.
Who should participate?
Start with your end goal in mind. Consider why you’re conducting stay interviews and what you want to learn. This will help to determine who should participate. Some organizations may choose to focus on a particular department, a company location, or high performers. Others choose to conduct company-wide stay interviews. There’s not necessarily a right or wrong answer here.
Choosing Stay Interview Questions
Stay interviews typically consist of five to six questions, with at least one question that is quantifiable (i.e., rating satisfaction using a 5 or 7-point Likert scale) while leaving the others open-ended. The quantifiable questions provide a quick way to measure and easily report on employees’ attitudes, opinions, or perceptions of an aspect of work or the work environment. We recommend following quantifiable questions with asking why they chose their answer for additional insight.
Sample quantifiable questions:
- Would you recommend working here to a friend?
- Do you have the resources that you need to do your job effectively?
- Do you have clear goals and objectives?
- How happy are you to come to work every day? (Use a 5-point answer scale)
On the other hand, open-ended questions dig deeper into your employees’ thoughts, feelings, and experiences. These answers can reveal themes of what is going well and shed light on what can be improved to encourage employees to stay.
Sample open-ended questions:
- What do you look forward to when you come to work each day?
- What do you like most or least about working here?
- What are your favorite aspects of your job? Least favorite?
- If you could change something about your job, what would that be?
- What would make your job more satisfying?
- How do you like to be recognized or rewarded?
- What skills/talents are you not currently using at work?
- How can we best support your learning and development?
- What motivates (or demotivates) you?
- What might tempt you to leave?
- What can your manager do more of or less of to best support you?
Choose your questions carefully to ensure they help you to learn what you really want to know. It is okay to go into this process with some assumptions about what is and is not going well. The right questions can help you tease out whether your assumptions are correct. Sometimes addressing the “elephant in the room” is exactly what needs to be done. In other situations, the right questions can reveal issues that you weren’t even aware existed.
Selecting the Best Approach
Once you’ve identified who you want to include in the process and what you want to ask, your next steps are to determine the where, when, and how.
Location
Stay interviews can be conducted in person or virtually. Keep in mind that it is important to maintain privacy and confidentiality when selecting where to host the conversations. If conducted in person, be sure to select a location that is private and away from where others could overhear the conversation.
Timing
If you use five to six questions, they typically can be completed in less than thirty minutes. You can consider conducting stay interviews once a year or more frequently, depending on your needs.
Establishing Trust
It is essential to establish a feeling of psychological safety and trust so that employees feel comfortable being honest and open in sharing information. It is best for the data collection to be anonymous with results reported in summarized themes that are not traceable back to specific individuals. There should be no worry of retribution for sharing their thoughts and opinions. As a result, you’ll want to choose your interviewer(s) carefully.
Many organizations choose to have stay interviews conducted by independent outsourced experts who can guide them through the entire process of participant selection and question development, as well as conducting the interviews and providing follow-up data reports and recommended actions. Independent consultants can apply an unbiased approach throughout the entire process. This often leads to more robust data and action plans as employees are more willing to open up and talk.
The Key to Productive Stay Interviews
Hopefully, it goes without saying that you must go into this process prepared to react to what you learn. Employees are typically excited to have their voices heard. They will be anxious to see what you do with the information they have shared. It would be quite ironic if a lack of acknowledgment of their feedback would lead to employees feeling devalued and choosing to leave.
At the same time, it is unrealistic, and in most cases unnecessary, to address every concern that is raised. There will inevitably be outlier comments in the information collection process that only apply to one specific person or don’t seem to be significant for the broader good of your organization.
Be Transparent
You can position the process for success with clear and transparent communication from beginning to end. Well in advance of the stay interviews, make sure that you have communicated your intentions of conducting the interviews, why you are doing them, and the expected timing of the interviews. Particularly if you are using outsourced HR experts to facilitate the interviews, be sure that employees know who these folks are and what to expect.
In addition, manage employees’ expectations on the front end and throughout the process regarding how you plan to handle what is learned. It is fair and reasonable to say that you don’t expect to be able to solve all of the concerns that may be shared, but you are committed to learning from their perspectives and making some improvements.
