Jen Strait:
I'm Jen Strait from Complete Payroll.
Emily Martin:
I'm Emily Martin from Ally HR Partners. Today, we are shooting the first of a hopefully multi-episode series called Unfiltered HR, where we're going to break down and kind of breakthrough the other HR advice and noise that's out there and give you real advice and real tips for your small business on how you can improve your HR practices.
Jen Strait:
Perfect. We are at My Dad's Market here on Main and Transit in Williamsville, and we have some signature drinks here. So we're going to cheers and we're going to get right down to it. Cheers!
Emily Martin:
A little liquid courage for the first episode.
Jen Strait:
Perfect. Okay. Today, the topic is going to be five lessons employers need to take away from the pandemic.
Emily Martin:
Yeah. Employers of all sizes and shapes and industries have definitely struggled through this time in the pandemic. Certainly, there are lessons to be learned and to take away from this time that if you really don't, unfortunately, we'll all be in vain, right? So I want to break down what those are and maybe some things that employers can do to better prepare for something like this in the future.
Jen Strait:
Perfect.
Emily Martin:
All right.
Jen Strait:
Let's talk about the first point.
Emily Martin:
All right.
Jen Strait:
Let's get right down to it.
Emily Martin:
All right. Number one, this is a little bit biased, but making HR a business priority is too mission critical at this point to avoid doing and ignore in the future.
Emily Martin:
Jen, I think, in my opinion at least in dealing with clients, the clients that really fared through the pandemic the best and the most resiliently and came out or coming out better are those that had a dedicated HR resource at some point throughout the pandemic. Those people have been able to help them navigate special employee relations issues that have come up during this time, navigate the whole landscape of all the leave and other laws and safety requirements throughout this time. But also on top of that, they've helped the employer kind of mitigate collateral damage around employee rapport building and credibility and trust when it comes to whether or not the employee had a good plan or not in place to go remote or whatever else it might be. So having an HR resource really is no longer an option, and the value throughout this time has proven itself to be undeniable.
Jen Strait:
Sure. You know, I talk to business owners all day, and I think one of the biggest takeaways I see is they say they have an HR person in-house. HR is such a broad term.
Emily Martin:
Yes.
Jen Strait:
And that HR person could be helping with open enrollment of health benefits, but also be tracking your PTO and making sure that they're onboarded correctly, which are all good things. But there have been so many new laws and guidelines after 2020 that it's very, very difficult to keep up with what's the new flavor of the day. Every two weeks, there's something new that comes out and there are changes and amendments. So what if you don't even have an HR person in-house, do you have to hire an employee dedicated to specific HR? If you already have an HR person, should you get another? What should you do?
Emily Martin:
Yeah, sure. Our clients that we work with, often, sometimes they have an HR person, sometimes it's an office manager wearing multiple hats. Someone's owning some portion of that. But really if you don't have one that doesn't mean need to go out and spend a full salary on somebody. Our services, for example, provide additional supplemental services in addition to someone in-house, where we kind of inject our expertise. We'll become that watchdog for you to help you keep up with laws and things and inject additional HR expertise into the business. So, no, certainly, you don't need to hire somebody and there are other options like outsourcing.
Jen Strait:
I think that's a good point and a great relief to a lot of business owners because they want to keep their HR person because they are, like you said, wearing so many hats and could be, you know, they call them the mom of the office, right? They're handling everything.
Emily Martin:
Right.
Jen Strait:
Where not only would you be helping them by hiring a service like yours, it would just give them that resource and that help and that support that they're looking for.
Emily Martin:
Sure. Absolutely. Yep.
Jen Strait:
All right. Well, I think we're ready for number two.
Emily Martin:
All right.
Jen Strait:
What's the second lesson?
Emily Martin:
Number two, flexibility is no longer an option. Whether it's your kind of absence of having a plan in the beginning to deploy your workforce remote, if you needed to. A lot of us have businesses that we never thought that could or would go remote or need to. Certainly, having that plan in place, whether it's a pandemic or a natural disaster or a government order that forces you to not be in an office, you need to have a plan in place for that. So flexibility in that way.
Emily Martin:
But also flexibility in terms of the new expectation for your employees. So if you're a business that is in office, or did have to make people go work remote during this time, that's really the new expectation of your employees and this whole gig that you might've had, where you said, you know, employees requesting to work remote in the past, you said it wasn't possible. That's proven to be totally untrue now, right? So if you're an employer who thinks that you're going to force everybody back into an office again, to work a 9:00 to 5:00, Monday through Friday job, you probably are going to end up losing a lot of staff to other employers who are going to keep the flexible work schedule and are going to keep people remote long-term.
