Small Business Week has continued for nearly 60 years and grows in scope — with each new generation of startups and entrepreneurs leaving their imprint on the event. National Small Business Week (NSBW) will run from Sunday, April 30 through Saturday, May 6 in 2023. The SBA will announce winners for the 2023 awards in 14 categories, including:

• Small Business Person of the Year Award
• Small Business Exporter of the Year
• Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery
• Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Mitigation
• Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery – Public Official
• Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery – Volunteer
• Federal Procurement Award – Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award
• Federal Procurement Award – Small Business Subcontractor of the Year Award
• Federal Procurement Award – Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence
• 8(a) Graduate of the Year Award
• Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award
• Veterans Business Outreach Center Excellence in Service Award
• Women’s Business Center of the Year Excellence Award
• Small Business Investment Company of the Year

Nominations are closed for 2023, but if you have a small business or are inspired by one, 2024 nominations will open in the Fall.

The National Small Business Week 2-day virtual summit is happening Tuesday, May 2 – Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

2023 virtual summit event will include educational presentations by experts, an exhibit hall, networking, and a mentoring lounge where attendees can get questions answered. The event is free to attend for both established and aspiring business owners.

Small Business Month and Day

Starting with Small Business Week, many areas extend the celebration throughout May for Small Business Month.

There are other annual celebrations for small businesses as well. Starting with Small Business Week, many areas extend the celebration throughout May for Small Business Month. Companies can choose how long they promote their business, either for the week or through the entire month.

In 2010 American Express began promoting Small Business Saturday: in 2015 the Small Business Administration joined the event as a co-sponsor. Typically the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday will fall on November 25, 2023. American Express promotes the event with national advertising and businesses around the country participate. It’s estimated that since Small Business Saturday began, the event has generated about $103 billion in revenue for local companies.

This year, American Express has partnered with TikTok to launch the #ShopSmall Accelerator, a new program designed to help small business owners reach a new generation of Gen Z shoppers on Small Business Saturday.

There’s reason to celebrate

There are great reasons to celebrate small businesses in the US. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, in 2021 there were 32.5 million small businesses in the U.S.:

• 99.9% of U.S. businesses are small businesses
• 99.7% of companies with paid employees are small businesses
• Small businesses employ 46.8% of private sector workers in the U.S. (61 million)
• Small businesses generate 43.5% of gross domestic product, and almost 40% of private sector payroll
• Small businesses earn $13.3 trillion annually — 35.6% of private sector receipts

Compared to large businesses, small businesses are growing faster, according to the SBA. From 1995 to 2020, small businesses created 12.7 million net new jobs: large businesses created 7.9 million. Post-pandemic data has not been compiled, but some losses have likely occurred.

How do you celebrate a Small Business Week?

Small Business Week (Day and Month) are all about shameless self-promotion, and why shouldn’t they be? You had a vision you turned into action. Whether you’re your only employee or you have a 100 on the payroll, you provide jobs and a valuable product or service to your community and beyond. Celebrate the event(s) alone or alongside your neighboring small businesses.

Whether you’re your only employee or you have a 100 on the payroll, you provide jobs and a valuable product or service to your community and beyond.

Tell your story

Let your customers know who you are, what inspired you, and the history of your company. If you’re a generational business, blow up pictures of the ancestors who started the company and post them on social media, in windows or inside the business with their backstory.

Post your inspiration or where you plan to grow and develop on social media pages, too. Customers love to support local businesses: telling them your journey (or your family’s) builds brand loyalty.

Brag about your team

Let your customers know how much you appreciate the team that serves them. You can blow up pictures of your employees with their work story, too. List when they started, if they’ve moved up the ladder, how much customers rave about them, etc. You can even make it silly. If they’ve been with you for many years, try to find an old photo to compare with today’s look.

Thank your customers

Make sure you’re extra thankful to customers during any event. Add a picture of the first dollar you earned — hopefully with the date marked on it, or the day of your grand opening in your window. Let clients know you’re grateful they’ve been with you from the beginning, or that they just found you!

Create Small Business Week Events

Create events for your own company, your business district, or your entire town. Work with your Chamber of Commerce or Business Development Office and local vendors to promote the week or day.

Make it a team effort

Collaborate on signage, sidewalk sales, or create a progressive shopping event. Customers can start with a card that’s punched for every purchase made locally. When they get 10 punches at 10 local shops, they drop their card into a box for a  raffled-off prize.

Create swag

You can create your own Small Business Week tees and tote bags, or team up with other local shops on a group item. From the smallest of magnets to the largest swag bag, customers love branded items. An “I   Shopping Local” with your logo, or all your local businesses’ logo, not only drives traffic — it continues to advertise for your businesses long after the event is over.

Make it festive

Open and close Small Business Week with events like face painting, musicians, balloon artists, or bouncy houses for the kids. This not only drives interest in the event, it helps support other small businesses that may not have a storefront — like your local magician or unicyclist. Look for high school talent — bands, theater, and art departments may have suggestions for students willing to work the event(s).

Promote your wares

If you’re a restaurant, consider creating a signature sandwich or drink for the event. If you’re a candy or ice cream shop, make a new combination to celebrate. For those who aren’t ready to create something new, promote your best sellers with a small discount or an added treat — an extra scoop always draws customers.

Small businesses supporting other small businesses

If you can, work with your neighboring small businesses or those in town to make it a community event. Launch on Sunday together. Post signage widely; you might consider using your town or strip mall logo. Decorate with a theme, or just matching colors, to tie everyone together. Plan ahead with décor and events so you can share ideas and costs.

Schedule the best sales and swag days for the launch of the event or on the weekend, but don’t neglect mid-week. Offer 10% off on Tuesdays, when traffic is slow, to see if you can increase sales. A small free gift with purchase on Thursday can help, too. If there are only a few shops on main street or in your strip mall, work with your neighboring businesses to pick a discount day for each store. The more traffic you can drive to your neighbors, the more traffic you may see in your shop.

Consider teaming up with local charities — like your PTA or Little League. If you can offer a portion of the proceeds to these groups, you’ll begin with a targeted customer base.

Create social media events to generate buzz. Ask customers to post themselves and their purchases on your and their social media pages when they shop Small Business Week. Consider creating a backdrop that shows your shop (and logo) and boasts about shopping local as a photo op space. At the end of the event, you or your partnering shops can create an entire album of loyal customers who supported your businesses. Bonus points for silly posts — like that sassy new hat on the pup!

The purpose of Small Business Week

Small businesses are the backbone of entrepreneurship and success in the U.S. These companies employ almost half of American workers and drive nearly half the country’s gross domestic product. Small Business Week celebrates their contribution locally and across the country in May, but it builds customers and brand loyalty throughout the year. Make sure to celebrate your small business — and your neighbors’ — in your community.

The post Small Business Week 2023: Ways You Can Make an Impact appeared first on Workest.

This article will explore types of business insurance every small business owner should know about.

What types of small business insurance do you need?

