The Hiring Progress: Social Networking

The Hiring Progress: Social Networking

:In the Beginning

The job of recruiting and hiring has changed drastically over the years. Several years ago it was a process based for the most part on human interaction. Wearing a button up shirt and tie to match a welcoming smile as the candidate walked into a prospective job offer. Maybe it was his first job he was walking into. A grocery store cashier, or a line cook at his local fast food restaurant. Perhaps he was fresh out of college, and this was the big interview with the marketing firm in the big city. Regardless of the situation, it evolved around the first impression and representation of the candidate. A printed out or hand written resume written well enough to make or break the opportunity to get the job.

There was some research done based on the position sought after. Phone calls to previous employers, talking to references to see if this young man or woman was the right candidate. Extensive research was time consuming, and not every company has that time to spend. They need that cashier there today. They have clients expecting a plan of action for the upcoming year. Even though the recruiting office or manager knows what he is doing, an undesirable prospect can slip through the cracks if he plays the system properly. Employee background checks, well important, sometimes had to come second to necessity.

:Entering the Digital Age

In time computers and networks came to be commonplace in both homes and businesses. More research could be implemented before saying yes or not to a possible candidate. In the recent years a new platform has risen that allows for quicker advertising and screening of employees. Social Networking.

:What is Social Networking?

Social networking put simply is a website that connects people to people. It allows people to put this or her self online in a manner they are comfortable with, and stay connected to friends and family. Your most basic social network website will allow updates to be posted to a form of homepage. Along with these posts, one is capable of adding photos, videos, and sharing news articles and various posts from other people so their friends and family can see it as well.

:Why is Social Networking Important?

Various websites allow for a quick dispersal of a job opening. Where a newspaper must be printed, purchased, and delivered, websites can display a post immediately, and for a much lower cost. Some websites outside of social networks such as craigslist can be put to use displaying job listings for the surrounding area, allowing resumes to be emailed and filed into a system programmed to locate key words relevant to the job at hand. Websites in the world of social network allows such postings to spread.

In some cities the business thrives on tourism. A city such as New Smyrna Beach fl can combine social media to increase employment rates, and increase tourism through Facebook advertising. This allows the social network platform to increase both work efficiency, and company income.

Below are various social network sites that have become prominent in the hiring and screening process. This list shows how these sites can benefit both recruiters, and job candidates.

LinkedIn: A website that some believe will become one of the most key websites for recruiting, it is based around business and professional skills. This allows it to act like a recruitment database that any company can tap into. Recruiters and search through profiles based on the work they are requiring to quickly find potential candidates. Before ever meeting or speaking with the person behind the profile, they can obtain an idea of the strengths of the person, their area of work, and other important facts in the hiring progress. Likewise candidates can use LinkedIn to locate possible job opportunities based off of their individual skills and strengths.

Facebook: It is difficult to argue that Facebook is the most popular of the social networking websites. The world stays connected to it at all times of the day. Posting vacation photos from home or posting an update well on the move from a mobile device, the world has it’s eyes constantly on Facebook. This not only opens the door to an almost limitless body of applicants for a job, but also allows for a job posting to spread rapidly. Using their system of “likes” and “share” a single post can potentially reach thousands within a couple of days. This post can link an possible applicant to the Facebook of a company. Here they can learn more about the work performed, and how to contact the company to submit a resume or schedule an interview. With the mobile platform this can be done from any location, even the passenger seat of a moving vehicle.

This also benefits the screening process. Simple things such as the grammar and spelling used in a Facebook post, to the news articles and links posted by the possible candidate can give a more in depth work at the personal habits they would bring into the workplace. At times it can even be used to see if the applicant is involved with drug related or criminal activities. There are actual reports of various people arrested for such posts involved criminal activity and threats.

