Tag: human resources

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House proposes significant expansions to paid leave under Families First Coronavirus Response Act

warehouse workers, hourly employees
The House of Representatives on May 15 passed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, H.R.6800. Among other things, it proposes significant clarifications and expansions to the Emergency Family And Medical Leave and Emergency Paid Sick Leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
What are these proposed changes?
Emergency Family And Medical Leave
  • Expands emergency FMLA coverage to all employers, not just those with less than 500 employees.
  • Expands the definition of “parent” to include foster parents, adoptive parents, stepparents, parents-in-law, a parent of a domestic partner, and someone who stood in loco parentis to an employee when the employee was a child.
  • Provides emergency FMLA to an employee who is —
    • self-isolating because of the employee’s own COVID-19 diagnosis;
    • obtaining a medical diagnosis or care if the employee is experiencing the symptoms of COVID–19;
    • complying with a recommendation or order by a public official with jurisdiction or a health care provider to self-isolate on the basis that the physical presence of the employee on the job would jeopardize the employee’s health, the health of other employees, or the health of an individual in the household of the employee because of the possible exposure of the employee to COVID–19 or because of the exhibiting of symptoms of COVID–19 by the employee;
    • caring for or assisting a family member (also defined in the amendments) because the family member is self-isolating because of a COVID–19 diagnosis, because the family member is experiencing symptoms of COVID–19 and needs to obtain medical diagnosis or care, or because a public official or health care provider makes a recommendation or order that the presence of the family member in the community would jeopardize the health of other individuals in the community because of the possible exposure of such family member to COVID–19 or exhibiting of symptoms of COVID–19; and
    • caring for a family member who is incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability or is a senior citizen, if the place of care for such family member is closed or the direct care provider is unavailable due to COVID–19.
  • Permits an employee to elect, but an employer cannot require, the substitution of paid time off for emergency FMLA.
  • Allows employees to take paid sick leave intermittently or on a reduced work schedule without regard to whether the employee and the employer have an agreement with respect to whether such leave may be taken intermittently or on a reduced work schedule.
  • Prohibits an employer from requiring certification by an employee in support of an emergency FMLA leave to not earlier than five weeks after the date on which the employee takes such leave
  • Extends the sunset date of emergency FMLA from 12/31/2020 until 12/31/2021.
Emergency Paid Sick Leave
  • Clarifies that paid sick leave under the FFCRA must be offered in addition to any paid leave offered by an employer, and prohibits an employer from changing its policies to avoid providing any additional paid leave.
  • Allows employees to take paid sick leave intermittently or on a reduced work schedule without regard to whether the employee and the employer have an agreement with respect to whether such leave may be taken intermittently or on a reduced work schedule.
  • Prohibits an employer from requiring certification by an employee for the need for paid sick leave for leaves less than three consecutive days of paid sick time, and further prohibits an employer from requiring such certification earlier than seven workdays after an employee returns to work.
  • Provides for a new allotment of 80 hours of paid sick leave if an employee changes employers.
  • Requires restoration of an employee to the same or equivalent position at the end of a period of paid sick leave.
  • Extends the sunset date of paid sick leave from 12/31/2020 until 12/31/2021.
Sen. Mitch McConnell has already said that this bill is DOA in the Senate in its current form but it’s unclear if this statement specifically referenced the FFCRA amendments. Stay tuned to see if any of these proposed amendments gain any traction in the Senate. I’ll keep everyone updated as this bill progresses.
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You have every right to be a 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘵, and we have every right to fire you for it

