Onsite Interview Guide for Employers: Preparation for the Candidate

“Don’t blow it!!” - That’s what we want CEOs or whoever the hiring manager is in your small business to know.  

It takes so much of your time/resources to get a great candidate to be interested in your position - the average survey says it takes 40-80 hours of work to find a good candidate. So, don’t blow it when you get the opportunity to interview.

If you are spending so much time getting a great candidate to the interview stage, let’s figure out how to keep them engaged! 

Here are some tips and tricks we have learned over the last 29 years as you set up their interview experience (if you are more interested in Matt Filer and I discussing on the HR Ins and Outs for Small Business Podcast, here is the link to the podcast):

Tip #1 - Let the Candidate Know What to Expect

No one wants a surprise. No one wants to wait around and wonder what comes next.  So, tell your candidates at the very beginning of the process what is likely to happen. This can help to alleviate any anxiety they may have and ensure that they are well-prepared. Send an email saying something like:

“Dear Sue, We are very excited to have you entering the interview process for the Accounting Manager position.  We will begin with a video interview on ______. This will be 30 minutes and will be with the hiring manager, ____________.  Next, we will be sending a personality assessment to you. This will take 15 minutes of your time and we will send you the results as well.  Then, the on-site interviews will happen over 3 hours in one day and the candidates will meet with 3 of our other managers, __________________.  We hope to make a hiring decision by July 1.   If you will not be advancing to the next stage in the process we will let you know in a timely manner.  Let’s get started.  We look forward to getting to know you.” - You have our permission to copy and paste. 

Tip #2 - Get the Logistics Right

Ensure that parking, reception, and other logistics are in order. This will help to create a smooth and seamless experience for the candidate, and also ensure that they arrive at the interview feeling relaxed and focused. Here are some examples:

• If there are multiple parking lots, send a map showing which one to use. If the front door is confusing - spell it out in the directions.  

• If you have a receptionist, make sure he/she knows your candidate is coming, and exactly what to do when he/she arrives. Reception should know exactly what to say: “Glad you are here, Sue!  We have been expecting you. Take a seat right here and Don will be with you right at 9am!  We hope you have a good day.”

You would think this is self-explanatory. However, we hear from candidates all the time about how there was no direction and they did not know where to go.

Tip #3 - Don’t Overload the Candidate

As you plan the interview day, here are some tips:  

1. Plan on the interview being around 30-45 minutes. 

2. Plan on interviews never being more than a 3-1 ratio (interviewers to interviewee).  Large panel interviews just don’t work well and totally stress the candidate. We get the feedback that it feels like a firing squad when there are more than 3! 

3. Plan for a break with a snack or coffee if the person will have multiple interviews.  

Tip #4  - Be Prepared

We always tell the candidate to be prepared but the interviewer should be as well! Here are some easy items to check along the way:

1. Make sure you have reviewed the resume and highlight a couple of interesting things. 

2. Look at their LinkedIn to see what you might have in common. 

3. Have 2-3 questions written about their background and 2-3 more questions to help you determine culture fit and skills fit!  

It will speak volumes to the candidate that you are a quality employer if you have taken the time in advance to research them.  What do you think when you walk into the interview as a candidate and the interviewer obviously is looking at your resume for the first time - it is disappointing for sure!

We get it - hiring isn’t much fun.  No one loves it.  But your outcome can be much better if you do these things in advance!!

If you want to go more into depth about this subject, listen to our podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts:

Link to Spotify Podcast

Link to Apple Podcast

Benefits Needed for Retention and Hiring in Small Business

Benefits Needed for Retention and Hiring in Small Business

In today's job market, offering attractive employee benefits has become more important than ever for small businesses. While salary is certainly a factor, it is often not enough to retain top talent. In this article, we will explore six benefits that small businesses should consider offering to attract and retain employees.

