But what is the best way to address evolving employee expectations? This post outlines 9 HR best practices that small business owners should tackle this year.

What Are HR Best Practices? (And Why They Matter)

HR best practices are the guiding principles that businesses keep in mind when managing their relationship with employees.

They set the groundwork for fostering a positive workplace culture, while improving operational efficiency, and ensuring compliance with evolving regulations.

No matter the size of your business or who oversees your HR efforts, you should set some time aside to discuss HR best practices and define how to bring them into the workplace.

9 HR Best Practices to Follow this Year

1. Get High-Quality Talent on Board

In such a competitive landscape, small businesses might find it harder to attract top talent than larger organizations.

To bridge this gap, you need to adopt a strategic and proactive approach that resonates with potential candidates.

Here are three actionable tips to discover top-tier candidates — and get them to say YES!

• Leverage local networks. Tap into your local communities and networks to identify talent. Building relationships with local universities, attending community events, or participating in industry-specific gatherings can give you access to a pool of skilled professionals who are already connected to the area.
• Highlight company culture. Emphasizing your business’ unique culture and values in job ads and recruiting materials can attract candidates looking for more meaningful and impactful work experience.
• Build a strong online presence. Refresh your company website and be active on social media. Potential candidates often research companies online before applying, so be sure to make a good impression.

2. Design a Memorable Onboarding Experience

Onboarding is much more than paperwork and basic orientation. In fact, research shows that companies with a solid onboarding program see 50% greater employee retention and 62% greater productivity than those who don’t implement one.

Effective onboarding is about making new hires feel supported and integrated into your company culture.

Here’s how to improve your onboarding process:

• Create a 30-60-90-day plan for your new hires. Provide clear expectations and set realistic goals right from the start. Be sure to include regular check-ins to follow up on their progress.
• Let your best employees be part of the training process. Encourage employees to have an active role when someone joins the team: this not only speeds up the new hire’s learning curve but can also foster supportive relationships.

3. Invest in Training: If your Employees Grow, You Grow

When you invest in training, you invite employees to develop their skills, keep them motivated, and encourage them to do their best work.

Having a solid training program also gives you a competitive edge and helps you stay ahead of the curve with new trends and technologies.

Even if you are a small business with a limited budget, there are creative and cost-effective ways to implement training programs to improve your employees’ skills and contribute to your business growth.

A few ideas to plan your training strategy for the year ahead:

• Provide diverse learning options, from e-learning courses to mentorship programs.
• Emphasize soft skills training, enhancing communication, customer service, and leadership abilities.
• Are you growing fast? Align training initiatives with your strategic goals and train employees in the skills they’ll need in the near future.

4. Embrace Regular and Constructive Employee Feedback

Providing regular feedback contributes to a healthy work environment. But employee feedback is not just about evaluating performance and showing employees what to improve — it’s also about encouraging open, honest communication.

Keep this in mind for your performance evaluation conversations:

• Be solution oriented. Your goal is to help employees grow and improve their performance. Keep your feedback actionable and focus on the future.
• Recognize and reward employee contributions, motivating outstanding work.
• Promote a culture of continuous feedback rather than limiting it to annual reviews.

5. Stay Up to Date on Labor Laws & Regulations

Staying compliant is a critical responsibility, regardless of the size of your business. It involves staying on top of the latest regulations related to data protection, employment laws, health and safety, corporation taxes, and industry-specific regulations, among other areas.

Understanding this amount of information might be overwhelming, but it’s key to avoid costly fines and penalties.

Here’s how to navigate compliance nowadays:

• Use HR compliance management software to stay up to date with compliance requirements, get access to real-time reporting and analytics, and ensure you are ready for audits.
• Consider partnering with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO). A PEO helps you handle compliance and minimize risks while providing expert assistance and support. Check out our compliance services at EmPower HR to learn how we can get you covered.

6. Foster Team Building and Employee Engagement

If finding top talent is a challenge, keeping your workforce actively engaged is an even bigger one. In small businesses, a close-knit team is crucial for success. Research shows that teams with high engagement levels were able to reduce absenteeism by 81% and boost profitability by 23%, among other benefits.

How to promote engagement among employees?

• Organize regular team-building activities to strengthen relationships. From a team lunch at the office to an off-site team-building day, there are plenty of options to allow workers to share some quality time together, stay motivated, and encourage collaboration.
• Define specific strategies to keep remote and hybrid workers engaged. Recent studies have shown that remote and hybrid workplaces have an eroding connection to the purpose and mission of the organization. To address this, schedule meaningful conversations on a weekly basis, encourage open communication channels, and provide remote-specific professional development opportunities.

7. Encourage Flexible Work Schedules

Flexible work schedules allow for a more harmonious work-life balance and contribute to improved job satisfaction and productivity.

There are different models you can implement, such as remote work, flextime, or compressed workweeks. Choosing the right model for your business will depend on your workforce’s preferences and needs, as well as your goals and priorities.