termination, covidiot, workplace violence, gun, weapon
“Covidiot: A person who acts like an irresponsible idiot during the COVID-19 pandemic, ignoring common sense, decency, science, and professional advice leading to the further spread of the virus and needless deaths of thousands.”
A Dallas law firm has terminated the employment of a document services manager after it discovered his threatening, offensive, racist and very public Facebook post taking issue with mandatory face masks.
“No more masks. Any business that tells me to put on a mask (Whole Foods on Lomo Alto) in Dallas will get told to kiss my Corona ass and will lose my business forever. It’s time to stop this BULLSHIT. Do I have to show the lame security guard outside of a ghetto store my CV19 test results? I will show him my Glock 21 shooting range results. With Hornady hollow points. Pricey ammo, but worth it in this situation. They have reached the limit. I have more power than they do…..they just don’t know it yet.”
Bain’s post, which any reasonable person would interpret as just plain wrong, resulted in his termination. As my friend Eric Meyer pointed out yesterday (borrowing from a comment on the Facebook page of Bain’s former employer): “Freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequences for that speech.”
In other words, you have the right to your opinion, no matter how offensive. But once you share that opinion publicly, we have the right to fire you for it … coronavirus or no coronavirus.
COVID-19 might have temporarily upended our world, but just cause for termination is still just cause for termination. So please don’t be a covidiot. Employers don’t like firing people under the best of circumstances. We especially don’t like doing so now. But we will if we have to.
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Shift scheduling strategies can be improved through technology

shift scheduling, technology, custom fields

Life is good for an organization when shift scheduling is established and working well. Let scheduling get even a little sideways, however, and that tightly run ship can quickly become an all-hands-on-deck disaster.

Shared calendars, lost emails, hard-to-read spreadsheets, white boards and even Post-it notes are not how to schedule employees. Comprehensive scheduling software tools can prevent a Titanic-like calamity from disrupting your employment schedule.

Effective employee scheduling gives managers immediate insight into how many staff members to schedule at any given time and optimizes planning breaks, setting vacations, adding time for training and addressing unplanned absences. A streamlined scheduling plan also cuts the time associated with onboarding new staff members to full productivity.

Here are some ways that scheduling software can save time, streamline scheduling and control costs. 

Employee scheduling software saves time and money. 

The old Benjamin Franklin adage of “time is money” is as true today as it was in ol’ Ben’s era. It certainly applies to scheduling the right employee into the right slot. 

Whether it’s a 12-hour on-floor hospital shift or a four-hour lunch rush slot, scheduling software is a time-saver when it comes to matching an employee’s skills and availability to the proper shift. Managers will have a real-time schedule that changes with the organization’s needs. Scheduling software also removes the labor-intensive task of constantly rebuilding a schedule to free up you and your staff for other opportunities. In other words, you are saving up Benjamins by freeing up time.

Employee scheduling software streamlines the process. 

Saving time is important, and scheduling software helps you make better use of that time. All schedules can be created and distributed electronically, and employees can use their phone to clock in and out, eliminating the need for onerous back-and-forth emails or missed phone calls. 

This also puts much of the responsibility on the employee to communicate a potential absence or shift swap. Such functions turn the stress of scheduling employees into an HR department win.

Employee scheduling software controls costs. 

A 2017 Quickbooks survey found that 49 percent of employees admitted to time theft, which annually costs companies more than $11 billion. Scheduling software tools cut down on fraud that may be taking place in your company. 

Overtime, while often unavoidable, is another opportunity to save money through scheduling software. You have enough people to get the job done, but not so many that you’re cutting into the bottom line. Scheduling software provides the tools to cut costs in the form of unnecessary overtime by showing which employees are eligible for overtime assignments and who already clocked too many overtime hours.

Don’t be a ship helplessly tossed about in the swirling seas of scheduling employees! Find out about the benefits of Workforce.com’s comprehensive scheduling software today. You’ll see how it can boost efficiency and control costs across your entire enterprise.

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A shift schedule template is a basic food group to workforce management

shift schedule template

Like meat and potatoes on the dinner table, a shift schedule template is considered one of the basic tools of workforce management.

Indeed, shift schedules are crucial to the smooth operation of workforce management. A single, uniform system allows employers to manage their workforce and standardize operations more easily and save money through simplified, consistent administration that allows the organization to focus on its core business.