Showing that you are committed to listening and taking action to strengthen your organizational culture will go a long way in increasing your employee engagement and their desire to stay.
Thank you to Melinda Canino, MS, Sr. HR Communications Advisor, and Alisa Fedders, MA, SPHR, Manager of Business Advisors, for contributing to this HR Question of the Week.
Are you left wondering why employees choose to stay or leave your organization? Our experts at Clark Schaefer Strategic HR can design and conduct independent, unbiased stay or exit interviews as well as employee surveys, pulse surveys, and more to assess employee satisfaction and engagement. Learn more about how we can help on our HR Communications page or simply contact us today!
HR’s Role During An Economic Crisis
High inflation, rising interest rates, record-low unemployment, and strong consumer spending seem to have economists scratching their heads. In today’s economic uncertainty, HR professionals are preparing to pivot to meet the needs of their organizations should the economy go into recession.
HR professionals are no strangers to navigating and leading through turbulent times. Throughout the pandemic, HR was and still remains on the front lines – leading change and creating a culture and space that supported a massive transition to remote work and pandemic-safe work environments. HR professionals demonstrated skills that had not been relied upon by many companies in the past, creating a focus on minimizing costs while engaging staff during challenging times.
HR professionals found themselves providing staffing insights to navigate difficult business decisions, offering creative problem-solving, and managing talent and culture, more than they ever have in the past. In this article, we will highlight several ways in which human resources professionals can continue to pivot and develop creative approaches to help their organizations weather the storm of the current economic crisis.
Assessing and Addressing Talent Needs
It may be expected that HR’s role during an economic crisis would center around talent. As companies make critical staffing decisions, the evaluation of talent and the use of that talent becomes paramount. During cost-saving conversations, significant efforts must be made to make effective use of staff. HR leaders can address these priorities through performance evaluations, development tools, succession plans, and cross-training initiatives.
Despite predictions, unemployment remains at historic lows and the Great Resignation could be seen as the beginning of a long-term shift in the labor market. For many businesses, growth has been slowed because of workforce shortages. Fortune indicates that the U.S. workforce participation rate has fallen to 62.3%, which is down from 67% in the late 1990s. More than ever before, HR professionals need to focus on strategies to help their organizations attract, retain, and develop high performers.
As organizations strive to meet their attraction and retention goals, they are also faced with the realities of the current economic conditions. The soaring cost of living has placed pressure on employers to increase salaries as paychecks are stretched by the significant increase in the prices of household goods. HR’s role is to help the business remain competitive in the job market by developing total compensation programs designed to motivate and reward high performance.
In addition to ensuring compensation and benefits are competitive, employers are challenged with meeting the needs and expectations of a multi-generational workforce. In our experience, the top reasons that job seekers across all generations choose to join a company besides salary are the ability to enjoy work-life balance and having growth and learning opportunities. HR can champion programs that motivate all generations of employees by offering ample paid time off, flexibility, and learning and professional development opportunities.
By taking a multifaceted approach, today’s HR leaders have the opportunity to create the workplace of the future that is designed with successful talent attraction and retention strategies built in.
Reskilling for the Future
As technology rapidly advances, one thing is certain – many businesses are finding a skills gap with current employees, and this gap is hindering growth. During times of an economic slowdown, HR can shift the focus to the future and find ways to fill skill gaps with current employees through training and development opportunities.
This can be a win-win situation as it helps the business to better meet its needs, and it addresses the desire of employees who are looking for growth and learning opportunities.
Managing the Mood
Difficult times become the most integral time to “manage the mood” of the company. Another component of HR’s role during an economic crisis is to partner with the leadership team to encourage and embrace a culture open to flexibility, evolution, and giving grace to others.
Particularly during times of economic downturns or layoffs, it can be hard to maintain the psychological safety of the team. This is the time to remain transparent in communications on what is happening in the organization, as well as recognizing what is left unknown. Employees left in the dark can become disengaged, putting your organization at risk of fostering a culture of quiet quitters.