If you are implementing flexible work models this year, you can consider:

• Allowing employees to set flexible working hours to fit family needs and responsibilities.
• Emphasizing results over rigid working hours, focusing on productivity. To prevent burnout, it’s important to set realistic expectations and performance goals beforehand.
• Implementing technology solutions that facilitate remote work and collaboration.

8. Prioritize Mental Health and Well-being

After the pandemic, mental health has taken center stage among HR best practices. Recognizing and prioritizing the mental health and well-being of your employees is the key to an open and supportive work environment.

Creating a healthy workplace has a positive impact on productivity and employee satisfaction. Employees are taking it seriously: research from the American Psychological Association indicates that 81% of workers will be looking for places that support mental health when looking for job opportunities in the future.

How can you promote a healthy and supportive work environment?

• Encourage open conversations about mental health in the workplace. Foster an environment where employees feel supported and heard. Break the stigma around mental health and empower employees to talk about their feelings and challenges.
• Implement mental health awareness programs. Introduce initiatives that raise awareness about mental health and provide resources for support. This could include workshops, webinars, or seminars led by mental health professionals, addressing topics such as stress management, work-life balance, and resilience.
• Provide Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Implementing Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) can be a valuable resource for employees facing personal or professional challenges. These programs typically offer confidential counseling services, mental health assessments, and referrals to external resources.

9. Craft an Employee Handbook for Clarity and Consistency

Creating a comprehensive employee handbook is a fundamental step to make sure that employees understand your business policies.

An employee handbook is a vital document that outlines company policies, procedures, and expectations, promoting clarity and consistency across the organization.

Consider this when crafting your employee handbook:

• Tailor policies to your culture. Customize your handbook to reflect the unique values and culture of your small business, ensuring that policies resonate with your team.
• Communicate clearly. Use plain language to articulate policies, making them easily understandable for all employees. Foster an open-door policy for questions or clarifications.
• Regular updates. Keep the handbook dynamic by updating it regularly to align with evolving company policies and compliance requirements.

HR Best Practices Final Thoughts

HR best practices help you navigate the challenges of the modern workplace while preparing your organization for success.

However, we know that staying on top of all the responsibilities of being an employer can be overwhelming. At EmPower HR, we serve more than 400 small businesses across many industries, taking the heavy work off their plates so they can focus on what matters most.

From handling HR administration and payroll to providing employee benefits, we can be your dedicated HR partner. Contact us to learn how we can elevate your business with HR best practices!

Related Articles

• 5 Simple Ways to Help Your Employees and Their Mental Health
• 5 Toughest HR Compliance Issues Every HR Leader Should Know
• Four Ways Companies Can Maintain Positive Culture During Rapid Growth

Define The Rules Of Engagement Upfront

To manage conflict when you’re working in a hybrid environment, it’s important to set the ground rules with your team beforehand. This will help to avoid any misunderstandings or conflicts down the line. The first rule of engagement to manage conflict when working hybrid is all-around communication. When employees are working from home, it is important to have a clear and concise way of communicating with them. 

• This can be done through email, instant messaging, or even video conferencing. Whatever method you choose, make sure that everyone is on the same page and knows what is expected of them. Conflict usually stems from a lack of communication or when the communication is unclear. 
• Setting the expectation of the modes of communication upfront ensures everyone is on the same page and knows the tools to use when trying to reach and connect with one another.

Build Trust With One Another

We come from a workplace practice in which we equate the effort someone puts in their job by seeing what time they show up and when they leave their desk at the end of the day. Those that are in early and stay late are the ones to be seen as “putting in the work,” whereas those that stroll in or take a long lunch can come across as lazy or not pulling their weight. 

• With hybrid working, all of that is out the door. In a hybrid work environment, it is important to trust that everyone on the team is pulling their weight and meeting their deadlines. Even if we do not see them getting the work done like we are used to, give them the benefit of the doubt and trust that the work is getting done and that they are attending their meetings. 
• Just because someone is working from home doesn’t mean that they are not working hard. In fact, many people find that they are more productive when they are in an environment where they feel comfortable and respected. So make sure everyone is trusting one another, and if there are any work concerns or missed deadlines, they are discussed and not swept under the rug. This is important to ensure you manage any conflict ahead of time while working in a hybrid environment. 

Encourage Open Communication

Different team members may have different communication styles in a hybrid work environment. Some like to be more direct and to the point; others want to give as many details as possible. Regardless of communication, you should encourage everyone on the team to be open with one another when sharing concerns or issues they encounter. This is key because since we are not together in the same space, it is easy to ignore or not prioritize issues or potential conflicts in a hybrid work environment.

• Encourage everyone to be open with each other and to share any concerns they may have. This will help build trust and understanding and prevent small issues from escalating into bigger problems.
• Conflicts that are not resolved can develop into small issues brewing under the surface, potentially leading to an outburst. Plus, since many conversations happen online vs. in person, there are not usually any witnesses, which can lead to potential accusations and finger-pointing quickly. 