Twitter: Not far behind the popularity of Facebook is Twitter. A social network that allows people and companies to create an up to 140 word posts or “tweets”, and post photos and videos. Incorporating the use of hashtags, (works beginning with a # that link to other similar posts with similar hashtags), tweets can be grouped together and viewed easily relating to a singular subject. Though typically less invasive of an individual’s life, it is still a platform for recruiting and screening. In less than 140 words a company and inform possible applicants it is hiring. Incorporating the hashtag trend, this information can suddenly reach a much more diverse population.

Like Facebook, Twitter can be used to examine what a person is tweeting, and see into the lifestyle and habits of potential candidates.

:Social Networking’s Effects on Recruiting Summarized

Companies are always looking for ways to connect with potential new employees and customers. These social networking websites allow a simple and effective method for doing so. Employee screening can be made far more effective when looking though various applicants for a job. Although social networking can’t replace the progress of meeting in person, it is a vital tool in a world that is always connected to these social networks. A proper interview may start with a Facebook post or a tweet on Twitter, but the human element should always be present. Every interview, rather successful or not, should end with a firm handshake between the employer and the applicant.

Employee Background Screening New Smyrna Beach, Fl

Vision HR | The Human Resource Experts

Payroll: Bridging the Gap Between Employees and Management

Payroll: Bridging the Gap Between Employees and Management

It goes without saying that the average worker on a company’s payroll is driven by the motivation to make a comfortable life for them and their family. This requires them to work hard and keep the company moving forward. To achieve this feat both ends of the business world has got to meet in the middle and work together. Management and employees operating as a single yet divided unit. Without both sides of a company working together, neither side will benefit nor will they profit from the work done. Human resources and payroll is the bridge that brings these two sides together. It is the payroll department that makes sure the workers in the field and in the office receive their payment on time. This allows them to function outside of the job sight, reducing the stress they will bring into the workplace. Likewise, as long as payroll is taking care of the employees, the management and business owners are free to market and plan for the future.

In the modern world, everyday life is driven by technology. It is important to put something as important as human resources and payroll in capable hands that understand this fact. Hands that can adapt to the technology of today, and see where it will be tomorrow. Retirement plans, disability, employee healthcare, and group benefits are always on the move. Optimizing these assets requires long term planning and constant supervision. Placing such responsibilities into the hands of a trusted and outsourced company can free up the time of management job positions. With less responsibility on their hands, management can form a stronger bond with the employees of the company.

At times, management and the business owners are seen as alien to the entry level and at times even the experienced employees. They are required to operate and maintain the company, along with maintain the areas such as payroll and human resources. Both of these are core elements of a functioning company. This alien feeling can lead to distance between management and workers, causing negative views of anyone in a higher job position. Breaking down the walls that separate job positions will bring a sense of corporation to the entire company body. This sense of community can increase production, adding a feeling of work security. When an employee knows the ones in charge of operations, they can form a relationship with them. This aids in eliminating the sensation that their jobs are in the hands of strangers, making them feel like expendable assets. On the other side of this, employers and business owners can have a better feel of their employees. The more they know the ones working under them, the more they can motivate and understand any issues they may experience. Labor can be divided based on core strengths and production fully optimized. A workplace that feels divided will lose production and workplace disputes can occur, wasting both time and company money. A dispute during company time is paid time that is not being put to proper use.

To further achieve this goal of a community spirit in the workplace, a well trained manager becomes a vital tool. Though on site training is required to become familiar with the work environment, placing part of the training in the hands on experienced leaders will aid in making sure a manager is at his full potential. Along with human resources and payroll services, companies like Vision H.R. also help companies both growing and established in areas such as management training and progressive employee discipline. Using proven techniques and methods, an employee can be motivated or face discipline without the fear of the business owner being either too harsh or too soft on the employee in question. This can lead to the employee either feeling resentment or refusing to alter their ways. This will either not solve, or worsen the situation at hand, and possibly lead to the lost of an employee, which is manpower lost in the work environment, adding stress to the remaining employees.

For the work force of New Smyrna Beach, a city firmly planted in art and culture, no one desires to have a job they resent, nor a workplace filled with people they dislike or feel alien toward. Outsourced human resource companies such as Vision H.R. are important assets that can greatly reduce the chance of such circumstances. Bringing two ends of the business world together, and easing the burden on both sides is a key feature of a production and positive company policy.