Rather than managing schedules on paper, which can be inefficient and potentially risky when trying to balance overtime, paid time off and compliance regulations, view time and attendance and scheduling through a strategic lens.

shift schedule templateA template for all needs

Finding a shift schedule template that fits an organization’s needs may not be as daunting as it seems. Most exist in Microsoft Word and Excel formats as well as in Google docs and Google sheets. 

Some are detailed to include the week, day and times of day while others are largely blank. The templates are adaptable to adjust the days of the week among other details. 

There are varying styles of shift schedule templates. Among the most-used, according to labor management company 7shifts, include:

Fixed shift schedule — Fixed shifts consist of staff working the same number of hours and days each week.

Split shift schedule — Employees agree to fill their work hours over two shifts or time slots in a day. Work with HR or legal counsel to maintain federal labor law compliance.

Overtime shift schedules — These can be costly but are often necessary during emergencies and busy times. Again, recognize labor law compliance.

On-call shifts — An employee is available to work on demand, at any time. For example, if someone misses a fixed shift due to a family emergency, the employee in waiting will be contacted to take this shift.

Benefits of flexible shift options

It’s compulsory for organizations with hourly staffing needs to use shift scheduling tools. But with work from home becoming the norm, more companies are engaging employees through flexible shift schedules.

Implement a plan, keep in constant communication with those who are remote, and then evaluate its success. 

A shift scheduling template keeps all employees — in person or remote — on the same page. A work schedule calendar also assures that no shifts will be missed.

 Why innovate what already works?

Some people are perfectly fine with meat and potatoes every night for dinner. By the same token, some organizations are content with pen and paper to schedule employees.

Technology-based employee scheduling software not only offers the steak and spuds, it provides a tantalizing appetizer, a warm loaf of bread, a scrumptious side of veggies and to-die-for dessert, too.

Rather than spending hours slaving over a hot stove — er, spreadsheet — managers can build schedules on the go and immediately post for all employees to access.

Managers also understand that employee schedules can no longer be based solely on business demand. Schedules need to reflect employee preferences. Intuitive software can inform the organization when an employee is available and how many hours that person wants to work each week.

This also empowers employees to communicate with managers regarding time off or co-workers who may want to swap shifts. There is shared value for both sides. And if employee engagement is a goal, employers can build schedules that are more predictable, consistent and adequate so employees can better plan their lives and budgets and reduce use of sick days and shift trading.

If you have a large hourly workforce, Workforce.com is here to help. Its comprehensive time-keeping and scheduling software can handle complex business demands and allow the organization to view the big picture while empowering employees and maintaining compliance.

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Labor compliance software sorts through complex legal issues

thanksgiving, soup

Labor compliance software is an innovative way to manage the overwhelming alphabet soup of laws, regulations and agencies that govern the workplace.

Labor compliance software; alphabet soupHR practitioners must recognize the regulatory distinctions of the FMLA and FLSA and navigate the nuances between the ADA and ADAAA. What are the latest regulations surrounding the ACA? Can a misstep with COBRA come back to bite them? And SOX … is that a professional baseball team or a law protecting corporate whistleblowers?

If assessing guidance from agencies including OSHA, DOL and EEOC wasn’t enough to cope with, labor compliance software is a must-have now as the coronavirus invades organizational policies. HR leaders and corporate counsel must quickly familiarize themselves and understand the implications of implementing workplace laws surrounding a new bowl of alphabet soup — PPP, FFCRA and the CARES Act.

 The value of labor compliance software

Maintaining corporate compliance with government regulations isn’t easy. Besides knowing what agencies actually do and how regulations affect employers, labor laws are dense, complex and confusing. A single unintentional compliance misstep by an organization can lead to a costly and time-consuming lawsuit with the potential to disrupt or even bankrupt a small, growing organization.

Compliance solutions allow organizations to avoid a trip to court and more easily comprehend constantly changing federal, state and local legislation. Employers can disseminate policies to employees, provide guidelines for regulatory enforcement and manage confidential documents all while saving money by easing time-consuming, onerous reporting rules.

