16 May
When thinking of business tips, most people think of having a business or marketing plan. Or maybe “manage your time.” But the best tip I ever got was…“breathe!” At first you laugh – but then you see the wisdom. We so often get moving so fast – rushing to get ‘this’ task completed so we can move on to the next one, that we forget to pause, take that breath, regroup and refocus. It has been the most business enhancing advice I’ve received.
Find more tips like this on 163 Pieces of the Best Business Advice on Carol Roth’s website here.
8 May
Please note that the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) has released an updated version of the Labor Code wage-and employment notice. The revision was made to the Wage Theft Protection Act of 2011 that requires employers to provide nonexempt employees with a notice at the time of hire that lists specific wage information.
The DLSE revised this post template on April 12, 2012.
Accompanying this template change, it an update to the FAQs about the notice to answer questions from employers. Also released on April 12, this new information revises several FAQs and includes five additional questions and answers.
For new hires made after April 12, 2012, the newer posted version of the template must be used, and employers are required to provide the notice at the time of hire in the language the employer normally uses to communicate.
The updated wage-and-employment notice (in English and Spanish) is available for download from HRCalifornia.
2 May
It’s time for another installment of Good Books for Better Business!. We’ve come across a few we think would make interesting reads. Take a look below:
How to Succeed in Anything By Really Trying by Lyman Macinnis.
Do you have the three As? (Attitude, Ability, and Ambition) See what the author has to say about what it takes to achieve success in life — and business.
The Dip by Seth Godin.
A book about outpacing the competition by marketer and entrepreneur, Seth Godin. Seth has written 13 books about his business philosophy, and this is but one that caught our eye.
Little Red Book of Sales Answers: 99.5 Real Life Answers that Make Sense, Make Sales, and Make Money by Jeffrey Gitomer.
The book’s summary says, “The good news is, the answers exist. The bad news is, in order to be able to become a successful salesperson, you have to understand, practice, and master the answers.” Right there, you know this is going to be good.
Stay tuned for more book suggestions in upcoming posts!
24 Apr
Due to conflicting decisions at the district court level, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily put on hold the National Labor Relations Board’s rule requiring the posting of employee rights in a public space.
Originally scheduled to go into effect on April 30, 2012, the NLRB’s requirement to post its poster is now pending the resolution of the issues before the court.
Although NLRB spokesman Mark Gaston Pearce said he believed that the Board’s mandate to employers to post the notice is “well within the Board’s authority, and that it provides a genuine service to employees who may not otherwise know their rights under our law…In view of the DC Circuit’s order, and in light of the strong interest in the uniform implementation and administration of agency rules, regional offices will not implement the rule pending the resolution of the issues before the court.”
In a nutshell?
Employers will not have to meet the April 30 implementation deadline.
We will continue keep you updated on the status of the NLRA poster requirement.
Read more on the NLRB website here.
19 Apr
As you know by now, a California Supreme Court decision was made in the case first filed nine years ago against Dallas’s Brinker International, who owns Chili’s and other restaurants, by restaurant workers complaining of missed breaks in violation of California labor law. Below, we’ve provided additional clarification on the court’s decision and how it impacts businesses in California.
First, the difference between a rest break and a meal break is important to note. A rest break is:
• Paid
• 10 minutes total
• On-premise
A meal break is:
• Unpaid.
• From 30 minutes to a max of 60 minutes
• Can be off-premise if the employee’s work time is six hours or less, however the employee may request to waive the meal break
• The employer must approve the waiver.
Generally, the court ruled that the employer must relieve the employee of all duty during the meal break, but need not ensure that the employee is not working.
So employers do not have to ensure meal breaks are taken, only provide them, and there is no requirement to provide a meal break on a rolling-five hour basis. Also, employers still have a duty to provide meal breaks, however the Court did not address what happens after a meal break is provided but not taken.
In summary, an employer’s obligation to provide a meal break is satisfied if the employer relieves employees of all duty, which means the employer/s:
- Relinquishes control over employees’ activities.
- Permits employees a reasonable opportunity to take an uninterrupted 30-minute meal break.
- Does not impede or discourage employees from doing so
As an employer, it’s important to consult with legal counsel or your HR outsourcing team if you will permit employees to work through a meal break and leave early or take a later meal break, and how to document compliance.
Please note that the Brinker decision does not change the law regarding an employer’s duty to provide the meal break before the end of the fifth hour. The court also noted that what will suffice as compliance with the employer’s duty to provide meal break may vary from industry to industry.
18 Apr
On the lookout for new (and quality) employees? Consider some of these people you may not have thought of before: teachers, retired military, career switchers. As the below article points out, “The key to finding great talent at a price you can afford is to… Go against the grain…and conventional wisdom.”