Not all types are relevant to everyone. Relevance depends upon the stage, status, size, and type of business as well as what business assets are at risk. But understanding what’s available and for what business purposes can help you make your best decisions as your business grows. These are some of the most common kinds of professional and commercial insurance coverage for different types of small business.

General liability insurance

This type of small business insurance mitigates the risk of claims of property damage or bodily injury. If a customer or vendor gets injured while they’re on your business’s property, commercial general liability insurance protects the business if they sue you. Insurance coverages include settlements, legal fees, and court costs.

Professional liability insurance

Businesses providing professional services should consider getting this insurance to protect themselves against negligence claims. General liability coverage doesn’t typically apply to these types of claims. People who benefit from carrying this insurance include attorneys, physicians, and accountants.

Commercial property insurance

Business property needs to be protected against natural disasters like floods, fire, high winds, and hail. A company’s building, computers, furniture, inventory, and other business equipment and supplies will be covered by a commercial property insurance policy. Outside, the parking lot, roof, awnings, and other spaces are also protected by this type of property insurance policy.

Commercial auto insurance

A commercial auto insurance policy pays for damage and injuries sustained while operating a vehicle for business use. A business owner shouldn’t assume that a personal policy will cover events involving a vehicle being used for business. Personal auto insurance policies may deny such claims, setting your business up for significant financial losses. Covering vehicles used in your business with an appropriate business auto policy is a smart decision.

Business income insurance

If a small company can’t operate, it will most likely sustain a loss of income. Buying a business income insurance policy protects your business from this situation. With this policy, the company would be protected against certain lost income stemming from being unable to operate. For example, if a car drives into the building, or the roof collapses, business income insurance would address the losses incurred while repairs are made. This insurance policy is also called business interruption insurance.

Product liability insurance

Small businesses that make products can mitigate their risk by carrying this type of policy. If a product ends up being defective or unsafe, it may injure someone or cause property damage. For example, cars have been known to be recalled for deadly defects. And there was a time when a specific type of cell phone battery was prone to catching fire. Product liability insurance covers damages and medical expenses from injuries sustained because of the product.

Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance

Small businesses that provide specific services to clients or other businesses may benefit by covering themselves with an E&O policy. If you make errors, miscalculations, or leave out data or other important information, an E&O policy covers claims that may result. E&O insurance pays out for associated legal defense costs and settlements. It’s a good choice for accountants, technology providers, lawyers, and companies that offer advice or information and data to customers.

Business owners policy

Business owners wanting to bundle several types of insurance into a single package may choose a business owners policy. It includes general liability insurance, business income insurance, and commercial property insurance. This type of policy is usually less expensive than buying all three policies separately.

 Unemployment insurance

Unemployment insurance is provided by the state the small business is located in. If an employee loses their job, unemployment insurance provides weekly payments, sometimes called benefits, if the person is eligible. Employees who lose their jobs through no fault of their own (a downturn in the economy, company is cutting hours, it’s the slow season, etc.) can usually qualify for unemployment benefits.

Workers compensation insurance

Companies pay for this type of policy to protect themselves when employees file a workers comp claim against them. Employees who get sick or injured because of their job or work environment can file this type of claim. The policy pays out weekly workers compensation income and covers the employee’s medical care.

Deciding on business insurance

Protecting your business and personal assets are why you need insurance. Small business owners should contact their insurance company and discuss their needs and options with an experienced insurance agent. Weigh the pros and cons of each policy against the cost to your business to settle on solutions that best suit your company.

1 More Than 40 Percent Of Small Businesses Will Experience A Claim In The Next 10 Years

The post Types of Small Business Insurance to Reduce Your Risks appeared first on Workest.

Sometimes that impact is negative, and others times, it’s positive. Companies that want to increase their positive environmental effects can put techniques in place that incentivize eco-friendly practices by their employees.

Sustainability, paperless communications, embracing natural light, and working from home are examples of eco-friendly practices that can also save the company energy and money.

Why is being eco-friendly in the workplace important?

Environmentally friendly companies can see benefits to both their bottom line and their long-term success. This is because consumers increasingly find it important to support a business that is known to be eco-friendly. Approximately 90% of consumers are willing to change the brands they support if it means they can support environmentally friendly businesses.

Consumers understand the greater environmental impact that businesses have when they take simple steps to create an eco-friendly environment. Adding environmentally friendly practices helps businesses more efficiently align with the beliefs of their customers.

How to start the journey to sustainability in the office

The 1st step on the journey to sustainability is for management to take stock of where they currently are in terms of being a green company. Before a company can begin taking measures to be more eco-friendly, it must know where it stands, environmentally speaking. Companies can begin by requesting a free business energy audit.

Almost every state has programs that are sponsored by utility companies to help companies gauge their level of energy efficiency and environmental impact. The audit could reveal the need to replace light bulbs, update insulation, and seal or replace leaky pipes. Any initiatives the state auditors recommend are often eligible for at least partial reimbursement by the state.

Upgrades such as these usually lower water and energy consumption which will lower utility bills. This is a great 1st step, especially for small businesses that want to implement a sustainability initiative.

Efforts to improve sustainability have long-term benefits because of the current consumer climate of supporting eco-friendly practices. Businesses can follow the energy audit by investing in eco-friendly products.

5 ways to increase sustainability within the office

Every business is different. That means that the steps one company takes to increase its eco-friendly standing won’t be the same as another company’s steps. There are several ideas for businesses to reduce their impact on the environment.

1. Allow remote work

The more people work online, the less they need to drive to a physical office. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more people have embraced a work from home lifestyle. This greatly decreased the amount of time commuting.

Less time commuting means less time on the road, and that equates to less carbon dioxide emissions into the air. This one small change can help reduce a company’s carbon footprint, which doesn’t even account for the reduction in light, heat, or water usage.

2. Provide employees with public transit commuter benefits

Public transportation (trains, buses, etc.) is the most environmentally friendly way to commute. Companies can encourage their employees to take advantage of public transportation whenever they do need to come to the office.

Small businesses can offer employees public transportation benefits as a way of helping the environment.

Small businesses can offer employees public transportation benefits as a way of helping the environment. These benefits can be offered directly, or they can be offered through HR software.

Many city transit agencies offer subsidized passes for public transportation to businesses. The HR department can reach out to the local public transit authority to learn what subsidies they provide, if any.

3. Switch to sustainable products

Paper products, cleaners, and even to-go containers for a restaurant can cause issues with the environment because of the way they are made.

Paper items, like toilet paper or reams of printer paper made from post- or pre-consumer waste, are a better choice for an office interested in sustainability. Office managers can help maintain a circular economy that reduces overall waste by shopping for recycled products.

Cleaning products that are made with natural ingredients are far less toxic than their commercially produced counterparts. Using green cleaners helps to keep toxins out of streams and decreases toxic waste material in the landfills.

