QUESTION: We are a small company, and I serve customers as well as run the business. I am having a hard time managing the needs of the customers, the staff, and the business as a whole. Something always seems to be falling through the cracks. I’ve thought about how I might get more help in […]
QUESTION: During a few recent exit interviews with departing staff, it has been suggested that improving our company’s onboarding process would make a positive impact on the employee’s overall work experience. We have a process called ‘orientation,’ but I’m worried it doesn’t include everything it should. How is onboarding different from orientation and what would […]
QUESTION: Over the previous six months, we have lost five employees. For a company our size, that is a lot. While one departure was welcomed, the other four were surprise resignations. This is causing extreme stress as we try to maintain a full client schedule while trying to fill big holes in staffing. I’m not […]
QUESTION: Every year I throw a year-end holiday party at my home for my staff, their families, a few vendors and external partners. I provide everything, all the food and beverages – including adult beverages. Last year, my newly hired assistant was totally trashed by the end of the evening. Her husband had to carry […]
QUESTION: With the national election coming up, I’ve had several staff ask about flexing their time in order to vote in person. We have a busy company, and we can’t always be flexible, however, voting is important and I want to support them. Also, this particular election has become contentious, and I don’t want differences […]
QUESTION: We don’t typically talk about how much we pay each employee. We don’t share our salary ranges or hourly rates in job postings, and we work individually with candidates and employees to negotiate their base pay. We’ve recently had some questions from staff questioning their hourly rate as compared with their co-workers. I don’t […]
QUESTION: My inbox blew up last week with announcements about the recent Michigan Supreme Court ruling on paid sick time. I admit that while I’ve heard mention of this legal battle in the past, I’m not well-versed in what this decision really means for a small company like mine. I already offer my employees paid […]
QUESTION: I just started a new company, and we are deciding which benefits we can offer our employees. I would like to offer paid time off for things like vacations and illness, but I’m not sure how much to provide and how to structure it. Can you share some insights based on what other companies […]
QUESTION: Recently, I’ve had two employees come to me asking whether our health benefits covered specific needs that they have as a LGBTQ+ employee. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure how to respond because I realized that I didn’t know which benefits they were referring to. What should I do to better understand our benefits and be […]
QUESTION: I heard that there might be some changes coming to overtime rules and I’m not sure what that’s about. I have one salaried employee who is currently making $800/week and I’m wondering if this rule will affect her. Can you help clarify so I can make sure we are complying with the law? ANSWER: […]