Be Flexible

With different team members working in different locations, it’s important to be flexible in your approach to conflict resolution. What works for one team member may not work for another, so it’s important to be willing to try different tactics.

• One way to do this is to find common ground with the other party. For example, if you are dealing with a scheduling conflict, try to find times that work for both of you. Another way to be flexible is to be willing to compromise, which means being willing to give up something to reach an agreement. 
• Finally, it is also essential to be open-minded. This means considering the other person’s perspective and finding a resolution that works for both of you. By being flexible in your conflict resolution approach, you will be more likely to find a solution that works for everyone involved.

When you bring people together for a common purpose, you can expect some heads to bump and potential friction. Working together as a team is not always sunshine and rainbows in this new hybrid world. However, managing conflict while working hybrid is vital for work production and creating a collaborative workplace culture. It takes all of us to create healthy and engaging workplaces we need to be in, so using these tips will ensure that conflict is minimum and we can all work happily.

Be Prepared

As a manager, you should always be prepared for your performance evaluation conversations. Before the meeting, take some time to review the employee’s work over the past year. Make notes of both their successes and areas where they could improve. This will help you to have a productive conversation. 

Questions you want to ask yourself are:

• What have they been working on? What has been going well? Are there any areas that need improvement?  Reviewing your employees’ recent successes and challenges will help you to put the conversation in context and understand where they are performing well and where there is room for improvement. 
• Second, list specific examples to use as evidence during the conversation. These could be instances where an employee went above and beyond or times when they may have struggled to meet a goal. Having concrete evidence will help to make your case more effective. 
• Finally, remember to be honest and open-minded during the conversation. Performance evaluations are an opportunity to provide feedback and help employees grow, so approach the conversation with that goal in mind. You can make the most of this important opportunity with a bit of preparation.

Be Solution-Oriented

A performance evaluation aims to help the employee grow and improve. Therefore, it is important to focus on solutions rather than problems. For each area of concern, brainstorm possible solutions the employee can implement. While it’s important to give employees honest feedback about their performance, it’s also important to be solutions-oriented. 

• Rather than dwelling on what an employee has done wrong, try to focus on what they can do to improve. This doesn’t mean sugarcoating your feedback but framing it in a way that emphasizes improvement. For example, rather than saying, “you didn’t meet your sales goals this quarter,” you might say, “sales were below goal this quarter. In order to improve, let’s focus on these three areas,” or you might suggest that they attend a training course on effective selling techniques.
• By taking a solutions-oriented approach, you can help the employee develop a plan to improve their performance and make the most of their strengths. This will make employees see their performance evaluations as growth opportunities rather than personal attacks.

Make A Plan And Follow Through

When it comes time for a performance evaluation, one of the most important things you can do is to create a work plan. This will help to ensure that you and your employees are on the same page regarding your goals and objectives. Here are a few tips for creating a work plan that will help your performance evaluation go smoothly:

• Define The Goals: What do you want them to achieve in the coming year? Be specific and realistic in your goals, and make sure that they align with the objectives of your company.
• Outline A Timeline: When do you want them to achieve each goal? Breaking down the goals into smaller milestones will make them more achievable and help your employees track your progress over time.
• Identify Risks and Challenges: What could prevent them from achieving your goals? By identifying potential obstacles early on, you can develop contingency plans to overcome them.
• By taking the time to work with your employees to create a well-thought-out work plan, you can set yourself up for a successful performance evaluation conversation as a manager and win the day. 

Suggest A Mentor or Coach

As a manager, you play an important role in mentoring your employees and helping them to grow in their careers. One way to do this is to suggest that they get a mentor. A mentor can provide guidance, support, and advice on navigating the workplace, developing professionally, and reaching their goals. Additionally, a mentor can help your employee to build self-confidence and learn new skills. If you think that your employee would benefit from having a mentor, here are a few tips on how to suggest it:

• Talk about the benefits of mentorship: Explain how a mentor can help your employee to grow professionally and reach their goals.
• Share your own experience with mentorship: If you have had a mentor in your own career, talk about how they helped you and why you think it was beneficial
• Help them find a mentor: Ask if they have someone in mind you would like to approach or offer to help connect them with someone you think would be a good match.
• Encourage them to take the first step: Remind them that the best way to get started is to simply reach out and begin building a relationship with their mentor.

As a manager, conducting performance evaluation conversations comes with the job, but it’s not all bad or scary as it can come across to be. Focusing on the positives and the outcomes of the conversation will help to prepare and outline key conversation points which will allow your employees to feel valued, seen and a part of the team. Even if you need to deliver more challenging news, see this as an opportunity for your employees to improve, align to new goals and set a successful plan. 

1. Offer attractive incentives

Offering attractive incentives can play a major role in retaining your top talent. There are a number of different types of incentives. Still, not all of them are equally effective. In order to ensure that your incentives have the desired effect, choosing ones that are well-suited to your business and your employees is essential. For example, offering cash bonuses is a popular form of incentive, but it is not always the most effective for those who may have competitive salaries. In some cases, employees may be more motivated by other types of rewards, such as paid vacation time or extra days off. For start-ups or companies with stock options as part of their compensation plans, offering additional equity or stocks can be a great way to retain and motivate employees, especially if these incentives align with performance measurements. By choosing the right type of incentive, you can ensure that your employees will be happy where they are no matter what The Great Resignation throws at you. 