Supporting Mental Health and Well-Being
Economic challenges always take a toll on employees in one way or another, and consideration must be made for the mental health and well-being of those that are at the heart of your organization to assure a thriving and productive environment. Promote your Employee Assistance Plans (EAPs), take advantage of the co-pay waiver of many health plans for mental health, and provide regular communication to staff on financial offers from local banks and community resources.
It’s no secret – HR’s role in this economic crisis has shifted and grown. The current economic crisis has put pressure on HR professionals and business leaders to do more with less. Businesses across the board are all looking for creative ways to engage their workforce, reinforce productive and positive behavior, and retain staff – all while allaying employee concerns and fears.
Human Resource professionals can and should take this unique opportunity to play a significant role in leading their organization through this national crisis. By showing their support of the business and its employees through appropriate economic-driven actions, they can support both the organization’s vision/mission and its employees’ health and wellbeing.
Special thanks to Colleen Mahoney, PHR, HR Business Advisor, for contributing to this article.
HR plays an integral role in optimizing your operations during challenging times. Clark Schaefer Strategic HR can help with your leadership and HR strategy. For more information, please visit our HR Strategy page, or simply contact us – we’d love to hear from you.
What Do I Have to Know Before Filing My EEO-1 Report?
HR Question:
What is an EEO-1 Report and how do I know if I am required to file one?
HR Answer:
As defined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the EEO-1 Report is an annual mandatory data collection of demographic workforce data, such as race/ethnicity, gender, and job categories. The window for the 2022 data collection will open in mid-July 2023.
Am I Supposed to File an EEO-1 Report?
Great question to start with! Not every employer is required to file an EEO-1 report. That being said, there are a few questions to ask yourself to understand if you need to file:
- Do you have 100 or more employees?
- Are you a federal contractor?
- Are you a first-tier subcontractor with 50 or more employees and at least $50,000 in contracts?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, then you need to file an EEO-1 report annually. Employers also must file if the organization is any of the following:
- Owned by or affiliated with another company and the entire enterprise has 100 or more employees.
- Serving as a depository of government funds for any amount.
- A financial institution that is an issuing and paying agent for US Savings Bonds and Notes.
There are some organizations that are exempt, such as State and local governments, public primary and secondary school systems, institutions of higher education, American Indian or Alaska Native tribes, and tax-exempt private membership clubs other than labor organizations.
What Should I Know Before I File?
It always pays to be prepared! Before you start gathering the data yourself, here are a few tips to help you be better prepared to file your EEO-1 Report.
First, research and understand the requirements for filing. While these requirements don’t change frequently, it’s best practice to double-check the most up-to-date requirements, which can be found on the EEOC‘s website. If you have additional questions, the Message Center provides an outlet to reach out to the EEOC for guidance. This page will open in mid-July as the window for 2022 data collection opens.
Gathering the data yourself can be difficult. While this may not be an immediate solution, investing in an HRIS or a payroll system can be a great resource. Some software includes an HR solution that provides an efficient and accurate way to access the employee data needed to complete the report accurately.
If you do not have an HRIS or payroll software solution, you can have each employee complete an EEO Self-Identification Form. This form is voluntary, however; if an employee declines to identify, the federal government requires you to determine this information by visual survey and/or other available information.
How Do I File?
If your company has never filed an EEO-1 Report before, let’s start with the basics – creating an online account. Visit the EEOC Data page, select “Create an Account,” then log in to the EEO-1 Component 1. At that point, new users can link their individual user account to a company record by selecting “Add Company to List” on the Your Company List page and entering your company’s EIN. After you register, you will receive your Company ID and PIN.
You will need the following information to complete the report:
- Company ID and PIN
- Company EIN and NAICS code
- Company DUNS Number (if the company is a federal contractor)
- Establishment address(es) – for a single-establishment, submit only one EEO-1 data report; for a multi-establishment company, submit a separate report for each location.
- A count of all full-time and part-time employees during the specified pay period you have selected (for 2022 reporting in 2023, you can select October, November, or December of 2022)
- Gender and race/ethnicity of all employees
- Job categories for all employees
- Employment data from one pay period in October, November, or December of 2022
Once the report is finished, it needs to be certified and submitted. Don’t forget to click the “certify report” button; otherwise, the EEOC will not receive your report.
