This has been a request from many clients who use QuickBooks Payroll and has long been an effort on our part to provide this service.

To get started, navigate to My Company > Settings > Integrations, and click on Connect to QuickBooks.

We are committed to providing you with the most robust HR platform available and appreciate your comments and support.

EffortlessHR has provided a stand alone HR platform for small to medium sized businesses for 16 years! When we first began, we only wanted to provide solid HR practices for busy business owners. We established a low cost, easy to use, HRIS program that has effectively and efficiently provided continued compliant HR assistance to businesses everywhere.

Over the years, there have been many additional HR programs made available to businesses. Most of these programs have included staffing, payroll, insurance, etc. We stayed with the original goal of providing quality HR services. We did look at partnering with different organizations to provide additional services. Some of these services are:

• Background Checks – through Shareable by Transunion, companies can easily
  and accurately get needed background checks on prospective employees.
• Webinars – provided by Lorman, these various important webinars are available
  to our clients.
• Business Insurance – garner quotes for needed business insurance through
  CoverDash.
• Staffing – Access to risk free On The Job & Incumbent Worker training grants.
• Our partnership with Tarleton State University College of Business’s HRIS
  Project provides training for HR students as they set up the program for you and
  help you create and clarify a set of policies and procedures designed to avoid
  potential costly legal actions.

The one function that we have worked on providing a total HR experience is – Payroll. We worked with some payroll companies, but it was never the right fit. We are pleased to announce that we have finally been able to provide the right payroll fix for our small to medium sized client base – QuickBooks!

Many businesses use this important tool in paying their employees and we are now able to provide an integration of this tool with EffortlessHR. We are now a complete HR Department at your fingertips.

• Intuit and QuickBooks are registered trademarks of Intuit Inc. Used with permission.

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One area that is very important in being prepared is in developing, communicating, and managing company policies.  The most efficient way of doing this is through the company Handbook (or Employee Manual – whichever you call it).  Today it is important because we are in an ever-changing world of laws and regulations – all that impact our working environment.  For example, the COVID pandemic is ended, climate changes have devastated communities requiring new policies in many areas, Federal and State legislatures are debating and passing many regulations impacting businesses, employees are restless in trying to understand what is expected of them, hiring is more difficult than ever, remote workers are reluctant to return to the workplace – and the list goes on and on.

HR’s preparedness is one of the ways to manage this ever-changing turmoil with an up-to-date Handbook, explaining in easy to understand and follow policies.  While Handbooks are not mandated or required by law, they are in fact the cornerstone of any business.  So, why are Handbooks important?  In order to “be prepared” a Handbook can:

• Provide details of the mission, vision and values of the company.
• Communicates company policies and expectations – what the company is expected to provide the employee and in turn sets expectations for employee conduct and performance. 
• Ensures consistent enforcement of company policies.
• Minimizes risks by acknowledging the requirements of important laws and how the company will follow the requirements. 
• Helps minimize conflict.
• Provides a code of conduct and is a valuable resource to employees to understand the culture and values of the organization.

So, the first step in “being prepared” is to prepare a Handbook.  Each Handbook is unique and should be prepared based on the specifics of the organization.  It shouldn’t be copied from some other company’s handbook – it may not be compliant with the state or size of the current company.  Take the time to think of the policies you want to cover.  Talk with management and get agreement.  The worst thing you can do is put a policy in place and never follow it!

Whew – you have a working handbook and it is GREAT!  This area of your job is done!  Well, that may be but laws change.  Companies grow (or down-size).  Handbooks are not carved in stone and are living documents that grow and change based on a variety of issues.  They need to be reviewed on a regular basis.  It is recommended that Handbook Reviews be conducted at least every two years.  It is one of the areas of HR that requires constant management overview.  What goes into a review:

• The “must-haves”
  • Acknowledgments 
  • Harassment Policy
  • Dates and Revision Dates
  • Disclaimers
  • Pay dates and hours of work
  • Leaves (if applicable)
• Compliance of Key Policies – It’s important to go over critical handbook sections that could be subject to change, whether that’s because your business is growing, or regulations are evolving.
  • Leaves and  benefits
  • Wage and Hour
  • Conduct
  • Safety
• New Laws and Regulations – check state and federal laws to make sure you have the correct information in your policy.  For example:
  • Marijuana Laws
  • Paid Sick Leave Laws
  • Paid Family Leave
• Make sure policies reflect the reality of your organization – as stated before – If you don’t follow a policy – don’t include it!!!!

Now you are “prepared”!  Being a Girl Scout has helped me in better understanding and dealing with the HR Department of growing businesses.  

Read original post at Effortless HR Software

There are many things a business can do to keep itself afloat but all of them will not work unless they don’t have a client base. Your customers are the lifeline of your business, your loyal ones, and a constant stream of new customers which allow you to grow your business and accomplish your company’s vision.

Steps to Attract Customers: 

Many steps can be taken to attract customers and build a solid foundation for your company. Firstly, you need to know your business and brand identity inside out. It’s critical to your industry and product as it helps you understand your vision better. You can analyze the situation and take steps accordingly which are more likely to help you succeed. The second thing to usually do is identify your ideal client. It’s easier to seek customers you need which allows you to target more efficiently. You need to research and identify where your targeted customers are more likely to be found. They may be found online on social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or email. Some might be available offline and be targeted through billboards and campaigns.

