Axley & Rode, LLP

Among the most common reasons employees perform below par is they don’t know precisely what they’re doing wrong. Whether dealing with an entry-level employee or a top manager, supervisors need to provide regular and specific feedback to maintain a productive workplace. Effective feedback comes often and as quickly as possible. Frontline supervisors should be trained and encouraged to give on-the-spot guidance. Annual performance reviews are still important, but reviews often occur too late to prevent costly mistakes or a breakdown in the employer-employee relationship. Here are some ways that your organization’s supervisors can elevate their feedback games: Offer praise   Simply telling employees that they’re doing a good job tends to inspire them and boost their productivity. Plus, it makes them more receptive to constructive criticism when the need arises. Be sure your supervisors don’t communicate with employees only when something is wrong. Also, advise them to beware of the “c...

In their continuing effort to assemble the most enticing employee benefits package possible, some employers are showing renewed interest in an old favorite: group term life insurance. Although such life insurance coverage had fallen off the radar screens of some employers, it remains an affordable benefit that can pay off for employer and employees alike. Employer upside For you, the employer, the upside is considerable. Premiums you pay for group term life insurance are generally tax-deductible and, because claims occur so infrequently, the coverage is typically simple and inexpensive to administer compared with other fringe benefits. When covered employees do pass away, the paperwork is fairly straightforward. But perhaps the most important reason to consider offering life insurance as a fringe benefit is that employees want it. In fact, almost half of those who responded to MetLife’s 15th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study, published in 2017, called life insurance a “must-hav...

Payroll costs are a natural and unavoidable consequence of being an employer. But this doesn’t mean you can’t keep an eye out for ways to lower these costs or simply handle payroll more efficiently. One approach that many organizations use is issuing employees a payroll card (much like a credit or debit card) that they can use to access funds earned from working. Payroll cards are most commonly used by larger employers with many hourly workers, so they may not be the right call for every organization. Checking it out The most substantial savings typically comes from payroll cards’ advantage over paper checks. According to NACHA, a nonprofit that oversees the widely used Automated Clearing House payment system, electronic methods such as payroll cards can save employers between $2.87 and $3.15 per payment over paper. Payroll cards may also offer a more convenient and secure way of compensating employees who don’t have traditional checking accounts. Interestingly, however, a July 2018 st...

In the face of a tight job market and a widening skills gap, employers in many industries are catching on to the benefits of “upskilling.” More than just your typical employee training, upskilling takes a broad approach to development. It can involve teaching workers additional skills in areas related to but outside their current positions to help fulfill the employer’s existing or anticipated needs. Or it can simply give employees access to learning that will help them progress in their careers, either with their current employer or elsewhere. Real-world examples Take, for example, Starbucks’ College Achievement Plan. It offers workers tuition reimbursements to earn an online bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University. The coffee company doesn’t stop at tuition — it also provides coaches, advisors and 24/7 tutoring. Another example is Boeing’s recent launch of a program that will give employees access to online lessons, certification courses and degree programs, as well as severa...

Employers generally pay federal unemployment tax (FUTA) of 6% on the first $7,000 of covered wages of each employee each year. That’s offset by the state unemployment insurance (UI) tax paid. States that can’t meet their obligations to pay UI benefits may borrow funds from the federal government. If the loans aren’t repaid, employers in the state may be subject to “credit reductions,” resulting in higher FUTA until loans are paid off. According to the U.S. Labor Dept., only the Virgin Islands is currently subject to a credit reduction, with FUTA increased by 2.4%.