The beginning of 2020 has taken the world by storm. It's been one hundred years since the world has experienced a pandemic. We survived it then and we will survive once again.  One way to assure we all survive is to be patient and take this time during the Stay in Place orders around the world is to focus on what is important in your lives and follow the advice of scientist.  Expand your minds and discover new ways of accomplishing your goals, communicating with others and providing a safe , healthy productive and profitable work environment.

Various countries have shared their safety measures to stabilize their nations economies. The US is on a slow road to economic recovery but with implementation of contactless doors and  rest room facilities, social distancing of workstations and break rooms , proper ventilation, face mask requirements and transparent communication . All will be well to participate in our new normal in the workplace.

     Many organizations in the past believed paid employees  were loyal employees. Not true.  It is important for organizations to understand the whole person, not just the body or mind coming in to do the work.  All humans need to feel as if they belong . The work place is no different. 

  What is employment engagement ? 
​      Employee engagement is the emotional attachment employees feel towards their place of work, job role, position within the company, colleagues and culture and the affect this attachment has on wellbeing and productivity. From an employer's point-of-view, employee engagement is concerned with using new measures and initiatives to increase the positive emotional attachment felt and therefore productivity and overall business success. Employee engagement is seen by many to be an example of a competitive advantage.

Employee engagement is vital to retention of good employees.  What is your employee engagement plan ?
 Create a recognition and reward program, engagement surveys can serve as a valuable tool in finding where employees stand when it comes to performance, and recognizing employees regularly can provide a general good feeling at the office, as well as motivation for other employees to improve their performance.  Encourage employees to show appreciation for their co-worker’s contributions in order to create better personal as well as working relationships in day-to-day business. Engaged employees are loyal productive  employees.

KE Human Resource Consulting  will create an Employee Engagement plan for your organization. Contact us today.

     The country's social and political environment has a significant affect on how human resources in organizations are to respond. In the not so distant past we have had same sex marriages, legalization of medical marijuana, increased number of Baby boomers to retire, Millennials, telecommuting ,Affordable Care Act , Immigration and SOX  just to name a few.
 
​     The constants are HR and organizations must maintain compliance or face heavy fines possible imprisonment and or large payouts due to litigations resulting in company bankruptcy, closure or damaged reputation. Noncompliance is never a Win-Win situation. Organizations large and small ,must stay abreast of the new and amended acts.  Human Resource is a vital part of any business, if need be provide training for your existing staff, or hire a consultant .

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• Verify minimum wage requirements for facility locations
• Set up all internal systems to reflect 2016 reporting requirements
• Post new compliance posters, update required pamphlets and wage orders (if necessary)
• Record retention: Maintain necessary records and purge outdated records
• Payroll taxes and reporting for 2015 – distribute W-2s and 1099s (January)
• ACA reporting for 2015 – distribute 1095-C forms (January)
• Review employee handbooks for compliance
• OSHA Form 300A (all employers): Maintain calendar year record of all reportable injuries and illnesses incurred during the year
  • Use information to prepare OSHA 300A
  • Post in a conspicuous location e., lunchroom
  • Ensure employee’s confidential information is maintained
  • DEADLINE: post February 1st – April 30th each year
• Review budgets and staffing plans for the year
• Work with benefits administrator to ensure that all filing deadlines for benefits plans and health care reform elements are met (such as quarterly disclosure notices for 401(k) plans, etc)

Onboarding: Not just for employees anymoreTrue, employee orientation centers around and exists to help the individual employee, but it is the company that ultimately reaps the benefits of this practice. Consider the following benefits of proper orientation:

• Reduces costs associated with learning on the job
• Saves co-workers and supervisors time training the new employee, thereby increasing production
• Increases morale and reduces turnover by showing the employee he/she is valued

U.S. and U.K. employees cost businesses an estimated $37 billion every year because they do not fully understand their jobs, according to IDC.

Not convinced? U.S. and U.K. employees cost businesses an estimated $37 billion every year because they do not fully understand their jobs, according to IDC. Their recently released white paper, "$37 billion: Counting the Cost of Employee Misunderstanding," commissioned by international intelligent assessment company Cognisco, quantifies the losses that occur as a result of "actions taken by employees who have misunderstood or misinterpreted — or were misinformed about or lack confidence in their understanding — of company policies, business processes, job function or a combination of the three." Effective onboarding helps workers understand their roles and the company they work for, thereby significantly cutting these losses.

1. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy employee. Few things are more disappointing than the realization that the job you thought you were hired to do is sorely different than what you're actually doing. As an employer, misrepresenting your employee's new role destroys trust in you immediately, after which no amount of orientation efforts can undo the initial damage.
2. Thou shalt give a written plan of employee objectives and responsibilities. A written plan detailing objectives, strategy and expectations of future results helps diminish any confusion about a new employee's job functions and instead opens up the floor to discuss concerns or new opportunities.
3. Thou shalt give thy employ thy undivided attention. Letting email, phone calls or other employees distract you during orientation sessions sends the message, "I'm just not that into you" and kills morale. Prepare a checklist of subjects to review with your new employees, set aside the appropriate amount of time to do it, and let others know that you are not to be interrupted while you are orienting your new workers. This gives new employees the message that they are the most important item on your agenda. (Or: this lets new employees know that...)
4. Thou shalt have relevant paperwork ready. Make sure all administrative forms—such as employment, direct deposit, and benefits—are ready to be completed on day one so you don't have to waste time dealing with it later, and so that your employee can start getting these important matters taken care of right away.
5. Thou shalt introduce thy employee to thy neighbors. Provide staff members with the new employee's résumé and job description and advise them to follow a meeting format that includes sharing a description of their own positions, ways in which their roles interact with that of the new hire, and how they might expect to work together in the future. (This is also a good time to assign a mentor or buddy to the new hire as an immediate resource for any questions and key information about organizational culture and goals.)
6. Thou shall set up thy employee's workstation. An empty workstation is to a new employee what an unkempt home is to a houseguest. Before the employee arrives on day one, stock his or her workstation with everything from paper and pens to keys and, if possible, business cards. Make sure the phone and computer, complete with voicemail and e-mail accounts, are set up. Leave a copy of an organizational chart, staff list, and phone directory on the new hire's desk.
7. Thou shalt schedule one-on-one time to ensure you connect regularly with the new employee. If you can't do this on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, schedule meetings to provide feedback at 30- and 90-day checkpoints, or before a semi-annual review.
8. Thou shalt create a balance. The first day is always tough. Vary the first day's schedule by including less formal gatherings between meetings. Arrange for a group of staff members to treat the new hire to lunch on the first day to provide a little non-meeting relief and levity.
9. Thou shalt clarify the company culture. Again, to avoid future confusion (or embarrassment), provide the employee with company information, policies – including dress code and late policies – and benefits. If your organization has a new employee handbook, leave that on the desk as well.
10. Thou shalt think beyond the first few days. After 90 days, request formal feedback on the new hire's performance from his or her supervisor, and be sure to solicit feedback from the employee as well. Take this opportunity to address any issues of concern as well as note any accomplishments so that all parties are confident that the new hire is poised for success in his or her role. ( Careerbuilder )

** These are very crucial points which can save you business time and money. KE Human Resource Consulting will assist your organization with a plan made just for your needs. ***

In order to stay competitive in the market and hire and retain the best employee, an employers effort to provide the best compensation package is essential. What is a the importance of a compensation and benefits survey?
These surveys are bench marking tools to compare the size of the business and industry along with the positions with the industry market.  Not only will an organization remain competitive , it will  develop a foundation for compensation and benefit policies  which are a  road map toward financial success. 

Compensation and benefit survey results are tailored to the individual organization's organizational structure and remain confidential. Results are generally shares  with hiring managers, owners,  CFO, CEO and Human Resources. An independent Consultant is called upon to conduct this survey after vital information from the organization is obtained.  Surveys are conducted by region or nationally  in accordance to the organizations goals and needs.  This determines compensation cost trends and provisions of employee benefit plans as well as  determine the best  provider fit for the organization and its' employees. 

HR Compliance: Ever-Changing Employment Laws Present Challenges for Small and Midsized Companies
This insight is from: "Competition, Cost Control & Compliance: Strategies to Navigate a Changing HR World





In today’s business climate change is everywhere — from technology advances to HR compliance demands — and companies like yours must adapt to survive. As you adapt to HR compliance changes, effective talent management remains a critical consideration for your competitive success. Our recent survey of HR managers in small (10-49 employees) and midsized (50-999) businesses examined levels of confidence related to compliance in key HR areas, revealing concerns about their ability to comply with highly complex, ever-changing HR laws and employment laws today and into the future.

Survey Reveals Deep Concerns about HR ComplianceOur survey results show that, while cost control remains an important focus, HR managers are paying increasing attention to talent management issues, such as recruitment, retention and productivity, which are critical to fight the competitive battles ahead. Findings also reveal that HR managers recognize the growing challenges of complying with HR and employment laws. Roughly half of responding businesses lacked confidence that they’ll be able to keep up with constantly changing HR rules and regulations. At the same time, half or more of the responding companies see the compliance landscape becoming even more challenging over the next one to three years. Fewer than 10 percent believe the overall compliance burden will decrease. This is particularly noteworthy for small companies, where 64 percent of HR managers believe they lack the time and resources needed to adequately confront growing HR compliance challenges.

HR Managers Take Steps to Minimize HR Compliance Risk, But Are They Enough?It appears that HR managers’ concerns about HR compliance are not unfounded. A notable 52 percent of midsized companies report at least one recent incident of HR-related complaints, charges and lawsuits. It’s not surprising, therefore, that the vast majority of HR managers surveyed seek professional advice regarding HR compliance issues. But could they be doing more? Even though most companies are concerned enough about compliance to solicit professional guidance, well over half (63 percent) of small businesses have never conducted a voluntary HR audit.

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Exploring the Range of HR Compliance Concerns and Associated ConsequencesOur survey examined six HR compliance categories: payroll, benefits, risk & safety, hiring, employee relations, and termination. On the positive side, results indicate that HR managers are confident they can comply with payroll and benefits laws and regulations. However, HR managers are less confident with regard to compliance in noteworthy aspects of hiring, employee relations, and risk & safety — which could put them in jeopardy of FLSA and OSHA violations, as well as employee grievances.

A Business Imperative: Managing the HR Compliance Burden Moving Forward/compliance.htmlGiven valid concerns about the financial consequences of non-compliance, it’s important that companies take steps to address HR compliance issues sooner rather than later. With employee litigation — and compensatory awards — on the rise, companies face major potential legal liabilities if they fail to comply with human resource and employment laws, rules and regulations. How big is the risk? Statistics compiled by Jury Verdict Research show that employment lawsuits have risen 400 percent in the last 20 years, with the average compensatory reward in federal employment cases now exceeding $490,000. In these budget-conscious times, these statistics highlight the need to address any compliance issues, even if that means seeking guidance from third-party professionals or outsourcing the HR function entirely.

The Bottom Line: Take Steps to Increase HR Compliance and Stay CompetitiveOur survey finds that both small and midsized businesses are recognizing the growing challenge of complying with complex, rapidly-evolving HR laws and employment laws, as well as the potential legal and financial consequences of noncompliance. Since shortcomings in key areas of compliance can put companies at a significant competitive disadvantage, it makes good business sense for companies of all sizes to use the many tools and services available to become — and stay — compliant.