Workforce management systems typically assist with traditional compliance issues while a specialized compliance solution takes employers beyond the basics and provides expert guidance on critical regulations. It can be like having a team of legal experts at your fingertips with minimal expense.

Labor compliance software also allows businesses to communicate company and legislative policies to their employees.

Key areas for compliance software

Regulatory software helps an HR department remain in compliance across all organizational departments. According to peer-to-peer software review site G2, there are business functions and the germane laws that can be undertaken by labor compliance software:

Benefits — Affordable Care Act (ACA); Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA); Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA); Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

COVID-19-related policies — Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act); Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and Payment Protection Program (PPP).

Labor and employment relations — Labor union updates (AFL-CIO, AFGE, SEIU, etc.); Department of Labor (DOL); Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); National Labor Relations Board (NLRB); Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).

Payroll — Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA); Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA); Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX).

Risk — Employee safety is a top priority for all organizations. Compliance software can manage and track guidance and enforcement by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Companies needing compliance software

No organization is immune from U.S., state and local labor laws. True, regulations often vary depending on factors including employee count. A four-person mom-and-pop shop does not face the same labor compliance regulations as a multinational company.

Yet it is crucial that company policies remain up to date and comply with changes in legislation. Despite the expense a lawsuit can present, many smaller organizations are hesitant to call on legal resources simply based on costs. Those concerns can be streamlined by compliance software.

Small companies have difficulty keeping up with changes in compliance because they lack the manpower, and HR departments are already stretched thin or responsibilities are divided among employees as collateral duty. There is no point person to track and update compliance regulations.

Compliance is particularly crucial to navigating the maze of workplace issues. Municipalities and some states have instituted fair workweek policies in the past two years with more on the horizon.

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, mandatory sexual harassment prevention training is compulsory in six states. Compliance training, employee handbooks and more can be structured and simplified with a compliance solution.

Small and midsize organizations in particular have difficulty keeping up with HR compliance regulations as new legislation is continually introduced. When the HR team is small (or even just one person), their bandwidth quickly becomes strained.

Sorting through the alphabet soup of labor regulations can be an eye-glazing exercise for employers. Labor compliance software helps them to spell out attractive cost-savings, easy-to-use solutions and avoid unintentional noncompliance.

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Handling employee mental health issues in a world and workplace changed by coronavirus

employers mental health; Millennials and mental health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which is as good a time as any to bring up an issue that has been weighing heavily on my mind — the looming mental health crisis that our employees are facing and will continue to face in a world and workplace changed by coronavirus.

Coronavirus has altered all of our lives, and all employees are dealing with stress, anxiety, and isolation.

Social distance has robbed us of the human contact we need from our family and friends, and work-from-home of the connections with our co-workers.

Some have fallen ill with coronavirus. Most of us know someone who has. And sadly there are those of us who have dealt with the loss, unable to properly grieve because of social distancing rules.

We’ve all missed celebrating milestones such as graduations, birthdays and weddings.

Many of us have dealt with the stress of layoffs, furloughs, lost income or closed businesses, and the stress that flows from figuring out how to pay the bills and feed our families.

Parents are balancing the new job of homeschooling (or at least assistant homeschooling) their kids with the old job of their actual paying job.

We’ve all lived with the everyday stress of just stepping out into the world. The simple task of grocery shopping has transformed into a life-and-death game of six-foot distance, anti-bacterial wipes and face coverings. Even the simplest of daily tasks such as walking the dog has transformed into a game of social distancing chicken — who is going to move off the sidewalk first.

And when society starts to return to some semblance of normal, some of your employees will return to work with mental health issues of varying degrees caused by all of this stress, change and loss. Some will be dealing with the exacerbation of pre-existing mental health issues, and some will have what I am calling coronavirus PTSD.

The easy part is understanding that coronavirus has caused these mental health issues. The harder part is figuring out what we as employers can do and should do to help employees identify and manage these serious issues.

For starters, Ohio has created a free COVID Careline for people to talk to someone about their concerns. It’s available 24/7 at 1-800-720-9616.

