human resources | Steve Grady Insurance Services

Holiday Party Best Practices

Posted on November 15, 2019 by steveg

Tis the season for holiday parties and the spreading of good cheer in the workplace. The holidays are a great time for companies to celebrate their achievements and show appreciation for their employees. One popular way to do this is through an annual holiday party. While these parties are a fantastic way for colleagues to come together, unwind and enjoy each other’s company, they can also be a liability if you aren’t careful. By providing rides home, limiting alcohol and providing activities you can limit bad behavior and cause for concern1. Have a holly-jolly holiday party that is packed with fun, while decreasing liability risks

How to Manage Leave of Absence Abuse

Posted on October 15, 2019 by steveg

Many employers feel like leave of absence (LOA) abuse is difficult to stop because there are so many laws that protect employee rights. Typically, when employees request leave for family, medical, bereavement or other reasons, their requests are legitimate. However, on occasion some employees may try to take advantage of leave benefits. Fortunately for employers, there are several tools available to combat LOA abuse. Here are some strategies to help you prevent leave abuse. Require that employees complete a written leave request form for all absences. Although an employer cannot deny an employee leave of absence, by requiring them to complete a written leave request

5 Tips To Conduct Successful Quarterly Performance Reviews

Posted on September 15, 2019 by steveg

For most businesses, performance reviews are used to support decisions related to career development, compensation, promotions and employee terminations.1 They generally consist of setting clear and specific performance expectations that would be addressed in the following years’ review. However, many companies are replacing annual performance reviews with quarterly performance reviews— and for good reason! Waiting a year to get feedback from your manager can sometimes cause the employee to get further off-track than they would be if they had a quarterly check-in. With more frequent reviews, employees can address mistakes and learning opportunities in real-time. In addition, managers can see how employees performed relative to

How to Plan for a Successful Open Enrollment

Posted on August 13, 2019 by steveg

It’s that time of year again— time for HR to prep for a successful open enrollment! Starting to plan for your company’s open enrollment now, can result in a smoother process. As employee satisfaction becomes an increasingly large factor to attract talent and maintain retention, employers are looking for more ways to exceed their benefit expectations. As you start planning, it is important to consider how you can make the open enrollment period more successful. Let’s dive in! Reflect The first step to success is looking back on last year’s efforts and evaluate what worked and what didn’t work for you and your employees. Each

5 Ways to Improve Your Employee Benefits Management

Posted on August 1, 2019 by steveg

Employee benefits is a wide-ranging topic that can boost engagement, productivity and your business’ bottom line, so it is very important to carefully consider your employee benefits management. This can be a challenging task for many businesses with each employee having a unique situation, questions they want answered and doctors they want to see. As part of our services, we help manage all aspects of the employee benefit onboarding and enrollment for you— making your job a little less stressful. In today’s job market, employers are tasked with structuring employee benefit programs that keep the business competitive and employees motivated. Here are 5 ways to

How to Classify Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Employees

Posted on July 1, 2019 by steveg

You’ve probably heard the terms, exempt and non-exempt, but do you know how to classify the two? The differences between exempt employees and non-exempt employees can cause a lot of confusion for both workers and employers. Whether or not you are entitled to minimum wage and/or overtime pay for working more than 40 hours per week depends on your exemption status, as governed by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). In order to adhere to FLSA, it’s important to correctly classify your employees as exempt vs. non-exempt. What’s the difference between these types of workers and the jobs they hold? Let’s take a look!

How to Effectively Manage Employee Discipline & Terminations

Posted on June 15, 2019 by steveg

Managers often find disciplining employees and making termination decisions challenging. Most HR professionals must deal with these sensitive matters from time to time, while ensuring the business complies with a host of employment laws to prevent the risk of a lawsuit. By implementing a clear plan of action, you can prevent making costly mistakes. Here are a few tips for effectively managing employee discipline and terminations to prevent future problems in the workplace and improve your management skills. Most employees want to be productive and succeed in their jobs, so the proper use of discipline and guidance is important. Each disciplinary and discharge situation is

Benefits for Employers Offering Small Group Plans

Posted on June 1, 2019 by steveg

Small business owners mistakenly believe they either cannot afford to offer benefits to their employees or that they only need to offer the minimum health benefits to them. Today, employees are looking for a more! They want a diverse benefits package that fits their needs. And while going without these types of benefits may save your business money upfront, it can hinder your success in the long run. There are also numerous advantages for employers who offer employee benefits. For example, by providing a well-rounded benefits package, you have a better opportunity to attract and retain quality employees who are committed to the future of

Ways to Improve Remote Worker Communications

Posted on May 14, 2019 by steveg

A key to success in any business is great communication between an employer and its employees. Whether you are hosting a meeting, emailing back and forth, putting together a proposal or on the phone with a client, communication is at the forefront of everything. There is a big shift in employers offering their employees the option to work remotely or from home— it is the way of the future for a modern-day workplace. While this is a huge benefit for employees, it can often lead to new challenges for managers trying to engage and motivate their team. Even with the presence of advanced communication technology

What’s a Stay Interview and How Can It Save Your Business Money

Posted on April 20, 2019 by steveg

As a business, it is important to know how your employees feel about their job and what improvements can be made to make not only them, but your business, more successful. If you are looking to improve engagement and retain key employees, there is one simple step you can take – a “stay” interview. Stay interviews are designed to engage employees before they become dissatisfied. But you have to do them correctly. It takes more time, money and resources to find or replace an employee than it does to retain them. That’s why conducting a stay interview is so important. To pull off a perfect

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