Blog - Prescott HR

Kimberly Prescott
Blog
March 27, 2023

The Pros and Cons of Workplace Napping

Napping… at work? Your immediate reaction as an employer may be “no way,” but you may be surprised to learn that there are many benefits to allowing your team to rest up while at work. Have you ever considered allowing your team to power nap during work hours? Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of workplace napping from the team at Prescott HR!

What can a workplace nap look like?

If workplace napping is a new concept to you, we want to explain what the practice could look like. The concept of the workplace nap become popular in recent years as companies in places like Silicon Valley improved their work culture with “nap pods” or nap rooms. We want to be clear that napping in the workplace is not an activity that takes place over an extended period of time. A workplace nap can be a quick power nap in a designated area, so they can recharge their batteries for a more productive work day.

The Pros of Workplace Napping

Now that you understand how a workplace nap could play out at your organization, here are the benefits for why you should consider allowing this practice at your office:

Increase energy: Americans are not getting enough sleep. A quick power nap can help boost your employees’ energy, so they can be more productive throughout the day.

It’s healthy: An effective power nap has been shown to help reduce stress levels, curb anxiety, and improve overall health benefits.

Boost your mood: Sometimes the stress of the workplace can eat away at your team members. The beauty of a quick power nap is that your team members can take a moment to unplug and feel refreshed, which can help boost their overall mood.

Competitive work perk: As more companies search for ways to recruit and retain their workforce, allowing naps in the workplace is a pretty great selling point. Keep up with the competition by allowing your office to experience this unique work perk.

The Cons of Workplace Napping

Like all office policies, workplace napping does have its downsides. Here are the cons of workplace napping for your organization to consider:

This may take time: Allowing workplace naps may be a pretty big cultural shift for your workplace, and with all changes, it could take time for your team to adapt.

Not everyone will want to: In that same breath, not everyone likes to nap during the day. This could cause conflict between your team members.

Shifts will need to be covered: If you have a team member who is taking a power nap, someone will need to be responsible for covering their tasks while they are unavailable. This can become problematic for someone who is responsible for answering important calls or greeting guests.

Work with Prescott HR

Does your organization need help to update office policies like workplace napping? We are here to help! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help your organization evaluate your current policies and incorporate new ones, as needed. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with precisely what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
Blog
March 20, 2023

Why You Should Outsource Your HR

As business owners or managers, we get inundated day-to-day with various office issues that arise. Don’t let your human resources bog you down. Instead, have you considered outsourcing your HR services to an outside firm? There are many benefits to outsourcing your company’s HR services. Keep reading to learn more from the experts at Prescott HR!

What is Outsourced HR?

Before we begin, let’s define what outsourced HR is first, in case you are not familiar with the concept. Your organization can outsource your HR needs with an independent HR consulting group. This can encompass a variety of different HR services, including payroll tasks, administrative HR responsibilities, employee relations, or more specific services like employee benefits design. Outsourced HR is for organizations who want to free up some of the time they spend on HR tasks to focus on other business needs. It’s also a great option for companies that cannot afford to staff an entire in-house HR department.

Why Try Outsourced HR?

Now that you have a better understanding of how outsourced HR works, there are many reasons to consider trying outsourced HR support at your organization.

Save Money: While your organization will still need to pay for outsourced HR services, the price will not be nearly as high as staffing your own in-house HR department.

Save Time: Instead of relying on upper management to try to deal with human resources responsibilities, outsourcing your HR can free up time for them to focus on other important aspects of running your business.

Help Your Employees: If you work with an experienced HR consulting firm, they should possess the knowledge and expertise to deliver a better experience for your organization and your employees.

Grow Your Business: If you are interested in expanding your business in the coming years, you’re going to need some help. Outsourced HR consultants can help you establish your long-term business goals and assist with important expansion factors, like recruiting and onboarding a growing team.

Compliance Considerations: The rules of HR are always changing. You want to make sure that your organization remains compliant at all times, which is where an outsourced HR firm can help. HR professionals are required to stay up-to-date on all changing employee-relations laws and compliance issues, so you don’t have to.

What Outsourced HR Services Does Prescott HR Offer?

At Prescott HR, we offer a variety of services that your organization can outsource to help save you time and money. Here are some of our most popular outsourced services:

Employee relations
Federal EEO investigation guidance
Business strategy alignment
Employee handbook and policy development
Job descriptions
Benefit design

These are just a few of the many services Prescott HR offers that can help alleviate your organization’s human resources responsibilities.

