Changing Organizational Culture One Person At A Time

As a small employer, hiring your first employee may seem like a daunting task. What do you do first? What impact will it have on how you file your tax information? How systems do you have to have in place? What costs are involved? What laws do I need to comply with? What are my responsibilities to maintain confidentiality in an age of cyber attacks? How do I determine if an employee is exempt or non-exempt? What policies if any, should I institute?  Luckily, there is a wealth of information available on the web help you, but it is all about knowing where to look.  And then making sure you comply.  Some small employers mistakenly rely on their sense that if they only have a small team, compliance with legal requirements when it comes to personnel files, invasion of privacy, workplace safety, anti-discrimination and compliance in relation to posting notices is something they can - well, "stretch". Below are sites that will provide guidance and information on a...

Many small business owners may not be aware of the hidden costs of employee turnover. While the causes of employee turnover may be unavoidable in certain small business (constraining salary budgets, lack of career track progression) many other factors may be in play.  The exit interview is not a forum for changing a departing employee's mind, but it may be the forum for finding out how you can prevent any future losses. In November 2012, the Center for American Progress published a study in which they estimated that: "• For workers earning less than $50,000 annually.... Business Costs to Replacing Employees = 20 percent of salary, the same as across positions earning $75,000 a year or less..." • Among positions earning $30,000 or less... The typical cost of turnover ... is 16 percent of an employee’s annual salary" So what should you ask, and who should do the asking?  Exit interviews can be done in-person or after the departure of an employee via computerized...

According to a nationwide study in 2011 by Kenexa , the top 5 reasons why employees quit their jobs are: Lack of opportunities for professional development (30%) Inadequate compensation (28%) Boredom/lack of challenge (27%) Poor work/life balance (20%) Job stress and unfair treatment (20%) For small business owners, providing professional development to a growing and increasingly competent workforce can be expensive.  There are however, some good short term options for employers that do not have to cost so much.  One of the best I have come across is MindTools  .  It is a club which charges an annual membership fee ($1 for the first month, then $19 / month or $27 month ) which is well worth it.  They offer succinct articles, discussions and videos as well as reading recommendations on a host of leadership, management and other topics. Other options are often to be found in your local Small Business Development Center , and sites like bizfilings.com. ...

The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) is in the process of creating a new task force to prevent and address the issue of workplace harassment. The newly sworn in Commissioner of the EEOC commented that: "The EEOC is working to leverage our resources to have a greater impact on the persistent problem of workplace harassment," said Yang. "By identifying underlying problems in workplaces and industries where we see recurring patterns of harassment, we are developing strategies that focus on targeted outreach and education as well as systemic enforcement to promote broader voluntary compliance." Small business owners need to be aware that the EEOC will be looking with equal force at employers across industries, and they need to be sure that they take precautionary measures to educate themselves and their employees on the nature of harassment and discrimination. Many employers may not be aware that they are responsible, and their supervisors are...

For small business owners, the process of hiring new staff can be daunting.  From understanding how to put a job description together, to the wording - and placement of job advertisements, and the vetting and interviewing of applicants.  There is a lot to navigate! The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the first act to forbid discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, physical disability, sex or national origin.  This included all forms of potential discrimination that could take place in the workplace such as in selection, promotion, compensation, assignment of roles and termination.  Further amends to the Act in the Civil Rights Act of 1991, expanded the rights of victims to receive punitive and compensatory damages for intentional discrimination, as well as giving them the right to a jury trial. Here are some links to useful information you can use to put together an effective job description: https ://www.sba.gov/content/writing-effective-job-descripti...