Marketing Techniques: 

Attracting a customer nowadays is not as easy as before. This has changed because of several reasons. Our marketing techniques have evolved over the years. There are many forms now like content marketing, email marketing, infographics, video marketing, etc. With this, there are different domains to market your product now and reach a customer. One thing that has been common throughout these years and will always be the key to attracting customers is good coordination. Good coordination helps you manage and organize things more proficiently. Make sure, to be honest, and professional in your coordination as customers want to feel assured that they are in good hands and this can form a better solid relationship between the company and client. Good coordination can be achieved by being genuine and respectful, this shows your clients that your company and products are reliable and creates a sense of loyalty automatically. Its human nature to seek compassion hence, virtuous coordination is something that attracts a customer to another level.

Management Roles:

Coordination allows the company’s employers to have a common direction even if you are working in different departments. Well-organized coordination allows a methodical arrangement of combined efforts to accomplish the common goals of your business. Every employee has their own values, ideas, and motivations hence coordination allows synchronization that creates a bond between the organization and individuals. Management can be achieved by incorporation, balance, and timing. Coordination is basically the core of managing a business. As being the main step, coordination is something that’s vital in every step of the company whether it’s technical or ethical. It’s also present in all activities of a company like sales, production, finance, HR, etc.

The absence of it can lead to the management being less effective and purposeful. It is more effective than any other step management can take as not only does it increase efficiency but also helps reduce time, cost, and overall increases the morale and environment of the workplace. More productivity can be generated this way as it makes a direct bond between the key concept and workers. Specialization and division of labor require well-coordinated efforts otherwise, work tends to get mixed up and there’s a waste of time and energy. Unity of action of expanded resources and diversified skills is important as it also tends to invite different perspectives inherent towards organizational goals. Enforcing teamwork is always a challenge hence coordination helps to get rid of the unequal factors and unify the team towards achieving the organization’s one key goal.

Workspace:

Employees don’t always get along and have conflicts and rivalries ongoing in a workplace hence encourage them and boost their team spirit, coordination is the secret. With this, employees feel more motivated which makes them work towards innovations as they feel freedom in terms of creativity. This healthy workspace allows them to feel satisfied and secure ensuring productivity which can only bring good things for the company. In turn, this helps a business achieve its goals and objectives quickly and more efficiently as maximum utilization of energy and resources is being done. With less waste in terms of resources and time, oppositions, conflicts, drama, delays things are more likely to go smoothly.

Achieve Goals:

A workplace is more than just a job, it’s important for the health of the employees and company that the relationship between the team altogether is good and healthy. Coordination helps improving relationships whether you work in sales or HR. Whether you are in the upper level or middle level, it creates a sense of respect and bond that unifies everyone to one common goal. That goal that makes up the company is then achieved more efficiently allowing the company to grow and prosper leading to only good things. The customer is attracted the most by good coordination as it also ensures the goodwill of the organization. It provides customers with high-quality products and services at much lower prices which helps the brand achieve a reputable image and name in the market that ensures trust between the buyer and the seller, simultaneously creating brand loyalty in the mind of a consumer. So to conclude, many things make up a company and many ways to achieve the specific goal of the business but all of it is not possible without coordination and customers and good coordination is what attracts them towards you.

Author Bio:

Arslan Haider is author of the above blog. He has done his Bachelor in Computer Science from University of Wah. He is a professional Guest Blogger at Mediahicon and loves to write blogs on valuable topics.

Read original post at Effortless HR Software

In short, HR plays a vital role in the success of any business. Here are five reasons why HR is so important for business success.

Human Resources Attract and Retain Top Talent

Human resources play a critical role in attracting and retaining top talent. By offering competitive salaries and benefits and creating a supportive and positive work environment, businesses can attract the best employees. Additionally, human resources can help to develop employee retention strategies, such as training and development programs, to keep top talent engaged and committed to the company.

Human resources also play a vital role in managing employee relations. By handling communication between employees and management, mediating disputes, and enforcing company policies, human resources can help to maintain a productive and positive workplace. 

Human Resources Enhance Employee Engagement

Human resources play a vital role in employee engagement. By providing employees with opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge, HR can help them feel more invested in their work and more engaged with their company. 

Additionally, HR can create a positive work environment that encourages employee engagement through policies and practices that support workers’ well-being and satisfaction. When employees are engaged, they are more likely to be productive, creative, and committed to their organization, which can ultimately lead to business success.

Human Resources Improve Organizational Communication

Organizational communication is the process by which information and messages are exchanged between people within an organization. It is a key part of organizational success, as it allows businesses to coordinate activities, share knowledge and communicate goals.

Human resources play a vital role in improving organizational communication. By establishing clear communication channels and fostering a culture of open communication, HR can help ensure that information is shared effectively throughout the organization. This can lead to improved coordination and cooperation between departments, better decision-making, and more effective execution of company strategies. 

In addition, HR can help resolve conflict and build trust within the organization, which are essential for effective communication.

Human Resources Foster a Positive Company Culture

It’s no secret that happy employees lead to a more productive, efficient workplace. But how do you create a positive company culture? It starts with your human resources department.

Human resources play a vital role in creating and maintaining a positive company culture. They’re responsible for hiring employees that fit the company’s values and ensuring that those employees are happy and engaged in their work. 

