News Archives - Page 2 of 3

Kimberly Prescott
News
April 18, 2022

How to Continue Supporting Your Employees During the Pandemic

As we enter year three, the COVID-19 Pandemic feels far from over. New variants and outbreaks continue to spread throughout the globe, even as employees are returning to the office. While there’s no way to know what the future holds, it’s important now more than ever to continue supporting your employees during the pandemic. The experts at Prescott HR have rounded up a few helpful ways to show your employees support in these unprecedented times. Keep reading for more!

Listen

The most important way to be supportive of your employees is to listen to them. There could be any number of external issues happening in their lives from the pandemic. Women especially have taken on larger roles as caretakers in the last several years. We recommend setting regular meetings to sit down with each employee individually to check in with them. Take an interest in what’s happening in their lives or their current feelings by listening. Sometimes to avoid burnout, people just want to be heard.

Communicate

Communication is huge in both the workplace and in life, especially right now. As an organization, you don’t want there to be a great deal of “unknowns” for your team. It’s important to communicate important changes in the workplace. Here is one important example: if your staff has decided to return to the office, be sure to properly communicate this with your employees early and efficiently. There should be a clear timeline outlined and your organization should address any and all questions as soon as they arise.

Respect Employee Privacy

As we mentioned above, there could be any number of external factors affecting your employees right this very moment. It’s important to remember to respect their privacy, even if you’re only trying to help. If your employee is taking more sick days than usual, try not to push for an answer as to what’s happening. Respect that they are going through something and be sure to communicate that your door is always open if they need to talk.

Focus on the Future

In such uncertain times, it’s nice to be able to work towards something important. That’s why we recommend having your teamwork toward a group goal. When you present your employees with a goal they can collectively reach, it will help boost morale and give your team something to look forward to. This can also be an individual incentive presented to your employees. See if there is any interest in providing continuing education or certifications to your team.

Hire a Professional

Are you still unsure of the steps you can take to become a better boss and leader? Hire the experts at Prescott HR to help you! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help you grow as a leader. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with exactly what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
News
April 11, 2022

Common HR Mistakes New Companies Make

Have you recently started a new company or organization? If so, you definitely have a lot on your plate right now: hiring team members, setting up administrative tasks, organizing finances, just to name a few. One important area that you cannot overlook is your Human Resources department. We’ve compiled a list of common HR mistakes that new companies can make, which could cost you money in the long run. Keep reading to learn more!

Not Having an Employee Handbook

In the excitement of starting your own company, it may be easy to overlook the mundane tasks, like building an employee handbook. Employee handbooks are extremely important to keep your team members on the same page. An employee handbook can help your organization communicate important company policies to your team. Having all the information an employee requires organized in one place is critical to avoiding violations.

Inefficient Hiring Process

It’s important to make sure that your hiring team is on the same page before you start interviewing candidates. Rushes interviews or unclear job descriptions are a recipe for disaster when hiring new employees. Take the time to sit down with your team and clearly outline everything a job role requires and then clearly communicate it within your job description. When booking potential recruits for interviews, be sure to allot them enough amount time to get to know them. We also recommend not stacking one interview after the other without breaks. You need to give your hiring team a short break, so they have the energy to ask the right questions.

Poor Training for New Employees

As a new company, it’s essential to sit down and write out what your employee onboarding process looks like. Employees need clear direction as to what’s expected of them in their new roles. If you as the employer cannot provide them that, it can cause serious confusion and possibly make your new employee feel alienated when starting work. Make sure you give your new employees the tools they need to be successful in their new role.

Improper Employee Documentation

When filling out the paperwork for your new hires, it’s crucial to properly document how the new employee will be classified. If they are an independent contractor, make sure they have the right forms and understand that they will be responsible for paying their own taxes. If they are a full-time employee, be sure to have them fill out the right documents and set up withholdings, so you are in adherence with state labor laws. Improperly documenting an employee can be a costly mistake in the longrun.

Work with a Professional HR Consultant

Are you starting a new business and have concerns about your HR practices? Prescott HR wants to help you! Prescott HR offers a wide range of outsourced HR solutions that can help you establish a successful onboarding process at your organization. Our UnIntimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with exactly what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
News
April 4, 2022

Signs of Employee Burnout

As we enter the third year of a global pandemic, it’s no secret that employees are feeling burned out. In fact, up to 75% of workers have reported that they’ve experienced burnout specifically during the COVID-19 Pandemic. There are many contributing factors to employee burnout, like poor work-life balance, dysfunctional workplace environments, feeling emotionally drained, and more. As an employer, it’s important to recognize when your team members are struggling or starting to burn out. If you are able to provide intervention, you can hopefully help your employee get past burnout and increase their peace of mind. Keep reading for a few clear signs of employee burnout from the experts at Prescott HR.