Outsource Your HR with Prescott HR

Are you ready to outsource your organization’s HR services and make your life easier? We are here to help! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help your organization evaluate your current policies and incorporate new ones, as needed. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with precisely what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
Uncategorized
March 13, 2023

How to Establish a Severance Plan

No business owner or manager wants to think about letting employees go. Unfortunately, it is a part of doing business that your organization should be prepared for. Help your business prepare for the unexpected by setting up a severance plan with the tips below from Prescott HR.

What is a severance package?

A severance plan includes a set lump sum payment that a terminated employee receives when they are let go from a company through no fault of their own. You may have seen this in the news recently as tech companies like Meta and Twitter laid off large numbers of their staff. Companies typically have to lay off employees for reasons like economic hardship or when they downsize. It’s important to note that severance packages are not required by law. However, establishing a severance package is a gesture of goodwill as an employer that you want to take care of your staff in the event that unforeseen layoffs or downsizing.

What’s included in a severance package?

Your organization’s severance package can include a variety of different benefits. It should be designed to help carry a terminated employee through several months of unemployment while they search for a new job. Here are some considerations to include in your organization’s severance package:

A lump sum of money, usually based on the salary and number of years the employee has worked at the company
A continuation of insurance benefits, including health, vision, dental, or life insurance
A lump sum payout of any unused sick days or paid-time-off days
Stock options, if your organization has them
Assistance with finding a new position for the terminated team member

Document your organization’s severance package

When you’re ready to form a severance package for your organization, it’s essential to put the plan in writing to keep your team on the same page. A severance package should be a legal document that clearly states the terms of the agreement the organization is taking with any future terminated employees. Discuss your options for drawing up this legal agreement with a lawyer or your organization’s legal team. The purpose of creating a legal document for your organization’s severance package is to prevent a terminated employee from filing a future lawsuit. This agreement should include why the employee was terminated, the conditions the terminated employee must meet to receive the severance package, and the right of the organization to end or change the severance package. You can even include a non-disclosure agreement that the terminated employee must sign to receive the severance package.

Work with Prescott HR

Does your organization need help with establishing a severance package? We are here to help! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help your organization evaluate your current policies and incorporate new ones, as needed. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with precisely what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
Blog
March 6, 2023

What is Workplace Mindfulness?

Workplace mindfulness is a concept that every organization should aim to incorporate into their work culture. The freedom and flexibility that comes with a more mindful team can enhance your organization in more ways than one. If you are wondering what workplace mindfulness is and how to incorporate it into your organization, keep reading for a few helpful tips from the team at Prescott HR.

What is Workplace Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a state of being. Mindfulness in the workplace can look like an employee who sets intentions with purpose and remains present in his or her surroundings. This is not something that comes naturally to humans; we have to work to remain aware of how our mind works, including our built-in perceptions of others. People who practice mindfulness are able to focus on one task at a time with their full attention and without judgment. This gives them the advantage of finding new solutions to problems that multitaskers may overlook.

What are the Benefits of Workplace Mindfulness?

Research has shown that there are many benefits to being more mindful while at work. As working adults, we all experience career-related stress. When stressful times arise in the workplace surrounding important deadlines or big projects, mindfulness is a great practice to help alleviate some of this anxiety. Instead of focusing on the “what ifs” and the problems of the past, mindfulness allows workers to realign their focus on the present to accomplish the immediate task at hand.

What are Some Workplace Mindfulness Tips?

Now that you have a better understanding of what workplace mindfulness encompasses, here are a few ideas to incorporate it into your workday:

Practice Your Breathing: If your team is in a stressful situation, it can be helpful to take a step back and have everyone focus only on their breathing for a brief period of time. Take deep breaths and close out any negative thoughts from your mind. Instead, only focus on your breath and sit still for about 3-5 minutes.

Be Present: Sometimes this is easier said than done. In order to achieve mindfulness in the workplace, you have to be focused on the present. That means if a big project is coming up, don’t dwell on mistakes from past project timelines. Instead, focus on how you can make this project better than the ones before it with a positive mindset.

Be Kind to Yourself: Mindfulness only works when you are taking care of yourself by ignoring any negative or intrusive thoughts. Give yourself grace and repeat positive affirmations about your strengths in the workplace.