A positive company culture is essential for business success. It leads to happier, more productive employees and a more efficient workplace. So if you’re looking to improve your company culture, start with your human resources department.

Human Resources Drive Business Strategy Execution

Organizations can only achieve their goals with their employees’ dedication and hard work. From setting the company’s direction to attaining specific objectives, human resources play a critical role in business success.

Here are a few ways that human resources can help drive business strategy execution:

1. Hiring the right employees: The most successful businesses have a team of dedicated and talented employees. Human resources play a vital role in recruiting and hiring the best candidates for open positions. By carefully screening candidates and selecting those who have the skills and abilities to contribute to the company’s success, HR can help build a strong foundation for future growth.
2. Promoting employee engagement: It is important to keep employees engaged and motivated once hired. Human resources can promote employee engagement through initiatives such as communication campaigns, recognition programs, and development opportunities.
3. Managing performance: In order for businesses to achieve their goals, employees need to be held accountable for their performance. Human resources play a key role in managing employee performance by setting expectations, providing feedback, and administering disciplinary action when necessary. 

Conclusion

A company is only as good as its people, and the HR team is responsible for building and maintaining a strong team. A good HR team with the right resources will help your company get the most out of its employees. If you have yet to realize the importance of your HR team in your business, make it a priority now.

Start investing in your HR team now!

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New technologies, data management systems, employee monitoring tools, and security measures are excellent for ensuring workplace safety. Read on for more information on how to use technology for increased safety in the workplace.

Technology Throughout the Human Resources Workflow

Human resources do more than just worker’s compensation and resolving employee conflict. Technology can make nearly every task performed by human resource departments easier (and safer). Below are a few examples of how technology can help the most common human resource duties.

Hiring

One of the primary HR tasks is hiring new talent. However, many departments get overwhelmed with applications, interviews, and sifting through potential candidates. Hiring new employees takes longer than desired, which can cause catastrophic issues in the workplace if critical roles aren’t filled.

Technologies (usually AI) that sort through candidates, screen background information, and eliminate individuals that don’t qualify for the job allow HR to find the best employee for that role.

So, how do hiring technologies help with workplace safety? They diminish bias. Hiring managers won’t see the name, ethnicity, sex, or other potentially bias-influenced factors until they reach the interviewing process. This technology prevents discrimination, creating a safer environment for everyone while building a diverse team.

Analyzing Data

Human error is almost unavoidable regardless of how much experience an HR department has under its belt. Regarding data management, these mishaps can be as minor as a typo or as detrimental as a security breach.

Human resource professionals can use technology to ensure their data remains private and secure. This extra protection is vital for healthcare industries and financial firms, as it protects employee information and patient stats. While a data security system may not help physical workplace safety, it prevents employees from identity theft and financial problems, leading to a confident and safe workplace.

Training

Even the simplest jobs need training, and most managers and supervisors don’t have the time to monitor new employees and their progress.

E-learning technology is an excellent way to train employees effectively and save HR precious time. New hires can learn company policies, safety measures, roles, and potentially difficult situations they might encounter on the job.

Most e-learning courses have quizzes and tests to ensure the employee pays attention and can be customized for relevance to the candidate. Courses may also include safety tutorials, especially in high-risk careers or manufacturing companies.

Extensive training on safety procedures can prevent worker’s compensation cases and difficulties in the future and helps new hires visualize their new role and its connotations. E-learning modules make training simple and time-efficient and provide a paper trail.

Daily On-Site Safety

Of course, online data and training are essential for a workplace to function well, but on-site safety is another primary concern for HR professionals.

There are several ways technology helps improve on-site safety. Below are a few examples of safety-improving tech.

Alarms

Most stores and places with money on-site have at least one alarm system, but recent technology allows for multiple security alerts in multiple modalities. CCTV, tags, and packaging with alarms attached prevent theft or record it without risking employee safety or intervention.

It might seem minor, but having these technologies in place can prevent lawsuits in the future.

Panic Buttons

When you hear the term panic alarm, you may think of your car keys or the red button underneath a bank teller’s desk – but recent technology has evolved to wireless panic alarm systems that connect to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and provide a more discreet option.

Human resources departments can enjoy peace of mind and receive alerts should anything go wrong.

Technology Types That Benefits Human Resources Professionals

Technology is a broad umbrella that covers everything from cloud management to security cameras, and it can take time to decide which options work best for your HR needs. Below are a few options for effective technology for workplace safety.

Wearable Tech

Smartwatches and other wearables may seem like everyday accessories, but they work well in the HR setting and prevent injuries and compliance issues.

Examples of wearable tech include:

• Body monitoring – identifies excessive heart rate, oxygen levels, and other ailments to ensure employee safety on the job. Works best for high-intensity workplaces like manufacturing plants.
• Environmental monitors – these wearables detect potentially harmful fumes or materials. Again, most beneficial for factories or plants that utilize dangerous chemicals.
• Tech-improved suits or clothing

Wearable tech best suits HR professionals that supervise a high-risk environment with several employees. The technology creates alerts in case of emergency and makes the workplace generally safer for all.

Robots & AI

Science fiction movies may present robots as dangerous, ill-intentioned villains, but they actually build the cars we drive and perform complex life-saving surgeries.

Several industries utilize robotics to perform risky tasks or repetitive construction. For example, automotive manufacturers use robots to build cars on the assembly line to minimize the risk of human error or injury (creating much less of a burden for HR departments).