Other than letting employees know about this state-provided resource, what else can employers do to help ensure that employees have the support and resources they need now and in the future? I have five suggestions.
1. Check the benefits available to your employees. Do you have an Employee Assistance Plan and are its mental health and counseling services are up to date? Are your health insurance plan’s mental health benefits easy to access and affordable?
2. Revisit paid-time-off policies and consider providing employees the time they need to take care of themselves and their families. And understand that everyone’s situation at home is different. Some only have themselves to worry about, while others have children to tend to during the workday. None of this is ideal, but for some, it’s less ideal than for others, depending on how much non-work responsibilities are on one’s plate.
3. Consider holding town hall or all-employee meetings that focus on mental health awareness. If senior leadership encourages education and communication around mental health issues, your employees will be more likely to access care if and when they need it.
4. Just because many are working remotely does not mean that employees have to be separated. You can use technology to foster togetherness and a sense of community. Virtual get-togethers, mindfulness breaks and online team-building events all help ease the sense of aloneness and isolation that many are feeling.

5. Small gestures of kindness can go a long way. An extra day paid day off, a gift certificate for takeout meals or grocery deliveries, or a surprise delivery of a midday snack can help employees feel appreciated and connected instead of overwhelmed and stressed.

A business is only as strong (or as weak) as its employees. Those that are considerate, flexible and kind will be in the best position to come out of this on the other side with as vibrant a workforce as possible.

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Ohio governor’s explanation why masks are only recommended falls woefully short

essential workers; workers' compensation, mask

I tuned in April 28 to Ohio Gov. DeWine’s briefing to learn why Ohio had changed its stance on face masks and coverings from “mandatory” to “recommended best practice.” His explanation falls way short.

The governor offered two explanations, both based on feedback he received from constituents in the hours after his original pronouncement.

  1. Masks are offensive to some, who don’t like the government telling them what to do.
  2. Masks can be problematic for people with disabilities.
The answer to point No. 2 is as easy as three letters: A-D-A. The ADA allows employers to modify work rules as a reasonable accommodation for an employee’s disability. If a mask or face covering causes an issue for someone with a disability, the solution is to offer that individual an accommodation.
Maybe you segregate the employee so he or she does not come into contact with anyone else. Maybe you permit that employee to work from home. Maybe you grant a leave of absence until the risk abates. The point is that the employer and the employee have options other than the state modifying a rule that puts everyone at a greater risk of infection.
Which brings me to point No. 1. The governor said, “I understand some people may find that offensive, the government telling you what to.” Yet, if I’m choosing between offending some people and safety, I’m choosing safety 10 times out of 10. As I pointed out yesterday, everyone wearing masks or facial coverings reduces the risk of transmissions and infection down to a virtual zero.

Models show that if 80 percent of people wear masks that are 60 percent effective, easily achievable with cloth, we can get to an effective R0 of less than one. That’s enough to halt the spread of the disease.

One of the things we absolutely must do to combat the spread of COVID-19 is to wear masks or other facial coverings when at work or in public. While there are studies that question the ability of masks to protect people from the virus, we are not wearing masks to protect ourselves from catching COVID-19.

We are wearing them to protect others from us spreading COVID-19 to them. Thus, if everyone covers their face in public, we will protect everyone by limiting the spread of this virus. It’s just that simple, not difficult to comprehend, and not an affront to personal liberty.

So here’s my bottom line. Anyone who refuses to wear a mask in public because it’s offensive is selfish, thoughtless and doesn’t give a damn about the well being of their fellow humans, period.

I’ll be continuing to wear my mask when around others in public. I sincerely hope that for the well being of all others, you will too.

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Workforce.com becomes a timely American success story

Leon Pearce, Workforce.com
Leon Pearce, Workforce.com, time and attendance
Leon Pearce is a senior software engineer for Workforce.com. Photo by Lenny Gilmore

Creating innovative HR technology that empowers employees while also saving organizations time and money is an accomplishment to be applauded.