4. Reduce, reuse, recycle

Environmentalists have been using this mantra for years. Businesses can embrace the concept first by reducing the use of wasteful products. For example, instead of using disposable coffee cups, businesses can encourage the use of personal, washable mugs. Instead of tossing a perfectly good box in the warehouse, find a way to reuse it.

Employees can learn to use both sides of the printer paper or, even better, go paperless whenever possible. Recycling is the next best thing to reducing or reusing. Many cities provide convenient recycle bins for companies which makes it much easier for companies to recycle.

5. Make energy-efficient upgrades

When a company works to be more energy efficient, it shrinks its carbon footprint, and it reduces the company’s energy bills. There are simple upgrades that can be made that don’t cost a fortune.

Some of the simplest upgrades for energy efficiency are the ones that people overlook the fastest — for example, replacing old light bulbs with LED bulbs.

Eliminate the energy lost by forgetting to turn off lights by installing motion sensors that automate the process. Better than that, take advantage of natural light by keeping windows open to the sunlight.

Another relatively simple fix is for companies to switch thermostats for smart thermostats. Those companies that use computers routinely can switch desktop computers with laptop computers to save energy.

Remember the human element of sustainability

When a company makes changes to increase environmental consciousness, employees should be included in the process. Sustainability is a team effort. Including input from employees helps to keep them on the same page as management, allowing them to feel as though they are a vital part of the company.

Employees who are happy and healthy are more likely to fully embrace a commitment to helping the environment. When the people are well, they will maintain more healthy habits. Mindfulness and healthy habits can help to sustain a productive, non-toxic environment.

Whether employees are volunteering for community clean-up projects together or simply striving to make the company environmentally friendlier, employees who feel engaged and heard are more likely to continue eco-friendly behaviors away from the workplace.

Becoming an eco-friendly company can be simple

Becoming an eco-friendly company can be simpler than a business realizes. Simple steps such as using more sustainable products or switching to more energy-efficient lightbulbs are efficient initial steps toward eco-friendliness. One of the easiest ways to encourage energy efficiency in the office is to not only allow but also encourage working remotely.

As a company reduces its carbon footprint, striving to include employees in the process will help build a more cohesive team that continues caring for the environment outside of the office. Companies should encourage mindfulness as well as such techniques such as recycling and using public transportation to and from work to help reduce personal carbon footprints as well as corporate ones.

The post 5 Ways to Incentivize Eco-Friendly Practices in the Office appeared first on Workest.

New recruiting software has become available to help save time and money during the talent acquisition process. However, the software may not be all it has been promised to be. It doesn’t fully automate the process, which may lead to new issues for recruiters.

Before investing in recruiting software, companies should consider the pros and cons of using an HR platform for recruiting. It’s also critical to remember why the human touch is still necessary for a successful recruitment process.

What are the benefits of recruitment software?

Recruiting software that performs well helps HR teams stay organized, especially within a high-volume hiring process. The software is also designed to keep track of candidates during the entire hiring process, allowing HR professionals to maintain communication with potential employees throughout the process.

Using software to manage basic recruiting tasks has been a proven strategy. Software is evolving to handle more back-end tasks in addition to front-end recruiting. These aspects make recruiting platforms a core component of the search for new talent.

HR recruiting software is most beneficial when it’s integrated with existing, standalone recruiting platforms or applicant tracking systems. That’s according to Bruce Martin, the global talent acquisition director at Emburse (an expense management company with 1,000 employees).

Some staffing and recruiting firms have turned to artificial intelligence assistants to help review, score, and identify which candidates are best for specific positions. These AI programs allow HR pros to customize their search based on multiple criteria.

The HR associate enters parameters such as skills, experience, and employment type, and the software uses metrics such as job title similarity, skill strength, and profile matching to rank candidates based on compatibility.

The resume aggregator incorporated in the AI software makes posting requisitions a simple process, while technical assessment tools integrate with all assessment platforms.

Recruiting software with end-to-end solutions saves time

An additional benefit to selecting recruiting software that provides end-to-end solutions to recruiting issues is it saves time. Most recruiters, especially tech company recruiters, must review hundreds of resumes daily.

Weeding through all those resumes can take away hours of the recruiter’s day. That time could be better spent on other tasks, which is why AI software matching is a beneficial aspect of HR recruitment software.

Good recruiting software also handles communication with potential candidates. The software can schedule interviews and keep both recruiters and candidates apprised of progress. The use of AI software can help businesses avoid hidden costs of the hiring process by identifying top-tier candidates from within any talent pool.

What are the drawbacks of recruitment software?

The biggest challenge of automated recruitment software is its integration with other systems. Sometimes the recruitment software won’t integrate with a company’s own human resource information system (HRIS).

The lack of integration can cause headaches with employee onboarding and other processes. However, it means that the automated recruiting software can’t be relied on for the entire hiring process.

Recruiting and onboarding new talent has always been a human-centered process. If a company attempts to automate too much of the hiring process, it can make the company seem cold or aloof.

A company that seems too cold can be a turn-off for top talent. Technology has helped to streamline the hiring process. However, there is still a need for the human part of human resources.

Technology has helped to streamline the hiring process. However, there is still a need for the human part of human resources.

The software doesn’t take away the need for the interview process. It also doesn’t eliminate the need for HR to vet their candidates against company culture or needed skills. A candidate may seem perfect from an AI software standpoint but actually not fit into the company at all.

While automated recruiting software is amazing HR technology, it can still make mistakes. For example, the software bases a portion of the selection process on keyword usage.

The software will choose candidates based on those keywords, which means candidates that are familiar with the technology can optimize their resumes around the keywords. The keyword bias can make recruiting a diverse workforce difficult, if not impossible.

The human element of the hiring process is still vital

Automated recruiting software helps to save time and money in the recruitment process, but it still isn’t entirely efficient. Since efficiency can be lacking, it’s crucial for HR professionals to remain in charge of the hiring process.

People need connection and contact. Automated processes can’t replace that element of the hiring process. Candidates feel better and more included when the human element of the hiring process is honored.

In the process of meeting and interviewing candidates, HR professionals get to know the candidates that are interested in the available positions. As they get to know their potential employees, HR pros often learn interesting facts about the candidates.

For example, one of them may play guitar in a punk band, and another may come from a large family who goes canoeing together every summer. This kind of information won’t be found on a traditional resume. That means the automated software won’t learn the information either.

Of course, the software can be programmed to measure for certain customized parameters, but the program still won’t understand the importance of the skills those hobbies have taught the candidate. That’s why there must be a human element in each interview process.

What are steps to improve the recruiting process?

To improve the recruiting process, HR professionals should remove all references to personal details. They should do this before sharing the resumes with hiring managers.

For example, names, and any other identifiers, will be eliminated from the resumes that are shared with hiring managers. Removing these details helps to ensure that recruiters focus on the details that pertain to the job and company culture.

When choosing recruiting software, recruiters should find programs that override filters and allow them to write and manage the advertisements for available jobs.