Work with Prescott HR

Does your organization want to incorporate more mindfulness into the workplace? We are here to help! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help your organization evaluate your current policies and incorporate new ones, as needed. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with precisely what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
Blog
February 27, 2023

4 Wellness Tips for the Workplace

“Wellness” is one buzzword that your organization should never ignore. More companies are prioritizing employee wellness than ever before, which means to stay competitive in the marketplace, your organization needs to keep up. If you are looking for wellness tips to implement at your business, keep reading for four fresh ideas from the team at Prescott HR!

Establish a Wellness Stipend

It’s important to keep in mind that we all prefer to exercise and stay healthy in different ways. That’s why if you are considering implementing a wellness program at your office, you should instead offer a stipend for your employees to decide how they want to live better. Each month or year, present your employees with a stipend to be used for personal wellness or mental health services. Stipends can be used for different activities like gym memberships, workout classes, athletic clothes, or however your employees see fit. Your employees should also be encouraged to use their wellness stipend to seek therapeutic services, like meditation classes or personal therapy sessions.

Create Workplace Zen

A great way to boost employee morale and improve overall wellness is to incorporate more zen into the office. Research has shown that indoor plants can improve well-being and reduce stress, so consider adding some greenery to your office space. If you have the space, consider setting up comfort pods for employees to reset and recharge throughout the day. This could be a comfy spot set up in the office away from team members’ desks, so they can enjoy their lunch or a conversation with other coworkers during the workday.

Set Healthy Boundaries

As a manager or owner of a company, it’s important to set a good example with your team, and that starts with establishing healthy boundaries. Healthy boundaries can look like establishing set office hours and sticking to them. If you are sending emails out through all hours of the night, your team may feel pressured to be available 24/7, which can lead to burnout. We also encourage you to continually check in with your team to make sure that everyone is happy in their role and not feeling overwhelmed with their current workload.

Offer Team Social Events

A great way for team members to stay connected is to offer group social events. These social events can have a wellness aspect incorporated within them, too. Try offering group yoga or meditation sessions to your team. Or schedule a corporate lunch where you can all go out to celebrate your hard work and boost morale.

Work with Prescott HR

Does your organization need assistance to implement wellness initiatives in your workplace? We are here to help! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help your organization evaluate your current policies and incorporate new ones, as needed. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with precisely what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
Blog
February 20, 2023

Cybersecurity Tips in the Workplace

It may surprise you to learn that HR professionals are becoming increasingly more involved in the cybersecurity measures of their organizations. From crafting cybersecurity policies to training and enforcing procedures, a human resources professional can your organization practice cyber safety in an effective manner. Keep reading to learn a few cybersecurity tips from the team at Prescott HR.

Implement a Policy

As mentioned above, every organization should have a written document or policy regarding employee cybersecurity best practices. An HR professional can help craft this policy and enforce the procedures within it effectively. All new hires should undergo cybersecurity training as is relevant to your organization. HR professionals should be aware of company best practices and any changes to the organization’s cybersecurity efforts.

Protect Employee Data

HR plays a major role in keeping private employee data safe. While all company data should be treated as a sensitive matter, there are legal repercussions to not protecting an employee’s personal data at your office. An HR professional can help companies navigate who has access to employee data, and how that data is offloaded in the event of an employee termination or new hire.

Evaluate Access

Different roles within an organization should have access to different data, but not every member of your team should have full access to company data. Your HR department can help you evaluate which team members have access to certain data and put safety measures in place to ensure that every department’s data is protected. Human resources professionals can also work with your IT department to establish and enforce access controls by department or employee job title.

Other Cybersecurity Best Practices

In addition to the active roles listed above that HR professionals can take to implement cybersecurity policies within an organization, there are several cybersecurity best practices that your organization should always follow. Here is our top list:

Use a VPN: Never allow your employees to access their work devices on a public WiFi network. Instead, have your organization set up a VPN, or Virtual Private Network, when working outside of the office.

Train for Scams: Make sure your team is regularly educated on potential phishing scams that can present through unknown emails or fake websites.

Change Passwords Regularly: Your entire team should practice changing their device passwords regularly to avoid potential hackers from learning their login info.

Use Company-Approved Devices Only: Never allow your team to log into their work programs through unauthorized or personal devices.

Try Multifactor Authentication: Your organization can set up multifactor authentication to provide an extra layer of security from potential cybersecurity threats.