Thank you to Sherri Hume, SHRM-CP, HR Business Advisor, for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week.
Recordkeeping is one of the more mundane tasks associated with Human Resources, but it is extremely important and can get you into hot water (i.e., incurring fines) if not done properly. Keeping the right files easily accessible and up-to-date is vital. Need some help? Visit our HR Compliance & Recordkeeping page to learn more.
Designing a Modern Dress Code for Today’s Workplace
HR Question:
We’re taking a look at revising our dress code policy. We want to balance today’s increasingly casual approach while still asking our team members to look professional. How can we create a modern dress code policy?
HR Answer:
In today’s modern workplace, the concept of dress code has evolved to reflect a more relaxed and individualistic approach. Many companies have moved away from the traditional suit, skirt, button-down, formal shoes, tie, etc. combinations that were common in the past. One of the main reasons for this shift is the changing nature of work itself.
Many jobs today are more creative and require a more individualistic approach. This means that employees are encouraged to express themselves through their clothing choices, as long as it is appropriate for the workplace. Additionally, as younger generations gain a larger presence in today’s workforce, employers have recognized the need to allow for personal expression through clothing and accessories with a lean toward a more casual dress code to attract and retain top talent.
Designing a dress code for the modern workforce is an important task and requires a delicate balance between creating a professional and inclusive environment. Here are some steps to consider when designing a dress code:
Identify your Dress Code Requirements
First, identify the requirements of your workplace, including the nature of the work, the industry, workplace safety, and the expectations of the customers or clients. It might help to categorize your approach in typical dress code categories that most individuals are familiar with, such as business casual, casual, smart casual, company attire/uniform, and business attire.
For those unfamiliar with those guidelines, providing examples is your best route to clearly outline expectations. For example, you could provide images or descriptions of appropriate attire and accessories. These examples will guide the type of attire that is appropriate for your workplace.
If the nature of an employee’s work and who they interact with varies daily (i.e., Are they customer-facing all of the time? Some of the time? Not at all?), that may result in the expectations for their level of dress to change from day to day depending on these factors. So if your dress expectations do vary, we recommend that you clarify this in your dress code policy to help employees navigate through this appropriately.
Make Sure It’s Inclusive
It’s important to balance the need for professionalism with the desire (or need, in some cases) for individual expression, respect for other cultures, and/or the way individuals identify. For example, establishing expectations or limits around how someone wears their hair could limit someone’s ability to abide by their religious beliefs or could discriminate against hairstyles that have cultural significance. For example, The C.R.O.W.N. Act was created for this very reason.
Developing an inclusive dress code should also factor in gender identity. Avoid gender-specific language and instead use gender-neutral language, such as “employees should wear professional attire, such as a suit and tie or skirt and blazer” instead of “men should wear a suit and tie.”
Be Flexible & Seek Feedback
Flexibility is key when designing a dress code that is inclusive of all genders. Consider allowing employees to choose from a range of acceptable attire options, rather than prescribing a specific dress code. If your organization maintains a uniform (ideally, one that can be considered gender-neutral), consider allowing employees to express themselves through accessories or subtle variations in attire, while still maintaining an appropriate level of professionalism.
Finally, seek feedback from employees to ensure that the dress code is meeting their needs and is inclusive of all genders. Encourage open communication and consider making adjustments as needed.
Overall, designing a dress code for the modern workforce requires a thoughtful and inclusive approach that balances professionalism and individual expression. While there are still certain expectations and guidelines that should be followed, employees are encouraged to express themselves through their clothing choices. By understanding your workplace culture and asking employees to dress appropriately for their positions, you can help them find and maintain a healthy balance between professionalism and self-expression.
Thanks to Cassie Whitehouse, M.Ed., for contributing to this edition of the HR Question of the Week!