While it requires additional time and effort, HR personnel should put eyes on every candidate’s resume. That will help them to determine which ones merit further consideration and which ones are not going to fit with the company. This allows hiring personnel to ensure that no one was overlooked because they didn’t use the keywords that the software recognized.

Recruiting software assists HR with the hiring process

Automated recruiting software has its place. However, there are still some issues that need to be addressed before HR departments should fully rely on an automated recruiting process.

The software can help narrow the candidate pool based on keywords that are programmed into the software. Candidates who are familiar with the technology and the keywords that it looks for will have an advantage over those who don’t use optimized keywords on their resumes.

The human element is irreplaceable in the hiring process. People notice things that automated software can miss.

For example, unless specifically programmed to do so, the software won’t catch information regarding hobbies or other extracurriculars that humans will find interesting. Instead, the software will key in on elements that are specific to job skills or technical aspects rather than picking up on things that make a person fit into a diverse company culture.

The post Is Your HR Platform Missing the Mark in Helping Recruit Top Talent? appeared first on Workest.

It’s time for companies to confirm they are making the correct efforts to retain their current workforce. Organizations must ensure they are making every effort to drive employee job satisfaction.

Statistically, employees who report being satisfied in their work life are more likely to stay with the company. For companies to ensure their employee retention programs are working, they must first understand why employees may be choosing to leave.

Why are employees leaving their companies?

When employees choose to leave, the HR department’s greatest tool is the exit interview. An exit interview can provide insight into why an employee has decided to leave.

These interviews also give the employee’s perspective of the organization’s inner workings and can help determine if employee retention strategies need to be adjusted.

Some of the reasons given for leaving the job include:

• They need more money.
• They want better or different benefits.
• Employees feel they are overworked or are doing jobs that aren’t theirs.
• They find virtually no room for advancement in their chosen career with their current company.
• Workers feel they are spending all their time at work and none of their time living.
• They don’t feel their achievements are recognized or their work is appreciated.
• Employees need a change, or they’re bored with the current trajectory of their career.
• They feel like the company is floundering rather than flourishing and are unwilling to go down with the ship.
• The company culture isn’t a good fit for their personality.
• They’ve found better, more attractive opportunities elsewhere.

What are top strategies for keeping employees satisfied?

Employees with highly sought-after skills will find new opportunities quickly if they leave their current company, even in areas where employers are valued more highly than employees.

Even during the worst of the pandemic, many companies continued to recruit top talent, so businesses must work quickly to ensure their retention strategies are working appropriately. Here are several areas where employers can boost job satisfaction and employee retention.

Start at the beginning with onboarding and orientation

When new hires enter the company doors for the first time, they will understandably be nervous, so HR and management should take that critical moment to create a successful relationship with them.

The employee onboarding process should teach new employees about the company culture and the job.

The employee onboarding process should teach new employees about the company culture and the job. New hires should be taught how they can contribute to and thrive within the culture.

Introduce them to other members of the team. Teach them policies and show them where everything is. Remember that the first few days within the company’s walls will set the tone — pleasant or unpleasant — for their entire time with the firm, so provide superior training and support during the onboarding and orientation phase of the hiring process.

Make mentorship programs a priority within the hierarchy

Many organizations have adopted the attitude of “We’re better together” with mentorship programs. That’s because they see the benefits of pairing or grouping employees for various tasks during the workday. Pairing a new employee with a mentor benefits both the new employee and the existing staff member.

For the new employee, someone is there to provide guidance on company policy or other day-to-day workings within the company. The mentor gets a fresh perspective from the new hire, and they can discuss ideas for new projects or work together whenever appropriate.

Not to mention, trusting an existing employee to be a mentor helps to let them know that management is confident in their abilities.

Employee satisfaction is often tied to their compensation

Most of the time, employees don’t report leaving a job to take one that pays less. Rather, they move to a position that pays more, so employers must keep salaries competitive in their industry if they want to retain top talent.

Offering better healthcare, retirement plans, or other benefits packages might help keep employees more satisfied if a company can’t compete monetarily with their nearest competition.

In some regions, sign-on, yearly, and holiday bonuses are ways to retain employees if their salaries aren’t quite as large as the competition across the street.

Bring in employees and keep them by offering perks

One of the best ways to stand out above the crowd of opportunities is to offer perks. Perks are different from benefits because they aren’t legally required offerings. They’re extras — an onsite gym, for example. If the company already offers parental leave, perhaps it’s time to consider offering it to adoptive or foster parents as well as natural parents.

A good way to determine which perks would benefit the employees is to have HR conduct a survey. Employees might appreciate different things depending on the area and the company’s makeup. Why not ask employees what they want if the goal is to increase employee satisfaction?

Offer wellness programs that honor the whole person

Mental, physical, and financial wellness are essential to keeping employees satisfied, and offering programs to help ensure employee wellness is a sound business practice.

During the pandemic, many employers began to recognize the importance of maintaining overall wellness for employees. Companies can offer classes or reimbursement for programs that help support all aspects of an individual’s health, from mental health to fitness level to financial independence planning.

Make communication within the company easy

It’s the management’s responsibility to develop a system to keep lines of communication open and flowing. With the current shift to flexible work schedules, clear communication among teams has become more crucial. Team members should feel comfortable speaking with each other and management about ideas or issues.

Provide performance feedback more than once a year

Gone are the days of the annual performance review. Now, employers are encouraging more frequent performance feedback. In these meetings, they discuss goals, struggles, and plans.

Now, employers are encouraging more frequent performance feedback.

Some employers utilize a self-evaluation technique to learn what the employee thinks of their performance before their individual meeting. This gives them insight into the employee’s concerns about their performance and allows the manager to provide feedback addressing the areas where the employee feels deficient. It also allows the manager to learn what areas require more training.

Implement exceptional training and development programs

For employees to compete in the ever-changing world of technology, employers must commit to providing training and development programs to keep them at the top of their fields. New software solutions or updates to current programs are constantly being issued.

To stay on top of technological changes, employees need access to the appropriate training, whether that consists of workshops or individualized training sessions.

Regardless of how the company does it, professional development should be a priority if they want to retain their employees. A bonus is that this helps with succession planning.

Create a system for internal recognition and rewards

One of the biggest complaints of employees is feeling unappreciated for what they do at work. With the current flexibility of work-from-home employment, it can be even harder to let employees know they are appreciated.

However, one way to improve employee satisfaction and increase retention is to create an incentive and rewards system. Perhaps consider holding a company picnic in the spring or summer and combining that with an awards day.

Honor employees who have been with the company for varying lengths of time with special gifts. Recognize achievement by treating everyone to a catered lunch on the company. The rewards don’t have to be expensive, either — just something that shows management noticed the hard work the employees have put into the job.

Help employees create a satisfactory work-life balance

Since the pandemic, employees are more aware of how much time they spend away from their families and friends and at their jobs. People are no longer satisfied being married to their jobs. They want a life away from work and for their managers to know and understand they need that.

