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The Value of an HR System Amidst COVID-19

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With Los Angeles County extending the “Safer At Home” emergency order through May 15, 2020, employers and their employees have had no other option but to adjust and get comfortable working from home. Even furloughed employees need a way of interacting with the basic processes of HR.

While human resource teams are dealing with the changes in the workforce the last thing they need to worry about is how to properly relay all new information to their employees now that everyone is out of office. With that in mind, an HR system is critical to help keep businesses running smoothly and efficiently during these remote, unprecedented times.

Here are some ways employers with a robust process can make the best use of their HR system during COVID-19.

Ensure Contact Information is Current

With the news around Coronavirus changing day by day, it’s important to make sure your system contains all employees’ most current contact information should you have to make any company announcements. It is also good to have on hand now that everyone is working remotely and it can be harder to get an immediate response from an employee since you cannot physically stop by their desk to grab their attention.

Keep Employees Updated on Policy Changes

If there are any important policy changes and/or relevant COVID-19 news for your employees, it should be added accordingly to your HR system. Make sure your employees also know how to access this information themselves so they can easily locate any important documents they may need regarding taxes or pay statements.

Help to Keep Your Team Accountable and Engaged

Social distancing by working remotely can be an adjustment period for some, especially companies who are more “old school” and thrive on in-person connections. As employees are working from their homes, it can be harder to check-in with each other throughout the day as well as figuring out logistics that one may not have had to consider pre-Coronavirus. Utilizing an HR management system can alleviate these frustrations through various collaboration features to help rally your team to work on projects together and feel a little more “normal” even if it’s temporary.

Learning and Training

Seek and push out any and all ways that can help your team stay mentally fresh and positive. There are many companies offering training, continuing education, and advanced learning. Now is a great time for people to work on getting their credentials, enrolling in secondary learning classes, or completing state or federal required training.

How CorpStrat Can Help

With these challenges during COVID-19, employers have enough to worry about. CorpStrat’s cloud-based HR Management System will take the HR stress off your plate and transform your workplace administration. By being properly equipped with our streamlined process for HR management, this will help you overcome your COVID-19 HR obstacles by easily tracking your company’s HR needs including payroll, benefits, time off, and employee data – all through one tool.

CCPA and Its Effect on the Employment Relationship

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Since January 1, 2020, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) has officially been in effect. In short, the CCPA imposes new privacy obligations on businesses that collect personal information of California consumers. But it doesn’t just stop at consumers. With the recent Attorney General-issued revisions, the CCPA applies to the employment relationship as well, including information related to employee benefit plans.

Here is a breakdown of how the CCPA affects the employment relationship.

CCPA and Employees

Under the CCPA, the definition of “consumer” is very broad, providing that any natural person who is a California resident is a “consumer”. Therefore, this broad definition extends to cover employees who are resident in California, no matter the fact that their relationship with the business is as an employee, and not a consumer.

Since the definition of “consumer” is very broad, so is the definition of “personal information.” However, the recent revisions by the Attorney General brought some clarity about what “personal information” constitutes: employment-related information is considered “personal information” under the CCPA. There is no exemption for employment-related personal information stored and maintained by an employer.

As such, similar to consumer information, the CCPA requires employees and applicants to be notified that their personal information is being collected.

Other noteworthy revisions from the Attorney General include:

  • An employer is not required to provide a link to an online privacy policy to employees and applicants as a method of notice; they can be notified through a paper form or via email.
  • An employer is allowed to provide a link to an online privacy policy tailored to employee and applicant data, rather than the general online privacy policy which deals with consumers as a whole.

Employment-related Information Under CCPA

The following common types of “employment-related” data are considered “personal information” (and protected) for purposes of the CCPA:

  • New hire/on-boarding paperwork, including resumes, employee applications (including Social Security Number, drivers’ license, mailing address), background checks, IRS Forms W-4 (withholding), etc.
  • Payroll information, including employee bank account numbers for direct deposit.
  • Credit card information provided in connection with expense reports.
  • Random drug testing paperwork and results.
  • Documentation of various types of leave, such as sick leave, vacation, paid time off, etc.
  • Employee benefit plans (to the extent not exempt from the CCPA).
  • Employee’s online activity on a work computer/system, such as browsing history and search history.