HR professionals can designate potentially harmful tasks to robots to improve safety and eliminate the risk of human error.

Virtual Reality

Like E-learning programs, several industries use VR technology to train new (or longstanding) employees. VR helps individuals feel as if they’re on the job and faced with tasks or problems they may encounter while working.

This method benefits HR professionals by assisting them with onboarding and giving simulated real-life experiences to new hires. HR teams can resolve the issue by implementing more intensive training procedures if the individual performs poorly. Utilizing VR technology assists HR departments by building the safest, most well-trained group of employees possible.

Final Thoughts

A safe workplace benefits everyone. Employees, HR, and executives perform at their best when a place of work functions effectively and accidents stay at a minimum. Whether installing wireless panic button systems or utilizing VR to train future hires, technology creates a safer environment and a less-overwhelmed HR department.

Read original post at Effortless HR Software

The challenge that managers and HR professionals face today is ensuring better engagement, productivity, and performance in their employees while working remotely. 

‘To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.” aptly said 

Doug Conant, CEO of Campbell’s Soup, HR professionals and managers can use HR strategies to reinvigorate their teams and boost performance.

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/prospective-experienced-office-supervisor-responsible-support-1501227686

There are many strategies to help improve employee engagement and, therefore, performance. 

1. Investing in professional development
2. Prioritizing employee health & wellness
3. Recognizing and rewarding employees for their work
4. Encouraging frequent feedback from peers and managers
5. Communicating consistently and authentically

Companies can use many methods to help foster employee engagement and maintain a high-performance culture. Increased employee engagement has been directly linked to higher job satisfaction and productivity. Many companies choose a versatile software like the OKR tool, task management, performance management to improve employee engagement. 

Professional development

As you probably already know, simply hiring someone may not be enough to boost the performance of a specific department of your company. In this case, you have to rely on training.

Training sessions are essential for employees to help them identify their mistakes and know how to make adequate improvements. These training sessions increase job satisfaction and help employees reach their performance goals effectively. Employees are more confident in their skills and knowledge that the company is investing in their professional development, which can increase employee engagement.

Bonobos, an established retail industry for eCommerce products, offers various training programs for its employees. These include “Fit For Success,” which focuses on employee performance management, and “Know Your Customer,” which trains employees to understand the customer experience better. These training sessions have helped employees manage different skills and increase their engagement, efficiency and productivity.  

How can the effectiveness of training sessions metric be improved?

Employees often avoid corporate training programs because these sessions turn into tedious, time-consuming conferences instead of offering practical suggestions. You can make training sessions fun and engaging by

• Taking feedback from your employees. Ask them which skills they think they need to learn to impact their productivity significantly
• Bring in industry leaders for lunch discussions to make sessions more interactive
• Offering employee development opportunities as incentives to increase participation in the training session.

Apart from training and development, employees can be encouraged to attend professional certification courses in their fields of expertise. 

Employee health & wellness

Research shows that employees in good health are more likely to perform better in the workplace. Healthy employees have a better quality of life and a lower risk of disease, illness, and injury, increased work productivity, and a greater likelihood of contributing to their communities. Employee health and wellness mainly address normal stresses, work productively, and realize one’s highest potential. Organizations endeavor to achieve a work-life balance and improve employees’ overall health. Additional wellness benefits include recognition, paid time off, leadership training, and community volunteer projects that improve well-being and workplace engagement are also addressed by organizations to improve employee engagement. 

Some wellness activities include 

• Wellness events (e.g., walking, nutrition, and resilience programs).
• Wellness Services (e.g., screening, health coaching).
• Wellness Training. (e.g., online assessments, learning modules, corporate values. training programs)

Recognition and rewards

Regular feedback sessions are great for building engagement and meaningful relationships with  employees. Organizations can take a step further by recognizing their accomplishments with rewards. For example, gamification, publicly praising employees, and even personalized thank-you notes can go a long way in making employees feel appreciated and like their contribution means something.

Organizations can use an employee reward and recognition platform to make life easier. Doing so can not only help enhance your company culture, but it can also offer employee rewards that recognize their contributions and incentivize them to keep being great.

Frequent feedback from peers and managers

Another important component of employee engagement is performance review comments and feedback. When employees get more feedback on their work performance, they feel that their work matters, and their managers pay attention to their contributions. When employees feel valued, they’re more engaged and productive. Great performance review comments and feedback come from HR professionals and managers.

Optimizing employee performance requires an in-depth understanding of how your team works and how the leader prioritizes every individual’s growth and development. This is possible by promoting an environment that is conducive to boosting productivity. 

Goldman Sachs, a company founded in 1869, transformed its traditional system of assessing employee performance management by “providing high-quality and constant ongoing feedback” that, the CEO claims, is the company’s main driving force. 

Tracking the progress of employees is paramount. But it isn’t enough to ensure long-term growth and development. Whether a team member is doing well or needs improvement, provide feedback to guide them toward completing their goals. This also encourages them to give their best and stay productive.

Here are some valuable tips when structuring a dual-feedback system:

• Employees should be trained to keep boundaries between their personal and professional lives. Any feedback they give the other should not be unsolicited or unrelated to work performance.
• Make sure everyone knows how to offer “specific” feedback. Merely saying, “Your work needs to be improved,” can leave an employee confused about which aspect of work needs to be improved. Managers should be specific about their needs and should be able to communicate them.
• Positive feedback is as necessary as corrective feedback. If managers keep giving corrective feedback without encouragement, employees will likely lose motivation to put in additional effort.