2. Add a rotational work program into the mix

A rotational work program can offer many benefits to employees and employers alike. For employees, it can provide an opportunity to develop new skills, expand their network of contacts, and gain exposure to different aspects of the company. For employers, a rotational work program can help foster a culture of learning and innovation and lead to improved retention rates. Furthermore, it can also help prevent boredom and burnout by regularly providing employees with a change of scenery and new challenges. In today’s competitive business environment, organizations that can offer their employees opportunities for career development are often the ones that succeed in attracting and retaining top talent. Especially now in times of The Great Resignation, a rotational work program can be an important tool for any organization that is looking to stay ahead of the curve. 

3. Begin a mentorship program

A mentorship program can offer a number of benefits for both employees and employers. A mentor can guide and support employees as they navigate the workplace. A mentor can also be a valuable source of information, helping mentees to develop the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in their career. From how to manage the corporate ladder to creating meaningful work relationships with senior executives, a mentor can be a gold mine of support, information, and experience to elevate your career in multiple ways. Meanwhile, employers can benefit from mentorship programs by developing a pool of better equipped talent to meet the business’s demands. With all these benefits, mentorship programs can help to improve employee retention rates by fostering a sense of connection and belonging within the workplace. Ultimately, a mentorship program can be a win-win for both employees and employers. 

4. Create a culture of collaboration

Given the elements of remote and hybrid work, our work life is no longer confined to 4 walls of a building. Since culture is so key to the organization’s success, creating a culture of collaboration is important. One of the most important aspects of creating a collaborative environment is trust. When team members feel that they can trust each other, they are more likely to open up and share ideas. This can be fostered by encouraging open communication and being transparent about decision-making. Employees who feel like they have a voice within their organization and are valued are more likely to stick around, and potential recruits will be more likely to consider an organization that values teamwork. Therefore, building and investing in a culture of collaboration is not only good for employees, but it’s also good for business.

Of course, that number—the $4.24 million dollar global cost of a data breach—includes breaches from some pretty high-profile companies (For example, Facebook and Amazon had a breach in 2021.) So, it’s not like your company will necessarily be swindled out of millions. But there’s definitely a lesson to be learned here. 

Clearly, company data protection isn’t something you should worry about after a leak or after an employee suddenly leaves on bad terms. Securing your company data is critical to protecting your money and your business.

Check out our HR best practices for keeping your company’s information safe. We asked our top inside experts for their advice. So we’ve added HR pro tips to keep burglars from stealing your data – and your hard-earned money.

5 Crucial Company Data Security Best Practices

Big companies are, in general, way ahead in the ever-changing data protection game. But there’s a lot that small businesses can learn from their best practices. (Underdogs, unite!) We’ve listed the ways to protect yourself against security breaches that we’re seeing with our larger clients.

1. Protect Against Phishing Scams

Unfortunately, phishing scams are becoming more common and – what’s worse – they’re becoming more sophisticated. Generally, a scammer will pose as the owner of a company and ask their accounting department to make a transfer to a new bank account. Many phishing attacks simply send a fake invoice or ask for payment in gift cards. 

The problem is that scammers know their stuff. There’s no stand-out grammatical errors in the invoices, no elaborate requests and they look legit. The best way to combat scams is to raise employee awareness on what popular scams look like, how to flag new account transfers and to criticize any requests for money.

The $121 Million Email Scam

According to Bloomberg, scammers orchestrated a scheme that sent fake emails to trick Facebook and Google employees. The thieves pretended to represent one of their hardware makers, Quanta Computer. They told Facebook and Google workers that the companies owed Quanta money, and then directed payments be sent to bank accounts controlled by the scammers. The scheme netted about $23 million from Google in 2013 and about $98 million from Facebook in 2015.

2. Install a Firewall

A firewall acts as a barrier that monitors and blocks suspicious traffic. It’s the moat around your castle, only built out of cyber-bricks. Firewalls are the first line of defense in network security and establish a barrier for your controlled internal networks. 

Big companies rely heavily on basic measures like two-factor authentication, firewalls and anti-malware solutions. Be sure to install quality antivirus and anti-malware software on all computers used for company purposes, and set up regular scans. Protect your network with security software and always keep this software up-to-date. Trust us, a quality firewall is a must-have. There’s a reason why major businesses invest in the protection a firewall offers.

3. Backup Files

If it’s not already part of your security routine, be sure to backup your files on a regular basis. If your files are ever compromised, you don’t want to risk losing everything you’ve worked so hard to build. Having a recent backup will enable you to restore your data so you can continue to operate. (Thank you, cloned files.)