1. Offer Highest Salary in Industry (Responsibly, but not everyone can do this)

While it's true that money isn't everything, offering competitive compensation is important in attracting top talent. If your business is able to offer the highest salary in your industry, this can be a major selling point for potential employees. This means you might not have to focus on other benefits as much

2. Great Health Benefits (No Co-pay, for example)

Health benefits are a key factor in employee satisfaction. Offering great health benefits with little to no co-pay can make your business stand out. It can be a significant expense for small businesses, but it can also be a valuable investment in your employees.

3. Lots of PTO (4 Weeks +)

Paid time off (PTO) is a highly valued benefit for employees, especially younger candidates and employees. Offering four weeks or more of PTO can be a great incentive for employees to stay with your company. Additionally, it can help with employee burnout and improve overall morale.

4. Hybrid Location (1-2 Days a Week from Home)

The pandemic has changed the way many of us work, and a hybrid work model has become increasingly popular. Allowing employees to work from home one or two days a week can be a great way to offer flexibility and work-life balance.

5. Flexible Time (Can Come in 10-6, 9-5, 7-3, for Example)

Offering flexible work hours can be a game-changer for employees. Not everyone works best on a traditional 9-5 schedule, and offering flexibility can help employees better balance their work and personal lives.

6. 5 Hours a Week of Leadership/Skills Development

Investing in your employees' professional development can be incredibly valuable. Offering five hours a week of leadership or skills development can help your employees grow in their careers, while also demonstrating your commitment to their success.

In conclusion, offering competitive benefits is crucial for small businesses to attract and retain top talent. Consider implementing one or more of these benefits to create a more attractive workplace for your employees. By investing in your employees, you can create a more productive and loyal workforce.

Unusual Benefits a Small Business Can Offer to Improve Retention

Unusual Benefits a Small Business Can Offer to Improve Retention

Hiring and Employee Retention are two of the most important aspects of running a successful small business. One of the keys to hiring and retaining top talent is by offering benefits and incentives that go beyond just the typical salary and healthcare packages offered by many small businesses. Here are six examples that we have seen clients of Innovative Outsourcing us to keep employees happy, engaged, and loyal. 

1. $100/month to Gym Membership

Offering a monthly stipend for a gym membership is a great way to promote health and wellness among your employees. This benefit not only shows that you care about your employees’ well-being but also encourages a healthy lifestyle.

2. Mental Health Care

Providing access to mental health care resources can be an important retention lever, especially in a world where mental health is increasingly important. Offering employees that the employer will pay for the first three visits for example. Or providing them resources like a mental health help line. This will help ensure that your people are taking care of their mental health, which in turn can lead to increased productivity and engagement at work.

3. Financial Counseling

Providing access to financial counseling can help your employees manage their finances more effectively. This can include services such as budgeting advice, debt management, and retirement planning. When employees feel financially secure, they are more likely to be happy and engaged at work. It also shows that you are taking care of them!

4. Volunteer Days Off

Many employees are looking for ways to give back to their communities. By offering volunteer days off, you are not only providing an opportunity for employees to do good but also showing that you care about their interests and passions.

5. Giving Profit Percentage to Non-Profit

Consider donating a percentage of your company’s profits to a non-profit organization that aligns with your company’s values. This can not only benefit the non-profit but also show your employees that you are committed to making a positive impact in the world, which is especially important to millennials and Gen Z.

6. Yoga/Workout Classes at the Office on Wednesdays

This one might seem crazy and I get that. However, offering yoga classes or workout classes at the office can be a great way to promote wellness and relaxation among your employees. Yoga has been shown to reduce stress and increase productivity, making it a win-win for both your employees and your company.

In conclusion, offering unique retention levers can help you keep your top talent engaged and loyal. Whether it’s through promoting health and wellness, offering financial counseling, or providing opportunities for employees to give back to their communities, these benefits show your employees that you care about them as individuals and not just as employees.