Communicate consistently and authentically.

Every organization wants engaged employees who are committed and likely to stick around. But as sweeping industry disruption, mergers and increasingly demanding customers consume our attention, employee engagement often takes a back seat.

The link between job engagement and internal communication is becoming more apparent. The top reasons employees quit their jobs are often related to communication. Poor communication could be a lack of clear direction from management or constant change that is not well communicated.

Final Thoughts

Improving engagement ripple effect on employee job satisfaction, customer experience, company credibility, and profitability. Planning well for it and using the right tools to measure employee engagement is essential. The data you get will be authentic and actionable in improving engagement. One of the best ways to measure employee engagement is through the OKR framework . They are meaningfully framed Objectives and Key Results designed and tracked to improve business performance. The definition of OKR is to set objectives for the future and measure those objectives with Key Results. Objectives are the broad goals of a company, department, or person, and the key Result is the success measurement of that objective.

Author Bio:

Sasi Dharan, Marketing Manager, Profit.co, 

In his current role, he leads the Digital Marketing Team. He has a decade of experience in Project management, Operation Excellence Consulting, and Digital Marketing. 

He is passionate about creating new approaches to brand awareness and demand generation. He is passionate about learning new technologies and strategies in marketing and deploying them in his organization. He is also an avid traveler and a biker who has traveled almost 7000miles in a year.

Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasiceo

Twitter : https://twitter.com/SasiDha56015764

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• Signs your employees are suffering
• The benefits of a positive workplace attitude
• Simple ways to boost staff morale & wellbeing

Ready to help your staff stay healthy and happy? Keep reading and we’ll show you how… 

 https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-people-sitting-indoors-3184314/ ] 

Signs your employees need help

It’s unreasonable to expect that your workplace will be a happy and positive environment 100% of the time, but there are some common telltale signs which can indicate a deeper problem. Here are some signs that your employees are suffering at work:

• Increased employee absence 
• Formation of cliques or small groups
• Negativity, gossip and conflict 
• Lack of motivation and initiative
• Poor performance 

If you notice that your staff are missing deadlines, struggling to communicate or gossiping due to a lack of communication, it’s time to act to prevent it from getting worse. 

Benefits of a happy workplace 

A negative working environment can have a detrimental effect on your business, from missed deadlines resulting in unhappy clients or stressed staff leading to increased absences. 

But when a workplace is thriving, your business will be too. Happy staff are far more likely to find that creativity and productivity flow, as does the will to contribute toward the success of the business. 

On a personal level, your team will show reduced stress levels and enjoy a sense of achievement, wellbeing and purpose. Productive employees can also lead to lower operating costs meaning your business achieves a far better bottom line.

How to boost employee morale & wellbeing 

• Have regular one-on-one meetings

Having consistent meetings not only helps to boost their morale and sense of wellbeing, but they also help to build a vital sense of trust, safety and security with your staff. To make your one-to-ones as successful as possible, you need to prioritise the structure and regularity of the meetings.

Make sure each of your regular check-ins touch on relevant points that matter to both your employee and your business. These chats should be a two-way street which provide a safe space for all concerns to be raised, whether it’s pain points at work, career progression or personal issues. 

• Be transparent and open

Nothing makes employees feel worse than the sense that they’re divided, alone or in the dark when it comes to business matters. And if you want honesty and transparency from your team, you’ll be expected to provide the same in return.

By being transparent and open, you’ll help to create a culture where your staff feel safe coming to you with troubles or concerns. Not only does this mean you can intervene early on, but your employees won’t feel like they have to bottle up their worries leading to further stress at work. 

• Host regular team events

A large part of having a healthy and happy company culture comes down to the way employees feel about their relationships with each other. Hosting regular team events is a great option to help build trust and team bonding long-term. Some event ideas include:

• Team sports day
• Trivia, quiz or games night
• Dinner or drinks
• Daily huddle sessions
• Escape rooms
• Volunteering
• Baking competitions
• Creative challenges

Even if your staff work in hybrid or remote positions, you can still host events that cater for everyone. Just ensure it is accessible, whether meeting up at a mutually convenient location or hosting a quiz night via Zoom. 

• Keep technology up to date

Whether your staff are home-based or not, it’s vital to ensure they all have the tools they need to do their job without frustration. And in the modern age, that means laptops that aren’t slow, software subscriptions that help streamline their workflow and accessories that work. 

Not only will taking the frustration out of your employee’s day increase their productivity, but it will let them know that their happiness is a priority and that you’re willing to invest in their success. 

• Improve the office environment

A drab and dreary office can be a serious motivation and mood zapper. There is also plenty of research detailing the link between getting enough sunlight and overall levels of happiness. So if you want happy, healthy and motivated staff, show them you care by keeping their office in great condition. 

Ways to do this include:

• Ensuring proper storage solutions
• Preventing the build-up of mess and clutter
• Keeping furniture maintained and up to date 
• Regular cleaning of windows to boost natural light 
• Hiring a regular office cleaner 
• Keeping washrooms clean & stocked up
• Provide drinks, snacks and breakroom supplies

If you’re not sure where to start, why not send your employees a poll to find out what their pain points are in the office and where things could be improved? 

