In our last YES! Your Human Resources Solution blog, we discussed the hidden ways employee turnover can cost your business—not just in budget numbers, but in recruitment, productivity, and morale.  So now that we know why we should minimize employee turnover, what causes that turnover in the first place? (more…)

We at YES! Your Human Resources Solution know that employee turnover doesn’t have to be bad for business.  New employees can bring fresh ideas, different skills, and renewed enthusiasm to a company’s arsenal.  But when employee turnover happens at an unusually high or constant pace, the drawbacks can outweigh the benefits, costing the company time and money.  (more…)

Here at YES! Your Human Resources Solution, we know that everyone has an opinion about employee dress codes.  What makes appropriate work attire?  How can the rules be enforced?  When is a dress code even a good choice?  The truth is, the right dress code can work wonders for a business’ productivity and professionalism, while the wrong dress code—or any dress code at all—can destroy employee morale and retention.  So how to tell if a dress code might do more harm than good?  Check out our list of dress code pros and cons. (more…)

Why does the enigmatic Lady Gaga boast over 22 million Twitter followers worldwide?  Because socially, Twitter is for people you’d like to know better.  And wouldn’t it be great if your company could reach out to millions of people who’d like to know you better?  No, we’re not suggesting your CEO carve out a meat dress; we’re suggesting that you think about how Twitter could expand your applicant pool.  As a social recruitment tool, Twitter is fully searchable, free, and easy to get started.  It’s also widely used by the corporate big boys. (more…)

Here at YES! Your Human Resources Solution, we understand these tough economic times can drive companies to review their staffing efficiencies.  Important questions to ask include, Does your company have enough staff?  Too much?  The right kind of employees?  Is there a way to streamline the cost of the employees you do have?

One cost-effective way to streamline staff could be to use freelance workers.  Freelancers come with well-developed skills and fresh ideas, which can help your company get a competitive edge without permanently adding to overhead.  For many companies, they can offer more affordable and flexible alternatives to permanent in-house employees—but they’re not the right choice for every business.

To help decide if freelancer workers are a good choice for your company, take a look at our pros and cons of hiring freelancers.

PROS:

• Cost savings.  A freelance employee often costs more per hour than a permanent in-house employee, but a worker’s overall cost includes much more than wages.  Unlike in-house employees, freelancers do not require the company to pay for medical insurance, office space, or equipment; they pay for those themselves.  They also take care of their own Social Security contributions, workers’ compensation insurance, Medicare, and unemployment insurance.  This might not sound like much, but it can add up to big savings for your company—from 20–30 percent per employee.
• Flexibility.  Hiring freelancers means always having the right staff at the right time, whether that’s on an ongoing basis or for a two-week project.  Freelancers can supplement staffing levels when the workload seasonally (or suddenly) increases, and full-time, permanent staff is neither necessary nor practical. Specific freelancers can work with the company long term or can be rotated out to foster fresh perspectives, without the hassle of hiring and terminating permanent employees.  It can also be easier to locate and hire qualified freelance workers based on references.  And as a point for both flexibility and cost savings, since freelancers typically offer specialized knowledge and experience, they can bring maximum productivity right away—no waiting for lengthy or costly training to get employees up to speed.
• Legal benefits.  Many employment laws that protect permanent employees do not apply to freelancers, thereby limiting the number of legal pitfalls your company can encounter when working with them.  Any legal requirements and ramifications are typically spelled out in the service contract.  Unless explicitly included in the service contract, laws that don’t apply include minimum wage, overtime compensation, family leave, and wrongful termination.  The fewer the laws to balance, the fewer the potential legal troubles.

CONS:

• Control.  Control-oriented employers probably won’t want to manage a fleet of freelancers, because employers are limited on how they can direct projects.  Namely, employers can tell freelancers what project they want done, but not how freelancers should go about that task.  That what/how line is a defining factor in the IRS definition of an employee.  If you’re telling your freelancers how to accomplish their work, you’re treating them like employees and you could come under fire from one or more . . .
• Government audits.  IRS, FTB, and OSHA, oh my!  And those are just a few government agencies that could potentially audit your company’s employee classifications.  Your freelance workers can also ask the government to evaluate whether they have been correctly classified as contractors.  Common sense and careful adherence to employee regulations are the keys to correct classification, but make a mistake and beware—misclassifications can mean stiff penalties.
• Flexibility.  “What?!” you say.  “Wasn’t flexibility also a pro?”  Yes, it was, but a flexible workforce also comes with a price, and that price is workers that frequently rotate in and out of the company.  While freelancers won’t need training at their craft, they’ll likely need educating about the company and its goals.  There is also no guarantee that the quality of work will be consistent from freelancer to freelancer.  If you don’t feel like dealing with this every few months, a long-term freelancer or a permanent employee might be a better option.

With a little patience and planning, freelancers can be a real asset to many workforces, but they’re not for every company or industry.  At the end of the day, the decision to hire freelancers is a complex choice individual to each company’s needs.  If you could use a qualified, professional opinion about how to optimize your workforce, give the friendly HR consultants at YES! Your Human Resources Solution a call or visit our website.  Take advantage of our free consultation to see how we can help guide your unique business toward continued success!

It’s a touchy issue all hiring managers and recruiters must face: whether to post a job opening as a promotional opportunity or an external recruitment.  As with any open position, it’s critical to tap the talent pool that will best meet the needs of the position and the company, but there are pros and cons to each recruitment method.  So which recruitment style is better under which circumstances?  It depends on the position, the available talent, and the company’s philosophy. (more…)

The March 20, 2012 issue of the Orange County Business Journal features the latest YES! article on a growing trend: textspeak in business language.

The text message reads: “R u in the ofc?”

Without looking at the sender, some might think this message came from a teenager. What if this strange abbreviated language, or “textspeak,” actually came from a colleague? And what is he trying to say?

Read the full article

As managers and supervisors, we’d like to think all our employees will give 110 percent all the time.  But when we step down from the clouds, we see that on Earth, two camps of employees often prevail: those who are driven to take on additional tasks and challenges, and those who are content to sit at their desks and foster the status quo.  That’s not to say the status quo is a bad thing, as long as work expectations are being met.  The problem is, when employees only meet expectations, the workforce probably isn’t performing as efficiently as it could be. (more…)

Think back to your last new employee orientation—not one you gave, one you actually had to sit through as a new employee.  Remember that special blend of bored, overwhelmed, and anxious that you felt while stuffed in that conference room?  Maybe you were alone or with a small group of newbies under the careful attention of a Human Resources representative.  By careful attention, we mean a ton of information throwing—breaks, leave time, employee benefits, dress code, mission statements, org charts—do this, learn that.  You name it, they covered it.  You might have even been subjected to a sexual harassment video wherein someone used the term “hot pants.”  All the while, there you were, praying to the new employee gods that there wouldn’t be a quiz. (more…)

Think fast—after 30 years with the company, Bob, your VP of Sales, just announced his retirement. Coming in two weeks. (And a Happy Leap Day to you, too, Bob.) That’s not a lot of time for you, the HR rep, to prepare, especially since no one remembers that position without Bob. You may not be sure where to begin answering your questions: What does the position require these days? What type of candidate will work best? And more important, what will you write on the cake? (more…)