Small Businesses Required to Perform In-Person I-9 Verifications

I enjoy talking about culture, retention, and best hiring practices of HR. However, compliance is an extremely important part of HR, and these new I-9 Regulations will affect small businesses. So this may not be the most exciting newsletter for small businesses, but it is necessary.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that employers in the United States will have until August 30, 2023, to physically inspect the identity and employment eligibility documents of employees whose Form I-9 was completed virtually due to COVID-19 flexibility provisions.

During the pandemic, in-person reviews of employees' original identity and employment authorization documents were deferred. Instead, employers were permitted to conduct virtual or copy reviews of the documents, with the expectation that a physical inspection would occur when normal operations resumed.

Now that flexibility provisions are ending, employers have until August 30, 2023, to perform all required physical examinations of identity and employment eligibility documents for those hired on or after March 20, 2020, whose identity and work eligibility documents were examined virtually or remotely according to the flexibility accommodations. Employers must write "documents physically examined" with the date of examination in Section 2: Additional Information on the Form I-9 or in Section 3, as appropriate.

Employers should consider different scenarios when performing physical reviews, such as the same or different employer representative conducting the review and distinguishing between expired List A or List C documents that require reverification or not. If the employee is not in proximity to the employer, an authorized representative may complete Section 2, and the employer is liable for any paperwork deficiencies in the Form I-9 completed by the authorized representative.

In conclusion, employers in the United States have been given a deadline of August 30, 2023, to complete physical inspections of identity and employment eligibility documents for employees who had their Form I-9 completed virtually due to COVID-19 flexibility provisions. Employers should be aware of the different scenarios and follow the guidelines provided by DHS and ICE. 

This was just announced last week, and we do expect final regulations to come out at some point soon. If there are any changes, we will continue to keep you updated.

Sales Pitch of the Day:

The HR Audit is a tool designed for small businesses in any industry to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their HR function.

We evaluate the 14 areas of HR from compliance to retention. We develop an HR strategy to make your employees proud of where they work. Watch the video to the right for more information or visit our HR Audit Page on our website.

How to Make Candidates Love Your Company

How to Make Candidates Love Your Company

In my 28 years of owning a recruiting firm, the number one thing that frustrates me is a Terrible Candidate Experience because it is so easy to knock it out of the park.

I hear these words all the time: "Candidates would be lucky to work here!" Business owners and CEOs either say this or subconsciously believe it because of how often bad candidate experiences happen. In this candidate market, you need to have great interviewing practices when trying to grow your team.

Matt Filer and I recorded a 2-part podcast on this exact subject where we give more detail and anecdotes that back up our findings as we see small businesses interview on a daily basis. We thought it might be helpful to see a list of ways you can improve your Candidate Experience and make sure candidates love you and your organization.

Tips for the Preparation and the Interview Day

1. Your Interview Team - Every company we work with is different with who is making the hiring decisions. However, we want you to make sure that whoever is talking to the candidate loves working for your organization. You want to use the best people who will put on a great face to work at your company.

2. Let the Candidate Know What to Expect - It is already a very nerve-racking experience for the candidate. Make everything besides the interview as easy as possible. Let them know what to expect when it comes to address, parking, and who they need to talk to when they walk in the door. Most importantly, please let them know their schedule for the day with timing and who they will be speaking to. It really helps them know what to expect and feel comfortable.

3. When Candidate Is There, You Need to Be All There - This seems very self explanatory, and I know that. However, we hear from candidates all the time how they are waiting for 20-45 minutes in the lobby, the CEO has his phone out during the whole interview, the Hiring director takes a call during the interview. Just try to be all there because candidates want to be where they are desired.

4. Don't Make the Interview Too Long - This is simple but do not have a 3-hour, one one one interview. Again, you would be surprised what we see.

Tips for the Post Interview: Salary Negotiation and Offer

1. Salary Negotiation - When it comes to salary negotiation, our first thing we tell clients is to just be respectful. You would be surprised at how many employers try to get a deal last minute. The job is listed for $65k, and then they offer $58K after all that work. Even if the candidate accepts, they will feel disrespected and will hold it against you.

