2024 all-stars: Most relevant content top 10 inside

Every word of our Weekly Roundup is meant to inform and inspire. But this year, a few featured articles, eGuides, reports and webinars seemed to strike a chord. We’ve gathered them in one convenient list so you can see what your peers found most relevant or read anything you missed. From benefits strategies to eBooks, they’re all here. We hope you enjoy them.

As part of our mission to help SMBs stay aware of the need to remain HR compliant, we sponsored a Harvard Business Review report on the subject as it pertains to small and medium-size businesses. The data is invaluable for business leaders aiming to build a long-term strategy for HR compliance.

In the intricate landscape of human resources (HR) management, effective employee management and compliance with requirements are paramount for the smooth functioning of any organization. This includes everything from employee discipline to separation processes, adherence to employment-related laws, and HR best practices to ensure fairness, risk mitigation and fostering a positive work environment. Let’s delve into various facets of employee management and HR compliance to understand their significance and implementation. And keep in mind that many of these have compliance deadlines. That’s why we have a calendar integration to help you track those dates.

Human resources (HR) has complicated implications and nuances, especially for those who are not HR professionals. To help navigate the “hire to retire” journey, this resource is designed to familiarize the reader with the typical steps of the employee lifecycle, offering insights and best practices for ongoing, long-term success.   

Get insights to create processes and expectations for your organization and help to build positive experiences for employees. Topics covered include attracting and selecting qualified talent, fostering a positive work environment, providing robust training and development opportunities, managing performance, incentives and rewards, supporting employee well-being, and facilitating a smooth transition into retirement. 

Whether you realize it or not, the minute you start hiring talent, you can be exposed to potential HR compliance risks to your business. And HR compliance can be particularly challenging for small and medium-size businesses. Our eGuide gives you ways to mitigate HR compliance risks and employment-related claims to help keep your business protected.

An insightful webinar on the critical role of comprehensive employee benefits in fostering a thriving workplace and enhancing business performance. Discover how a well-rounded benefits package combined with employee engagement tools can lift employee morale, attract top-tier talent, and boost overall company productivity.

We conducted in-depth research into the everyday moods and behaviors of SMBs (small and medium-size businesses) across the U.S., comparing findings across generational demographics from Boomer to Gen Z and answers from employers to those from employees. We analyzed topics like employee engagement, work/life satisfaction, AI usage and benefits support and technology. It’s all in the report, neatly summarized and thoughtfully explained.

As companies across the U.S. lean into domestic innovation and technological advances to allow them to stand out amongst competitors, it is increasingly critical to find revenue savings to ensure long-term viability and profitability. As one of the country’s largest tax incentive, the federal research and development (R&D) tax credit can be a crucial piece of a forward-looking economic plan for startups and established businesses alike. But as with all government regulated programs, it is vital to understand what R&D tax credit is all about, how it can impact your business and what to look for in your tax practitioner.

Essentially, the R&D tax credit was created and designed to encourage innovation and allow companies to receive money back for work that they’re already doing. Many businesses are eligible for the R&D tax credit but don’t realize it. Examples of industries that often qualify include software, biotech, manufacturing, and more. Taking full advantage of the R&D tax credit can mean an increase in cash flow and a decrease in effective tax rate.

California employment laws are considered some of the most employee-friendly in the nation. If you have employees working there – or plan to in the future – it is critical that you understand how to mitigate potential risks and stay compliant. Hear experts from TriNet and the California Labor Commissioner’s Office as they discuss some common wage and hour violations and how to navigate them to protect your small or medium-size business.

Federal law

Salaried employees are regulated by federal and state laws, and neither law requires employers to offer paid vacation or holidays for exempt employees, regardless of the size of the company. The Fair Labor Standards Act policy establishes employee standards in the private sector and does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations or holidays (federal or otherwise). These benefits are a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee usually stated in a Paid Time Off (PTO). 

Whether you are a small business or a medium size company, one thing is certain, your employees are your biggest asset and you want to provide them with all the necessary tools to help them succeed. From providing training to making workplace accommodations your goal as a leader is to lead with empathy and create an inclusive workplace.

Both equality and equity are important to the workplace but are not interchangeable. Equity is the means by which individuals are treated fairly based on each individual’s needs; by contrast equality is providing the same treatment to all. Equality provides the same resources to all and pays little attention to the fairness of desired outcomes; while the practice of equity requires more foresight, and intentional allocation of resources tailored to individual needs to reach desired outcomes.