So when the founders of Workforce.com initially developed a highly advanced time-and-attendance platform in their native Brisbane, Australia, in 2014, it was only natural that the four friends were ready to take it to a global stage. After international wins in tech hot spots such as the United Kingdom, Israel and Asia, unleashing their product on the hyper-competitive shores of North America is now a success story that’s ready to be told.

From those early days with just the first four employees, Workforce.com now boasts dozens of employees who diligently serve businesses nationwide and across the globe. With a commitment to success and a reputation for achievement, Workforce.com’s talented and diverse team is building a strong tradition of delivering excellence by customizing its offerings to their client’s evolving business needs, be it large or small, simple or complex.

Such keen devotion to its clients doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Workforce.com’s team provides on-demand insights and market-ready expertise to boost employee engagement while helping organizations trim labor costs and meet complex compliance requirements.

Among those dedicated to superior customer service is Chicago-based Workforce.com software engineer Leon Pearce, who has maintained a commitment to promoting the product’s ease of use.

“People are the most significant competitive advantage any business can get, so they need to be truly engaged for long-term success,” Pearce said. “We want to help tackle these complex problems and streamline those processes so they can focus on the essentials of managing their workforce: worker happiness, welfare and efficiency.”

Considering that human resources practitioners must be all things to all people, the sheer volume of work they perform to keep a business functioning smoothly can be overlooked and underappreciated by organizational leaders and employees. Workforce.com technology supports their efforts and provides them with the opportunity to become strategic business partners, Pearce said.

“In essence, we build the software with the purpose of improving workforce compliance, automation, engagement and productivity,” he said. “This helps HR stay compliant with ever-changing labor regulations, automate administrative processes, build trust with front-line staff and improve business productivity.”

That said, software and technology isn’t very effective if not used properly. As an example, Pearce evoked the tool wielded by the Marvel Comics’ God of Thunder.

“You could own Thor’s hammer but that’s not very useful if nobody can lift it,” he said.

Software fundamentally changes business operations, which means it’s also important to make sure the partner you choose aligns with the vision you have for your teams.

“With the emergence of Software as a Service as the future of technology adoption, you are not necessarily buying into what it is today, but its ability to improve and help your company reach its potential in the future,” Pearce said.

Ask multiple questions of the software provider, Pearce added, such as:

  • How many features did they release in the last 12 months?
  • Who is your chief technology officer?
  • Do you understand the future of work and what’s your product road map for the future?
  • What improvements to the user experience have been made recently?
  • What percentage of revenue do you commit to new research and development compared to supporting old infrastructure?
  • Are you going to grow and improve your product as we grow and improve our business?

When it comes to implementation, a common complaint about HR software is when it purely serves management and not the rank-and-file employee. 

Ask to see it live in a demo and test the software by placing it in the hands of the end user and get their honest feedback, Pearce said. And there are numerous techniques to understand if users like a product.

Yet, he pointed out, many of these techniques are flawed.

“You can compare companies based on revenue, but then are you evaluating how good the product is or how slick the salespeople are?” he said.

App store ratings give a voice to the people who actually use the software. Since users didn’t choose it, they will be honest with their opinion.

“The biggest mistake we see is when software is chosen because it ticks the boxes of a proposal and not how it works and is used by the front-line employees,” Pearce said. “Is it intuitive and easy to learn? I’d always make sure to evaluate whether it enhances or detracts from the employee experience.”

Pearce said that Workforce.com’s technology fits seamlessly into the big picture of people management, helping guide where the world of work is heading and providing a path for HR to be there alongside it.

“Technology is changing how people approach their work and their relationship with work, so we’re engineering to build a future where teams can perform better through improved workflow and feel empowered with the right technology,” Pearce explained.

For employees that means intuitive mobile apps to see future work hours, swap shifts, provide company feedback and apply for time off and schedule unavailability. For managers, it’s being able to easily build, send and optimize schedules against forecasted demand while tracking actual hours worked.