Data from Employee Benefit Plans

Data from employee benefits plans are covered—and protected—under the CCPA. Employee benefit plans collect and use personal information since plans require various types of personal information, such as name, address, Social Security Number, and insurance policy information.

However, certain benefit plans may have varying compliance obligations to the CCPA, especially if they are HIPAA-covered or ERISA-covered.

compliance obligations of certain benefit plans may be: (1) limited by the CCPA’s HIPAA exemption; and (2) potentially preempted by ERISA.

HIPAA Exemption

The CCPA does not apply to “protected health information” (PHI) of a group health plan that is subject to HIPAA or to other personal information protected in the same fashion as PHI. Employer-sponsored HIPAA-covered benefit plans typically include a major medical plan, dental, vision, health flexible spending account, and certain wellness or employee assistance programs. One thing to note is that some information collected by a benefit plan may be personal information under the CCPA, but not PHI under HIPAA, and there may be compliance obligations concerning that information.

ERISA Preemption

The CCPA does not specifically address how it applies to benefit plans not covered by HIPAA. For plans that are subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), there is a possibility that the CCPA could be preempted, or prevented, by ERISA. As such, ERISA-covered benefit plans that are not HIPAA-covered (such as 401(k) plans, long term disability, and AD&D) may be able to successfully argue that personal information collected and used is not subject to the requirements of the CCPA.

The Bottom Line

When dealing with the CCPA regarding employment, an employer should apply the same steps they apply to “personal information” from customers and other consumers to employee data and employee benefit plan data (that may be subject to the CCPA).

Reach out to CorpStrat to learn how we design and manage (compliant) employee benefits at competitive rates so your company can attract, reward, and retain your employees.

Importance of Workplace Mental Health Initiatives

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Did you know that 1 in 6.8 people experience mental health problems in the workplace? And that over 200 million workdays ($16.8 billion in employee productivity) are lost each year due to mental health conditions? With such a drastic impact in the workplace, mental health is no longer a workplace issue that can be sidelined. Large companies like Facebook and Google have already started offering mental wellness initiatives. So, it is now important, more than ever, for small to medium sized companies to take an active interest in employee mental health and create a supportive environment for their employees.

Why should you invest in workplace mental health initiatives?

Workplace wellness is important because poor mental health can affect an employee’s day-to-day work life. Poor mental health can affect an employee’s:

  • Job performance and productivity;
  • Engagement with work and coworkers; and
  • Daily functioning.

As such, workplace mental health initiatives are programs that employers need to invest in. And these wellness programs don’t even need to be costly; simple events like a wellness day require minimal investment but can produce effective results. Supporting mental health programs in the workplace lead to overall improved team performance and employee wellbeing.

Here are three main reasons why employers should promote mental wellness in the workplace:

Increased Employee Productivity and Motivation

When mental health is supported in the workplace, employees are able to perform better. Happy employees have improved decision-making, workflow, and engagement, all of which translate to increased productivity and motivation in the workplace. Employees will feel that they are supported, fostering a sense of loyalty to the company and reducing absenteeism.

Higher Team Morale

Mental wellness programs can lead to higher team morale. When teams engage in wellness initiatives together, both outside and inside work, they start having a shared purpose that builds camaraderie. These shared experiences can go a long way in keeping employees engaged with the team, leading to a positive workplace culture.

Decreased Stress

Work-related stress within employees can become debilitating and costly for a company. So, investing in programs that deal with stress management or mindfulness and meditation can help reduce stress throughout the workplace. Essentially, less stress in the workplace leads to satisfied employees, which, ultimately, creates a positive culture.

Bottom Line

Workplace wellness programs can be a valuable asset for employers and employees. With an increasingly competitive job market, how well a company responds to mental health issues is becoming increasingly important to employees, current and new. To learn how you can leverage wellness programs to the fullest, reach out to CorpStrat and see how comprehensive employee benefits can further attract, reward, and retain new and existing employees.

