In a word, HR oversees the “people” stuff. It has both tactical (hiring, benefits enrollment) and strategic (leadership training, risk avoidance, diversity) roles. You can place the specific HR functions a business needs into buckets, depending on its size. For startups, HR may run payroll but focus more on building culture as the company grows….
What Is Holiday Pay? (+ Free Holiday Pay Policy Template)
Holiday pay is not required, but to remain competitive, U.S. businesses voluntarily pay employees for an average of 7.6 holidays per year—typically New Year’s, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. When employees are required to work on a holiday, businesses often provide additional compensation or a floating day off instead. Holiday Pay…
How to Calculate Vacation Accrual (+Free PTO Calculator)
Small businesses offering paid time off (PTO) must manage accruals accurately to avoid labor law violations. Our vacation / PTO accrual calculator lets you determine the appropriate accrual rate to use per pay period based on your business work days, hours in a work week, and how many days of PTO / vacation you offer…
Top 25 Office Holiday Party Ideas
Office holiday parties boost morale and teamwork. With winter festivities around the corner, it’s important to consider holiday party ideas that will get your employees in the spirit of the season. You have numerous options, from affordable team community service events to pricey all-out entertainment with lots of cool food and event options sandwiched between….
Employment Contract—Definition & What to Include
An employment contract is a written employment agreement documenting the shared rights and responsibilities between your company and a W-2 employee or 1099 contract worker. It’s commonly used when bringing in upper-level management, short-term contract employees, or freelancers. You can use our employment contract template to create a document that’s legally enforceable. If you’re looking…
How to Prevent Harassment in the Workplace
Preventing workplace harassment means you prohibit inappropriate behavior by co-workers, clients, and vendors toward your employees. It supports the intent of anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws meant to protect your staff. Identifying and preventing workplace harassment is crucial to a healthy productive work environment. We’ll provide nine tips showing how to prevent harassment in the workplace….
15 Tips For Managing Payroll Effectively
Payroll management is a system for processing employee paychecks (salaries, bonuses, deductions), complying with labor laws, and maintaining adequate documentation. It’s important that businesses learn tips for managing payroll effectively, because it directly affects their financial health. In 2017, the IRS assessed almost $7 billion in civil penalties from non-compliance of employment tax requirements. Here…
Free Employee Schedule Templates & Instructions
Using free employee schedule templates saves time from having to manually create Excel-based employee schedules. Employers can choose from numerous templates depending on their business hours and scheduling pattern, including one-day, weekly, 24/7, and shift. Free Excel Employee Schedule Templates & How to Use Them To help schedule your employees, we’ve provided four kinds of…
6 Best Employee Time Tracking Apps for 2020
Employee time tracking apps support managers and employees by monitoring hours and overtime worked using mobile devices. When determining the best app, cost—some are free while others cost a few dollars a month per worker—ease of use, and scheduling capabilities are most important to consider. Online storage for time worked data is also essential. Top…
Why Human Resources Is Important for Small Businesses
Human resources (HR) is the function within a business that’s responsible for the “people stuff.” It encompasses a broad array of disciplines from recruiting to compensation. In short, HR staff ensure your workers are hired, paid, and productive. Choosing to embrace HR at your company can maximize business performance, improving both customer satisfaction and profitability….
Top 15 Fireable Offenses in the Workplace
Employees who don’t fit the company’s culture tend to behave in a way that disrupts productivity. Behaviors like discrimination and dishonesty are fireable offenses and create more harm than good, even from the most skilled and highest performers. When this happens, it’s essential for business owners to have concrete procedures and reasons to fire someone….
Earnings Withholding Orders for Employers
An earnings withholding order is a court-issued document requiring employers to withhold and remit money from an employee’s paycheck to pay a creditor for an unpaid debt. Some examples of this debt are past due student loans and delinquent tax bills. To avoid liability, employers should immediately and only withhold what’s required in the order….