With flexible work from home arrangements, it’s an even more precarious balance between work and home life. The tendency is to check emails or log in to check “just one thing” at any given time.

That blurs the lines between work life and home life even further. Management and employees must work together to create boundaries that facilitate a better work-life balance.

Allow flexible work arrangements whenever possible

Many employees found during the pandemic that they enjoyed working from home and were also as productive, if not more productive, at home. If companies are truly interested in employee satisfaction, they should consider what they can offer in remote work.

If companies are truly interested in employee satisfaction, they should consider what they can offer in remote work.

Even if employees can’t go to permanent remote status, flex time or hybrid options could be enough to keep employees with them rather than looking elsewhere.

Manage any changes effectively and efficiently

One thing everyone learned during the pandemic is that we all must be ready to adapt at a moment’s notice. Sometimes those changes are good, and sometimes those changes are irrevocably damaging.

If management doesn’t handle change efficiently and confidently, employees won’t have confidence in their leadership. Employees who lose faith in leadership won’t remain loyal to the company.

Perhaps the best way to maintain employee confidence in the company when it’s going through changes is to maintain effective lines of communication. When management keeps the team informed and is willing to answer questions honestly, employees feel less anxious and more willing to wait out the storms.

There is no “I” in team

Many a high school or college coach has said, “Remember, there is no I in team.” While that may sound like an oversimplification of the point, it’s valid to emphasize that employees should be treated like a team rather than individual stars.

The simplest way to promote teamwork is to provide opportunities for people to collaborate on projects. When the company has sales meetings or progress reports, for example, allow time for ideas or issues to be discussed among team members.

Milestones should be celebrated

Has Jack been working with the company longer than anyone else? That’s a significant milestone and should be celebrated. Did June pass 25 years in the art department? Consider catering lunch to celebrate her achievement.

Did the team finish a huge presentation a full month before the client wanted it? Everyone gets Friday off with pay to celebrate. The point is large or small milestones should be acknowledged.

Improving employee satisfaction and retention is vital

These tips are just a few ideas for improving employee satisfaction and retention. While no action guarantees that employees will stay, companies can significantly improve the chances of retaining employees if they acknowledge the need for action to help ensure job satisfaction.

The post Is Your Employee Retention Program Working? appeared first on Workest.

Newer workers may not accept a job requiring daily office travel. The resistance to traditional work environments followed what has been coined the Great Resignation.

Since workers started a mass exodus from the traditional workforce, employers who offer flexible work arrangements and employee-centered policies attract and retain more people.

One of the most significant challenges of the new work-from-home culture is that the boundaries blur between work, home, and everything else. It’s essential for workers who choose a work-from-home lifestyle to set boundaries and adhere to them.

Here are some facts about how workplace boundaries have blurred since the pandemic.

How has the shift to work from home affected employees?

When the pandemic hit, much of the world shut down for all intents and purposes. Organizations that wanted to stay afloat and relevant scrambled to adapt to a new work model.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to appropriately plan the transition to teams working from home. People set up “temporary” workspaces without realizing that temporary was likely to become permanent.

Since the original shift to working from home, some people have enjoyed the arrangement enough to continue at home full-time, while others decided to explore a hybrid work arrangement.

Statistically, those working exclusively at home spend an average of 3 hours more each week on work tasks than their counterparts who have embraced a hybrid or more traditional work model. A disparity in the work-life balance is a portion of the cause for additional hours worked by remote workers.

Why is it hard to maintain boundaries between home and work?

Several factors have contributed to blurred boundary lines between work and home. Here are some of the contributing factors:

There’s no getting in the car, driving to the office, and returning home

In a traditional work model, workers transitioned from home to work and back again, giving a clear beginning and ending to the workday. Working from home eliminates the clear transition of a commute to and from the office. This makes it easy for work time to spill over into home life.

Time management is hard enough without having to set boundaries

Even behind closed doors in a traditional office setting, there are meetings, colleagues unexpectedly dropping by, and other interruptions and disruptions stealing portions of the workday.

Workers often jump from one activity to the next without a solid plan. Rather than set appropriate workplace boundaries, many workers find themselves passively moving through their day.

Those who work from home often find that:

• Work and home time intertwine more easily.
• They let work become a distraction when it’s time to focus on family and friends.
• They work on projects on the weekends or answer emails instead of enjoying evenings with the family or focusing on family dinners.

Most of the time, people think these things will be a one-time occurrence. They don’t think there will be future consequences because it’s “just this once.”

However, it becomes easier to “take 5 minutes to check email,” and that becomes the routine until other aspects of life slowly fall by the wayside and get neglected.

People who work remotely need to know exactly what their employers expect

Whether traditional, hybrid, or at home, workers need to know what is expected of them. However, leadership doesn’t often clearly define the expectations for those who work from home. With undefined expectations, workers can feel uncertain about how their day should be structured and what is acceptable behavior for the at-home workplace.

Whether traditional, hybrid, or at home, workers need to know what is expected of them.

When the expectations are unclear, employees may feel like they need to work 24/7 when their employer doesn’t expect that. Or they may think they aren’t allowed to stop long enough to take a lunch break or help their children with homework when their employers expect them to incorporate those things into their days.

5 strategies to set boundaries when working from home

Those who spend their workday within the same 4 walls as they spend their home life need extremely clear boundaries to keep them from working all the time. Here are 5 strategies to help separate work life from home life.

1. Create a dedicated workspace within the home

Many think working from home is just sitting in the recliner with a laptop. However, having a dedicated physical workspace delineates the work environment from the home environment and gives a clear visual representation of where each activity takes place.

Workers should set up a well-stocked space with the necessary work from home tools that are as free of distractions as possible to allow them to work comfortably from home.

2. Create routines for the beginning and the end-of-day

Commuters have an established pattern for the beginning and end of their workday. Commuting was a set ritual that allowed workers time to separate work and home thinking processes.

Working from home makes time more difficult to separate. Having a pattern signals the brain and body that it’s time to switch gears.

3. Use a physical or computerized calendar to plan the workweek

Some people need a visual way to track almost everything. Their time is no exception to that.

A calendar allows these people a chance to have a visual representation of how they have their personal time and their professional time allocated. It also gives them a visual representation of their routines and free time so that they can choose their priorities.

4. Commit to building breaks into the workday

Those working in an office or factory have set times away from their desk or workstation for breaks and lunches. Colleagues may take coffee or lunch breaks together or take an afternoon walk or class together.

The work-from-home culture eliminates these times of socialization and automatic cues that it’s break time. Workers must find ways to block out times they can walk away from the desk and stick to those times for their mental and physical health.

Examples of time-blocked break times include:

• A static lunchtime every day that is non-negotiable, non-work time
• Standing up from the desk and moving once every hour
• Adding additional movement into the day, like taking the kids to the park or going to the kitchen to get a snack.