Read the rest of this insightful article on Five Unconventional Sources for Great Employees here:
It just may speak an idea or two!
13 Apr
As you may have heard, yesterday, April 12, 2012, the California Supreme Court ruled that employers are not obligated to ensure that employees take mandated lunch breaks.
This case affects the state of California’s thousands of businesses and millions of workers, and was a unanimous ruling that came after workers’ attorneys claimed employers take advantage of workers who don’t want to leave co-workers when it’s busy on the job.
The case was first filed nine years ago against Dallas’s Brinker International, who owns Chili’s and other restaurants, by restaurant workers complaining of missed breaks in violation of California labor law. Still, Supreme Court ruled that requiring companies to order breaks is unmanageable and that those decisions should be left to workers.
California’s restaurant owners considered the opinion as helpful when determining their obligations to employees.
“The ruling dramatically affects how our industry operates and provides clarity to restaurateurs who have been left to guess what their legal obligations are. We believe this ruling will benefit employers and employees alike,” said Jot Condie, president and CEO of the California Restaurant Association.
Please read about the case and its continuing developments here.
2 Apr
As the healthcare plan conceptualized and signed into law by President Obama faces scrutiny from the United States Supreme Court, everyone is wondering if the controversial plan will be approved by Court, which will hand down its decision most likely in June.
As you probably know, if the healthcare plan moves forward, nearly all Americans will be required to buy health insurance, or pay a fine.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but visit the Supreme Court’s site for the latest on this historic hearing, which kicked off Monday, March 26, 2012. The site will feature a daily audio file and transcripts.
Whatever side you fall on, this will affect us all.
26 Mar
So now that we wrote about how to increase employee morale, let’s discuss how not to DECREASE it.
The first two of “Five Ways to Kill Employee Morale,” as published in Inc. Magazine, are:
1. Create competitions in which one employee will be promoted and the other won’t.
You may think it’s a great way to create internal competition but someone is going to lose and hold a grudge against you, the winner, and the company. Instead look for win-win ways to develop your whole team.
2. Be blind to your employees’ goals, dreams, and job satisfaction.
The more you know about what motivates your employees and the more interest you have in their happiness and success, the more they will bring that enthusiasm to work. Even if you can’t provide a job for them that satisfies 100% of their hopes and desires there are always ways to incorporate what they love into what they do.
Read the entire article over at Inc. Magazine…
(Photo from here.)
22 Mar
Happy employees are productive employees. So how do you keep morale up in the workplace? We’ve compiled a few tips.
Recognize employee contributions:
Let your employees know you value their work. Tell them they’re doing a good job. Write an email thanking them for their contributions to a project. Whatever you do, just be sure your employees understand that you appreciate what they bring to the organization. Simple acknowledgments go a long way toward building loyalty and pride in a job well done.
Reward employees: Thank yous are valuable, to be sure, but other rewards can include public recognition of outstanding work, a celebratory pizza party, or a day off work. These tangible benefits let your staff know you are aware of how hard they are working. Fostering a culture of employee appreciation is a major morale booster.
Treat employees like humans: Remember birthdays and important occasions in your staff’s lives. Ask how they’re doing, smile at your employee in the hall. Your employees are people, not work machines, and small gestures like learning their names and shaking their hands let your staff know you view them as individuals and not simply resources.
Be transparent: Let employees know what is going on in the company. Give them the whole story and let them see the big picture. If you hold back, staff may worry about what you’re not telling them, and this is how rumors spread. If you have to initiate layoffs, or cut spending, or forgo the holiday party, explain why to your staff, so gossip doesn’t circulate.
Be available: An open door policy is key. It’s also important to walk around and spend time talking with employees, asking questions, and requesting ideas. If your staff views you as approachable, they’ll be much more likely to bring work issues to your attention, give valuable feedback, and contribute more time and energy to the company. People who feel their work and opinions are valued, will take more pride in their work.
Encourage conversation: Listening to employee feedback is wonderful, but it can only go so far if staff doesn’t know enough about business operations to give viable ideas. Keep your employees informed and ensure they understand you are willing to listen to input. Involving staff in discussions lets them know you appreciate their opinions and allows you to provide constructive feedback
Give responsibility: Show performing employees you trust them enough to handle an important project or deal. This empowers your staff and builds morale. It’s also key to offer training to develop skills. Perhaps you bring in experts for training sessions, or send staff to local trade conferences. Providing your employees with effective training prevents job burn-out because it helps staff feel they are on a professional path and not remaining stagnant in the job.
Finally, we mention the obvious: Make work fun: Smile, make jokes, plan a fun staff outing. Nothing raises morale faster than a boss who understands that work needs to be enjoyable sometimes.
