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How to Offer Training & Development for Remote Employees

Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR services, with Training & Development Services highlighted in purple.

How to Re-Energize Your Team Through Training & Development

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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 […]
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How to Handle Bed Bugs at Work

An employee has indicated that she has bedbugs in her apartment building. What responsibility do we have as an employer towards our other employees?
Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

Can I Store I-9 Forms Electronically?

Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR services, with Training & Development Services highlighted in purple.

How Do I Conduct a Training Needs Analysis?

Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR services, with Training & Development Services highlighted in purple.

How Can Managers Reduce Turnover?

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Can We Cut a Live Check to Entice an Employee to Return Company Property?

HR Wheel for Recruitment Services from Clark Schaefer Strategic HR.

Ten Steps to Optimize Your Recruitment Process

HR Wheel for Recruitment Services from Clark Schaefer Strategic HR.

How to Handle Background Checks for Temporary Employees

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Can My Employee Take a Vacation While on FMLA Leave?

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What Features Should I Consider in a New Applicant Tracking System?

HR Question: My company is considering purchasing an Applicant Tracking System to help organize and bolster our recruitment process. There are so many options out there in the market! What Applicant Tracking System features should we keep in mind as we go through our search? HR Answer:  As we roll into 2021, companies are beginning […]
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How Can I Prevent Tension Between My Remote Team and On-Site Team?

HR Question: Due to COVID-19, some of my team members are able to work from home. However, I have other team members that I need to be present in the office. This has understandably caused some frustration for those that need to be on-site, as they may feel that the situation is unfair. How can […]
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Top 3 Reasons Why New Hires Leave… And How to Turn Around Your Turnover!

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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 […]
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The Difference Between Applicants and Candidates

My recruiter talks about applicants and candidates as if they’re not interchangeable–what’s the difference?
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Four Inclusive Decision-Making Principles

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Is it Important to Use Consensual Relationship Agreements?

Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

What Laws Apply When Businesses Reach 50 Employees?

Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

Are You Ready For These Top HR Trends in 2024?

As we transition into a new year, the world of Human Resources is poised to undergo several transformative trends that reflect the evolving landscape of work. Some transformations are already at work, such as the continued integration of technology in HR processes, with the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and automation tools. These […]
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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 […]
Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

Can you be an Employee and Independent Contractor for the Same Company?

HR Question: Can an individual that is working for us be both an employee AND an independent contractor? HR Answer: According to IRS guidelines, it is possible to have a W-2 employee who also performs work as a 1099 independent contractor. For example, it is possible that an individual could work part of the year […]
Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

Understanding the Importance of Organizational Analysis

HR Question: Our business needs and demands have grown dramatically as a result of the pandemic, and this is putting a strain on our employees. I want to make sure that we approach the growing and changing needs strategically rather than using a band-aid approach for quick fixes. What do I need to do to […]
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Four Ways to Improve New Hire Onboarding and Training

HR Question: Currently, our onboarding includes completing new hire paperwork, going over our company history and policies, ensuring they have the necessary technology tools, and having them meet with select employees to learn what they need to learn to hit the ground running. What else should we incorporate to improve our new hire onboarding and […]
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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 […]
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What Is a Safety Audit and How Can Job Hazard Analysis Help?

My manager is concerned about our company’s ability to pass a safety inspection and wants us to do a safety audit. What is a safety audit?
Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

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 […]
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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. […]
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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 […]
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How Can We Make DE&I Programs More Effective?

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion programs (DE&I programs) that create a culture of inclusivity are key to attracting top talent, retaining employees, and developing an engaged and highly productive workforce. The significance of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion within the workplace is not a new concept. However, a growing number of businesses are researching and implementing these […]
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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) […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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How can internships address your talent shortage?

HR Question: We’re having a hard time meeting our business goals as we’re understaffed and finding it difficult to fill our open positions. The idea of using interns came up in a brainstorming session. Should my company consider creating an internship program to address our talent shortage? HR Answer: You are not alone as many […]
Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

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 […]
Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

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 […]
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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 […]

Federal Employment Poster Requirements for On-Site and Remote Workers

HR Question: I keep receiving notices that I need to order new posters to meet federal employment poster requirements. Many of my employees aren’t in the office regularly and those that are don’t look at the posters or any of the compliance documents we are required to distribute. What’s the risk if we don’t post these posters or distribute the annual notifications to employees?
Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR services, with Training & Development Services highlighted in purple.

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 […]
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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 […]
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How Do We Create An Emergency Preparedness Plan?

HR Question: We don’t have a formalized emergency preparedness plan, and I think we should probably have one, right? What should we include? HR Answer: You’re right. Every employer needs an emergency action plan for many reasons, including to be compliant with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) 29 CFR 1020.38(a) requirement. Beyond the […]
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How Can We Reduce Bias in Recruitment Processes?