4 Important Reasons Why You Should Conduct Performance Reviews

Performance evaluations are becoming less popular lately, according to Fast Company. Unfortunately, this is a big mistake made by managers. Performance reviews are uncomfortable for all parties involved, and although some may think they are becoming extinct, this shouldn’t be the case, especially for small businesses. Not only are they important for employees, but companies can get a lot from performance reviews too. By getting feedback from your employees, you can see where you stand as a manager and where the employee feels like he or she stands as well. Are they getting the help they want? Are they going the extra mile? Is it time for a raise or a promotion? Performance reviews are a great opportunity for managers to have a one-on-one with their employees and hear them out, which is one of the main reasons why they should not be avoided. Read on to find out more about the benefits of conducting performance reviews.

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How to Avoid Being Late for W-2 Distribution (And What Happens When You Are)

It’s that time of year where taxes and W-2s have been at the forefront of every HR professionals mind. It falls on them to distribute W-2s to their employees before the deadline, but with the craziness of year-end, this can be difficult to accomplish. Whether you’re new to the HR world or you’re a veteran, it’s easy for things to fall through the cracks this time of year and it’s important to be prepared for when that happens. Employers must distribute W-2s to their employees by January 31st. If this deadline is stressing you out, read on to see what you can do to alleviate some of that year-end anxiety.

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Timesheet Rounding: Why You Shouldn't Round Employee Punches

Is your organization still rounding employee punches to the nearest 15-minute mark on timesheets? Do you allow employees to manually enter their time on a time card or spreadsheet, resulting in estimations and approximations? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you’re likely paying much more for employee wages, overtime, and lost productivity each and every pay period. With the technology and affordable tools available today, you will want to strongly consider using an automated online time and attendance platform that will conveniently track employee time to the exact minute (no more rounding), eliminating countless hours of overpaid minutes.

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4 Ways Quality Customer Service can Improve Your Business

With the dawn of the internet, customers have unlimited access to information and are thus more educated than ever. Because of this, our businesses have to compete even more to get the attention of our target audiences. Competition is no longer against that other like-business down the road. With easy shipping costs and cloud-based software, we have to compete with companies around the world. Whether your business is B2B or B2C, you’ve likely had to evolve with the times by developing a better product and increasing the reach of your target audience. These are both excellent (and necessary) practices, but this globally competitive market has demanded an increase in a third area of business that has previously been acceptable to overlook: customer service.

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3 Ways to Create a Bully-Free Workplace

Bullying has become more of a concern in the United States now more than ever. Videos have gone viral on social media, parents are suing schools, and not only is it affecting children and teenagers, but it also affects adults, especially in the workplace. As a matter of fact, a 2017 survey conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute revealed that 60 million Americans are affected by bullying. So what exactly is workplace bullying? It refers to repeated actions that have the intent of intimidating, humiliating, or degrading, and are directed toward an employee. These actions may put the affected employee’s physical and emotional health at risk. Workplace bullies don’t simply intimidate their victims; their actions can range from spreading rumors around the office in order to harm their target’s reputation, avoid telling them about important meetings, hide their office supplies, or anything that will make their victim feel helpless or useless. Keep in mind that bullying is defined by the effect of the behavior, not just the intent.

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4 Beneficial Ways to Give Recognition to Your Employees

Recognition leads to retention. When employees are more fulfilled and engaged in their work and acknowledged for it by their colleagues and superiors, they (and the company) will perform better. With the new year starting, you need to come up with new resolutions. There is no better time than now to make it a goal and take action to give your employees the recognition they deserve. Before sharing tips, let’s define recognition according to HR Council. “Employee recognition is the acknowledgment of an individual or team’s behavior, effort, and accomplishments that support the organization’s goals and values. Recognition is not one-size-fits-all. Thought needs to go into what would be appreciated by the person being recognized.” (Source: HR Council) So how do you do this? Below are some simple but effective ways to boost company and cultural ROI through authentic recognition. Remember to make it genuine.

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The Importance of HR Compliance and the Steps to Take to Avoid Fines

The Human Resources department in an organization is one of the most important because of the many duties HR staff has. Not only do they have to look for the best talent, interview, hire, onboard, and so on, but most importantly, they are responsible for handling compliance. In other words, it is the HR department's responsibility to implement all legislative rules and regulations that govern the relationship between employers and employees. This means that they have to stay on top of all federal, state, provincial, and municipal laws to ensure that there are fairness and equality in the workplace. It is up to the HR staff to understand and be able to navigate all the laws to ensure their organization avoids any fines or penalties, and protects its reputation.

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Three Reasons Social Media is Vital for the HR World

Whether you’ve been involved in social media since the early Myspace days or it’s a bandwagon you’ve hopped on recently, there’s no denying that social media is no longer solely for millennials. Since the dawn of the internet, social sites like Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram have become an integral part of our society, and this is particularly true for the business world. According to a 2016 study from CareerBuilder, the number of employers using social media to screen candidates has increased by over 500 percent of the last 10 years. This alone is proof that this isn’t a trend that will be going away anytime soon, and screening candidates is just one of many uses the HR has at its disposal when it comes to social media. By using the various sites listed above, you can improve your recruiting methods, increase employee engagement, and enhance your overall brand. Here’s how:

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