Human Resource New Smyrna Beach, FL

Vision HR | The Human Resource Experts

Technology on the Rise

Technology on the Rise

Technological advancements were once a step into the world of tomorrow. They were events recorded in history books and newspapers around the world. When the world saw the first car come off the assembly line, it shook the modern world. The day man left the ground behind and took to the air the world saw a new age dawning. When we broke free from the confines of Earth, we all held our breath as man first set foot on the moon. In the present day, technological advancement doesn’t quite change the world the same way as it once did. Now technology is advancing on an almost daily basis , but it still is driving and changing the business landscape. What does this mean for human resource departments? More than you may think.

At the very top of the list is security and ease of access. Though it is always beneficial to keep a physical copy available. With the business world never taking a break, it is crucial that time be managed more quickly and effectively than ever before. Where programs can display, and enter information in mere seconds it would take several minutes and even hours depending on authorization, organization, and the amount of customers being served. The information entered is less likely to be misinterpreted from someone’s handwriting. Programs designed to search and enter information based off prior documentation saves time and increases accuracy. Rooms filled with files and documents can fit into a single hard drive, and also in a cloud storage system, accessible to company branches across the world.

This is just the bottom step on the technological ladder. Expanding on the idea of ease of access and time management. Employment ads can be placed immediately online, and in turn candidates can respond the same day the job is posted. An empty job slot is a lost in production and manpower. It is beneficial to have these positions filled as quickly as possible. Employee background screening can be accomplished through communication technology. Based in digital databases, obtaining the desired information for employee background checks can be conducted in one to three days.

Former employers can be found and contacted via a simple internet search, along with information on the type of work conducted at the company. Social media allows employers, human resources, and job placement services to learn more about applicants before hiring them. The entire hiring process, when used effectively with today’s technology can place better candidates in the right job position. This greatly reduces the chance that a deviant or untrustworthy applicant can squeeze through the system and hinder production and employee morale, At the same time this can be used to expose the strengths and weaknesses of a more potential candidate based on their social media and blog posts.

Payroll is made much more productive and responsive via technology. The common United States citizen will be in debt by the thousands, rather it be for a vehicle, mortgage, credit card payments, or loans. Employees need a payroll department that can respond quickly to payment issues, and resolve these issues. Employee stress can lead to a decrease in production and an increase in the frequency of mistakes made. Debt can greatly add to this stress, so a competent payroll department is a key feature of a productive company.

On the employee level, technology has given them easy access to knowledge and safety. Entire books of information on procedure and training can be easily accessed from a company computer. Computer based training allows trainees to learn at their own pace. Management can use computer technology to keep track of their employees and their progress in a certain work environment. Notes can be placed for all of management to see and best place an employee in the work environment, and motivate them properly. With the communication devices and technology active in today’s world, the connection between upper and lower levels of the business world is growing stronger and stronger. A manager is a tap of a screen away from an employee needing assistance.

In the name of benefiting the employees of a company, advancements in data processing and storage has made it easier to work with employees. Making sure they understand and are enrolled in employee benefits. Creating a platform where both employers and employees can keep track of their group benefits such as retirement planning. They can check their paychecks online, understand where their money is going after it is taken from their check. They can feel more secure and in control with the ability to see how much they are paying for items such as employee health care.

This is where a business such as Vision H.R. becomes an invaluable assets to a business. Some people have started a business and kept it running for years, before technological advancements drastically changed the way the world works. Not everyone is capable of keeping with the latest trends and regulations that take play in human resources and employee relations. For the Port Orange area, a solution to this problem rests in outsourcing your payroll and HR departments to a business such as Vision H.R. The task itself can be time consuming, placing it in the hands of trained professionals does not only guarantee the work done is up to date with current standards, but frees time to associate with your employees and customers, work on future marketing plans, and overall work in a more stress free environment.