Disengaging or Retreating

One clear sign of employee burnout is when an employee starts disengaging or retreating from their work. You may notice that an employee is no longer participating in the things they once found enjoyable, like socializing in the office or eating lunch with the team. Noticeable signs can be not returning work emails or phone calls, not showing up to team meetings, or avoiding taking on more work.

Complete Exhaustion

A big sign of employee burnout is when he or she shows up to the office and they already appear to be completely drained. Employees who are suffering from complete exhaustion will be more prone to making mistakes on the job, disengaging, or having difficulty focusing on a task. Keep in mind that there may be factors you are unaware of in your employee’s home life, like increased caregiver responsibilities during the pandemic. It’s important to discuss the situation with your employee to find the root cause of their exhaustion and try to help remedy it.

Recurring Absences or Tardiness

Constant stress and fatigue can wear on the body. If you notice that one of your employees continues to miss work for illness, it could be their immune system reacting to burnout. An unhealthy immune system is a tell-tale sign that your employee needs to take better care of themselves physically and mentally to get better.

Irritability or Negative Mindset

One way burnout can manifest is through our emotions. If you notice that your employee is being very irritable or lashing out during interactions, it may be that they are suffering from burnout. Another sure sign is when they bring negativity into the workplace. As a worker’s passion for their job begins to decrease, this can have a negative effect on their mood. Be sure to intervene and try to offer support before your employee’s burnout reaches this stage, as a negative workplace environment can be toxic to your other employee’s well-being.

Hire a Professional

Are your employees experiencing burnout? Hire the experts at Prescott HR to help you! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help mediate workplace issues like team burnout. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with exactly what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
News
March 14, 2022

Best Practices for Managing a Company LinkedIn Page

No matter your industry, LinkedIn is an incredible platform for companies across the globe. LinkedIn features over 800 million users from 200 different countries and that number only continues to grow! Because it’s such a popular platform, business owners need to be aware of best practices for managing their company’s LinkedIn page. The experts at Prescott HR are sharing a few helpful tips and considerations for managing a company LinkedIn page, so keep reading to learn more!

Recruitment and Hiring

One of the foremost reasons to use LinkedIn is to hire new employees to join your team. Recruiting employees is an art and one that takes significant investment to pull off. LinkedIn hiring is no exception. If you plan to set up a LinkedIn profile for your company, be sure to post updates that are consistent with your organization’s message and be patient through the process. Hiring top talent does not happen overnight!

Networking

We are still in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, which has made networking in-person difficult and sometimes not possible. That’s where LinkedIn networking can help. LinkedIn is a powerful tool to network with relevant local businesses in your area through posts, updates and InMail messaging.

Highlighting Company Culture

As a business owner, you want to remember that potential employees and customers will frequently look at your LinkedIn page. That means that you are responsible for conveying important messages that your customers or employees need to hear! Use LinkedIn to highlight your company culture and values with authentic updates or posts.

Thought Leadership

LinkedIn is a great way to develop thought leadership to set your business apart from the rest. Allow your employees to share their thoughts about industry topics and help create more content for your LinkedIn page.

Be Authentic and Stay Concise

Authenticity is incredibly important, no matter the social media channel your organization is utilizing. Remember to be authentic in how you convey your organization’s message and brand when posting on LinkedIn. Also, to better connect with other busy individuals using LinkedIn, consider keeping your posts and updates concise. Aim to make updates under 150 words and keep your writing direct and to the point.

Post Consistently

Business owners and managers can get very busy and let social media postings fall to the wayside. It’s important to keep in mind that if you want to invest in a social media channel like LinkedIn, you have to be consistent with your posting. We recommend creating a short calendar of the content you’d like to share throughout the month. Plan out your month in advance so you don’t even have to think about what to post each week.

Work with Prescott HR

Navigating a company’s LinkedIn page has many nuances that your organization needs to consider. You want to be sure that your efforts are focused and compliant with your overall brand messaging and values. Let the experts at Prescott HR help! If you need outsourced HR services, Prescott HR can help your organization thrive. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with exactly what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
News
March 7, 2022

5 Ways to Celebrate Employee Birthdays

As a business owner, it’s important to recognize your team members’ birthdays in an authentic and meaningful way. Birthdays are an opportunity to give your team members a special recognition at work in a fun and thoughtful manner. The rise of remote working during the COVID-19 Pandemic and other safety considerations may have business owners contemplating how to pull off a successful office birthday in a changing work landscape. Keep reading for helpful tips to celebrate your employees’ birthdays with advice from the experts at Prescott HR!