Jen Strait:
Absolutely. I couldn't imagine myself being back in that position. It was for such a long period of time that it became the norm, not to mention if your school isn't back yet and you have to take care of your kids and running a doctor's appointments. And that became a norm in between balancing work, right?
Emily Martin:
Right.
Jen Strait:
That would be great if it's an option where people can work remotely and you have to stay flexible. What are some ways that an employer could stay flexible if remote isn't enough? Like here, we're at My Dad's Market, a restaurant, you can't work remotely. What are some options that they can stay flexible for their employees?
Emily Martin:
Yeah. So like whether it's retail or restaurants, which are a lot of our clients, remote work is not possible. You need people physically present. So flexibility doesn't mean working remote. It can mean having kind of more flexible work schedule options. So maybe you start to have more employees that are part-time or they work per diem, or they have split shifts and things like that, where you're more flexible with scheduling based on the new needs, based on school closures and things like that. So there's other ways to be flexible other than working remote.
Jen Strait:
Honestly, I think flexibility keeps the good employees too, because it filters out ... It may filter out the employees that are taking advantage and you want to know that right away, but also a good employee will be appreciative of that flexibility and it'll be that much more of an asset to your company.
Emily Martin:
Yeah. It's a give and take and has to go both ways.
Jen Strait:
Absolutely. All right. Are you ready for number three?
Emily Martin:
All right.
Jen Strait:
Cheers again?
Emily Martin:
Number three.
Jen Strait:
I think it's time. Cheers!
Emily Martin:
On this beautiful, fake spring day in Buffalo.
Jen Strait:
I know. It's the tease that we are all aware of in March.
Emily Martin:
Hopefully, the next one will be outside.
Jen Strait:
All right. What is lesson number three?
Emily Martin:
All right. Lesson number three is pretty simple, but basically it is, you're not too cool or you're not too good for free money. A lot of business owners take a lot of pride in being self-made and not taking whether it's tax credits or subsidies. However, there is a ton of free money out there, and there has been during this pandemic. Most people have needed it. Certainly, [inaudible 00:07:24] them to close or take on a deficient loss of expenses because of different safety requirements in the business with cleaning or the plexiglass dividers. So there still continues to be a ton of free money out there. If you're not taking it, you're really just putting yourself at a huge disadvantage to everybody else who is taking it.
Jen Strait:
I like how you say, you're not too cool because it may be the case. If you own a business, you're used to working really hard and doing things on your own. This has been an unprecedented year and your businesses have already suffered so much for things that were out of your control. You had to shut down and you only have a certain amount of capacity. You can only have certain amount of employees. When I talk to people, I'm like, “Please look at that, please take advantage.” It's not even taking advantage. It's just getting that little supplemental help that you should be getting because your business probably took a hit and you've been through a lot. That's a great example of saying, “The plexiglasses and your capacity, you can be compensated for those things.”.
Emily Martin:
Yeah.
Jen Strait:
I know there are a few different things that you can apply for. Where do you find this documentation? Where do you even start if you don't have an HR person in-house? Is it too late to apply if it was in 2020?
Emily Martin:
Sure. Yeah, there's still certainly a lot of money out there. The original PPPs kind of have already processed where there's a second round. So even if you got the first PPP, you can definitely apply for a second round of funding to cover those payroll costs. The Employee Retention Credit Program is still out there. Actually the rules have changed, where you can apply for that on top of the PPP. So that could be a huge advantage that employers didn't have available before. There's EIDL loans for emergency disaster relief, to pay for the expenses for things like the plexiglass and other measures that you might have had to take.
Emily Martin:
And then finally, the easiest one, and I know you guys are familiar at Complete Payroll with processing these, but the FFCRA tax credits. So if you have employees that have taken leave due to COVID, and you've had to pay out that time in addition to any PTO time because of the federal mandate on that, you should be making sure that that's getting processed through your payroll system and coded through that in order to get the reimbursement for that and the tax credit. And where you can find more information, probably the best source is the SBA website, the Small Business Association, where there's tons and tons of developing content on guides on how to, or educating you on what's out there and what you're eligible for.
Jen Strait:
Absolutely. I usually guide people towards with the PPP loans and the employee retention credit, guide them towards their accountant, their CPA, their bookkeepers, that can really walk them through that. And us at Complete Payroll, we can make sure that we code everything properly and you'll have those reports that they need and for when you file taxes. We work hand in hand with that and I think that's a great point. So take advantage. Please take advantage. Okay. Let's go into ...
Emily Martin:
Two more.
Jen Strait:
... lesson number four.
Emily Martin:
Two more, right? We still have time.
Jen Strait:
Two more.
Emily Martin:
All right. The next one is a big one, but basically you can't really afford to not be getting what you're paying for. Whether it's an outsourced HR function that you're using right now, or a payroll provider or other system provider, a CPA, a benefits broker, even if it's vendors that you're using for other parts of your business. This is the time to really examine what it is you need, and if you're getting the most out of those services.
