Katherine Heaviside, President and Founder of Epoch 5 Public Relations, talks to Eric about the importance of communication from a distinctly human PR perspective, and about how the means and impact of communication are changing in today’s world.  

In today’s episode, we explore that impact. On one hand, misinformation can ruin a company’s image in minutes. On the other hand, the right action can lead to a positive image for your company and greater success in its community.   

Episode Highlights — We discuss:   

• How PR communication shifted in recent years. It now largely takes place between employers and employees – as such relationships are a growing part of your company’s image.  
• How “doing the right thing at the right time” can lead to make your company a positive force in its community, and increase market share.  
• What goes into a Crisis Management Plan, and how can it set your company up to do the right thing at the right time?   

“Clear and inspiring communication is really essential to moving people to a better place.” — Katherine Heaviside   

Have Questions? PrestigePEO is always available to help you navigate these uncertain times with regard to Human Resources, Employee Benefits and Payroll Management. Call Us Today at 888-PEO-PEO1 or contact us at prestigepeo.com   

Katherine Heaviside was named one of Long Island’s “Top Influentials” by Long Island Business News. She is a leader in the field of public relations — having provided counsel to hundreds of clients throughout the New York Metropolitan area. An expert communicator and strategist, she forges strong relationships with media, businesses, foundations, associations, and community and government leaders. From health care to real estate to energy, tri-state industries benefit from Katherine’s proactive representation and strategic counsel.   

Epoch 5 is the leading Long Island public relations firm because we are highly successful at creating positive exposure for our clients, both on Long Island and throughout the tristate area. For many clients, we also play a key role in helping to protect or regain their reputations after controversial or crisis situations. In short, we are known for our expert counsel, the quality of our work, our strategic planning and positioning, and our excellent client service.

Every year, it seems to get more difficult for businesses to hire and retain the right employees. Gone are the days in which employees spent their entire careers dedicated to one organization. Today, top talent is much more selective about the companies at which they choose to work, and there are plenty of factors that weigh into their decisions.

Between 60-70% of all employee turnover is voluntary. Josh Bersin of Deloitte estimates that “the cost of losing an employee can range from tens of thousands of dollars to twice their annual salary. These costs include hiring, onboarding, training, ramp time, lower engagement, more errors, and general culture impacts.”

Businesses that fail to attract and retain top talent put themselves at risk of falling behind the competition and perhaps going out of business altogether. At small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) where employee contributions and responsibilities tend to be a lot more impactful, vacancies and high turnover rates can be even more detrimental.

Keep reading for three ways SMBs can improve employee satisfaction strategies and retention.

Employee benefits are an incredibly important part of employment decisions, with over 80% of employees indicating that health insurance is “very or extremely important” when changing jobs (Hierl Insurance, 2018). Another survey from Glassdoor found that 80% of employees would choose additional benefits or perks over a pay raise.

Fortune 500s easily attract top talent with lucrative employee benefits packages, but SMBs often struggle to offer the same level of employee benefits. This is due to the fact that large corporations have much more purchasing power than SMBs, enabling them to access better group rates for premium-level employee benefits like top-tier health insurance plans.

Partnering with a PEO is a cost-effective way for SMBs to access better employee benefits at reduced rates typically unavailable to them. A PEO combines the purchasing power of a broad group of SMBs in order to access the kinds of group rates reserved for large corporations – this enables a PEO to pass that savings along to small businesses while enabling small businesses to offer their employees much more competitive employee benefits packages.

Having a job shouldn’t be a job. Employees can become disgruntled if they aren’t equipped with the right tools to manage time worked, paid time off, or employee benefits. Things like a cumbersome time tracking process or issues with insurance claims can be extremely off-putting to employees and negatively impact their overall perception of an employer.

An effective way for employers to ensure a positive employee experience is to implement web based HR software that simplify administrative processes and provide access to digital self-service options.

From intuitive time management software to innovative HR mobile apps that empower employees to instantly connect with HR specialists, the right digital tools and employee satisfaction strategies can significantly reduce employee strain and improve the workplace. It also demonstrates that your business is willing to adopt new methods and continuously strives to foster a more connected, supportive work environment.