Work with Prescott HR

Does your organization need help with establishing cybersecurity policies? We are here to help! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help your organization evaluate your current policies and incorporate new ones, as needed. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with precisely what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
Blog
February 13, 2023

Overcome Gender Bias in the Workplace

Did you know research has shown that women are more successful in upper management roles only after they have proven themselves with a long history of demonstrated loyalty? Even after years of studies and demonstrable evidence of the value of women in the workplace, gender bias still exists in most office settings. If your organization wants to take charge and learn to overcome gender bias in the workplace, keep reading for some helpful tips from the team at Prescott HR.

What is Gender Bias?

One of the most effective ways to reduce gender bias in the workplace is to recognize when it’s happening. Gender bias is the experience of a person receiving different treatment based on their gender identity. Because gender bias is so ingrained in our culture, issues involving potential bias can arise that you may not even notice. Here are some examples of gender bias in the workplace:

Pay gaps
Framing of interview questions
Role forming
Glass ceiling

How to Combat Gender Bias

Now that you understand how gender bias in the workplace can present itself, here are some tips to help your organization avoid potential bias:

Recognize the Bias: As mentioned above, the most important step to reducing gender bias in your organization is to recognize when it’s happening. Take notice of the interactions around you to help recognize patterns or potential issues.

Speak Up: When you see gender bias happening around you, whether it’s in a group setting or behind closed doors, don’t be afraid to speak up. You have to be willing to call out yourself and others when you notice a potential issue arise.

Get Transparent: Your organization should strive to be as transparent as possible when it comes to avoiding gender bias. One example would be transparency around potential pay gaps. Standardize pay within your organization to ensure that a man is not being paid more for the same role as a woman at your business.

Evaluate Your Hiring Process: One of the places you may see gender bias pop up frequently is during the hiring process. From the initial interview to the onboarding process, evaluate how your organization may potentially commit gender bias. Job descriptions are the main culprit of gender bias, especially when they include words with masculine or feminine connotations. Always have your team review a job description before the post goes live to try to avoid gender bias.
Establish a Mentorship Program: Allowing upper-level management to mentor the women at your organization is a great way to help instill confidence and improve networking skills for your team.

Work with Prescott HR

Does your organization need help to overcome gender bias in the workplace? We are here to help! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help your organization evaluate your current policies and incorporate new ones, as needed. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with precisely what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
Blog
February 6, 2023

The Do’s and Don’ts of Dealing with Workplace Romances

Workplace romances can be tricky, at best. Many people meet their significant other through work, but addressing a budding office romance from a manager’s perspective can be difficult to navigate. If your organization needs help with addressing a workplace romance, keep reading for a helpful list of do’s and don’ts from the team at Prescott HR.

DO Address Office Romances in Your Employee Handbook

Many companies choose to prohibit coworkers and colleagues from dating one another. If you are willing to allow office romances at your organization, then we highly suggest addressing the topic in your employee handbook or office policy document. Be sure to write in a language that is specific and clear, so there is no room for ambiguity or confusion among your staff. If your organization does not allow employees to date vendors or clients, you must explicitly state that in the handbook or office policy document, too.

DON’T Forget to Lay Out the Rules

When handling an office romance, there’s no room to be vague. To address future potential problems, you want to clearly lay out the ground rules of how your organization expects its employees to handle dating co-workers, should the occasion arise. Here are some examples of rules that your office could implement if an employee starts to date a coworker, vendor, or client:

All interoffice relationships must immediately be disclosed to human resources and documented
Supervisors may not date their subordinates
Employees may not show signs of physical displays of affection (PDA) while on company property
Employees cannot trade romantic favors for organizational advantages or goods
Employees may only ask a coworker on a date once. If the coworker’s response is “no,” then no further romantic pursuit may happen.

DO Encourage Transparency

The last thing you want as a manager is for your coworkers to date in secret and then have the rest of the office find out through the grapevine. If you are going to allow interoffice dating, then you must stress to your team that transparency is paramount. Be sure to thoroughly explain expectations for office romances during your employee onboarding process.

DON’T Ignore the Repercussions

So how will your organization handle an employee relationship that was not disclosed? Or what will you do if you find out that one of your superiors is dating a subordinate? Or worse, what happens when a workplace romance ends poorly and your employees now feel divided? These are all important considerations to keep in mind when determining if your office will allow workplace relationships.

Work with Prescott HR

Does your organization need help to navigate a workplace romance? We are here to help! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help your organization evaluate your current workplace policies and incorporate new ones, as needed. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with precisely what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
Blog
January 30, 2023

5 Tips for Virtual Onboarding

With the rise in remote work flexibility, more companies are turning to adopt a virtual onboarding process. Virtual onboarding can seem like a daunting task for your organization to take on, but there are steps you can make to simplify the process for both you and your new hire. Read more about how to adopt a virtual onboarding policy from the experts at Prescott HR.

