Employers are becoming more committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace and realizing the benefits. According to the Diversity Hub, DEI encompasses the symbiotic relationship, philosophy, and culture of acknowledging, embracing, supporting, and accepting those of all racial, sexual, gender, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, among other differentiators.

• Diversity includes groups such as people of color, women, veterans, LGBTQ employees, older employees, and those with disabilities.
• A diverse employee group can bring different thoughts, ideas, experiences, and perspectives  to the workplace.
• Everyone feels comfortable at the workplace and can do their best work. Employees feel like they belong.
• According to a 2020 McKinsey & Co. report, employers with ethnically diverse executive teams were 36 percent more likely to have above-average profits.

Developing a DEI culture;

• Ensure job descriptions and job postings are more inclusive. For example, often a college degree is listed as an absolute requirement, when it could be disqualifying talented candidates who can’t afford colleges. Review to determine if experience can replace a college degree requirement.
• Establish meaningful relationships with colleges and professional groups that targets diverse groups. A meaningful and on-going relationship is crucial to show commitment to DEI is a top priority.
• Ensure interviewers do not have “unconscious” bias when interviewing. Training and practice interviews can help determine any biases.
• Review Employment Applications and determine if all information requested is necessary. Remove any past salary information and focus on paying what the job is worth.
• Current employees can be an excellent source for referring new hires. But to improve companies must have a diverse workforce. If current employees belong to the same social groups, professional organizations, colleges, etc., it will be more difficult to depend on employee referrals.
• Make DEI a part of the main company values and continually reinforce the company’s commitment. Implement policies and initiatives and clearly state the goals.

Promoting a diverse workplace is the “right thing” to do as everyone should have an equal opportunity in the workplace. For more information, send an email to info@hrsolutionsllc.com

.Employers have heard of the “Great Resignation” as they struggle to find employees, but how about the “Great Reflection”?

Another trend spurred by COVID-19, the Great Reflection has employees re-imagining their lives. Studies show that closeness to family and friends and prioritizing experiences are more important than ever. For employers, flexible hours, autonomy on the job and more freedom to have family time are key benefits for retaining employees as well as recruiting new employees.  

Reasons to stay with an employer vary among different generations.  Baby Boomers (32%), Gen X (35%), and Millennials (31%) were significantly more likely to cite job stability as the most important reason than Gen Z (14%). Instead, Gen Z (18%) prioritizes meaningful work over job stability
For more information on the survey, go to;
​The Great Reflection (forbes.com)
Paychex Research Reveals Job Stability and Meaningful Work Are What Makes Employees Stay (yahoo.com)

During the first weeks of COVID, close to 45% of large and small employers moved to remote work. As time passed, employers realized that working at home may be a viable option, as well as a popular recruiting and retention tool. The ability to work at home also allows a business to recruit on a wider geographic basis. However, before hiring an employee in a State where other employees are not currently working, businesses need to take in account the following:

• Tax Withholding – State and local income taxes are based primarily on where the employee performs the services, which is a physical location such as an office or employee’s home, or secondarily, where the employee lives. Therefore, a new account  will need to be set up to submit State taxes if no other employees are working in that State. Currently, nine states do not have State income taxes, but check with the State to determine if local or other taxes are required.
• Worker’s Compensation –Verify Worker’s Compensation coverage is based on where employees are working and add the new location to the policy.
• Unemployment Insurance –Registration is required with the State to set up an account.
• Benefits – If benefits have a medical, dental or vision network, check to see if coverage is available for the location employee lives.
• State Laws – With more States passing Paid Family Leave, Salary disclosure and Disability laws, stay on top of each State’s laws and ensure compliance. 

​It is hard to believe that in six months, 2022 will be over! Time goes by fast and really seems to pick up as the end of the year nears. By doing mid-year audits, any corrections and changes can be made before the end of the year rush, saving time and money. Suggested audits include;

• Benefit Audits – Check benefit bills and eligibility lists from providers against reports produced by the HR/Payroll system to ensure all changes and updates match
• 401(k) and Simple IRA – Audit the recordkeepers information against Payroll to verify data agrees
• Payroll Reports - Review Quarterly Payroll reports for accuracy and confirm taxes are deducted correctly for out of state employees
• I-9’s – During COVID, the Department of Homeland Security allowed employers to temporarily used expired identity documents to meet the guidelines. By July 31st, employers must update the I-9s of current employees who presented expired List B documents between May 1, 2020, and April 30, 2022. Check I-9’s to see if identity documents need to be updates.

The audits listed above are a recommended. Depending on the type of business, other audits may be useful and most of the time, it is easier to do audits now instead of year-end.