Updating legacy systems and implementing new technology may seem like a major undertaking, but a PEO can provide the support SMBs need to ensure that digital transformation is a success. A PEO works with small businesses to determine unique technology needs, configure systems, and train staff as needed.

Employees are more productive and engaged when they feel safe and supported. In order to retain the best talent, it’s important for businesses to remain flexible and open to the evolving needs of their workforce.

For some businesses, that may mean offering expanded employee benefits options like commuter discounts or supplemental insurance plans. For others, it may require more flexible schedules for working parents or those who are disabled. Especially as employees deal with the impacts of COVID-19 on their personal and professional lives, it’s more important than ever for employers to remain flexible and accommodating.

The world is changing, and it’s changing fast. Success in any industry requires SMBs to attract and retain the same level of talent as large companies. Without the resources to do so, however, it can be a challenge for SMBs to remain competitive and build a sustainable future. Partnership with a PEO can help SMBs access the same level of employee benefits, technology, and HR support as large enterprises. The right PEO can help SMBs build a stronger team, reduce turnover rates, and improve employee satisfaction. Learn more at www.prestigepeo.com.

Today we speak with Sue Fredericks, President of One Purpose Performance. Sue founded this management consulting company in 2000 to help organizations build more productive culture and communication. 

In our conversation today, she applies this wisdom to the unpredictable times we’re living through and gives advice that will help you and your team succeed.

Episode highlights include:

• What challenges create alignment issues and silos within an organization?
• Now with many employees working from home, how do we ensure that companies stay aligned toward well-defined goals?
• What are the four critical areas for emotional intelligence, and why are they so important to individual and company success?
• What are the next steps companies should take in our current environment of rapid change and uncertainty?

“There will be more change in the next two years coming up than we’ve seen in the past 20 years.” – Sue Fredericks

Have Questions? PrestigePEO is always available to help you navigate these uncertain times with regard to Human Resources, Employee Benefits and Payroll Management. Call Us Today at 888-PEO-PEO1 or contact us at prestigepeo.com

Sue Fredericks has been developing workforce potential in the corporate sector for more than 25 years. She has held leadership roles with Olsten Corporation, Campbell Soup Company, Keebler Foods Company, Friedrich Air Conditioning Company, and National Medical Care. Fredericks founded One Purpose Performance in 2000.

One Purpose Performance, Inc. is a management consulting firm that helps companies and organizations align actions of leaders and staff to work together towards clearly defined goals. Their versatile, full-service practice focuses on developing leadership and maximizing organizational performance.

COVID-19 changed how the world works. With no real end to the pandemic yet in sight, businesses must adapt to a new normal in order to survive and thrive beyond it. While this isn’t the simplest undertaking, especially for businesses with operations that are difficult to perform remotely, it isn’t impossible. In fact, for many businesses, success will depend on the ability to remain productive while adjusting to new regulations and realities as the situation evolves. Here are some best practices for SMBs to effectively manage a workforce during and after COVID-19.

In corporate environments, most roles can be performed remotely with little to no interruption in productivity. In fact, an annual study conducted by FlexJobs found that 65% of employees are more productive in their home offices than at a traditional workplace. The technology to allow for real-time connectivity and collaboration already exists, and many teams around the world are becoming more geographically diverse as demand for skilled talent increases.

Amid public health concerns, remote work is a no brainer. Businesses that don’t take measures to implement as much remote work as possible risk spreading illness in the workplace, which could give rise to a whole set of costly legal and liability issues. It also unnecessarily endangers your top asset – your employees.

In such an unprecedented situation, it’s up to employers to put the health, safety, and well-being of their employees above all else. Wherever possible, employers should shift employees to remote work until there is a widely available solution to COVID-19. According to protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are also required to make special accommodations, within reason, for disabled employees or anyone at high-risk of infection.

For some employees, time away from the physical workplace may be impossible. IT technicians, medical staff, and package specialists are a few examples of the kinds of roles that require in-person contact. Businesses with employees that must be in the workplace should try to minimize building occupancy rates and maximize social distancing efforts as much as possible.