Don’t let the ever changing world leave you behind. Branch out, and let the technology of tomorrow work for you today. Seek out new ideas and alternative business practices that will optimize production, and create a more stress free environment for both you and your employees.

 

Payroll Administration Port Orange, FL

Vision HR | The Human Resource Experts

Responsibilities When Collecting W-4s

W-4 Employer Responsibility | Vision HR

What are an Employers Responsibilities When Collecting W-4s

Since employees fill out their own W-4s, you may think your company’s responsibility ends with collecting them, using the information for withholding, and keeping the forms on file. But a basic understanding of W-4s is necessary so you can answer the questions that will inevitably come up. So what are the Employers Responsibilities When Collecting W-4s.  Here are some issues you should know about.

Employees don’t always take the task of filling out their W-4 forms seriously. They may write “exempt” on the withholding portion of the form, or even claim a false high number of withholding allowances to ensure that no federal or state tax is withheld.

When Employees Ask Your Advice

The W-4 form itself offers some guidance. Here are some questions to help the employee determine if he or she can legitimately claim to be exempt from withholding:

1. Did the employee have a tax liability in the previous year? If the employee received a refund of all federal income tax paid (or had a right to a refund), he or she may be able to claim exempt, depending on the answer to the next question.

2. Does the employee expect to have a tax liability this year? To determine the answer, ask these questions:

a. Can the employee be claimed on someone else’s income tax return this year (such as a parent)?

b. Will the employee’s income for 2013 exceed $1,000 and include more than $350 in unearned income (such as interest or dividends)? If the answers to both a and b are yes, the employee may have a tax liability for the year, and cannot claim to be exempt from withholding. In order to legitimately claim to be exempt, the employee must be able to state that he or she had no tax liability last year, and does not expect to have a tax liability this year.

Important:  An “exempt” W-4 is only valid for one year and expires in February of the following year.  If your payroll includes employees who claim to be exempt, require them to fill out new W-4 forms annually.

Questionable W-4s

The IRS classifies “questionable” W-4 forms as those which claim more than 10 withholding allowances, or claim to be exempt from withholding when the individual’s taxable wages would normally exceed $200 per week. Several years ago, when employees submitted questionable W-4s, employers were required to submit the forms to the IRS for possible review by the agency. At one time (before April of 2005) there was an automatic requirement to send these forms to the IRS. W-4 forms are still subject to review by the IRS. Current procedure: Based on other available information, the IRS may determine that an employee has authorized inadequate withholding and may request the employer send the questionable W-4. If an employee is found to have a serious under-withholding problem, the IRS will instruct the employer to withhold at a more appropriate rate. Responsibilities When Collecting W-4s are many.  Next is why it’s important.

Invalid W-4s

According to the IRS, a W-4 form is invalid if any unauthorized addition or change is made to it, or if the employee indicates in any way that the information on the form is false. If employees seem to be taking the process too lightly, you may need to inform them that an individual who files a false W-4 form may be subject to a $500 penalty. So what is your responsibility if you are given an invalid W-4? Don’t use it. Instead, tell the employee that the form is invalid, and instruct him or her to fill out a new one. If a new, valid form is not received, withhold taxes at the highest rate (as if the employee is single and has no withholding allowances). Or, if you have an earlier W-4 form that is valid, you can withhold according to that form.

Vision HR helps you with these payroll issues and more. Clients rest easy knowing the experts at Vision HR are taking care of payroll processes and the frequent changes required to handle payroll correctly. Call (877) 641-0012 to have Vision HR experts handle your payroll today.

Vision HR | Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach

Source:  Bizactions / Thompson Reuters

Get a Payroll Quote

Get a Payroll Quote

Why you Should Get a Payroll Quote.

If your business is spending too much time trying to administer payroll, you should consider outsourcing your payroll processing to a group of experts.  This would free up your time to work on growing your business and not employee administration.

To Get a payroll quote for payroll processing services, click here and submit basic information so that a payroll expert can quote payroll outsourcing costs for you.