• Offer wellness benefits 

When it comes to mental wellbeing, it’s important that your staff feel adequately supported by your organisation. And whilst you can’t always offer the correct support alone, you can ensure that your team has fast and easy access to the professional assistance they need.

If you’re looking to boost morale and wellness, now is the perfect time to analyse your health packages to see if they offer the right level of support. You can also add wellness to your benefits package, by offering perks such as counselling, yoga retreats or mental health days off. 

• Encourage growth & development 

Career stagnation not only leads to unhappy employees, but it can seriously affect your bottom line when staff turnover is high, or motivation is in short supply. Let’s be realistic – the majority of your employees will see their position as one in many points in their career, and if you want to retain talent, you’ll need to champion their growth. 

To do this effectively, communication is key. From crafting individual development plans to providing continuous professional development opportunities as a benefit, work with each member of your team to help them improve their skills. 

• Offer truly great benefits

Long gone are the days when a parking space or free tea and coffee were big influencers when it came to winning top talent. Nowadays, there are plenty of companies out there with big budgets, willing to offer job browsers seriously impressive benefits to win them over.

If you want to keep your employees happy, you don’t have to invest thousands, but simply offer them truly useful benefits that align with their values. This could include regular technology reviews, childcare vouchers, food discounts, free healthcare or days off on their birthday. 

With the rise of remote working, flexibility alone is a highly beneficial perk which can prevent employees from stressing about childcare, taking the hassle out of juggling their family life and work life. 

–

Now you know how to boost employee morale and wellbeing to ensure your team is safe, happy and productive. Question is, where will you start?

Read original post at Effortless HR Software

Caption: It is almost impossible to get everything done during a busy workday without strong time management skills. 

Time management is a vital human skill that plays a significant role in the workplace. If you aren’t meeting deadlines or completing your work, you might struggle with career advancement. This is why professional resume builders often recommend that workers list time management along with effective communication, active listening, and other soft skills on their resume. 

In addition to helping you succeed in the workplace, a study published by the National Library of Medicine found that strong time management skills can lead to enhanced wellbeing and life satisfaction. Keep reading to learn about how you can improve your time management skills.

URL: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-using-laptop-computer-and-mobile-phone-in-an-office-4968560/

Improving Your Time Management Skills

Lack of proper time management is often seen in workers who do not feel a sense of urgency or have a habit of procrastinating. Whatever the case may be, the list below contains details on how to effectively manage your time and get more work done.

1. Start Scheduling 

Scheduling provides a solid structure for your daily activities at work or home. Your schedule should contain every task you have for the day and how long you think you think it will take to complete. It should also contain a contingency time allowance between your completion time and the deadline set by your office. 

Another thing your schedule should contain is a priority tag so you can easily see what tasks you should tackle straight away. Software engineers have provided various applications that can help you save your schedule digitally. 

1. Limit Distractions and Unproductive Activities 

There are many things that can distract you from completing work tasks at the appointed time. It could be social media messages, texts from family and friends, or aspects of your personal life that are stressing you out mentally. 

Whatever the distraction may be, it is going to make you lose focus and spend more than the allotted time on tasks even when you have a schedule. This is why you should try to avoid looking at your phone or social media websites while you are trying to work. You could keep distracting devices in another room or turn airplane mode. 

1. Create a Regular Sleep Schedule 

The benefits of getting regular sleep cannot be overemphasized. The CDC recommends that most adults get at least seven hours of sleep a night. Make sure you go to bed early so you can wake up on time and still be refreshed. With your mind and body well rested, you can concentrate better on your responsibilities. 

To improve your sleep quality, avoid looking at electronic distractions at least one hour before bedtime. Many people also find that it helps to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.  

1. Break Large Tasks Down to Make Them More Manageable 

When you are faced with a major task that requires a lot of time and focus, it would make sense to break it into small tasks and assign a time frame for completing each small task. Instead of viewing the small task as part of the whole, view it as an individual task with a limited timeline. This will create a sense of urgency that speeds up the process and allows you to get more work done. 

When you have completed all the small tasks, merge them into the final task and make sure there is a logical flow between all the parts. Remember to leave ample time between when the job is due and when you consolidate tasks. 

1. Set Realistic Timelines 

No amount of scheduling and planning will work if you do not set realistic objectives and timelines for completing those objectives. Do not try to stretch yourself out too thin, because you will burn out or make a mistake that sets you back significantly. 

To set realistic timelines, write down everything you need and have to do for the completion of the task at hand. Find out if you have the resources required and set milestones based on what is available. This is the best way to set realistic timelines and projections for completing your work. 

In Summation 

If you have applied all these time management strategies above and you still have trouble getting work done, you may want to consider switching careers. Sometimes, a lack of passion can affect productivity and time management. You can quickly switch into a tech career by enrolling in a coding bootcamp like General Assembly, or you can take online classes in a field that interests you.

Read original post at Effortless HR Software

A McKinsey survey found that nine out of 10 organizations intend to combine remote and in-person work in the years to come. While a hybrid work schedule has many benefits, it can also lead to new challenges.

Understanding how to maintain good communication and positive employee engagement throughout your company while managing a hybrid workplace can be hard. 

One way to ensure everyone is on the same page is to run successful meetings with both in-person and remote employees.