“And for HR and workforce professionals it means being able to manage and oversee this in one place that they can customize perfectly to their way of doing things and integrate with their existing payroll and technology stack,” Pearce said. “On the whole it means building a platform that leverages the very best technology to help the workforce win and reach its potential.”

Competitive advantage is key to any software platform. Finding what separates one product from another doesn’t necessarily take a publicity-hungry influencer. The benchmark for software in this space would be a solution that can follow best practices for each particular industry and help teams get to where they want to be, while being easy to use.

“Create a solution that supports an organization while they find their way forward and enables them to operate in ways that create new competitive advantages,” Pearce said. “Our strategy is to build our software like a platform that provides adopters with a starting point of industry best practices, but is also flexible enough to evolve with them. Stagnation always ends in failure, which is why enabling our users to keep tweaking their functions and improving the way they operate is so important to us.”

While many see software — any type of software — as a tool, a thing to use merely to accomplish a task, Pearce fancies a more cultured approach.

“It’s like art. Seeing people use the software I helped build definitely gives me pride, but I think more to the point is the knowledge that I was involved in hopefully making people’s lives just a little better,” he said. “I thank our customers every day for giving me that opportunity.”

Don’t take our word for it. There’s a lot that goes into making time and attendance software simple to use and hassle free. Try Workforce.com’s multifaceted time and attendance software and you’ll be lifting Thor’s hammer in no time.

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A coronavirus DOL settlement of a Families First Coronavirus Response Act case

employment law, labor law, overtime records

It did not take long for the Department of Labor to announce its first-ever settlement of a claimed violation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

The DOL’s press release provides the details:

Bear Creek Electrical – an electrical company based in Tucson, Arizona – will pay one employee $1,600 for refusing to provide him sick leave under the newly passed Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act after health care providers ordered him to self-quarantine with potential coronavirus symptoms.
WHD investigators found that Bear Creek Electrical failed to pay the employee for what qualified as paid sick leave covering the hours he spent at home after the company received documentation of his doctor’s instructions to self-quarantine. The employer will pay the employee’s full wages of $20 an hour for 80 hours of leave.… Bear Creek Electrical also agreed to future compliance with the FFCRA, which went into effect on April 1, 2020.
“This case should serve as a signal to others that the U.S. Department of Labor is working to protect employee rights during the coronavirus pandemic,” said Wage and Hour District Director Eric Murray in Phoenix, Arizona.

You’ve been warned. If you are not providing your employees the paid coronavirus leave to which they are entitled, the DOL is watching.

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The benefits of an engaged federal workforce also benefit the nation

federal workforce; public employees; police officers

It should not be a surprise that the benefits of an engaged federal workforce reflect the same rewards as private-sector organizations that tout high engagement figures.

Successfully engaging employees offer outcomes including higher retention, increased innovation and productivity. Organizations with an engaged workforce also often see decreased absenteeism. It is also a strong predictor of both job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

Despite the clear advantages when an organization commits to promoting employee engagement, annual engagement figures typically hover around 33 percent. Even with record low unemployment in 2018, a Gallup survey revealed that just 34 percent of American workers claimed to be engaged employees.

 Sense of Commitment Vs. Money

Yet studies show that federal employees often are driven more by a sense of commitment to public service than by financial incentives. Mika J. Cross, a federal workplace expert and vice president of employer engagement and strategic initiatives for job-search provider FlexJobs, said in a 2019 interview that there is a strong correlation between overall engagement and an employee’s propensity to stay in government. 

Mika J. Cross, federal employees, employee engagement, benefits of an engaged federal workforce
Mika J. Cross, VP-employer engagement and strategic initiatives, FlexJobs.

“Those who indicated they intended to stay are generally more engaged than their colleagues who aren’t,” said Cross in an interview with the Federal Employment Law Training Group.

Cross elaborated in a recent email interview with Workforce that there are tangible differences between federal employees and the private-sector workers.