Typically, payroll services offer an attractive and valuable alternative to in-house processing. Selected correctly, they provide a less expensive, simpler means of paying your employees, filing your taxes, and performing a host of other duties

Utilizing a payroll service can ease your mind. The Internal Revenue Service reports that one out of every three employers have been charged for a payroll mistake, with total penalties reaching into the billions of dollars. And given the ever-changing nature of tax regulations, it’s easy to make an error that can seriously affect your bottom line.

A payroll company’s basic services include calculating payroll and tax obligations for each employee, printing and delivering or direct depositing checks, and providing management reports. Checks can be issued on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, semi-monthly or yearly payroll basis.

In addition, payroll firms can offer services such as automatic check signatures, envelope stuffing, and direct deposit of checks. Payroll firms also issue W-2 at year end.

Many services now offer tie-ins with 401(k) and Section 125 mutual fund plans, allowing employees to designate automatic deductions from their paychecks. And for larger companies with more complex processing needs, some payroll providers have even begun to offer integrated HR software systems that track employee benefits-related information in addition to regular payroll data.

Get a payroll quote from Vision HR by clicking the logo below.

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IRS Clarifies Its Position on Contributing to Employee Health Coverage

In view of the complexity of compliance with the Affordable Care Act, it may be tempting to think you can just drop your own plan and encourage employees to buy their own coverage. Then, you could reimburse them for some portion of the premiums. Don’t be tempted, warns the IRS. This article explains the position of the tax agency.

Last year, the IRS spelled out how it would treat employer contributions to employees to help them buy coverage on their own. More recently, it reiterated its position in Q&A format. The question the IRS posed to itself:

What are the consequences to the employer if the employer does not establish a health insurance plan for its own employees, but reimburses those employees for premiums they pay for health insurance (either through a qualified health plan in the marketplace or outside the marketplace)?

Employer Payment Plans

In answering its own question, the IRS characterized such arrangements as “employer payment plans.” These are different from health reimbursement accounts (HRA’s) and healthcare flexible spending accounts (FSA’s).

The IRS considers employer payment plans as group health plans, subject to the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the ban on annual limits for essential health benefits and the requirement for full coverage of preventive health services. But, even if employees bought coverage which featured those benefits, employer payment plans “cannot be integrated with individual policies to satisfy the market reforms,” according to the IRS.

The penalty for having an employer payment would make it prohibitively expensive. Specifically, employers could be subject to an excise tax as high as $100 per day per employee (that is, $36,500 per year per employee).

The IRS and the Department of Labor also take the position that an HRA cannot be integrated with “individual market coverage or with an employer plan which provides coverage through individual policies” without violating the ACA. However, HRA’s and healthcare FSA’s can still be used to help employees pay for “excepted” benefits, including vision, dental, accident, long-term care and automobile medical payment coverage.

Wraparound Coverage

Another form of health coverage, not subject to ACA requirements, which employers can help employees buy beginning in 2015 without being penalized is “wraparound coverage.” That’s basic health insurance to supplement a standard health plan which meets ACA requirements. This coverage cannot cost more than 15 percent of the cost of the basic health plan offered to your employees, however.

If you are still determined to get out from between your employees and their health plan coverage, you could avoid the “employer payment plan” penalties by simply giving employees a pay raise sufficient to subsidize their health benefits to the degree you want and can afford.

Keep in mind, however, you will be subject to higher payroll taxes, and since this income is taxable to employees, the amount of the raise they’ll have available to buy health coverage will be reduced by their added tax liability. Also, workers may eventually forget why they got the raise, and consider themselves employees of a company that doesn’t value its workers enough to offer health benefits.

Finally, if you are large enough to be subject to the ACA’s employer mandate, the salary increase tactic won’t allow you to avoid the penalty for not providing health coverage.

Source:  BizActions / Thompson Reuters

Contributing to Employee Health Coverage

 

Compensation Is Once Again an Employee Hot Button

 Vision HR | Human Resource Management

Compensation is Employee Hot button

Would any of your valued employees quit to take another job with a slightly higher salary? Odds are, until recently, the answer would have been “probably not.” However, things have changed, according to a new survey. It may be time to take the pulse of your employees to see what their job-related priorities are these days.