Failure to backup data compromises your information. Having all of your data in one place opens you up to the risk of theft, viruses, malware and ransomware. In the case of data loss, having redundant backups is critically important. 

Be sure to make it a point to back up files when off-boarding employees. It’s just the reality of the corporate world – employees come and go. Unfortunately, many departing employees end up unknowingly taking confidential corporate information with them. You need to have a process to men-in-black style wipe company data from employee’s devices when they leave.

HR Pro Tip

Have processes in place for off-boarding and device disposal for any laptop, computer, thumb drive or any equipment that stores company data.

4. Limit Access

This is a big one. You should only provide employees with the access they need to perform their job. Sharing too much information is a risk to data security and makes it difficult to pinpoint where a breach started. 

Get with your human resources team. Experienced HR can set your business up for success and implement appropriate access controls. (Need kick-ass HR? We know some people.) Let HR define the data that an employee needs to use even before hiring or onboarding them. Limited access = optimal employee data protection. 

Let HR train employees on your internet safety and security policy and procedures, your security software, recognizing potential security threats, and creating strong passwords. It’s important to make sure everyone knows your company policies on data security.

5. Know Where Your Data is and Where It’s Going

It’s important to know what data is being stored and where. This includes laptops, company hard drives, company-issued cell phones and other electronic devices. You need someone on your team with compliance laser-vision: high-level visibility into all corporate data across every part of your infrastructure.

Have someone on your team who understands your data flow. That empowers you—the decision maker—with knowledge to make informed decisions on creating effective data protection policies.

HR Pro Tip

Never, ever email sensitive information such as W-2s, benefit enrollment forms, completed census forms, or anything with social security or credit card numbers. Email databases are notoriously insecure, and if malicious parties get access they can often see or get everything.

The Next Step: Training Employees on Data Protection

It’s up to the higher-ups to champion employee data protection. You probably have some pretty awesome humans working at your company. Your employees are #1 in a lot of areas: customer service and revenue generation— just to name a few. Unfortunately they’re also the #1 cybersecurity threat to your business. 

The key to employee data protection is thinking ahead and being cautious. Without paying close enough attention, employees can miss easy signs of scams or other major cyber risks. Prevent scams and boost security with the following tactics:  

• Always pay close attention to the sender of an email
• Don’t respond to scammer emails outside the organization
• Don’t click links in emails from outside of your organization
• Be aware that hackers pose as employees through email
• Double check the site before entering sensitive information
• Use a shredder for sensitive information

Company data is valuable, especially to small businesses. Whether your company is big or small, there is always the risk of sensitive information being stolen, leaked or handed over through various scams. As a business leader, it’s up to you to ensure employee data protection and company data security. Check out our cybersecurity checklist to see how your business is doing.

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The truth is, resignations are inevitable, and many of them don’t happen on a schedule that’s convenient. When this happens, which will be likely an impromptu event, here’s what you need to do to manage accepting a counter offer from an employee:

1. Stay calm and don’t react right away

This is easier said than done as these events usually catch managers off guard and losing a key employee can be frustrating. Take time between responding back to their news to get more information about the offer. Getting details such as the company, the role and of course total compensation package is going to be key to understand if this is an opportunity the organization is able to compete with. These types of conversations are always best either face to face or on video if the employee is remote or hybrid.

2. Verbalize obvious bluffs

It’s not uncommon for employees to try getting a raise by stating they have a counteroffer. You can tell if the offer is legitimate by asking them questions around the 3 T’s which are:

• Task (what they will do in their new role)
• Team (The team or department they will be working with)
• Technique (skills and training they will use to get upskilled on) 

By asking the above questions and looking at their body language they’ll show genuine excitement if it’s real. If you are not getting those types of signals, be honest and share that you may believe they are using this opportunity or narrative to get more money in their current role.

3. Examine the employee’s value and act appropriately

After getting information about the counteroffer, your following action really depends on how badly you’d like to retain the employee. If it’s not a valuable employee, the right response is just to be grateful for the time spent together, wish them well and start planning their exit. If it’s a star employee, try to understand how the new opportunity compares to what you offer and how staying will benefit them through training and development, salary increase, or promotion. You’ll need to work on making staying look appealing. Be careful of making an immediate counteroffer as this can backfire, giving the impression that you’ve been holding out. This might only be necessary if their departure would cause huge problems.

4. Avoid the next exit

On a brighter note, the competitive intelligence you get from an employee getting a counteroffer is a benefit. Having good knowledge of what other companies are offering and why people leave will improve your retention efforts. Employees often only find out how valued they are in the exit interview, so it’ll help to keep track of valuable employees in terms of skills and potential. Check-in with them regularly to ensure there are no exit risks.

Unfortunately, most business owners don’t understand how complex FMLA is. Employers – you should be aware of FMLA, whether it applies to your small biz and how to comply with it. To help you understand how FMLA works, here are the 4 top questions we hear about FMLA from small business owners and our top tips on how to stay compliant.

What is FMLA?