Emily Martin:
Just really specific to the pandemic, if we're staying on that theme, think about who your providers were throughout this time and how helpful they were to you. So what's your benefits broker helping you navigate the changing COBRA requirements during this time and getting creative about being able to extend healthcare coverage to your employees maybe while they were laid off. Or your CPA, like, was he helpful or she helpful with helping you apply for PPP?
Emily Martin:
Think about those things and make sure what you're paying is what you're getting for, and you're getting the most value. Because God knows, people can't afford to spend any extra money right now and not be getting the full value.
Jen Strait:
Absolutely. I think it's very important not to only watch every penny, but people are true to their colors when there's a time of crisis. So that's a great point of looking at who your providers are and who's handholding through that process because it was a stressful time for everybody, but it's really important for those people to make sure that they are going above and beyond to kind of handhold, and they're the experts in those situations with that. I kind of compare it to like, if you have a ... I kind of compare it to having a new device or a new phone. You may know 30% of what it can do, but once you start to learn, they should probably teach us what the capabilities are, but once you start to learn it, it's unbelievable how much more help it can be in your daily routine. So make sure you explore those. I guess, if you want to explore that different options for an accountant, different options for HR, different options for payroll, different options ... How would you do that for a business owner?
Emily Martin:
Yeah. When it comes to service providers, in my opinion, if someone isn't helping you, they're hurting you. So if you're paying them for a level of service, they're not giving you, then that's just costing you money that you shouldn't be spending. So you and I, like, I personally have partners that I work with in my business that I trust, that I believe, that really provide the same level of service that I do to my clients. So we can certainly provide recommendations for CPAs and benefits brokers if people have questions. I'm sure you guys do as well at Complete Payroll.
Emily Martin:
But in addition to that, when you talk about systems, Jen, I know you guys come across clients all the time that are paying for a system that they're using maybe 10% of. That's another great point right now, too, not just from a service standpoint, but a system standpoint, especially now, if we have more remote employees, is there more you can be using your system for to automate processes, to save time and money, or even have employees kind of do some of this stuff on their own from home, if possible?
Jen Strait:
Absolutely. And it comes down to compliance. It comes down, you know, when you're keeping track of time. A good example is, we're at a restaurant and there's a tip to minimum wage law that once an employee are cleaning tips, it has to at least get to minimum wage. Here, at Complete Payroll, we make sure that we are keeping track of that for the employer and we make sure that it equals at least minimum wage. And we will make sure that they're getting the reports that they need. And we automatically do that.
Emily Martin:
Great.
Jen Strait:
Speaking with restaurants, I didn't know that some of providers don't automatically do that. So not only is that a problem with Department of Labor in once you're in audit. Restaurant owners, they just may ... You don't know what you don't know. You think that that's stuff that's being taken care of, but that's not always the case.
Emily Martin:
Yeah.
Jen Strait:
So that's another point of encouraging you to really ask the right questions to your provider to make sure that those things are being done. Sometimes you don't know what questions to ask. Again, you don't know what you don't know. What questions should you be asking? That's when we encourage you to reach out to us and ask us what you should ask your employers and your ...
Emily Martin:
Yeah. We come across that all the time.
Jen Strait:
... providers.
Emily Martin:
For sure.
Jen Strait:
Absolutely. Both you and I, we've been working together a while and we will do anything we can to help not only our clients, but business owners. We're all in this together. 2020 was a time for us to kind of shine and show how we are both different than the industry.
Emily Martin:
Yeah.
Jen Strait:
I think that's just a great way of doing a little shopping and making sure that you're getting what you pay for, like you said.
Emily Martin:
Absolutely. Yeah.
Jen Strait:
And making sure you get the reports that you need. Again, people don't know that we can save them hours and hours of manual data entry. It's simple click of a button, they just don't know how to use the system. So we're here to help with that.
Emily Martin:
Cool.
Jen Strait:
I think that wraps up number four.
Emily Martin:
All right. Number five. The final take away.
Jen Strait:
We're at number. Last but not least.
Emily Martin:
I mean, I'm in the business of HR consulting, which is all about people, and using people as an asset for your business versus a liability. And that's the fifth takeaway really is, I think we've learned this time that people really are a huge asset, if not a number one asset for your business. However, they might also be your number one liability, depending on the quality of people working for you.
Jen Strait:
Sure.
Emily Martin:
In my opinion, this just underscores, again, the value of having a dedicated human resource function in your business or someone that can help you get the most out of that resource. Certainly, those of us who worked through this time that had a team of employees that were empathetic and flexible and willing to work with us while the businesses all went through things that were totally unprecedented, probably helped that go a lot smoother than those who had really difficult employees or employees who wanted to maybe take some freebies that were out there with unemployment and things. That's really a big lesson here is you need to focus on your people asset of your business.