5. The entire team should know the team expectations

Regardless of their location, the whole team needs to understand what is expected of them concerning how they spend their time. Teams should establish some of the following guidelines:

• Expectations for response times to email or other communication methods such as messaging apps or conference calls.
• Expectations for how often to check email and whether it is necessary to check it outside of work hours.
• Is the team expected to meet specific outcomes and goals, or should they be at their desks during particular hours? For example, should workers expect to be at their desks from 9-5 every day, or can they leave to pick up children from school or meet their spouse for lunch without repercussions?
• Expectations regarding the communication of progress and projects between team members and management — what method should be used, and how often should progress be reported?
• Ideas for minimizing interruptions and distractions while feeling connected to colleagues.

Team members should feel comfortable enough to ask other team members or management questions if they feel unsure they are meeting expectations for their work performance, including how the work-from-home model works for the company.

Working from home requires setting boundaries

The pandemic changed the way people view work. Now, work from home has become an anticipated norm in the workforce. Working from home requires setting clear boundaries to help workers achieve a work-life balance.

The post 5 Ways to Know If Workplace Boundaries Have Slipped Since the Pandemic appeared first on Workest.

We’ve got a small business and HR compliance calendar to help you stay on top of it all. It covers February holidays, compliance reminders, social media dates, and more. Download it, bookmark it, and refer to it throughout the month!

February 1, 2023

OSHA 300A Posting Period. All employers required to keep OSHA Form 300 must post Form 300A in a workplace common area by Feb. 1 through April 30.

Black History Month. Celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth and the history and contributions of African Americans.

February 7, 2023

Safer Internet Day. This day aims to create a safer internet where everyone uses it responsibly, respectfully, and creatively.

February 9, 2023

National Pizza Day. #NationalPizzaDay. You know you knead some pizza!

February 12, 2023

Super Bowl #SBLVII. Who are you rooting for?

February 13, 2023

Clean Out Your Computer Day. When was the last time you cleaned out your downloads folder, or organized your documents? Today is the day! #CleanOutYourComputerDay

February 14, 2023

Valentine’s Day. Roses are red, violets are blue …

February 17, 2023

Random Acts of Kindness Day. #KindnessDay. Celebrate kindness today and every day!

February 18, 2023

National Drink Wine Day. #NationalDrinkWineDay. This year it’s on a Friday — hooray!

February 20, 2023

World Day of Social Justice. #SocialJusticeDay. This international day promotes social justice for all.

Presidents’ Day. A celebration of U.S. Presidents, and a much needed 3-day weekend.

February 28, 2023

IRS Deadline: Forms 1094-B + 1095-B. This is the deadline to file all forms with the IRS if you file using paper.

The post Free Small Business and HR Compliance Calendar: February 2023 appeared first on Workest.

A few decades ago, this would have been impossible. The message first would need to be written or typed, placed into a mailbox, properly stamped and sorted, sent through various locations, shipped across the sea, and then might arrive weeks after it was first sent.

In that way, email has made the exchange of information much simpler for businesses and people alike. However, it has also created some difficulties in communication. People get tons of emails every day, from promotional emails to spam emails, work emails, and personal emails.

It takes time to go through all of those emails and respond to the important ones. For a company that has remote workers, this can also create some issues. If someone is working with a remote team, it’s important to be mindful that response times on emails will likely vary.

How long should email response time be when someone works remotely?

Since email responses might take longer, some business owners are reluctant to bring on remote teams. They aren’t sure what expectations to have about email communication times.

In some cases, an owner with remote workers could see a delay of a few minutes as a major cause for concern or an issue for the future. Some will even believe that it is a serious emergency.

One thing to keep in mind is that remote workers are just the same as the people who are inside the office. Those workers might be collaborating with other team members, chatting with a client on the phone, or focusing on important projects.

Considering all of those factors, remote team members often will not be able to respond to emails any faster than the people who are in the office. It could take seconds, minutes, hours, or even days. It all depends on priorities and workloads.

When should a business owner worry about response times?

When should a business owner worry about remote worker response times? Usually, it’s not a huge concern unless the person has missed critical emails or cannot be reached through other forms of communication.

Try to step back and give the other person some time. Most of the time, a few minutes (or even hours) won’t make a huge difference for the manager or the company as a whole. Give people a chance to respond before getting worried that this isn’t going to happen.

Results from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering study

A study done by the USC Viterbi School of Engineering looked at email responses to get a better idea of typical email behavior. The study encompassed studying over 2 million users who exchanged more than 16 billion emails over a few months. There were several interesting patterns to be aware of.

• Typical response time is under an hour: With most people using smartphones and tablets on the go, it’s easier than ever to respond to emails. The study shows that around 50% of replies are sent in under an hour.
• When responses are unlikely: If it’s been more than 48 hours, the likelihood of getting a response to an email drops dramatically. If the person who was sent an email doesn’t reply within 2 days, they likely won’t do so later.
• Teens respond the most quickly: It might not be surprising to learn that teenagers are often the quickest to respond to emails. In fact, younger individuals often reply in 13 minutes or less.
• Young adults also have good response times: For people between 20 and 35, the response time goes up a bit to 16 minutes. Looking at people ages 35 to 50, the response time averages about 24 minutes.
• Older people take the longest to respond: People who are over 50 tend to take 47 minutes to reply to emails. On the other hand, they often respond with longer messages than those who are younger.
• Gender has a small effect: Women often take about 4 minutes longer to respond to emails than men do.
• Platform differences: Mobile phone users tend to respond to emails in half the time as those who are using a laptop.

Additional factors to keep in mind

There are other things to keep in mind, too. If 2 people have been emailing back and forth for quite a long time, there are often signs that the conversation is about to end.

At the start, users mimic each other in terms of how long the email will be. Someone who sends 3 paragraphs will often expect to get a similar amount back.

This synchronicity usually breaks down toward the middle of a conversation. If the other user’s emails change, this may mean they are not as interested in continuing to chat. A longer-than-usual delay usually signals the conversation is over.

How long should someone wait to respond to business emails?

To put it in the simplest terms, it’s best to respond as quickly as possible. However, if at all possible, workers should respond within 24 hours. Even in a situation where a long response can’t be sent, a note can be to let the person know a response is coming when the time is available for one.

People who manage remote workers have expectations about response time with email. It’s impossible to send out an instant email every time one comes in.

However, sending it out as quickly as possible is recommended. If it takes hours or days, it seems as if the person responding doesn’t consider the email important.

A quick response gives insight into how someone will communicate and work as an employee in the future. Everyone prefers to work with people who are thoughtful and respond to messages as quickly as they can. The quicker the response made, the better the impression on the initial sender.

Thoughts for senders of emails

It can be difficult to let go of the assumption that an instant response will be provided. However, that kind of goal is only going to stress the person sending the initial email.

If a response isn’t sent back immediately, avoid being the person who sends out a reminder email in 30 minutes. This can make a person appear to be someone who is overly demanding.

The recipient might be out of the office, in a meeting, or trying to meet other commitments and deadlines.