Let’s go over some strategies to run a successful hybrid meeting. 

Photo by Roman Samborskyi on Shutterstock

1. Provide a Clear Agenda 

In order to organize an efficient meeting, you’ll need to provide a clear agenda in advance. This can help keep the meeting on track, give the meeting purpose, allow everyone to contribute their part, clarify expectations, and aid you in decision-making. 

Provide an outline that includes the date, time, duration, location, who is responsible for each item listed on the agenda, and how much time is allotted for each topic.

Having a clear end time on the agenda will help employees plan their day efficiently. 

2. Use a Large Screen 

It can be hard to feel kinship with coworkers you haven’t met in person or don’t see regularly. Because of this, in-person staff and remote team members may feel disconnected from each other.

To fight this breakdown, host hybrid meetings in a room with access to a large screen or projector to ensure everyone can see and be seen. Being able to put a face with a name will help employees feel more connected and engage in more personable relationships.

A large screen will also make it easier to view digital material a presenter might have as a visual aid.

Investing in digital signage can help you broadcast your meetings and keep employees up-to-date on scheduled meetings and other important company statistics and announcements. Information can be shared with in-person employees on a screen or with at-home workers via a secure URL. 

Sharing a large screen with the in-person team will help you manage technical issues and keep the meeting on task.

3. Focus on All Attendees 

Giving each attendee or team an allotted time to speak helps keep the meeting on track and gives everyone a chance to interact. 

It’s important that everyone knows a bit about each attendee. Hosting online happy hours, trivia, or other team-building exercises will help everyone feel more connected and allow meetings to run smoothly.

Make sure the time of the meeting works for all attendees. If remote workers work in different time zones, this can get tricky. You will need to communicate with them and make a plan that works for everyone.

For those who cannot attend, give them a link to the recorded meeting and an outline of what was discussed and decided.

If there is a new team member at the meeting, take a few minutes to introduce them and allow everyone remote and in-person time to introduce themselves to the new member.

Build trust with your employees by letting them know you value their input and appreciate their work. Make sure you ask them thoughtful questions regarding their work and allow others to feel empowered to ask each other questions. 

4. Lead the Meeting 

Managing remote and in-person workers can be challenging. New technology can be a crucial tool for managing a hybrid team effectively.

Make sure the technology you plan to use during the meeting is in working order ahead of time. Check in with all your online employees to ensure their equipment is working and ask them if they need any assistance. 

Getting all the technological kinks out of the way before the meeting is a fundamental part of hosting a successful hybrid meeting. Utilize user-friendly platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or GoogleMeet, and make sure employees can also send messages on the screen during the meeting. 

If employees have trouble with the meeting platform, calmly walk them through the process. Allow for more time during the meeting if one of the attendees hasn’t used the platform before.

During the meeting, make sure everyone is staying on topic and following the agenda, and that it’s running on time. Allow people a little leeway, but also understand that most people want to stay on schedule. 

5. Ask for Employee Feedback

Asking for employee feedback is a great way to learn from each meeting. Ask employees what they think worked, what didn’t work, and what could be done differently for the next meeting. 

Gaining input directly after the meeting will help them give you reliable feedback. The experience will be fresh in their minds and they’ll be more likely to produce helpful feedback.

You can ask everyone for a comment at the end of the meeting or remind attendees that you’ll send out an email requesting their feedback.

In your email, provide questions or a link to a survey. There are numerous survey tools that can help with this, like HR Cloud or 15Five.

Technology Can Make Things Easier 

While there are many important factors to running a successful integrated workplace, facilitating successful hybrid meetings is vital. Providing a user-friendly web design for your business that helps remote employees access important resources and benefits can also help keep them in the loop. 

Using tools that both in-person and remote workers can use to communicate openly is important to maintain connectivity and increase engagement. Use tools like Slack, Trello, and Zoom to help employees stay in contact. Integrate cloud computing services to help boost productivity and save money.

Running successful meetings is essential for the productivity of a hybrid workplace. Having a clear agenda, user-friendly technology, strong leadership, and open communication will help your meetings be productive.

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How do you maintain a positive work environment when promoting from within?

After all, your staff comprises people you’ll see and interact with regularly. You’ve undoubtedly spent countless hours with team building and collaboration. It would be a shame to see all that hard work disappear due to hard feelings.

Even when the promotion decision is solid and supported by the rest of your staff, the transition period can be awkward. One day Joe is a colleague, and the next, he’s the boss.

It changes the dynamic in the best co-working relationships.

So, how do you support cohesion when other team members are unhappy with your decision? What is the best way to soothe workers who were passed over in favor of one of their peers?

The Benefits of Internal Promotion

As a recruitment and retention tool, it’s tough to beat internal mobility. After all, opportunities for career advancement are one of the main reasons professionals cite for choosing a specific company or staying with their current employer.

From a business standpoint, internal promotions make sense.

First and foremost, they save time and money. Outside recruitment can be costly, and it’s often a gamble. What if the new manager doesn’t quite jibe with the corporate culture? Someone who knows your company and already has skin in the game will be ready to onboard to a managerial role in a shorter time and already have a relationship with the customers and team.

Internal mobility inspires the rest of your staff to step up their game. When workers see that their efforts will be rewarded, it empowers them to do better.

A promotion should be a cause for celebration all around, right?