2. The Offer - This is my favorite difference maker. Even though we are going through or might go through a tiny recession, there is still competition for talent. When you have a candidate you want to offer, you could get your recruiter (hopefully us) or someone on your team to call and offer. However, if the CEO or Owner makes the call to a candidate and says how happy they are to make an offer out of the hundreds of candidates you talked to, that will leave a great taste in the candidate's mouth. You are dating. Make them feel as special as possible even if that seems cheesy.

If you do these things, you will make candidates love you!

How to Lead Teams in Economic Uncertainty

HR Strategy: Leading Teams in Economic Uncertainty

I am hearing from our clients daily about the state of the economy, and the uncertainty in the market. CEOs see some of the signs of 2008, but do not know how to prepare if a recession is looming. 

Although I do not have the expertise to talk about cash flow management, I can talk about what you can do with your team from a leadership perspective. During the pandemic, I told our clients that decisions they made with their employees then will affect what happens the next two years. I will say the same about right now. Here are 4 ways you can lead your team during these uncertain times (or a 3-minute video if you prefer):

1. Communicate Often - This is when you should communicate more than normal as the CEO or business leader. If everything is fine at your company, let your team know that you are not going out of business. If you need to tighten budgets, tell them that. Do not let them hear through the grapevine what is going on at the company. Be direct, share KPIs, and let them hear from you often.

2. Ensure Job Security - If you are not planning on layoffs, tell your staff that as soon as possible. That looming threat often causes people to look elsewhere if they feel there is a threat to their role. Just telling your people that layoffs aren’t on the table (if that is true), will reassure people, and will encourage productivity without the thought of layoffs looming.

3. Show Empathy - The news is very negative out there. I actually recommend just acknowledging that. Tell your team that you know the news is rough and the markets are concerning. Understanding the concerns they might have will be oddly assuring.  

4. Be Large and In Charge - Employees want to see their CEO be a leader worth following. People want a leader that has a vision and a plan, and who is not easily rattled by what is coming. They want to feel secure and know that their CEO is in control of the ship. We, as leaders, do not always have all the answers. However, when we are in front of our team, it is time to be confident and lead.

Strategies to Consider:

1. It is a great time to hire - If you are a company that sees no signs of slowing down, now might be one of the absolute best times to find great talent that we have seen in years. The clients we have worked with in the last month are seeing exceptional candidates!  

2. Start the preparation for the worst - If you must, figure out a plan with your leadership team around what positions might need to be eliminated if a downturn turns worse. We learned in 2008 that you don’t want to wait on these decisions too long. Have a list of possible jobs that could be eliminated first (and the lowest performers listed), which could be a huge help if we get to that point.

Two Ways We Can Help:

1. There are always HR questions that come up when things are shaky - so please don’t hesitate to call me (30 minutes is always free). Email me to set up a time!

2. For the first time in two years, we are having a hiring sale. We are lowering our recruiting fees for the month of April to help small business that might need help during these times. Now’s a good time to get a deal with our fees! Email us if you are interested.

Sales Pitch of the Day:

The HR Audit is a tool designed for small businesses in any industry to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their HR function.

We evaluate the 14 areas of HR from compliance to retention. We develop an HR strategy to make your employees proud of where they work. Watch the video to the right for more information or visit our HR Audit Page on our website.

The 4-Day Workweek: Should You Try?

The 4-Day Workweek: Should You Try?

Are you worried that your employees look anxious and tired? Are you concerned about losing your best employees to higher paying jobs at big companies?

Little Sales Pitch Before You Keep Reading: Looking to consult with someone about your HR needs? We can help with any of your small business needs: HR for Small Businesses

We consult with our clients constantly about the "Hiring and Retention Levers" that small businesses can pull to reel in the best talent for their organization. We suggest levers such as more PTO, schedule flexibility, personalized anniversary gifts, and more to set you apart as an employer. However, there is a new concept that is turning a lot of heads: The 4-Day Work Week.