What is virtual onboarding?

Before we begin, let’s discuss what virtual onboarding is first. Just like an in-person onboarding process, virtual onboarding helps new hires understand the capacity of their new role. The only difference is, this process takes place online instead of face-to-face. Studies have shown that the more effective the onboarding process, the more likely a new hire will stay with a company for an extended period of time. Virtual onboarding is a way for organizations to make new remote employees feel welcome at the organization. A typical virtual onboarding process can include pre-recorded messages from upper management, online learning tools, and one-on-one calls to introduce the new hire to different team members at your organization.

Tips for implementing a successful virtual onboarding process

Now that you understand the importance of a robust onboarding process, here is how your organization can shift to taking this process online:

Invest in Technology: Ensuring that your organization has provided adequate technology to your new hire is essential to a smooth virtual onboarding process. All company-issued devices should be updated to the latest software programs to allow your employee to effectively do their work. With each new hire, your organization should establish a timeline for mailing or delivering company device(s) before any training begins. Any collaborative tools that your company relies on, like Zoom or Slack, should be downloaded prior to delivering the device to a new employee. We also recommend scheduling a one-on-one meeting with your new employee and an IT professional to walk them through how to set up their device(s) and answer any of their questions.

Have an Agenda: Just like an in-person onboarding experience, a virtual onboarding experience needs to have an agenda. This written document can help guide your new employee with what the next few days and weeks will look like. Always utilize video introductions through pre-recorded messages when possible. Your agenda can also include helpful links to resources your new hire will need, like office policy manuals, employee benefits packages, job-specific documents, and more. If you are hiring more than one new employee at a time, you may want to consider hosting a virtual orientation event with all the new hires.
Check-in Often: Whether your organization already has a virtual onboarding process, or if you are just starting one, it’s important to check in with your new hire(s) regularly. The first couple of weeks at a new organization can feel isolating and confusing in person, so imagine how that feels while working in a remote setting. Make the effort to check in and keep the lines of communication open between your team and your new hire.

Work with Prescott HR

Does your organization need help with virtual onboarding? We are here to help! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help your organization evaluate your current onboarding policies or provide new guidance, as needed. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with precisely what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
Blog
January 23, 2023

Employee Retention Strategies for the New Year

Finding and keeping good employees has become a major challenge for organizations across the country in recent years. It’s not enough to just recruit the best talent, how do you provide a better work experience so they want to remain with your organization? Learn our tips for employee retention strategies below!

Why Employee Retention is Important

The American labor market is highly competitive right now, meaning it can be harder to attract and retain a good workforce. Your organization must be willing to adjust its standards to meet employee expectations and remain competitive within your field. Here are our tips for retaining your employees in the new year and beyond:

Start at the Top

One of the top reasons that employees leave their roles is poor management. Luckily, poor leadership can be fixed! Start by evaluating how your organization’s upper-level management interacts with team members. Managers must be included in annual performance reviews, where their leadership skills are assessed thoroughly. If you identify a manager who needs work, there are training and leadership development opportunities available to help them improve.

Evaluate Your Benefits Package

Next up, your organization needs to evaluate how your employee benefits package compares to other companies in your industry. A strong employee benefits package can entice even the most loyal workers to leave their current roles. The pandemic has introduced a world of new options for employee benefits that have become strong hiring tools, including more flex or remote work options, childcare stipends, parental leave, lower healthcare costs, and more.

Encourage Your Employees to Grow

Another top reason that employees leave their roles is that they feel like they cannot grow within their current position. To excel at employee retention, your organization must be willing to invest in your current team by providing opportunities for promotions and continuing education. Set up a time each year to review your employee’s long-term goals and ask how they see their roles evolving within your organization. Also, make it clear to your team that your organization is always willing to invest in its future by providing continuing education stipends or advanced leadership training.

Recognize and Reward Accordingly

Finally, a major point of contention with employees who leave their position is feeling undervalued. Strive to make consistent employee recognition a goal for your upper management team. Rewarding your employees does not even have to be an elaborate gesture; it can be as simple as giving a team member a special shout-out before a group meeting, or leaving a thank you note on an employees desk when they aren’t expecting it.

Work with Prescott HR

Does your organization need assistance with employee retention? We are here to help! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help your organization recruit AND retain a dependable workforce. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with precisely what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.