4 Simple Employee Recognition Ideas

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Employee recognition is about acknowledging the hard work of the employees within your company. And it is a crucial element to employee engagement and happiness. Simply put, a solid employee recognition strategy leads to stronger engagement, increased employee morale, and lower employee turnover.

The best recognition tactics make employees feel valued and respected. But, creating an effective recognition strategy from the start is not as easy as it looks. Here are 4 simple tactics you can incorporate today to jumpstart your employee recognition program.

1.    Positive Feedback

Give positive feedback to employees when they produce exceptional work. As simple as this may seem, positive feedback is an effective—and simple—way to recognize your employee’s and/or team’s hard work. Praise motivates people to work harder, so sharing positive feedback on a regular basis, whether through a quick shout-out in the meeting or through email, is a good way to jumpstart your employee recognition tactics.

2.    Employee of the Month

Create an “Employee of the Month” program, one that recognizes the month’s top-performing employee. A formal employee recognition process like this can instill a sense of pride within the employee, encouraging stronger engagement and motivation. But we recommend making the nomination process an inclusive activity, not one that only upper management gets to dictate. Including everyone’s opinion in the process will make them feel valued and respected as employees throughout this process. Looking to go the extra mile? Take it one step further and create a “Wall of Fame,” with pictures of your past “Employees of the Month.”

3.    Wellness Day

Show your support for wellness with an Employee Wellness Day. Creating a culture of wellness at your company is guaranteed to inspire, educate, and engage employees. Self-care activities, such as on-site massages, mindfulness sessions, or fitness classes will give your employees a much-needed break. And this refreshing break will create the understanding within your employees that their hard work and efforts are being recognized and valued.

4.    Catered Lunch

Host an employee appreciation lunch for your employees. From fully catered meals to box lunches, there are endless ways to bring a catered meal to your company. Treating your employees with lunch is a great way to show that you appreciate them for their hard work. If catering a lunch for the entire office is too much, then try providing catered meals department by department, or team by team.

Bonus tip: Recognition and rewards software

Implement a recognition and rewards software to better track and reward your top-performing employees. Employee recognition tools can automate your strategy for a smoother employee recognition program. With hard data, these software platforms give a data-driven insight into which employees go above and beyond in their roles as well as automatically provide recognition and rewards to those who exemplify company culture.

With these simple tactics, your employee recognition program will have a strong foundation. Your employees will feel recognized and, therefore, motivated to work harder for your company. But, if you want to learn how to attract, reward, and retain your employees in the long-term, reach out to CorpStrat today.

How to Start Building Employee Loyalty

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After you hire to fit company culture, the next step is to cultivate employee loyalty among your workforce. Doing so will lead to higher employee productivity and engagement, which Gallup found led to 21% greater profitability. As such, loyal employees can help your business grow and develop. But employee loyalty is not a given; it has to be earned and nurtured over time.

How to Start Building Employee Loyalty

Real loyalty develops when an employee trusts and respects the company. Employees must trust that the company has their best interests at heart and is invested in them. Simply put, it’s a two-way street. If they sense that they are not valued, employees will leave the first chance they get. That’s why the company must take actionable steps towards cultivating employee loyalty.

The first step in fostering employee loyalty is to must make sure the employee’s and organization’s interests are aligned. As the key that connects an employee’s interests to the company’s, this duty falls upon the managers. Regularly communicating the organization’s goals during meetings show how employee contributions affect team and organization success, which, in turn, engages employees.

Another crucial step in building loyalty is to create an engaging work environment. A team effort between managers and higher-ups, establishing the right company culture, one that nurtures employees and creates compelling experiences, will go a long way in keeping employees loyal. Here are a couple ways to help you get started:

  • Provide continuing education workshops.
    Creating a space where employees can learn and improve their skills sends a message that the company and the team is invested in them, in helping them become the best they can be.