For the last dozen years, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has been surveying employees from organizations of all sizes to identify the top five factors which contribute most to their job satisfaction. In its 2014 Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement Survey, 60 percent of respondents identified compensation as “very important” to their job satisfaction. Why is this surprising? The last time compensation topped the list was 2007. The following year, when financial crisis swept much of the country, job security beat out all other factors and has stayed strong as a priority.

Job security is still high as a source of job satisfaction, but now it has been replaced by compensation as number one on the “very important” factors list. Other highly ranked sources of job satisfaction — in order– include: opportunities to use skills and abilities, relationship with immediate supervisor, benefits/the overall package, organization’s financial stability, and “the work itself.”

Low Employee Priorities

At the bottom of the list of 25 job attributes were those ranked as among the top five priorities by no more than one-third of respondents. They included: career development opportunities, variety of work, commitment to corporate social responsibility, commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, paid general training and tuition reimbursement, networking and, bottom of the list, “organization’s commitment to a ‘green’ workplace.”

Keep in mind, results will vary from one organization to the next. For example, an environmentally friendly products manufacturer will probably have more employees with a “green” orientation than others. Also, however employees feel about workforce diversity, the lack of a diverse workforce in a multicultural labor market could suggest employment practices that are out of step with guidelines from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Looking more closely at the topic of compensation, survey respondents were asked to rank the importance of four elements of compensation. Here’s the breakdown. The first percentage represents the proportion ranking it as “very important,” and the second, merely “important:”
•Being paid competitively with the local market: 56 percent / 38 percent
•Base rate of pay: 53 percent / 42 percent,
•Opportunities for variable pay: 43 percent / 43 percent
•Stock options: 17 percent / 35 percent.

Goal: Employee Engagement

Beyond ensuring that your employees can provide for themselves and their families, the goal of a compensation program is not limited to job satisfaction per se. It’s also engagement. Job satisfaction will get employees in the door on time. Engagement means really connecting with their jobs, their colleagues and striving to do their best in good times and bad.

On a 1-5 scale (with 5 indicating maximum engagement), the survey overall found employees at a 3.5, that is, “moderately engaged.” However, a demographic breakdown of the statistics showed wide variations. The most common distinction was between higher-level managers, and employees in more basic jobs. High-level managers were more engaged.

Indicators of Engagement

An employee’s self-perceived level of engagement would be indicated by agreement with the following statements, used in the SHRM survey:
•I am determined to accomplish my work goals and confident I can meet them.
•I frequently feel that I’m putting all my effort into my work.
•I am highly motivated by my work goals.
•I am often so wrapped up in my work that hours go by like minutes.

SHRM also asked employees to consider what factors — assuming the factors are positive — help them to feel engaged in their work. Here’s a sampling of their answers:
1. Relationship with co-workers

2. Opportunities to use skills/abilities

3. Relationship with immediate supervisor

4. The work itself

5. Contribution of work to organization’s goals

6. Variety of work

7. Organization’s financial stability

8. Meaningfulness of the job

9. Autonomy and independence, and

10. Overall corporate culture

Increasing employee focus on compensation is to be expected as the economy continues its slow trek back from the 2008 financial crisis.That doesn’t mean arbitrary pay raises — assuming they are even affordable — would automatically motivate your employees to higher levels of morale and productivity. While pay raises have become a higher priority for employees, compensation adjustments must be considered in the context of employee engagement. SHRM’s “conditions for engagement” provide a good starting point to help you assess that critical element of successful human resource management.

Source:  BizActions / Thompson Reuters

What to Do with Impossible Employees? Clean House.

Successful CEOs were asked by a psychiatrist what is the most important factor in operating a winning company. The key? Don’t waste time with impossible, destructive employees.

When psychiatrist Mark Goulston asked several successful CEOs to name the single most important key to their success, he expected them to refer to their “vision” or their “mission.”