FMLA is short for the Family and Medical Leave Act. It’s a federal law that provides employees with unpaid, job-protected leave and benefits continuation in certain circumstances. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows employees to balance their work and family life by taking reasonable unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons. When unique experiences arise in an employee’s personal life, they are eligible for a leave of absence under this Act. The idea behind the law is this: under FMLA, an employee can prioritize their health and family needs with guaranteed job protection and continuation of benefits in their absence.

FMLA is a federal law that allows employees to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period under specific circumstances. (Plus, they may be eligible for more leave time if caring for an injured or ill service member.)

But it’s not like all of your employees can just take a 12 week leave of absence. To qualify for leave, employees must meet certain criteria and be leaving for a covered reason – like leaving to take care of a terminally ill spouse or adopt a child.

4 Top FMLA FAQs For Small Business Owners

The Family Medical Leave Act gives employees peace of mind while dealing with big changes in their personal life. But how does it work and do you have to offer FMLA to your employees? See our top questions about FMLA for small businesses, answered. 

1. Does the Family Medical Leave Act Apply to Small Businesses?

FMLA is enforced when businesses meet certain criteria. If your business has more than 50 employees within a 75-mile radius, the FMLA must be offered – making you a covered employer. (This includes various business types including public, private, and nonprofit.)

A covered employer under the FMLA is any company that employs 50 or more employees within a 75 mile radius for 20 or more workweeks in the current or previous calendar year.

Covered employers have to provide FMLA leave. Keep in mind that your business does not need to have 50 employees at the time an employee requests FMLA leave. Instead, this number means that you must have had 50 employees in 20 or more workweeks in the current or previous calendar year! Plus, part-time employees must be counted for FMLA purposes.

If your company has under 50 employees

Companies that employ over 50 people are required to comply with the FMLA, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only ones allowed to provide this benefit. Small businesses under 50 employees have the option to offer the FMLA, but they aren’t required to by law. Integrated or joint employers – you may need to offer FMLA. Having multiple small businesses with less than 50 employees at each doesn’t exclude you from FMLA criteria. 

Integrated employers typically own multiple branches or locations of their business.

Joint employers typically use an employee sharing or leasing service, otherwise known as contract staffing.

Make sure you are counting the employees at each branch if they exist within 75 miles of each other, and if the total adds up to over 50; you must fulfill the FMLA requirements.

2. When do employees become eligible for FMLA benefits?

Here’s the kicker. To take FMLA leave, an employee must:

1. work for a covered employer
2.  be an eligible employee
3. Use the leave for a “covered reason”

First and foremost, employees have to be working under a covered employer to consider taking leave under FMLA. These employees should have proven commitment to the company.

Second, to be eligible for FMLA leave, employees must have been employed for at least 12 months and a minimum of 1,250 hours at the same company. After these requirements are met, they will then need a valid reason for taking leave.

Third, the employee must have a qualifying reason they are able to take leave. The Family Medical Leave Act covers eligible reasons such as:

• Birth and care of a newborn child
• Adopting or foster care placement of a child
• Caring for a spouse, child, or parent experiencing a serious health condition
• A personal health diagnosis that interferes with job performance
• Any qualifying exigency due to active military family member on duty

When dealing with these life events, the FMLA encourages taking a break from work to prioritize family and health needs as they are time sensitive and ideally temporary.

3. How Does FMLA Work?

It’s important to note. As an employer, you cannot require that your employee use all of their 12 weeks continuously! Meaning that employees don’t have to take their time off in one consistent period. Under FMLA, an employee is entitled to 12 workweeks of leave during any 12-month period – but that leave time can be broken up. 

The FMLA provides that leave may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule under certain circumstances.

Intermittent leave is FMLA leave taken in separate blocks of time due to a single qualifying reason. For example, an employee may take intermittent leave for all doctor appointments associated with treatment of serious health condition (such as chemotherapy for cancer.)

A reduced leave schedule is a leave schedule that reduces an employee’s usual number of working hours per workweek or hours per workday. An example of a reduced leave schedule is an employee who is recovering from a serious health condition and is not strong enough to work a full-time schedule.

4. Can An Employer Deny an FMLA request?

Employers can only deny a request for valid reasons and the same goes for employees: requesting leave can only be approved for special circumstances. Without proper notice, employers can deny the FMLA request. It is rare for employers to deny these requests, but there are some circumstances that could include:

• Invalid reason for leave request
• Failure to authorize contacting health care provider
• Lack of proper notice
• Inability for an employer to fill the position if they have less than 50 employees
• Employer doesn’t need FMLA criteria

If your employee falls ill long-term, it’s essential to have a plan in place. While the FMLA leave can assist with any burdens in the meantime, businesses should be prepared for “what if” circumstances.

HR Can Help

Handling FMLA compliance can be tricky. (It’s the Rubix cube of taking time off!) If you’re unsure how to handle an FMLA request, reach out to an HR professional. They can guide you through eligibility requirements for you and your employees, while avoiding any legal issues.