Trying to find ways to create inclusive policies? Want to build a welcoming environment, but not sure how to develop policies and procedures that reflect that? Our team at Strategic HR can help you create policies and procedures that clearly lay out your expectations of your employees while creating a flexible and inclusive environment. Contact us today or learn more about how Strategic HR can help you remain compliant, avoid unnecessary obstacles, and increase employee trust, engagement, and satisfaction through HR Communications.
What Questions Should I Ask During An Exit Interview?
HR Question:
We’ve decided to start conducting exit interviews but aren’t sure of the right questions to ask. What are some key questions to ask during an exit interview?
HR Answer:
Exit interviews are an important part of the employee life cycle. These interviews, conducted after an employee has formally turned in their resignation and is in their last few days of employment with your organization, allow you to get feedback to examine and potentially improve processes, expectations, and experiences within the company. While typically conducted with an employee who is leaving on their own terms for another opportunity, you can also conduct exit interviews with those employees who are relocating, retiring, or leaving for personal reasons.
Take the time to discuss topics such as pay and benefits, team culture and expectations, and reasons why someone may have felt prompted to search for opportunities elsewhere. The answers to these questions can help you develop strategies for your HR processes. Plus, this feedback is critical to reducing turnover and creating an environment your employees want to work for. You can’t fix what you don’t know, and you won’t know unless you ask. Preparing ahead of time can allow you to ask focused questions that will lead to the necessary answers.
How to prepare for an Exit Interview
The first step in conducting an effective exit interview is to ask yourself what you are hoping to accomplish by talking to the exiting employee. Are there areas or blind spots that they may be able to shed light on or provide additional insight into? This opportunity will allow you to gather feedback that current and remaining employees may be too hesitant to share.
You may have some suspicions as to the underlying reason(s) for employees’ departures, so this can be an opportunity to test out your hypotheses. For example, you may be concerned that your salary ranges are not up to date with your market and industry, and you are lagging behind your competitors. Or is the employee leaving because of a manager, supervisor, or co-worker? Do you want to look at your culture to see if it promotes teamwork, accountability, and appreciation?
Additionally, be prepared to see the organization through this individual’s lens. They may not have had the best experience, or perhaps they felt consistently frustrated by certain elements. As a result, be prepared to listen to their feedback (and potential negative approach) with an impartial ear and an eye looking for potential opportunities for improvement.
What questions should I ask?
After determining the why, start creating questions that will get you the information you are seeking. Of course, there are many questions that you could ask, so we recommend you identify a set of questions that can be discussed in a reasonable amount of time. Here are some suggestions:
- Were you looking for a job (and if so, what made you decide to start looking)?
Because of the current job market, many employers pursue passive job seekers and provide the employee with a terrific employment opportunity. If the individual was actively applying for new roles, this might help get to the root of why they wanted to leave. - What caused you to accept the position?
This is where the interviewer can get to a key differentiator between their organization and their competition. More pay, better benefits, remote work, work culture, toxic manager, etc. may be reasons why the offer made couldn’t be refused. - Did your manager meet your expectations for providing appropriate direction, support, and leadership?
It is often said that people leave a manager, not a job. If their expectations weren’t met, ask probing questions to understand why. This can shed light on any supervision and leadership issues that may need to be addressed. - How can our company improve our training and/or onboarding process?
For those newer to your company, this question allows you to determine how the employee felt about their first few months in your organization and if they feel they received sufficient training to do their job. If the employee has been with your organization for a longer time period, be sure to clarify that their suggestions can also come from their experience or role in training and onboarding processes as well. - What, if anything, would you have changed about your job?
A good follow-up question to this one is “if that change were implemented, would you return to work here?” Again, this question can get to the root cause of the turnover, and if the departing employee feels strongly enough about the company to consider returning at a future time. Remember that boomerang employees can be an asset to your organization as they can return re-energized and more engaged, so keep that door open when it’s appropriate to do so. - Would you refer a friend or family member to work here?
This question can give you additional information about the culture of the organization. If the answer is “yes, but not in my department,” follow-up questions may again reveal issues that should be addressed.
For additional areas to probe, Glassdoor provides more exit interview questions to consider.