But, independent of one another, the CEOs advised: Recognize destructive no-win people inside and outside your workplace early. Then cut your losses and move on.

According to the CEOs, “lean and clean” is more productive than “lean and mean.” Toward this end, Goulston started urging employers to perform a “corporate housecleaning” every six months.

How Can Your Firm Achieve This?

1.  Clean house.
2.  Make time to personally praise good and outstanding employees.
3. “Hire more shrewdly next time,” said Goulston.

 

Foremost on Goulston’s list is cleaning house — “cutting out the bad wood,” he said. Workplace leaders can prepare for housecleaning with an inventory of employees, placing each worker in one of four categories: Impossible…Difficult…Easy…Extraordinary.

Goulston defined the four categories as follows:

• Impossible employees are the ones who “keep you up at night,” according to Goulston. They are not just rebels without a cause. They are rebels without a clue. They are the “know-it-alls” who don’t know what they’re talking about. When you cross them, they can become verbally combative or abusive. You dread having to see or deal with them. You appease or avoid them because they infuriate you. They contaminate your organization as more worthy and conscientious employees see superiors “greasing these squeaky wheels.”
• Difficult employees don’t keep you up at night. Instead, they keep other people in your workplace awake. They are arrogant and talk down to other employees. As contrary as they are, you keep them because you need their talents or abilities. You have to weigh the value they bring to your organization against the problems they create.
• Easy employees are your foot soldiers. They are cooperative, “salt of the earth,” and great team players. They do their jobs without creating problems for you. Regardless of the chaos going on in your organization, they do a good job because they’re responsible and grown up.
• Extraordinary employees are your stars and the future of your organization because of their talent and commitment. They’ll stay late at night trying to figure out a better way to do something for your organization. They’re the ones who enable you and other executives to get a good night’s sleep because you feel how dedicated they are to your organization.

 

To evaluate your impossible and difficult employees, Goulston recommended you use his “Self-Other Bullet Points below” Summary sentence you write on the chart about the attitude of an employee might state: “I can rely on this person to do the bare necessities of the job if he is not annoyed about something.” Or: “I can’t rely on him to do a task without making mistakes, then blaming others or making excuses.” Other summaries might state: “He can rely on me to give him a warning and a chance to improve his work” or “he can’t rely on me to endlessly tolerate his sloppy work and negative attitude.”

“This tool will help you to make explicit to employees and yourself what needs to improve in order for the difficult and impossible to keep their jobs,” said Goulston, author of Get Out of Your Own Way: Overcoming Self-Defeating Behavior.

Goulston encourages workplace leaders to turn the table on themselves, by allowing the employee to fill out the same evaluation chart.

Once a plan of corrective action is devised, deadlines for follow-up discussions and compliance must be set, and then enforced. Failure to comply with the agreed-upon remedies justifies dismissal of impossible employees, Goulston advised.

This charting tool also works for difficult, easy, and extraordinary employees. Goulston offered the following summaries regarding these higher-potential categories:

Difficult people may be arrogant, but they’re not stupid. They want to get results, but they have big egos. Their intimidating, condescending attitude frequently makes people afraid to tell them when things go wrong. If they don’t find out about problems, they can’t correct them. If you can’t find a way to keep employees from upsetting people around them, then give them their own space and skilled, thick-skinned assistants to insulate them from the rest of the workplace.

Employers, managers and supervisors often take easy and extraordinary employees for granted while their concerns are tied up with other combative and contrary people. You can usually get away with ignoring easy and extraordinary staff members, but it’s wrong to do so, Goulston said.

One of the most common pitfalls of less-than-great leaders is letting the people who don’t care about the firm or organization distract them from expressing gratitude toward people who do care.

Goulston also polled his CEO clients on their opinions about the second most important key to success. The CEOs replied that next to cutting the impossible people out of their lives early, the most important key is to recognize and value the good people so they could keep them in their lives longer.