“There is more flexibility with access and use of so many of the workforce collaboration tools and benefits that can help to foster higher levels of engagement,” Cross said of most private sector employers. “There is more variety and creativity in benefits and rewards/recognition tactics to acknowledge good work.”

A 2015 study by the Office of Personnel and Management — the federal agency that manages the government’s civilian workforce — provides insight into the benefits of an engaged federal workforce.

Also read: Public Sector Workplaces Turning to the Cloud

Titled “Engaging the Federal Workforce: How to Do It and Prove It,” the 32-page report takes a deep look into variations in employee engagement.

Because federal employees often are motivated by a sense of altruism, a worker’s experience, as well as job security and better benefits, positively affects their engagement, the report notes. Yet the unpredictability of the federal government’s fiscal environment — affected by factors including an economic slump such as the current coronavirus pandemic — are beyond the federal employee’s and supervisor’s control. Budget uncertainty also has resulted in sequestration and furloughs.

“An organizational climate with these kinds of uncertainties has the potential to undermine employee engagement efforts,” the OPM report states. Therefore, when targeting the benefits of an engaged federal workforce, “it is essential to consider external factors in addition to those that may be influenced by leadership and the individual.”

Proactive Personnel Engagement

The study also takes into account individual differences that are likely to influence an employee’s tendencies toward engagement. Traits such as conscientiousness and proactive personality have been found to be related to engagement, the study notes. Individuals who exude initiative, perseverance and immersing themselves in their work demonstrate proactive personalities.

Cross reiterated in her 2019 interview the strong connection between overall engagement and an employee’s willingness to remain in government. 

“Those who indicated they intended to stay are generally more engaged than their colleagues who aren’t,” said Cross, a U.S. Army veteran known as the “Public Service Passionista” who frequently provides expert testimony on Capitol Hill and speaks at numerous conferences. 

Cross also told Workforce that engaging federal workers comes down to greater access and choice in workplace flexibility programs.

“Offer more variety of options in choosing flexible work schedule options, access to telework or remote work options and other supportive work/life resources,” she said. “Invest in the proper technology tools that increase efficiencies for accomplishing work, collaborating and communicating with customers, stakeholders and co-workers.”   

Supervisors can make a big difference in driving and promoting the benefits of an engaged federal workforce, Cross said in 2019.

“Focus on organizational citizenship behaviors, meaning inspire, encourage, motivate and reward employees for their discretionary behavior and positive activities that help contribute to the overall welfare of the organization, and that go well beyond simple job duties and work requirements,” she said. “Overall, supervisors can directly impact employee dedication, sense of purpose and their attachment to their mission and the organization.”

Communication Remains Key

Frequent check-ins to understand their team’s personal and professional goals, listening and responding to how federal employees feel about their roles, and the work they do serving the American people should be part of regular conversations, she said.

Cross also offered tips that supervisors can implement to enhance the benefits of an engaged federal workforce.

  • Reinforce and explain the connection between an employee’s actions, workload, projects and activities to the organizational and business unit vision.
  • Redesign work to encourage more autonomy, creativity and innovation.
  • Enforce effective performance management practices that focus on early course correction, learning and growing and always striving to be supportive, not dismissive or overly critical.
  • Offer and encourage using all the supportive employee and workplace resources that are available, such as onsite wellness programs, flexible work schedules, telework programs, employee advocacy and community affinity groups, financial literacy, continuing education and other workplace activities that help make a federal agency a better place to work.
  • Encourage frequent and open communication with employees; model and reward appropriate co-worker relationships.

There also are some basic communication strategies to follow, Cross said. Reinforce good behavior and ask employees about incentives that would engage them in a meaningful way. 

“You may be surprised to hear that an incentive for one employee may be a time off award, or ability to take a training course or attend a networking event during duty hours rather than a monetary bonus,” she said.

“Additional flexibility in their work schedule or permission to telework more frequently; or for others, taking on a new assignment or gaining permission to work on a project outside of their normal position description may be a wonderful way to incentivize a job-well-done and inspire more creativity and innovation.”