Before you stop reading this email because a 4-day work week is impossible, I suggest you look at this case study in the UK. Companies are testing out this 32 hour work week hoping to reduce burnout, retain staff and recruit excellent employees. You may call 32 hours part-time, but many companies are calling this full-time and providing regular benefits and PTO. Let's break down the positives and the negatives:

Positives due to case studies mostly done outside of the US

• Work satisfaction is up

• Work happiness is up

• The most shocking: Job productivity is actually up

• Without surprise - Retention is up

Negatives:

• We don’t know the long-term effect on productivity because the studies are too new

• Employees might also be more stressed to get their work done in a 32-hour week

What do I think:

• It really depends on your company and what you are hearing from your employees. 

• A good way to see if it might work for you is to do a test period. Tell your employees that from June to August, everyone will be expected to get their full jobs done, but that the office will close at noon on Fridays. Talk with your leaders first about how this can be accomplished. This will not work for all companies, but it might work for yours.  

You will be surprised how excited your employees are with just the 4 hours off.  You may even be surprised by how much productivity increases. You also may see less people giving their notice to quit.

I know it is one of the stranger concepts we have suggested, but you won’t know until you try. Sometimes you have to be different to set yourself apart.

Check out recent articles on the study and the articles that are being written right now around this concept:

NY Times Article

WSJ Article

HR Strategy: The 3 Employee Lists

HR Strategy of the Week: The 3 Employee Lists

Just to preface: I get the opportunity to speak to CEOs, COOs, and Managers all the time about their people because of my HR background. I talk about compensation, benefits, and other important HR issues. However, every time I include "The 3 Employee Lists" in one of my talks, it gets everyone thinking and talking. If you really think through these 3 Lists, I think you can dramatically change your organization. So think through these when it comes to your organization:

List A - The "OH NO! What Happened?" Group: This is what you say when you get a resignation letter from one of your vital team members. If someone is on this list, and they resign, you immediately leave the office and think about closing the company (not really, but kind of). These people embody the values, culture and “spirit” of your company. They “Get it”. They could be the admin or the COO - but they mean a ton to you. When you read this, your mind will go to the people who are so important in you business!

List C - The "WOO HOO Finally" Group: This is what you say when you get a resignation letter from someone on this list. In a kind way... you are very excited. You wanted to let them go and now they are doing it for you. They might be unproductive, or they might produce a lot, but have a terrible attitude that doesn’t work in your company. Everyone in the business talks about how they just don’t fit or they have to work extra to make up for their deficits. 

List B - The "Adequate Work for Adequate Pay" Group: This is where most of the people in your organization should live. These people show up to work on time, do quality work, and you pay them fairly for their work. You do not expect them to wow you, but they are good employees. Again, this is where most of the people in your organization live!

Do Something about List A and List C!

For the people you have on your "List C", you have two options:

1. Develop - invest time and energy into training them to become better in whatever they lack if you think it can be corrected.

2. Let them go! - this sounds harsh, but these people negatively affect the business or firm. If you choose to keep them on, it will set a terrible example for the rest of your staff

For the people you have on your "List A", you have one option:

1. Create Individual Retention Plans - Be students of your people and find out anything you can do to make them stay! Have conversations with them often. Make them a priority and spend time making sure they are happy! Might seem like a waste of time, but shame on us if they hand us a resignation letter and we did not do everything possible to keep them!

If you want more detail, here is myself and Matt Filer talking through it on our podcast: HR Ins and Outs for Small Business Podcast

Sales Pitch of the Day:

The HR Audit is a tool designed for small businesses in any industry to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their HR function.

We evaluate the 14 areas of HR from compliance to retention. We develop an HR strategy to make your employees proud of where they work. Watch the video to the right for more information or visit our HR Audit Page on our website.