Let HR guide you through a FMLA request. Facilitating FMLA correctly will help you build trust with your employees. Once your employees know you care about their well-being, they’re more likely be engaged and go above and beyond for your company goals. This is one compliance Rubix cube you’ll want to solve.

Don’t get us wrong– we love to compete! But to win top talent, business owners need to understand how their hiring process timeline compares to the competition. 

Use this guide to help you find the optimal interview and hiring process timeline for your business. We’ve included our best advice on how to cut the hiring process timeline and recruit quality employees faster. (We know you can compete with the big players!) Plus, we’ve thrown in expert tips to help you find your latest and greatest employee.

What Is The Timeline For Hiring?

In general, the hiring process for most professional services takes between 2 weeks and 30 days on average. Jobvite’s 2021 Recruiting Benchmark Report shows a time-to-hire of 14-30 days for 54% of employers, with 70% of employers filling openings in less than 30 days. So, if your hiring process takes longer than 4 weeks, you risk losing your top-tier candidates to competitors. 

Note that the timeline for completing the hiring process, from the initial job posting to the acceptance of an offer, varies among industries. Even with these averages, the hiring process timeline will undoubtedly look different for each business. Plus, you should be somewhat flexible with the hiring process timeline to make sure you’re getting the best candidates for the job. 

How Long Should The Interview Process Be?

The interview process timeline is the biggest roadblock in your hiring process. The job interview process can be lengthy. Many companies have an involved interview process starting with screening interviews, which often take place on the phone, followed by in-person interviews, second interviews and even third interviews. (That’s a big chunk of the hiring process timeline!)

A recent article by the Balance, breaks down the average amount of time to get an offer, but the average interview process timeline depends on industry and skill level. It takes new college grads 24 days on average to receive a job offer after an interview. An extensive Glassdoor survey shows that just the interview process of the recruitment process usually takes about 23 days.

HR Pro Tip

Because of how much time interviewing takes, it’s critical to interview effectively. As we’ll discuss later in this guide, there are steps you can take to better interview and recruit the right people for the job. Ask candidates insightful questions to see if they’re just looking at this position as a stepping stone, or if they’re in it for the long term.  How they answer will say a lot.

How To Cut The Hiring Process Timeline And Recruit Faster

Don’t give your favorite candidate the chance to wander off to a different opportunity. Here are just a few tips to let you get ahead in the competition.

Use Video Content In Your Job Ad

Job seekers get tired of scanning through the job postings with the same format. Adding video content can be a huge differentiator for your brand. (Take that, other stale job ads!) It’s also a great way to showcase your company culture and build a relationship with new applicants. 

Adding video to your job ads can help you:

• Showcase your brand and culture
• Highlight job perks and incentives
• Encourage sharing and engagement on social media
• Expand your talent search by increasing your visibility

Use video content in your job ad to show applicants around your company, highlighting key employees and their experiences. It doesn’t have to be glamorous! Having a manager talk about the role and company culture has the potential to resonate with candidates on a different level.

Strategically Place Your Job Ad

There are tons of places where you can post a job ad. From Indeed, LinkedIn, Monster (and infinity and beyond!) The list of places where you can post a job opening never ends. It takes a keen eye to understand the best place to post a job advertisement and why. 

Most recruiters turn to LinkedIn as a recruiting tool, but it’s become so crowded with recruiters that it’s actually grown harder to source passive candidates. Oversaturation on LinkedIn is the main reason that 52% of hiring managers claim that passive candidate recruiting has become less effective. Our advice? First thing’s first, determine your budget and timeline. Then, do some research and find out which channels are best suited to your target audience and budget.

How Can You Promote Your Job Posting?

If you want to attract high-quality candidates, it is not enough just to publish your job openings on your career site and job boards. Your best job candidates are passive job seekers, who are not actively looking for a new job. Some of the top places to post your job ad to recruit passive candidates are:

• Job-specific websites where your target audience frequently visits. Industry-specialized websites like forums and blogs are a ​​great place for promoting your job postings.
• Your company newsletter. Make sure to include your job posting in your company’s newsletter to spread the information about your new job opening. 
• Social media platforms. Facebook and Twitter’s targeted search capabilities can be used to find high-quality passive candidates. You’re probably familiar with social platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, but you might not have considered incorporating them into your recruiting strategy. These platforms can be used in unique ways to attract passive candidates.

The right marketing technology or recruiting software can help you utilize the right platforms for your job ad and get in front of your ideal candidates.

HR Pro Tip

Not seeing results? Try outsourcing an HR professional for your talent acquisition. Outsourcing your company’s recruiting efforts can help you expand your talent search and build a pipeline of experienced talent.

Interview Effectively

When done effectively, asking the right questions during an interview can have a huge impact on the hiring process timeline. Asking the right questions upfront can help you determine if an applicant’s skills, experience and personality meet the job’s requirements. Here are just a few things you can do to interview better:

• Ask open-ended questions. Open-ended questions encourage candidates to provide longer answers and to expand on their knowledge, strengths and job experiences. They also provide greater insight into a candidate’s personality.
• Prepare questions in advance. We’re always surprised at how many interviewers don’t prepare questions in advance. (Save winging it for open mic night!) 
• Avoid certain questions. Don’t ask about age, ethnic heritage, or church they belong to. These questions directly ask for personal information and can get you in trouble with federal law. It is important for interviewers to be familiar with federal employment laws, so they don’t discriminate against potential employees.