Jen Strait:
And even more than ever now, because it's ... To me, I feel like in 2020, it made the people who work hard, work harder and really shine. And the people who kind of just got by, maybe become a little lazier. What can employers do to help filter some of that out? What can they do to make their people an asset more than a liability? Because that is ... You don't want a liability issue.
Emily Martin:
Sure.
Jen Strait:
What can you do to filter those?
Emily Martin:
Yeah. It obviously starts, first of all, with who you hire. So making sure that you're making good decisions about who you're letting into your business in the first place. If you hire a problem, you're going to have to deal with the problem later.
Emily Martin:
We work with a lot of our clients to help them tighten up their hiring practices, to make sure they're asking really good interview questions and screening in a way that only lets in the good people that really fit in align with the mission of the business. And then from there really, how are you performance managing them? Do you have employees that you should be letting go? We work with clients that are scared to do that for compliance or claim reasons and we help them get to a good place where they can do that if someone isn't working for them.
Emily Martin:
It's really that whole employee life cycle. And then I think the other thing is, are you someone that is good to work for? You can't have good employees unless you're a good employer. If you want employees that are going to go the extra mile and give the extra 110%, you need to be doing that the same as an employer. That could be benefits or opportunities that you make available.
Jen Strait:
Yeah. That kind of loops in to what we were talking about before, our benefits and who we work with. I've been with Complete Payroll over three years now, and I tell people, “I've done a lot of the shopping for you.” I've done lots of networking. I've worked with a lot of people local in the area for benefits and insurance and retirement services. So I've done the shopping and I make sure that anybody I bring in is going to work at the same level of service that Complete Payroll and I work in. So they're not having the guess what kind of service they are. If they're familiar with me and Complete Payroll, they can be comfortable with who I'm bringing in with them. They always have the option to choose who they want to work with, but ...
Emily Martin:
Yeah.
Jen Strait:
Referral's the best kind of way to trust that service.
Emily Martin:
Sure.
Jen Strait:
And not only that, but everybody that I work with local is local, right?
Emily Martin:
Yeah.
Jen Strait:
So they're coming into your business and they're talking to your employees and they're going over what health benefits they have as opposed to bigger companies or bigger employers that you're just signing an open enrollment, “Keep it the same. I don't even know what I have.”.
Emily Martin:
Right.
Jen Strait:
Those employees don't feel as committed to that employer anymore. So I think it's very important for employers to offer those kinds of benefits to just keep that security and keep those good people and keep that commitment from the employees.
Emily Martin:
And take care of them.
Jen Strait:
And take of them.
Emily Martin:
Yeah. I think that's ... Employees are going to have more options than ever now as well because so many workforces are going remote. Where employers were maybe competing on a local level for employees, they're going to be doing that on a national level now. So making sure your benefits are in line with that is important. And usually a local provider is going to work with you in a more customized way to put together a package that really is the best for you.
Jen Strait:
Absolutely.
Emily Martin:
So keeping it local is always good.
Jen Strait:
Yeah. And it's usually the most cost-effective way. You're not paying a lot of service fees that you'd be paying if you're outsourcing it to somewhere else.
Emily Martin:
Right.
Jen Strait:
And then the benefits, I don't want that word to scare employers where they think it's an automatic cost to them.
Emily Martin:
Right.
Jen Strait:
Not all benefits are a cost, but if you shop around a little bit and talk to some partners, they can offer your employees some benefits that don't cost you a dime.
Emily Martin:
Right.
Jen Strait:
Again, that's just more of a creating a commitment from those employees.
Emily Martin:
Yeah, absolutely.
Jen Strait:
Well, I think that wraps up our five lessons that you need to know during the pandemic. Is there anything else that you wanted to wrap up or ...
Emily Martin:
I think that's it. I mean, we just hope that you found this informational and that you tune in for the next episodes and we're going to be providing similar information like this throughout the weeks and months. So if you have any, I guess, input on topics that you'd like to see covered or feedback on the episode, let us know. Hopefully we'll have some good, fun stuff for you coming soon, otherwise-
Jen Strait:
Absolutely. Please send the comments and send a request. If you have any questions, you'll have our contact information probably below this video or above the video or on the side somewhere my.
Emily Martin:
Check out the websites that are flashing around.
Jen Strait:
My marketing guru, [Mr. Joe 00:21:24] will put it somewhere. But yes, please contact us with anything and we'd be more than happy to help you out. Until the next time.
Emily Martin:
Cheers. Final cheers.
Jen Strait:
Cheers!
Contact Emily Martin:Web: allyhrpartners.comEmail: emartin@allyhrpartners.com