Book Buzz on Mental Health in the Workplace - "Wellbeing at Work"

We get it. You do not have time to read all the books you need to. That is why we are here to break this important one down in the area of "mental health at work." 

Picture this scenario: I take 10 of your employees to lunch without you there (where they felt safe to respond honestly) and ask them this question: “On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your wellbeing at work?”

What do you think they would say? 

In a Gallup poll in 2022:

• Only 33% of Americans said they were thriving in their wellbeing

• 41% said they experienced sadness every day

• 50% said they experienced daily stress

• Only 20% of employees like what they do everyday

If I were a betting person, I would bet that for the next 5 years, the largest topic related to your employees will be this – Employee Wellbeing. Your employees can only be productive when they have wellbeing. Since people spend so many hours a day at their job, what they do at your company has a profound impact on their personal wellbeing. As CEOs, we really are not trained or equipped to handle that type of responsibility. 

“Wellbeing at Work'' helps you learn more about this as an owner, manager, or any type of leader. It helps you understand the things that you can do to make people have better wellbeing as it relates to their work day. It also helps you understand the factors to someone’s wellbeing that you have NO control over.

Wellbeing has several key elements:

• Career wellbeing

• Social wellbeing

• Financial wellbeing

• Physical wellbeing

• Community wellbeing 

Some of my favorite takeaways from the book in the career wellbeing section are:

- This book encourages you to learn how to have “wellbeing” conversations between employees and their managers. It doesn’t spell out exactly what these should look like but they might involve asking the employee if they love what they do every day and talk about career development as well as how they are doing in their personal life.  

- It also talks about making your managers move from bosses to coaches. This is a trend we are seeing with our clients as well. The reason for quitting or staying is really how great their manager is at coaching them.  

- Other items to help with career wellbeing that are discussed:

• Setting clear goals with your people

• Providing adequate resources

• Lead goal setting sessions

• Set clear expectations

The one thing I don’t like about this book:

- The back half of the book is really a regurgitation of Strengths Finder profiles. I do love Strengths Finder, but I do not believe it was necessary to print it again at the back half of this book.

Overall, I recommend the first half of the book for CEOs and owners who are struggling with retention, hiring, or truly wanting to know how to make their workplaces great places to work for their people.

I’m convinced that if a CEO spent just 2 hours a month on the strategy and execution of employee “health”, that organization would have a better workplace and many less HR issues on the back end!

Please forward this to someone you know who would benefit from it. Thank you!

Resources: "Wellbeing at Work" by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter

Sales Pitch of the Day:

The HR Audit is a tool designed for small businesses in any industry to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their HR function. We evaluate the 14 areas of HR from compliance to retention. We develop an HR strategy to make your employees proud of where they work. Watch the video to the right for more information or visit our HR Audit Page on our website.

Unpopular Opinion: Why Right Now is the Best Time to Hire

Unpopular Opinion: Why Right Now is the Best Time to Hire

You might not be thinking this, but right now is a great season to hire. Have you heard the phrase: "Buy when no one else is buying"? You might hear this in the stock market or real estate world, but it is also a good hiring mantra.  

Here are 5 reasons why you should be hiring right now:
1. This Economy: Many companies might be freezing hiring or spooked about the layoffs at big tech companies and what that means to the economy. The savvy small business CEO is going to know that this is a rare opportunity to pick up "A+ Players" for their organization. If you start to hire now, your candidate pool will be larger than when the markets start to go back up (which we all know it will). If your company had a great year or this small recession is not affecting you, we recommend hiring now!

2. Concern About Current Employer: Many employees are getting concerned about the profitability of their current organization. If you are stable and growing, you will be able to attract candidates that may not have been looking for a new role before now.