It’s one of the biggest hiring mistakes we see: lack of adequate planning for an interview. It can help to have a written outline or checklist of important points to be covered, even in addition to the specific questions you will be asking candidates. Download our guide below for an exclusive look at how to guide an interview and our best 10 questions every employer should be asking during an interview. 

Download Now

Outsource Your HR

You may find yourself becoming overwhelmed by the hiring process. (It happens to the best of us!) Did you know that outsourcing your HR allows you to better recruit and onboard your employees? No seriously, it does. When you outsource HR, you’ll get to work with HR professionals who know the ins and outs of the recruitment process – from strategic job advertising to qualifying candidates. At EmPower HR, we can help with:

• Writing a killer job description and ad
• Targeted recruitment advertising
• Interview best practices and guidance
• Candidate review and shortlisting
• Strategies to recruit passive candidates

Long story short, we’ll develop a rockin’ recruitment and hiring strategy to help you fill your open positions with the best talent out there. Contact us today!

But more than that, a 1099 contractor vs. a W2 employee function differently as part of a business. Knowing whether to hire 1099 contractors or W2 employees can make the difference in a business getting what it needs from its employees.

What is a 1099 Employee?

A 1099 worker is an independent contractor, which means they’re technically not an employee. An independent contractor is a self-employed professional a business pays to perform a specific function. For example, a business might pay a freelance web designer to build a website, or an accountant to take care of finances.

According to the IRS, if a business pays $600 or more to a non-employee for business services, that needs to be reported both to the government and the person who was hired. 1099 contractors are perfect for short-term projects. When first retained for work, every 1099 contractor needs to fill out a W9 form so the employer can send the IRS the appropriate records, and the IRS can make sure the contractor pays their own income taxes.

What is a W2 Employee?

A W2 employee, on the other hand, is a traditional employee. They work for a business part-time or full-time, and they might be eligible for benefits like health insurance and pension plans. A W2 employee is usually more of a long-term position than a 1099 contractor. Unlike freelancers, they are not considered to be their own business. Instead, they are a part of the business that employs them.

Unlike a 1099 contractor, who is responsible for withholding their own income tax, W2 employees have tax deductions automatically taken out of their paycheck. The IRS guidelines state that employers legally need to ensure all employees have their W2 forms by no later than January 31. This ensures that employees are able to file taxes in a timely manner.

How to Know Whom to Hire

There are potential pros and cons to hiring W2 employees or 1099 contractors, so any potential employer needs to be clear about what their needs are.

A W2 employee might be more loyal to the business, simply because they aren’t running a business of their own. They’re dedicating their time and energy to the business that employs them as opposed to juggling multiple employers as clients. Employers often have more control over the work product of a W2 employee, and due to the nature of scheduled part-time or full-time employment, they have much more control over how that employee spends their time.

However, W2 employees can cost a business more money than a 1099 contractor. Benefits, salaries, and simply paying for that much of someone’s time is much more costly than paying someone for a single project. Furthermore, W2 employees need more time and attention than 1099 contractors. Any good business needs to make sure its employees are well-managed, otherwise workers will quit instead of risking relying on an employer that doesn’t return their investment.

When employing independent contractors under a 1099, employers are not required to withhold income taxes or pay for benefits like insurance or retirement planning. Because an independent contractor depends on maintaining a good reputation from clients for their business, any potential employers might find it easier to look at references and examples of work to get a good idea of what they can expect from that worker.

But 1099 workers have more rights over the work they do, and more control over their time and efforts. They might not be motivated to build the kind of relationship with an employer that the business needs.

The Risk of Getting it Wrong

Some questions a business might ask themselves before deciding which to hire might include:
● Do I need ongoing help or a discrete project to be done?
● How long will I need the employee to work for me?
● Does my company have the resources to pay for a full or part-time salaried worker?
● How do other businesses in my industry handle employment?

Beyond getting the type of work you need from a potential worker, misclassifying workers can have serious legal implications.

At the extreme end of the spectrum, consider the ongoing legal issues with Uber. Of course, a huge business like Uber is going to be more likely to get into legal hot water than a small business struggling to get employment right. But the law is the law, and mistreating employees by classifying them incorrectly is no way to succeed in business.

When in Doubt, Ask an Expert

Any potential employer who is new to hiring employees should consult an expert in employment law, or any industry mentors who have experience with both contractors and traditional employees.

Whether it’s a mistake on annual taxes, a lawsuit, or just a failure to get the best out of employees and freelancers, hiring classifications are too important to get wrong.

Explore the pivotal reasons why private equity back office outsourcing for HR functions makes sense in our downloadable guide.