The same applies if someone is impatient and makes a phone call soon after sending an email. If the situation is critical enough to require that, making the phone call first is generally the better option.

When communicating with remote workers, there’s nothing wrong with having an expectation that emails will be answered as promptly as possible.

However, also be aware that people may be busy for all sorts of reasons. Other activities and responsibilities may require all of the person’s attention. The recipient might be out of the office, in a meeting, or trying to meet other commitments and deadlines.

If the email is urgent, note that in the message

When it comes to receiving email responses from remote workers, it can take some time. One employee might always get responses out within minutes, while others could take hours, depending on the situation. If a follow-up email needs to be sent out, wait at least 24 hours after the initial email was sent.

It’s important to be courteous to the people who are emailed and give them some time to respond. If there is a date-specific or deadline-driven need for input, make sure that is noted in the email. For situations where 24 hours might be too long for a response, consider using another means of communication, like the phone.

The post What Is a Reasonable Time to Wait for a Remote Employee to Respond to an Email? appeared first on Workest.

• Creativity
• Innovation
• Being fully-present

With that in mind, companies have had to adjust their workplace conditions. It is no longer about employees doing the 9-5 shift. It is about having the best possible workplace that inspires employees toward innovation and creativity.

That’s not always easy, and why we’re writing this article with five ways you can inspire innovation in your workplace.

The 5 ways you can inspire innovation in your company

Companies today that fail to innovate and create risk falling behind the competition. That’s why it’s essential to create a workplace that inspires innovation. To stay competitive as an employer, you need your employees to develop innovations.

Reading books

The first way you can inspire innovation in the workplace is by enabling your employees to read books.

To stay competitive as an employer, you need your employees to develop innovations.

There are multiple ways you can do this:

• Have a company library. The easiest thing you can do is create a library of books in your company. If you’re strapped for office space, your library doesn’t have to be an entire dedicated room. You can set up shelves around the office and have books on top of them that employees can borrow.
• Enable free book-buying from platforms. Many people don’t read physical books and prefer to read them in an e-format on Kindle and like-devices. That’s why you can provide your employees with a monthly book budget. This budget allows them to buy books via platforms such as Amazon. Employees can order any book they want as long as it’s connected to the business’s success.
• Set up learning days. The last thing you can do in this category is to set up learning days. With learning days, you can dedicate one day every month where the employees won’t do anything but learn (read a book). This way, you will ensure that your employees gain new skills and knowledge by reading business- and skill-related books.

Allowing people to fail

The books provide the input, but there also needs to be space for people to try out new ideas. Innovation and creativity only come from safe spaces. If an employee is afraid that they might get fired if they fail at something, well, then they won’t even try to innovate.

Your company needs to encourage a culture that allows people to fail and learn from those experiences. That will let all employees know they can try out new things without the fear of getting fired.

Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx and a self-made billionaire, stated that a lot of her success comes from a question that her father used to ask her every day at the dinner table: “What did you fail at today?”

That was her father’s way of encouraging Sara to try different approaches. To innovate and create something new. You can’t create something new if you don’t try. Her father knew the importance of innovation and creativity and pushed Sara to embrace trying new things.

You need to provide people with opportunities to create something new. And that leads us to the next way you can inspire innovation in the workplace.

Encouraging personal projects

One of the ways how you can provide opportunities for people to create and innovate is to encourage them to do personal projects. With personal projects, your employees can work on the things that matter to them while improving the company. They will result in them providing innovations to the entire workplace.

Google was one of the pioneers in encouraging personal projects for their staff. They had a “20 percent rule” that stated that every employee should invest 20% of their time into creating and innovating personal projects. Google ended up with Gmail and AdSense because of the “20% rule.” The only problem with Google was that the employees ended up following the “120% rule,” where they would work 100% on their formal tasks and then spend an additional 20% of their time on their personal projects.

Encouraging personal projects is a great way to provide opportunities to your employees so they can innovate and create something new. You never know; you might end up with a product or service that will be a golden goose for your business.

Creating office-wide sharing sessions

Sometimes, when you encourage personal projects in the workplace, the people doing them realize that they can’t do them alone. They recognize they need people with different experiences and expertise to help them with their projects.

Encouraging personal projects is a great way to provide opportunities to your employees so they can innovate and create something new.

This is why the fourth way of inspiring innovation and creativity in the workplace is to create office-wide sharing sessions. Employees can share what they’ve been working on in their time via office-wide sharing sessions and then see if somebody from the company can help them with the project.

Employees who aren’t currently working on a personal project can sign up to participate in someone else’s project and contribute their experience and expertise in a specific field. You can even have a board where employees can post their projects and have other employees sign up for those particular projects.

Setting frameworks for creativity

And last but not least, you can inspire innovation in the workplace by setting frameworks for creativity.

A boundary will set a framework for creativity. Being innovative doesn’t just happen in a bubble or when you tell people to “think freely.” It’s about setting a direction toward what the people need to think about.

Imagine telling someone to innovate something in the workplace. That’s much harder than telling someone to innovate something regarding improving team meetings. The latter is:

• Specific
• Precise
• Setting the right expectations for the employees

The best way to set up frameworks for creativity is to put the relevant problems in front of your people.

In a scene from Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon solves the blackboard problem. Similarly, write the problem on a board where people will see it daily. That means that the employees will see it every day, resulting in it rolling around somewhere in their subconsciousness as an essential problem that needs to be solved.

This will result in many employees thinking about a relevant problem in the organization, leading to a solution to the problem through innovation and creativity.

Inspire innovation in your organization

An organization in today’s market can only stay relevant if it inspires innovation and creativity in the workplace. To do so, the organization will have to implement multiple elements of invention in the workplace, such as:

• Encouraging people to read books
• Creating personal projects
• Allowing them to fail
• Creating office-wide sharing sessions
• Setting frameworks for creativity and project development

If you need more information regarding innovation and creativity in the workplace, read The Importance of Making Room for Creativity in our blog section.

The post 5 Ways You Can Inspire Employee Innovation in the Workplace appeared first on Workest.

What are the 4 types of hybrid work models?

Hybrid work models can vary depending on your organization’s needs, the type of work teams do, and the workplace culture already in place. If you are considering a hybrid approach, you will be looking at 1 of the 4 options below.

• Remote-first hybrid: In this model, employees can pick which days they want to work in the office. For the most part, team members occasionally come together for collaboration, training, and bonding in coworking spaces or the office.
• Office-first hybrid: Employees come into the office more frequently under this model, with the understanding that some work will need to be done remotely. You can pick specific days when team members are free to work from home or adopt a project-driven model that allows staff to work remotely at specific project stages.
• Hybrid-split week: This approach entails splitting your team into smaller groups, some based in the office full-time and others working remotely. As a result, you can continue having an online presence while providing flexibility for teams that are most productive working remotely.
• Flexible hybrid: This model allows employees to pick their schedules without undermining the mandate of having an in-office presence. Team members can work from home when it suits them but must make their way to the office for meetings or when their presence is necessary.