What to do after an Exit Interview
After the exit interview, consider how you will use the data. Are you sharing it with the managers or leadership team, or are you checking the exit interview off your list and storing the information? Look for themes, especially if there is increasing turnover in one department or position. For example, are all of your customer service representatives leaving because they didn’t feel as though they were trained appropriately? Do your departing IT professionals complain about a lack of support from their manager? Use the data from exit interviews to create action plans to address issues and concerns.
Exit interviews can be used as a great tool to target turnover and retention issues. An effective exit interview is also valuable in pinpointing management and cultural challenges in an organization if the data is used appropriately. An alternate strategy is to open lines of communication with employees before they leave by conducting employee surveys or implementing stay interviews to identify and address issues before they choose to exit.
Thank you to Sheryl Fleming, MA, SHRM-SCP, for contributing to this HR Question of the Week.
Do you know why your employees choose to leave your organization? Exit interviews, while time-consuming, can be key tools for better understanding your company’s retention opportunities. Our team at Strategic HR can help you construct and conduct stay and exit interviews to learn more about why employees stay or go. Visit our Employee Relations page or Contact Us to learn how we can lend a hand in your employee retention efforts.
What is Equal Pay Day?
HR Question:
I keep seeing information about “Equal Pay Day” during Women’s History Month. What is Equal Pay Day, and how can I recognize it in my organization?
HR Answer:
Equal Pay Day is a symbolic day that puts into perspective the 23% pay gap between a woman and a man in the same role. Based on the current gap, a woman has to work one full year plus several additional weeks into the following year to make the same amount that her male counterpart made in one year alone.
In 2023, Equal Pay Day is March 14, representing the 2022 US Census Data showing women make 84 cents (all full-time workers) and 77 cents (all full-time, part-time, and seasonal earners) for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic, white men. This translates to an annual wage gap of $9,954. That gap is unfortunately even larger for most women of color, resulting in a gap of $.64 on the dollar for Black women, $.62 for mothers, $.61 for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders, $.54 for Latina women, and $.51 for Native and Indigenous women.
Equal Pay Day was established in 1996 by the National Committee on Pay Equality (NCPE). The day is recognized annually, but not always on the same date due to the pay gap calculation. Even though Equal Pay Day has been around for 27 years, it is more widely recognized today, in part due to the stronger focus on eliminating the gap. Current initiatives, such as pay transparency and salary history ban laws, were introduced by individual cities and state-wide to address the pay gap.
Where are Equal Pay Laws in Place?
On January 1, 2023, three new states were added to the list of city and state governments that passed laws to protect applicants by banning employers from asking about prior salary history and/or requiring that companies list salary ranges in their job advertisements. Currently, the following governments have such laws:
States:
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Maryland
- Nevada
- Rhode Island
- Washington
Cities:
- Cincinnati, OH
- Ithaca, NY
- Jersey City, NJ
- New York City, NY
- Toledo, OH
- Westchester County, NY
According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), pay transparency is one of the top issues people managers will face in 2023. According to Monster’s 2022 poll, 98% of workers believe salaries should be disclosed, with another 53% of applicants refusing to apply for a position if the salary is not disclosed.
How Can I Support the Movement?
So how can employers address the gender gap and honor Equal Pay Day in their organizations? Some recommended ways include:
- Performing an Equal Pay Audit to review job classifications, salaries, and genders and take corrective actions if inequity is found.
- Reviewing compensation policies to remove gender bias.
- Removing managerial discretion on pay and sticking to a salary band of positions for new hires and for annual increases.
- Removing prior salary history from applications and interviews.
- Establishing fair scheduling practices to allow for caregiving.
For even more ways to contribute to awareness and celebrate Equal Pay Day you can visit equalpaytoday.org.
Thank you to Paula Alexander, MA, PHR, SHRM-CP, for contributing to this HR Question of the Week!
Performing an equal pay audit can be a complex, but necessary, step toward equal pay for all. Clark Schaefer Strategic HR is ready to assist you with any of your needs around Benefits and Compensation. We offer assistance with everything from job descriptions to policy development to help address your complex issues that impact employee compensation or benefits. Please visit our Benefits and Compensation page for more information on how we can assist you.