Decorate Their Desk

This is an easy and effective way to make your team member feel special on their birthday. One suggestion is to ask each team member to print out one thing that reminds them of the employee with the birthday, then decorate their desk in the print-outs. Be sure to show up early and get their desk decorated before they arrive. You can also include special gifts like donuts, a mug, balloons or flowers to celebrate them.

Give a Card from the Whole Team

A meaningful way to show your team member that they are valued is to have all the employees sign a card on their birthday. Instead of a generic birthday card with everyone’s signature, consider having each employee write one to two sentences about what they like most about working together. This can be a time-consuming effort, but it’s one that will pay off and impress your employee in a meaningful way.

Take Them Out for a Meal or Treat

Who doesn’t love a free meal!? An employee’s birthday is a great opportunity to gather the team for lunch, coffee, or a treat. Allow the birthday employee to choose the restaurant and make it a fun bonding experience for the whole team. If your organization cannot take the whole team out for lunch, consider hosting something less expensive like a team pot luck lunch or a pizza party at the office.

Donate to an Organization on Their Behalf

One of the many reasons employees are leaving their jobs during the Great Resignation is to find more meaning in their careers. Use an employee’s birthday to convey your organization’s good values by donating to a charity of their choice on their birthday. Not only is this good for your community, but it shows that you are invested in what your employees value.

Give Them a Shoutout on Social Media

Your office will know when it’s a team member’s birthday, but your clients may not. That’s why it can be fun to do a birthday shout-out on your company’s social media channels to recognize your employee’s special day.

Work with Prescott HR

Do you have questions about how to pull off a successful office birthday celebration? Let the experts at Prescott HR help! If you need outsourced HR services, Prescott HR can help your organization thrive. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with exactly what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
News
March 1, 2022

10 Tips to Becoming a Better Boss

Whether you manage a team of two or two hundred, every person in a management-type position wants to be a boss that employees respect. Becoming a better boss does not happen overnight; it takes practice. The experts at Prescott HR are sharing 10 helpful tips to become a better boss below. Keep reading!

Identify Your Own Weaknesses

One of the first steps you should take to become a better boss is to evaluate your weaknesses. Identify areas for improvement in your professional life and then create a plan to start working on them. You can’t lead people if you have serious issues that are holding you back from becoming a leader.

Learn Communication Skills

In every relationship, communication is essential. That doesn’t stop in the workplace! A great leader has to make communication a priority. Let your team know that you have an open-door policy when it comes to office communication.

Take a Leadership Course

As a busy manager who is running an organization, it may be difficult to carve out time to research becoming a better boss. Luckily, there are organizations available to help you become a better leader! Research leadership courses available in your area and sign up for one to improve your management skills.

Always Be Willing to Listen

Listening is an important skill that every boss needs to master. Most of the time, an employee just wants to be heard and feel valued. The simplest way to do that is to authentically listen to their needs or grievances and then take the time to process what they are saying before responding.

Praise the Little Things

Employees want to feel appreciated and it doesn’t take much effort to authentically show your team gratitude. One simple practice is to make an effort to praise the little things. An employee doesn’t have to sign a major client or knock a report out of the park to earn your praise. Always celebrate the little day-to-day achievements, too!

Be Empathetic

It’s important to always remember that your team members have lives outside of the office. As a manager, you have to be empathetic for the many different experiences your employees may be facing outside of work. If an employee is struggling to complete tasks, instead of punishing them, instead take the time to hear what may be happening outside of the office that could be affecting their work.

Practice Transparency

Transparency is key when you’re a leader. Constantly communicate to your team the overall vision of what your organization is working towards and make them feel a part of working towards that goal.

Follow Through on Your Responsibilities

If you promised a new initiative, then you have to be willing to follow through with your commitment. As a boss, if you can’t follow through with your commitments, then why would your team members be expected to do the same?

Be Accountable

As a boss, you are technically responsible for the work of every team member you manage. So when one of your team members makes a mistake, it is now your mistake. As a boss, you have to be willing to be held accountable and accept responsibility for the work performed under you.