How to Nurture Employee Loyalty

Now that you’ve taken the first steps towards earning loyalty, how do you nurture it? The first step is to see which employee loyalty efforts have been effective by collecting data through an anonymous feedback system. An anonymous feedback system is essential at this point as it provides employees the chance to provide honest feedback while protecting their privacy. Ultimately, this will help you win their trust and long-term commitment because it shows that you value their opinion and respect their privacy.

With the data you’ve collected through the surveys, you’ll have an overview of what drives your employees and, essentially, what keeps them loyal. You’ll know which areas you need to act on.  So, the next step is to open the floor to your employees for constructive suggestions on how to address some of these issues.

  1. Set up a meeting to discuss relevant feedback.
  2. List out the main issues to discuss.
  3. Open the floor to employees on how the overall work environment is looking and for any constructive suggestions.
  4. Based on suggestions, create 3-5 actionable steps for the next 3 months.
  5. Establish a timeline of bi-weekly or monthly follow-up meetings until the deadline to ensure everything is on track.
  6. Periodically encourage employees to share new ideas and constructive feedback.

Bottom Line

Like any trust-building effort, building employee loyalty takes time, but it will be worth it. Any efforts, big or small, sends a powerful message that you are interested in their well-being, spurring them to be more productive and engaged in the company. After a year, you will be able to see these efforts shine through lower turnover rates, higher engagement, employee advocacy and, most importantly, employee loyalty.

Looking for a way you can enhance existing employee loyalty? Contact CorpStrat to learn how we help companies attract, reward, and retain their most important assets – their people.

5 Strategies to Retain Your Top Employees in 2020

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Did you know that retaining your employees is more cost effective than hiring? The time and money it takes to train a new employee costs your company far more than retaining your employees. Overall, having a high employee turnover can disrupt productivity and morale, as well as your company’s bottom line.

For those looking for ways to re-engage and retain their top employees, here’s a list of 5 strategies your HR department can incorporate in 2020.

1.    Find out why people are leaving and fix it.

If your company has seen an increase in the number of employees leaving, it is important that you find the underlying cause. Finding the root cause—whether it’s about the treatment of employees or the lack of a competitive salary—and fixing the issue can make the difference in employee retention.

Information obtained from exit interviews and honest conversations with current employees can be helpful in pinpointing what the problem is and how you can solve it. In addition, being proactive and conducting engagement surveys can reveal early warning signs to help you get ahead of the problem.

2.    Give positive feedback.

The simple act of positive feedback boosts employee confidence. Encouraging the efforts of your top employees and positively reinforcing their work improves morale and builds trust. Solidifying this trust is especially important when negative and constructive feedback becomes necessary.

Establishing a program where hard work is recognized and rewarded—or even using an employee recognition software—can foster a positive feedback culture where employees feel valued for their wins and ultimately stay.

3.    Communicate your organization’s shared vision.

Communicating the company’s short- and long-term goals can make your top employees feel engaged and valued. Knowing the bigger picture helps them align their goals with the company’s, cultivating their sense of purpose and sense of loyalty to the company.

In order to start this process, you must set aside a time for a company meeting where you lay out the organization’s goals, such as where the company is going and how the company aims to get there.

4.    Conduct a compensation analysis.

Although pay isn’t as big of a priority anymore,  it is still important to offer competitive salaries. Since salaries are a reflection of how valued an employee is, a fair compensation package, with a competitive salary and benefits package, is crucial in lowering employee turnover and increasing retention rates.

The first step is to conduct an annual compensation analysis, in comparison to your competitors, to see how much you should be compensating your employees. By offering a competitive package, your top employees won’t be enticed to leave your company for another.

5.    Offer opportunities for learning and continuous education.

According to LinkedIn, 94% of employees said they would stay at a company longer if it invested in helping them learn. As such, providing opportunities through which your top employees can grow and learn new skills can help with retaining them.

Access to workshops and certifications on relevant and useful topics are two ways your current employees can improve on and learn new skills. These will naturally engage current employees, making them feel like they can continuously grow with your company.

With these 5 strategies, you and your company will be able to retain your top employees for 2020. But for a smarter, long-term retention strategy, reach out to CorpStrat and learn how we help companies likes yours attract, reward, and retain your most important asset – your people.