One way to accomplish this is to establish split and staggered schedules. Start by splitting your employees into distinct groups; then, assign varied schedules for each group, with only one group coming into the workplace at a time. Onsite groups can vary day by day, week by week, or by even longer intervals of time depending on business needs.

Another approach is to ask employees about their own preferences, enabling those who are willing to return to the workplace to do so, while allowing those who feel more comfortable working from home to continue with their virtual arrangements.

When your business is ready to welcome employees back, be sure to follow all applicable local, state, and federal social distancing guidelines. Your PEO partner can help you figure out which regulations apply to your business. General guidelines include, but are not limited to the following:

• Ensure at least six feet of distance between each employee’s desk or workspace
• Practice split and staggered scheduling to minimize overall office and room occupancy rates
• Ensure foot traffic follows a single direction through aisles and hallways
• Apply signage directing all traffic flow as needed
• Limit in-person group meetings

In addition to new social distancing rules, employers must consider all applicable health and safety requirements. As a best practice, SMBs should follow all guidelines from the CDC and local health officials to ensure the wellbeing of their employees. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Screen employees for COVID-19 symptoms daily
• Perform body temperature checks on each employee upon entrance into the workplace
• Ensure hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, and face masks are readily available for employees
• Require all employees to wear masks in any common areas; including conference rooms, meeting spaces, bathrooms, kitchens, and lounge areas
• Frequently sanitize high-contact touchpoints such as door handles, faucets, office equipment, and appliances

While the changes are extensive, the overall goal is to protect your business and your employees. These guidelines are the first steps toward ensuring that your workplace is compliant and safe for all.

For more resources to help your business manage a workforce during COVID-19, visit our COVID-19 Resource Center – access webinars, recommended guidelines, sample communications, and more to help move your business forward.

Business is changing fast. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, companies of all sizes need to move faster, work smarter, and deliver value-added experiences to both their clients and their employees.

Your employees are your top asset, which is why human resources is an essential function in any thriving business. Most business owners start their ventures because they’re experts at what they do, but they neither have the time nor the expertise to access comprehensive employee benefits or manage human resources. While internal HR SMBs managers are an integral component to success, small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) tend to lack the bandwidth and resources required to tackle the sheer volume of HR tasks and processes at hand.

A PEO, or professional employer organization, works in partnership with SMBs to offer affordable healthcare options that would otherwise be difficult to access, handle payroll, ensure compliance, manage human resources administration, and more. By partnering with the right PEO, you can ensure your business has all the HR support it needs to help nurture and grow your workforce. Keep reading to learn about three major benefits of working with a PEO.

Most SMBs lack the purchasing power to get affordable rates on premium employee benefits like top-tier health insurance plans, often making it difficult to offer competitive employee benefits packages. This can quickly turn into a larger problem because health insurance and other employee benefits are top considerations for employees when deciding between jobs.

As demand for skilled professionals across various business segments increases, it’s more important than ever for businesses to offer premium employee benefits to attract and retain the best talent. A PEO combines the purchasing power of all its clients to access the best possible group rates for all, enabling SMBs to offer competitive employee benefits on par with larger organizations. Partnership with a PEO enables SMBs to provide their employees better coverage at reduced costs. It also allows employers to offer expanded employee benefits such as life and supplemental insurance plans from leading providers, financial wellness resources, and commuter discounts.

A PEO also works with businesses to manage all employee benefits administration, from enrollment to employee education. At PrestigePEO, we go the extra mile to ensure our clients have personalized, one-on-guidance for everything related to employee benefits. In addition to ongoing administrative support, our certified specialists are always available over the phone or in-person to provide a comprehensive overview of all employee benefit options, discuss which options are best for your specific needs, and communicate with your employees about their benefits.

Managing a workforce means employers must comply with a plethora of local, state, and federal regulations. From OSHA requirements to ensure employee safety, to anti-discrimination laws to ensure equal opportunity for all, it can be a challenge to keep up; failure to comply, however, can lead to serious legal consequences.

Partnering with a PEO is a simple and secure way for employers to ensure HR compliance across the board. A PEO works with your internal HR SMBs teams to complete required documentation, advise leadership on important legislative changes, and implement compliance requirements in the workplace. This guarantees the safety and well-being of your business, as well as your employees.