Hire a Professional

Kimberly Prescott
News
January 3, 2022

How to Retain Employees in the Great Resignation

We’re in the midst of what human resources professionals have labeled “The Great Resignation” and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. During these challenging times, employers are unsure of how to keep their top talent from leaving. Prescott HR is here to help explain The Great Resignation, how we got here and what employers can do to retain their workforce.

What is the Great Resignation?

If this is the first time you’re hearing about it, here is a brief explanation of The Great Resignation. During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees have quit their jobs in droves for new opportunities. Resignation rates are highest among mid-career level employees. While this is affecting industries across the map, resignation rates are highest in the healthcare and technology industries. As employees reevaluate their career paths, a record number of jobs remain open in the United States.

Why Is This Happening?

The Great Resignation is a confusing concept! Many organizations are wondering why employees are quitting their jobs in record-numbers. There are several different theories for why this is happening (and may continue to happen):

Workers want more flexibility and remote offices that not all organizations can adapt to
Women have left the workforce in alarming numbers due to caretaking responsibilities
Workers are looking for more fulfillment from their career
Employee burnout has reached an all time high

So, How Can Employers Improve Their Employee Retention?

There are several options that organizations can implement to keep their workforce in place. While a professional HR audit would allow us to dive deeper, here are three suggestions from Prescott HR:

Identify the Problems: We are two years into a global pandemic and employee burnout is at record levels. If there are personnel or company culture issues happening within your organization, it’s time to address them. Look into compensation structures, promotion opportunities, performance evaluations, training and continuing education opportunities. Is your organization staying ahead of the curve and offering the best possible workplace environment?
Communicate: One of the most effective steps moving forward is to be open, transparent and communicative with your team. Meet with each individual team member and hear out any transgressions or issues that they may be experiencing.
Create a Culture of Positivity: Negativity is a dangerous thing and it can seep into every facet of your organization, if you let it. Look for new ways to improve your organization and create a culture of positivity. Find authentic and meaningful ways to show gratitude with your employees. Celebrate your wins and work together through the losses. Ultimately, you want to create an environment that employees would be upset to walk away from.

Quality HR Services Can Help You Retain Top Talent

Prescott HR offers a wide range of HR services that can help you to find and retain top talent for your organization. Our UnIntimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with exactly what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
News
December 28, 2021

Reducing Workplace Negativity

A positive workplace culture is important to any organization, large or small. When your employees are unhappy and fostering an environment of negativity, it makes everyone’s job more difficult. One of the best ways to combat workplace negativity is to lean on an organization that specializes in HR management services to help resolve these issues. At Prescott HR, we have several recommendations for mediating tough workplace negativity situations that we’ve outlined below. Have a read and please contact us if we can be of service to help resolve any workplace negativity at your organization.

Three Steps to Reducing Workplace Negativity

Step One: Identify the Main Issue

Like all problems, workplace negativity stems from a larger problem overall. One of the best first steps you should take is a full inventory of where the larger issue may stem from. For example, employees can feel unhappy about any number of potential issues, like:

Burn out due to excessive work assignments or unrealistic deadlines
Misunderstandings with coworkers or office gossip
Lacking resources to complete their work effectively
Feeling underappreciated, underpaid, or not valued in their position

Once you understand the root cause of where this workplace negativity is coming from, your team will have a better chance of overcoming the issue(s) and then moving forward.

Step Two: Create a More Inclusive Workplace Environment

Developing a positive workplace culture is going to be your most effective way to reduce workplace negativity. When your employees are feeling valued and respected by the team, there will be little room for complaints, drama and workplace negativity. Here are ways that Prescott HR suggests to build a positive work environment:

Regularly show genuine appreciation for the work your team performs. Find authentic ways to say “thank you” even if it’s just a small handwritten note acknowledging an employee’s efforts. A little can go a long way!
Plan fun team bonding exercises or outings. Regularly make sure your team is getting together and having fun outside of the office. Group lunches or team building days are always a great idea to boost morale.
Always encourage communication. If you suspect that workplace negativity is starting to happen, then talk with your employees to find out what’s happening or if you can do anything to help the situation before it becomes a bigger problem.

Step Three: Create a Culture of Growth

One of the most positive ways to turn around a negative environment is to give employees something to look forward to or work towards. This can be in the form of a new program or outside educational/training opportunities for your employees. If your team has something to work towards, they will feel more connected which can help boost morale.

Need Help With Reducing Workplace Negativity?

Prescott HR delivers high-quality HR consulting for businesses that are experiencing issues like workplace negativity. We’ve developed actionable and replicable strategies for numerous organizations to help them grow and thrive. We’re ready to help your business, too. Get an HR Audit today by calling 443-351-8818.