3. Less Competition for Talent: Less employers hiring generally means more favorable outcomes in quality and salary (something that was far from the case in 2022). In a time when hiring is slowing across the country, it is easier to find "A+ Players" that are willing to make a move. If you wait until conditions improve, you may have missed this unique opportunity that your competition is not taking advantage of.

4. The Right Time of the Year: On the candidate side, employees have time off around this time of the year. This means they are on their computers taking time to look for something new. Statistics show that when employees have down time, they often spend it wishing and searching for new situations. On the employer side, less companies start recruiting at the holidays because they want to “hire at the beginning of the fiscal year”. In January, the market will be flooded with work and your job will just be one of many when it could stick out now.

5. Put Employees on Innovative Outsourcing's Payroll: We can put your employees on our payroll. This is a no-risk approach to hiring. For both part-time and full-time positions, we can keep W-2 employees on our payroll for as long as you like.

Onboarding New Hires Well in Small Business

Onboarding New Hires Well in Small Business

Take a look at these numbers about the importance of onboarding:

• 88% of companies don’t onboard well

• Great employee onboarding can increase retention by 82% and can increase productivity by 70%

• 70% of team members who had exceptional onboarding experiences say they have "The Best Possible Job"

• 25% of new hires say they are unlikely to recommend their new employer after their onboarding experience (stats from Sapling HR and Gallup)

When I say "Onboarding" - Do you think of these items:

• Completing new hire paperwork to get on the payroll

• Showing the new hire to their desk and getting them their computer

If so, you have a problem!

Don't believe us still? Here are two real examples from our clients handling onboarding in very different ways:

Company 1 - CEO said this about their onboarding - “I want the onboarding to be so good that the new hires are willing to run through a wall for our company”

Company 2 - CEO was so busy running the company that there was no onboarding, and the new hire that had been hired 2 weeks before quit due to lack of organization, zero attention, and no direction. 

You probably aren’t either one of these extremes, but please pay attention to your onboarding process.

You need to inspire, connect, share the vision, and of course handle the paperwork to make your new hire LOVE your company. That should be the goal. 

The formula is pretty easy. You can do it yourself or we would love to help. However, you need to make sure that having an excellent onboarding experience is a priority for this quarter!  

Because if it takes this much money and time to hire someone, you need to retain them and benefit from their productivity!

Weekly Tiny Sales Pitch: The HR Audit

When it comes to HR, do you feel like you have processes in place to ensure you are compliant with State and Federal regulations, retaining your best employees, and hiring with efficiency? If you are skeptical on any of those, the HR Audit is a perfect HR discovery tool for your small business. Here is more information if you are interested:

HR Audit Informational Material

Gas Prices as a Retention Tool?

Gas Prices as a Retention Tool?

It is a strange time to be an employer. Who would have guessed that I would be getting questions like the one I got yesterday: “Should I give a gas stipend to help retain my employees?”

At first I laughed, but then after thinking about it, I think you probably should consider a gas bonus. This could be a great retention tool and a way to show empathy to your team. 

Watch my 4-minute video on why and how this may be a great idea for your team.

Here are the cliff notes if you do not have 4 minutes:

1.  Give it to everyone - Vary the amounts by the amount of miles they live away from the office.

2.  Don’t make it a policy to put in the handbook - Just say you are doing it for the quarter. If you want to do it for another quarter, then you will look like a hero. No need to make a promise that you might regret in the future.  

3.  This would be taxable - The payment of commuting costs by employers cannot be a tax-free benefit.

Our sales pitch - We do offer a full Retention Study for small businesses. This allows us to come in and look at the top 15 reasons people leave companies. We will look at what you do in each of these 15 areas and see if you have any areas of vulnerability. Then, we will give you ideas to help you increase those retention numbers! If this interests you, email me.

Consequences of Indecisive Hiring

Consequences of Indecisive Hiring

When you are hiring, do you catch yourself implementing any of the following practices:

• Are you wanting to see 4 or more candidates before making a decision?