 

Client’s of Vision HR have access to a team of HR Professionals to get assistance and guidance on HR management and employee related issues. If you think you would benefit by partnering with Vision HR, call (877) 641-0012.

What to Do with Impossible Employees? Clean House.

 Source Thompson Reuters / BizActions

Encourage Participation in Direct Deposit Payroll

Encourage Participation in Direct Deposit Payroll. There’s little doubt that paying employees through direct deposit saves most companies money and hassles in the form of lower check writing fees, fewer lost or stolen checks and no stop payment charges. Major savings are realized because employees stop taking time off to go to the bank. As more employees sign up for direct deposit, the savings grow. But some employees are still suspicious of the process. How can you encourage staff members to participate? Here are some practical solutions.

There are obviously many benefits of using direct deposit to pay your employees. But there may still be resistance from some employees who don’t trust banks, or prefer to have paper checks placed in their hands on payday. Here are some ways you might be able to increase participation, and therefore, maximize

The Benefits:

• Let them know it saves time and hassles. Employees who use direct deposit are never forced to spend their lunch hours standing in bank lines to make sure their paychecks get into their accounts.
• Tell them they’ll get paid and can access the funds even if they are on vacation or out sick.
• They can expect increased security. The chances of having paychecks lost or stolen are virtually eliminated.

 

Dealing With Objections 

Some employees may ask: “How will I know for sure that I’ve been paid?” Some employers still issue paper pay stubs to employees. Others send electronic pay stubs through e-mail. Employees who do not have Internet access may object to the electronic pay stub. That’s why some companies install kiosks in the workplace where individuals can log in securely and view their pay acknowledgments. Of course, employees can also call their banks and receive verification over the phone.

Depending on the service, recipients may be able to view not just the current pay stub, but an online pay history. In some cases, they can even view and print copies of their last W-2 forms.

Make Direct Deposit an Event

Designate a week for a Direct Deposit Drive. Put out some flyers or mention it in the newsletter, touting the benefits of signing up. Make enrolling easier during the drive. If your company has various locations and departments, let employees know that a payroll representative will visit on a scheduled day to sign up those who wish to join, and tell them what they need (such as a deposit slip from their bank). Or allow employees extra time at lunch time to make their way to the office where they can sign up. You can also “sweeten” the deal by giving all new enrollees a treat. One company gave away money-themed candy bars, such as Payday or Hundred-Thousand Dollar bars. It’s a small token but adds an element of fun and interest.

Sometimes, employees who do not participate in direct deposit don’t voice any objections. They just don’t know much about the system, or they intend to sign up someday when they get around to it. Communication is key. Anticipate questions and provide answers in a newsletter, handout or e-mail, and let employees know someone is available to provide more information. With a little planning and communication, you can greatly increase participation in direct deposit, and maximize the benefits to your company and your employees.

Call Vision HR for help setting up direct deposit or enrolling new employees in the system.  Direct Deposit is a free service for all Vision HR clients to aid in streamlining the payroll process so that your spending less time on employee related transactions.  (877) 641-0012.

Click here for a description of payroll related services or here for a payroll quote.

 

 

Payroll Multi-State Employers

Payroll multi-state employers :

Does your company have operations and employees across several states? Or do you have employees who live in one state and work in another? If so, there are complex payroll issues to consider when doing payroll as multi-state employers.

The more geographically diverse a company’s workforce is, the more complex the payroll. Tax withholding requirements are different from state to state, and, in some instances, from municipality to municipality. Some neighboring states have reciprocity agreements with each other for income taxes, but that isn’t always the case.

Additionally, some states have ended such agreements in the last few years as they try to ensure they’ll get their fair share of the tax pie. Making errors in multi-state payroll and withholding can be expensive, resulting in penalties and interest in addition to unpaid taxes.

Contact Vision HR. We can help you unravel the complexity of multi-state withholding, payroll taxes, and payroll processing in those states.

Click here for a description of payroll services and here or a quote on payroll processing. Payroll multi-state employers.

Source BizActions / Thomson Reuters