When Staff Promotions Adversely Affect Workplace Morale

According to the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management (VDHRM), up to 80% of all workplace conflict stems from animosity between co-workers. This is especially true in a highly competitive field, such as sales. Still, it can creep into even the most seemingly harmonious work environment if not handled with care and consideration.

Effective leaders know how to avoid such situations and create a healthy, productive work environment.

5 Ways to Avoid Conflict After Promoting a Staff Member

One unhappy employee may be a matter of conflicting personalities or a difference of opinion. Several disgruntled workers can derail your company, impact productivity, and affect your bottom line.

Promoting staff members is yet another instance where taking a proactive approach is your best line of defense. If your workplace is generally happy and harmonious, major business decisions like a staff promotion will only increase workplace morale and incentivize other employees to realize their potential.

Here are five tips to help you do it right.

1. Position the Promotion as a Win for the Team

Involved, observant managers and business owners sometimes benefit from objectivity when identifying natural leaders among their staff. Many times. It’s also apparent to team members.

Who’s the person they turn to when they need to raise a point or demand action from the boss?

Which co-worker keeps everyone organized and on-point?

However, there will always be one or two dissatisfied workers who feel that they work as hard or accomplish just as much and never get noticed for their efforts. When they are constantly passed over for promotions or feel that their work goes unrecognized and unrewarded, dissatisfaction and employee turnover are the results.

When you position the advancement of one employee as a win for the team, it helps them to feel included and valued.

Encourage them to join you in congratulating the recipient of the promotion. Highlight how success is a team effort supported by exemplary leadership within the group. Emphasize that helping their coworker succeed in the new position reflects positively on the team and furthers the company’s mission.

Thriving companies poised for growth and expansion also mean further opportunities for advancement among staff members.

2. Maintain an Open Door Policy

Effective leaders always keep the door open to staff members. If the new position was down to more than one candidate or you notice that news of the promotion was less than favorably received, schedule a private sit down with each affected employee.

Don’t beat around the bush. Get straight to the heart of the matter immediately by stating why you called the meeting. Then, let them know that you understand their disappointment. Provide a full picture of why the person who received the promotion was chosen and offer specific reasons why they were not.

Try to be as diplomatic and straightforward as possible. Offer encouragement and concrete suggestions that will help them advance in the future.

3. Help Staff Members Develop a Career Planning Strategy

Don’t pay lip service to vague assurances of future promotions. Actively work with staff who have been passed over for advancement to plan a career advancement strategy. Address specific reasons why they were not selected at this time and offer remedies.

For example, it could be that the employee lacks experience. This is something that time can take care of. Perhaps they’re unsure of their capabilities, and that’s what’s holding them back from reaching their potential.

Help set your staff up for success by offering encouragement and support. Provide opportunities to build confidence and take on more responsibility, such as putting them in charge of a project.

Above all, don’t give false hope if there is no chance for that employee to advance. There’s nothing worse for morale than a leader who dangles promises with no plan for a payoff in the future. Never mention a specific future salary increase or job title.

If an employee is truly better remaining in a support position than rising to a leadership role, outline why you value their unique skills and abilities in their current role.

4. Help Your Rising Star Make the Transition

Don’t forget to support and empower the person receiving the promotion. It will take some time for them to adjust to their new role, and their ability to step up with confidence will impact how the rest of the team responds.

5. Be Transparent

We’ve all been there at one time or another. A less capable co-worker, a friend of the family, or the boss’s niece gets the best leads, first pick of vacation days, or the promotion you’ve been working toward for years.

I’m not saying that any of these choices couldn’t be the right person for the job. It’s just that, in my experience, such promotions or hires rarely work out. They also lead to staff dissatisfaction and lack of trust, especially when they’re based on anything less than merit and experience.

When considering which staff members to elevate to a higher position, it’s best to avoid even the appearance of favoritism. Try to keep irrelevant factors out of the equation. Set personal feelings, relationships, and other factors aside and consider who is the best person to lead your team or help your company stay on track to fulfill its mission and goals.

If that person is also the owner’s nephew, you should be able to lay out the reason for that decision with concrete facts.

You don’t necessarily need to break out the presentation software and create a point-by-point outline of your managerial decisions or process. But, transparency is always a solid best practice when managing your most important asset, your team.

This goes hand-in-hand with the previous point. An effective leader doesn’t need to justify their decisions, but the process should be transparent.

Larger companies can consider announcing the move via a press release on their website and social media. However, this should not be how the rest of your staff hears the news.

Word of the promotion can be delivered via email and in a company newsletter. Still, you should also announce the decision to your staff, such as during a weekly staff meeting or corporate event. Other candidates under consideration should hear the news first, in private.

Whatever the delivery method, highlight the qualifications, contributions, and successes of the promoted staff member. You should always stand firmly by your decision, but it doesn’t hurt to inform your staff how and why the decision was made.

Final Thoughts

Managing human resources isn’t for the faint of heart. You must keep the staff happy and engaged while keeping your eye on what’s best for the business.

Whether in a leadership position at a large multinational corporation or a small business owner positioning key staff members to help you scale, internal mobility can be tricky to navigate if handled badly.

About the Author:

Uday Tank is a serial entrepreneur and content marketing leader who serves the international community at Rankwisely. He enjoys writing, including marketing, productivity, business, health, diversity, and management.

Read original post at Effortless HR Software