• Are you interviewing and then not making a decision on that candidate until a few days later?

• Are you making more than 3 people on your team interview a candidate before making a decision?

If your answer was yes to any of the following, you may need to change your approach.

Here Is Why:

• Hiring is a lot like the Atlanta home buying market right now. When you see a house you like, you need to make an offer even if you haven’t seen 2 or 3 other houses to compare. In the same way, candidate #1 will not wait until you have a candidate #2,#3, and #4. Waiting will likely cost you that first, great candidate.

• I know you are tired of hearing the statement "we are in a candidate market" because candidly... we are too! However, we must appeal to candidates in order to grow. 76% of small business CEOs say they need to hire this quarter, and that means competition. Many candidates we talk to say the interview process getting dragged out is the main reason they are not taking a job.

Best Practices in this Market:

• With your recruiter, come up with an interview process plan that includes 2-3 people in the same few days. Decide your process on the front end to make your intentions clear and transparent with the candidates.

• Get back to your recruiter within 8 business hours after the interview to communicate next steps (no-go, offer, or 2nd interview). We will communicate to the candidate immediately.

• If you interview a great candidate, do not hesitate. Destroy old policies and requirements because that just doesn’t work at this time. Seeing multiple people means you lose the first ones!

As always, we are here to guide you. This is a rough hiring time, but we can give you the support to make it as efficient and easy as possible. Let us know how if you have any specific questions! Email me if you do.

Weekly Tiny Sales Pitch: The HR Audit

When it comes to HR, do you feel like you have processes in place to ensure you are compliant with State and Federal regulations, retaining your best employees, and hiring with efficiency? If you are skeptical on any of those, the HR Audit is a perfect HR discovery tool for your small business. Here is more information if you are interested: HR Audit Informational Material

As Always, IO and tHRiving are here to help with all of your Hiring and HR Needs. If you would like to speak with me, call 404-259-6449 or reply to this email to get in touch!

Should You Encourage or Mandate the COVID-19 Vaccine?

Should You Encourage or Mandate the COVID-19 Vaccine?

Many employers are wondering if they should encourage or require employees to be vaccinated as more Covid vaccines become available.  This is a very tenuous situation and on December 16, 2020, The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) weighed in with new guidance that answers some workplace vaccination questions.

If you decide to mandate the Covid vaccine, you should create a policy, but it must comply with several laws such as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 1964.  An important element that should be addressed in your policy is how you will handle an employee who refuses to get a vaccine if this is mandated.  For example, someone could have a disability that would prevent them from getting the vaccine.  If an employee who cannot be vaccinated poses a direct threat to the workplace, the employer must consider whether a reasonable accommodation can be made, such as allowing the employee to work remotely or take a leave of absence.  

"Employers considering mandating vaccines should give very serious consideration to this issue," said Brett Coburn, an attorney with Alston & Bird in Atlanta. "Rather than implementing mandates that could lead to such difficult decisions, employers may wish to focus on steps they can take to encourage and incentivize employees to get vaccinated," he said. For example, employers may want to:

• Develop vaccination education campaigns.

• Make obtaining the vaccine as easy as possible for employees.

• Cover any costs that might be associated with getting the vaccine.

• Provide incentives to employees who get vaccinated.

• Provide paid time off for employees to get the vaccine and recover from any potential side effects.

 In a recent Gartner, Inc. survey (Gartner Survey Finds 90% Of HR Leaders Will Allow Employees) taken on December 9, 2020, 130 HR professionals responded that when a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, 60% of 116 HR leaders surveyed said they will encourage employees to get vaccinated, but it will not be required. Sixty percent of respondents reported they will provide resources to employees on where and how to get vaccinated and 44% said they plan to cover or subsidize the costs of the vaccine for employees.

We will continue to keep you informed as we learn more and our advice is to seek legal counsel if you are considering mandating a Covid Vaccine.

Stay Safe and Keep tHRiving,

Karen Moss