Your company is bound to evolve over time. As your team and client rosters grow, so will your HR SMBs needs. All too often, SMBs fail because of their inability to keep up with everything required to successfully run an expanding enterprise. Lacking the bandwidth to properly manage processes outside their areas of expertise, many SMBs find themselves unable to keep up with increasing demand. This can lead to a major dip in employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity.

Partnership with a PEO is essential for SMBs looking to effectively scale their business. A PEO works with you to ensure you and your employees are protected and supported throughout every stage of growth. Through personalized PEO consulting and support from a team of professionals, the right PEO will work to understand your unique business needs and help you adapt along the way.

You went into business because you’re great at what you do. The right PEO serves as a trusted partner to your business to help you with the rest. Learn more about how a PEO can help your business at www.prestigepeo.com.

“If someone can continue to telework and they are high risk – the guidance is to allow them to do so” – Kim Malerba, Partner at Ruskin, Moscou Faltischek, P.C.

Listen to Eric Foodim, COO of PrestigePEO continue the discussion with Kim Malerba, Partner at Ruskin, Moscou Faltischek, P.C. regarding the logistics and emerging legalities around bringing your employees back to the office as states begin to reopen non-essential offices.

In this episode, Eric and Kim talk employees concerns about safety returning to the workplace focusing part 2 of this episode on employees safety concerns and the accommodations and assistance that can be provided to employees who are considered high risk. Listen to get insights on the following topics:

• Addressing Employees Safety Concerns
• Employee and Employer Assistance from  the ADA, FMLA and the Family Cares Act
• Reasonable accommodations in allowing high risk employees to continuing working remote
• And Explore some of the In Office Procedures such as Limiting In-Person Meetings and Closing Off Space Where Social Distancing is Not Possible

Have Questions? PrestigePEO is always available to help you navigate these uncertain times with regard to Human Resources, Employee Benefits and Payroll Management. Call Us Today at 888.PEO.PEO1 or visit us online at prestigepeo.com

Missed the our last episode? Part 1 | The Logistics & Legalities Bringing Your Employees Back to the Office discussion with Kim Malerba, Partner at Ruskin, Moscou Faltischek, P.C here.

Kimberly B. Malerba, Partner at Ruskin, Moscou Faltischek, P.C.,  handles virtually all matters involving the employer-employee relationship. Her areas of concentration include wage and hour compliance and investigations, employment discrimination and workplace harassment prevention, policy development and litigation, and independent contractor analysis. She has defended against claims such as sexual harassment, age, race, national origin and disability discrimination for various clients, both large and small.

“You wanna be thinking about how you can maintain your business operations while also ensuring the health and safety of your employees and customers” – Malcolm Slee, Groom Law

Listen to Eric Foodim, COO of PrestigePEO continue the discussion about the impacts of COVID-19 on small and medium size businesses with Malcolm Slee of Groom Law Group.

In this episode, Eric and Malcolm discuss the considerations employers need to begin evaluating when bringing teams back to the office, including:

• The key considerations every employer will need to consider from new policy perspectives
• How do you transition your teams from working virtually to returning to the office
• What is the impact on working parents with many child programs not accessible for the summer of 2020
• How to address employees who do not want to return to the office
• Reasonable accommodations for employees with pre-existing medical conditions
• Legalities and considerations surrounding hiring new team members during this time of crisis

Have Questions? PrestigePEO is always available to help you navigate these uncertain times with regard to Human Resources, Employee Benefits and Payroll Management. Call Us Today at 888.PEO.PEO1 or visit us online at prestigepeo.com

Missed the our first episode? Listen to part 1 of our ‘How to Return to Work In a Post COVID-19 World’ discussion with Malcolm Slee of Groom Law Group  here. 

Malcolm Slee is the principal at Groom Law Group advises employers, issuers, plan administrators, associations and plan trustees on a comprehensive range of issues, working with many professional employer organizations (PEOs) to help clients develop strategies for managing their businesses and health care coverage within the constraints of federal health care law.