Regardless of the model you choose, transitioning from a fully remote environment to a hybrid one comes with some unique HR challenges. As your employees adapt to the new system, communication, collaboration, and morale can all be affected.

5 HR issues when changing from a fully remote to a hybrid workplace

Read on for 5 HR issues to look out for as you transition and some practical tips for overcoming them.

1. Coordinating shared workspaces

When shifting to a hybrid model, you will need to find a physical shared space for your staff. Depending on the size of your team and how often they come into the office, it can be challenging to ensure everyone has access to the resources and support they need when required.

This problem can be even more pressing if you operate in multiple locations and need to figure out how to manage coworking spaces for remote and onsite staff.

The best way to tackle this issue is to create a comprehensive plan that outlines the rules and boundaries for how people are expected to use the shared workspaces. That way, you can eliminate confusion and enable your team to focus on meaningful work rather than finding a conducive workspace.

Your plan for managing shared workspaces must outline the following:

• Clear policies on when employees must come into the office and on which days and times they can work from home.
• Guidelines for utilizing shared spaces efficiently, such as how to reserve workspaces and meeting rooms in advance and the maximum duration any team member can occupy a shared space.
• Rules for office conduct, such as the dress code, noise levels, and use of common areas.

Also, consider ways to make your office space more conducive for collaboration and productivity, such as investing in ergonomic furniture and providing access to amenities like break-out areas, coffee machines, and healthy snacks.

2. Aligning hybrid work with the existing company culture

Introducing a hybrid model can disrupt the culture you have established within your organization. If your team is used to a flexible, fully remote culture, they may struggle when expected to move back and forth between remote and onsite locations. These changes can adversely impact productivity and morale.

When instituting a hybrid model, it is critical to ensure everyone understands how the move fits into the existing culture and contributes to your company’s growth.

Your startup’s organizational culture is the backbone of successful working relationships. So, when instituting a hybrid model, it is critical to ensure everyone understands how the move fits into the existing culture and contributes to your company’s growth.

Consider the tips below to infuse hybrid work into your organization’s culture.

• Encourage open communication: A smooth remote-to-hybrid transition hinges on everyone feeling comfortable giving feedback. Establish channels where team members can suggest ideas and provide constructive criticism without fear of reprimand.
• Give employees ownership: Empower your people by allowing them to make decisions about how and when they work. Autonomy will build trust and encourage employees to take ownership of their projects.
• Measure performance based on results: Evaluate people’s performance on the quality of work they produce, not the number of hours they put in or the days they come to the office. That way, employees can buy into the hybrid model without feeling forced.

3. Providing adequate learning and development opportunities

Remote workers transitioning to hybrid models may find their learning and development (L&D) schedules disrupted by the new arrangement.

For example, they may no longer have the flexibility to attend the conferences, workshops, and e-learning sessions they did while working from home and will need time to adjust to new ways of learning.

The development gap can be especially apparent with the hybrid-split model, where some team members are in the office, and some are fully remote.

Depending on your L&D approach, one group may have more access to development opportunities than the other, resulting in an unfair advantage.

Ensuring consistent access to L&D when transitioning to a hybrid setup requires careful planning and resource optimization.

Consider the following tips to give your staff adequate learning opportunities regardless of their working setup.

• Encourage online learning: Having a physical office does not mean fully transitioning from online to physical learning. Keep face-to-face sessions for core team-building activities and opt for virtual events such as webinars or e-learning courses to deliver uniform learning for all staff.
• Create customized learning plans: Everyone has different employee training and development needs and preferences. To ensure an equitable experience, design tailored plans for every team, accounting for their specific working arrangements and development goals.
• Involve remote employees in team activities: Remote workers must not feel disconnected from the rest of the company. Consider providing remote employees with resources to attend virtual team-building or training sessions and give them a voice in decision-making processes.

4. Facilitating cross-functional collaboration

Creating a collaborative environment and stimulating cross-functional communication can be challenging when working models differ from 1 team to the next.

For instance, a department that primarily interacts face-to-face might find it difficult to collaborate effectively with a fully remote team that relies almost entirely on virtual communication tools.

Some teams may also be more comfortable working at home than others, resulting in an imbalance of engagement and communication.

The steps below can help you nurture effective communication among teams.

• Audit your existing communication strategy: Before implementing any fresh approaches, evaluate present systems to identify their suitability for facilitating collaboration in a hybrid workspace. Assess the number of channels you have, the tools you use, the formats of communication, and any physical barriers, and make adjustments according to your findings.
• Ask employees what they prefer: Teams often find collaboration challenging because they are stuck using a tool or medium that does not fit their dynamic. So, after your audit, collect feedback from staff to determine their communication preferences and use this information as a basis for your changes.
• Provide easy access to resources: Give your staff seamless access to the resources they need to collaborate effectively, from suitable applications with integrated collaboration features to support teams for handling technical issues.
• Encourage a culture of inclusion: A hybrid workspace presents opportunities for fostering an inclusive culture. Techniques like cross-functional team-building and inter-departmental talent exchanges can create an environment of openness, respect, and trust among teams with different working models.

5. Promoting employee well-being and engagement

The sudden transition from a remote to a hybrid setup can overwhelm some employees. For example, some people may have incorporated going to the gym or spending time with friends into their everyday routine, and the sudden switch to part-time office work can disrupt this balance.

According to a TINYpulse report, 80% of human resources executives observed a reduction in employee productivity and morale when their organizations moved from a remote to a hybrid workplace after the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Keeping your employees engaged and motivated as they start splitting their time between the office and their homes can be challenging, but it is a worthwhile investment. The tips below can help you provide the support they need to embrace the changes.

• Focus on flexibility: Start by introducing policies that give employees more control over their work schedules. For example, you can allow them to choose when and how often to come into the office or arrange special days for remote workers.
• Encourage active communication: Encourage your staff to communicate openly with each other about their concerns and preferences, so they feel comfortable raising any issues they might have. You can also set up regular virtual check-ins with your teams, focusing on building trust and strengthening relationships.
• Provide access to well-being resources: Equip your staff with the resources they need to stay healthy and productive, from mental health awareness sessions to virtual yoga classes. That way, they can be better equipped to handle the added stress of transitioning to a hybrid workspace.

Responding well to HR challenges is key to a successful hybrid model

Replacing your fully remote work model with a hybrid approach can have significant merit. You can gain from the benefits of both remote and office work without compromising on either.

However, as we have shown, the transition will likely come with challenges you must address before you can realize the benefits of your new working model.

From coordinating shared spaces to promoting employee well-being, you have a lot to consider when making the shift. Nevertheless, by understanding the issues and developing a comprehensive strategy for dealing with them, you can ensure your hybrid workplace is fully optimized for success.

The post 5 HR Challenges to Expect When Moving Your Startup From Fully Remote to a Hybrid Workplace appeared first on Workest.