Kimberly Prescott
News
December 13, 2021

How to Build a Successful Internship Program

Most organizations can benefit from a successfully-run internship program, preferably through their human resources department. Not only is it fulfilling to teach a new generation about your organization’s skills, but it’s also helpful to your business to bring in a fresh perspective. Successful interns can help your organization check tasks off the to-do list while also providing support in areas you may not be as strong at, like technology and social media management. In order for an internship program to be successful, your organization has to take into account several different considerations. We’ve rounded up a few suggestions for how to start an internship program that is efficient and rewarding.

Create a Clear Job Description

Before you even think of posting an open internship position, you have to get clear what the position entails. Understand that most of the interns you will hire are probably still in school and unaware of how businesses run day-to-day. Plus, no one works well under little direction. So before you start looking for interns, sit down with your team to discuss what you need help with. Try to come up with a list of actionable and realistic items for an intern (or interns) to accomplish. This can be anything from filing documents to cleaning up computer documents. Make sure all your expectations for the role are written down with clear details on the job description.

Assign or Hire an Internship Coordinator

It’s very important that when establishing a new internship program that someone will be in charge. This person should be the one that all interns turn to if they have questions about day-to-day tasks. You don’t want to bog down other employees with an intern who asks a ton of questions when they are trying to get their work done. Depending on the scale of your internship program, this may require your organization to hire a full-time person to oversee the interns.

Connect Your Intern with a Mentor

Once you hire the right interns, it’s important that they feel connected to your organization. We recommend connecting each intern with a different mentor within the company. Their mentor should be the person they reach out to when they don’t understand an aspect of the industry as a whole. Especially as a younger person with little experience in the real “working world,” providing someone for your intern to turn to when they don’t understand something fully can be invaluable.

Have Fun!

When an intern leaves your organization, you want them to have fond memories of their time at your business, especially if that intern is considering a position in your industry. When it comes time for them to graduate school and find a job, the positive experiences they had during their internship may lead them to apply for a full time position with your company.

Prescott HR offers a wide range of outsourced HR solutions that can help you establish a successful internship program for your organization. Our UnIntimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with exactly what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.

Kimberly Prescott
News
December 10, 2021

Outsourcing HR Consulting for Multi-State Businesses

Having a business that operates in multiple states is a considerable achievement. As a business owner, you’ve made it further than the vast majority of your peers. However, now that your business has expanded, it’s time to solidify human resources processes. Whether you need help with recruiting, payroll, or other human resources solutions, outsourcing HR consulting can provide the services that you need. In this post, we’ll show you how HR consulting for multi-state businesses can make your life easier.

HR Consultants Understand Compliance for Multi-State Businesses

One of the biggest issues that multi-state businesses face is compliance. There are a lot of requirements and regulations when it comes to employment law, payroll taxes, health insurance, and other HR practices across multiple states.

Some of the biggest compliance issues multi-state businesses face include:

Processing payroll
Benefits
Wage laws

Trying to keep track of all of these elements can be a daunting task, but that’s where HR consultants come in. They have the experience and knowledge necessary to help your business stay compliant with all applicable laws.

Running Payroll Across Multiple States

Managing employee paychecks and tax withholdings can be a complicated process, especially when you’re dealing with different state laws and regulations. You’ll need strong HR consulting for multi-state businesses to help you set up a streamlined payroll process compliant with all applicable laws.

Very important tip: if you have employees in other states, you must register with that state and its tax authorities to correctly handle employment taxes. You’ll also need to register as a foreign entity in that location and submit relevant certificates or permits, depending on if you’re doing business there.

Help With Recruiting and Hiring for Multi-State Businesses

Another big challenge for multi-state businesses is recruiting and hiring. Trying to find qualified candidates in one state is difficult enough. You’ll need HR specialists with access to an extensive network of contacts with experience navigating larger regional candidate pools. They can also help you develop effective recruiting strategies to acquire top-notch talent.

Talent acquisition is vital, but developing talented individuals and ensuring they stay is a whole different ball game. To make things easier, outsourcing HR consultanting can help your organization develop a strong onboarding strategy. For instance, employee handbooks and organizational policy documents can set new hire expectations and develop uniformity for your business.

Need Help With Your Multi-State Organization?

Prescott HR delivers high-quality HR consulting for multi-state businesses. We’ve developed actionable and replicable strategies for numerous organizations to help them grow and thrive. We’re ready to help your business, too.

Get an HR audit today: 443.351.8818.