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….
What Is Recruitment Management: Definition, Process & Costs
Recruitment management is the process of recruiting and selecting employees. It includes activities like placing job ads to find people, reviewing application forms, and scheduling interviews. A recruitment management system often adds automation―standardizing, simplifying, and speeding up the recruitment and selection process. Fortunately, some recruitment management software tools have free plans for small businesses. provides…
How to Create a Free Weekly Schedule (+Template)
Building a work schedule is easy if you start with a free weekly schedule template. It provides space to enter employee names, their work days and times, a list of tasks they’ll be assigned, and how many hours they’ll work. That helps ensure work gets done, and you don’t end up paying unexpected overtime. Small…
Restaurant Manager Job Description [+Free Template]
A restaurant manager job description outlines the duties and responsibilities of a restaurant manager’s role. Restaurant managers schedule workers, ensure excellent food quality, provide friendly customer service, and keep food and labor costs under control. A restaurant manager job description template makes it easy to modify restaurant manager job duties to your specific restaurant. If…
7 Best Performance Management Systems
Performance management software provides tools to assess your employees’ on-the-job performance, and suggestions to help them improve. The best performance review systems increase employee engagement and support a culture of improvement. We looked at multiple performance management systems to simplify goal setting, streamline employee feedback, provide peer praise, and track metrics visually. 7 Best Performance…
Federal Labor Laws & State Employment Laws
Federal labor laws, like the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and related state laws affect all businesses with employees. They govern workforce practices like overtime, minimum wage, on-call pay, employee breaks, and sick leave as well as hiring minors and preventing discrimination. Employer compliance with labor laws can help you avoid thousands of dollars in…
7 Best Org Chart Software
Organizational chart (org chart) software lets you document the reporting hierarchy within your company. The best org chart software offers drill-down features to view multiple levels of management. Org charting tools may start at free for one user―or cost hundreds a month, depending on your company size and how many org charts you build. Best…
Hiring Independent Contractors in 8 Steps
Companies hire contractors for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes, they have short-term projects or part-time work that doesn’t warrant hiring a new employee. They should take care to only work with qualified contractors that fit their budget. The recruiting process is similar to that of hiring employees, except that it’s not as regulated. If you’re…
Tipped Minimum Wage by State
Tipped minimum wage is the lowest amount that employers, like restaurants and resorts, can pay tipped employees. Currently, it’s $2.13 per hour (federal law), but each state has its own regulations—for example, paying a lower minimum wage is illegal in California. It can save money, but participating employers are subject to oversight. If you need…
How to Calculate Bonuses for Employees
The way you choose how to calculate bonuses for employees can affect company morale. Performance bonuses encourage personnel to work toward achieving individual and company goals, and nonperformance bonuses can make everyone feel appreciated. You can multiply an employee’s total sales earned by a fixed bonus percentage or pay a flat rate to everyone. is…