Resources

Many New Year’s resolutions circling the office are the same as last year’s, but several resolutions exist that HR professionals can employ to have significant impacts on your organization.

Here we are, kicking off 2015 – the official beginning of the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate. However, some employers have plan years that don’t begin on Jan. 1 and will not take part in the fun just yet.

With increasing speed, advances in technology have shifted the way human resources are handled in the workplace. As we enter 2015, HR professionals find themselves fully entrenched in an era of complex and ever-shifting business, which requires more of them.

President Obama has signed into law the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014, which extends the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) until the end of December. Employers have diligently processed their employees for WOTC not knowing if the potential credit would be renewed, but with the recent extension they can be assured their efforts to utilize WOTC and other tax credits were not wasted; however, we are quickly approaching a deadline that is now just days away.

It is time to collect! President Barack Obama has signed HR 5771, aka the Tax Increase Prevention Act, into law. The highly anticipated legislation renews more than 50 expired tax breaks, allowing businesses, commuters and more to collect with tax season around the corner. For many in the corporate world, the excitement centers on the Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefit.

Heads up: The IRS is requiring employers to notify their employees of the Earned Income Credit (EIC) for 2014.

‘Twas the night before the Holidays when all through HR, not a creature was stirring, except for Randi Tokar. The papers were stacked on his desk with care, overwhelmed, he looked at them with a blank stare.

The old adage of “It’s better to give than to receive” reigns true after all. Whether donating money or time, giving back is important – and not just for the recipients. Research shows that 52 percent of volunteers do it because they like helping others and doing something useful, while 38 percent said the work makes them feel good. Giving brings joys to both sides of the equation, but charitable initiatives could have a greater impact on your organization, as giving promotes cooperation and connection.

Even though it’s our busiest time of the year, we’re never too busy to pass on some exciting news and thank our employees, yet again, for helping shine the spotlight on Paycom. Paycom’s employees shared their experiences and opinions helping Paycom earn two very prestigious workplace honors. This year Paycom took the number two spot on The Oklahoman’s Top Workplaces and landed on Glassdoor’s Top 50 Best Places to Work in 2014.

Employers already are well aware that the health care landscape is changing – and changing drastically. But now employers who thought they were complying with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are being told otherwise, as the Obama administration works to close loopholes – and fast.

An attitude of servitude is hard to come by these days. Not because there are meaner people in the world today than there were yesterday; no, it’s because you and I let it happen. Can you believe this interaction? The story goes: I called in an order at a local restaurant. I wanted to know how much would feed 20 people (a reasonable question). The waiter's response “Ma’am I don’t know, once you figure it out call us back.” So I hung up and called back with my order, (true story). Unfortunately, many of us have gotten so used to poor customer service that now we just expect it.

What many know as Black Friday now starts as early as Thanksgiving Day; a Thursday. For businesses planning to open their doors as early as 5 p.m. Thursday, beware of potential employee morale issues. Your employees are giving up their time with family and friends, not to mention the copious amount of food consumed just hours prior to the doors opening, so there may be a bit of lag. The question arises, how can you prepare your staff for the rush, influence good customer service and improve overall employee well-being, while also boosting team morale?