Outsource….hire….no, outsource ….no, hire. Business owners struggle with this dilemma nearly every day of their working lives!
If you’re to the point where HR tasks are piling up, higher than the eye can see, you’re probably ready to bring on an HR Manager…someone you can offload these non-revenue generating activities to. But wait a minute, how much does an HR Manager actually cost?
Salary.com states that the median expected salary for a typical Human Resources Manager in the United States is $88,408. Glassdoor.com puts that number at around $80,000. Either way, it is important to note that many factors directly affect an HR Manager’s responsibilities and workload – therefore affecting what the appropriate salary at your organization will be. How many employees will the HR Manager oversee? Will they work on their own or will they work alongside another employee such as the office manager? What type of education or training will be necessary to adequately serve your business?
Here’s something to consider: While bringing on an HR Manager will keep things in-house and certainly decrease the amount of time you personally waste each day on tasks that do not generate revenue, you are probably STILL going to need to outsource certain aspects of your business that fall under “HR” including payroll, benefits, and workers compensation.
An HR Manager will absolutely assist your business, but will he or she cost more than what their services are worth? Don’t forget that fulltime employees typically come with the added expense of employee benefits.
Most large companies that are in “employee management overload” will argue yes, an HR Manager is absolutely necessary and the cost of hiring is justifiable; management can generate a lot more sales (totaling more than that HR Manager’s salary) if they themselves aren’t focusing on non-revenue generating tasks. But, for the small to medium sized business owner, the expense of hiring fulltime, knowing that you’ll still need to outsource various aspects of HR, is quite daunting. Many choose to stay put in their frustrations, wearing their HR hat along with many other hats.
Are you that person? Wearing too many hats but not in a position to hire? If so, have you ever considered a PEO? Through the co-employment relationship a PEO will become the legal employer of your staff and handle all the payroll, benefits and HR functions. Outsourcing, well yes, but it’s all through one convenient relationship!
Like all professional services, PEO prices vary depending on the company. But, in most instances, a PEO relationship will cost you less than a fulltime HR Manager, and, you won’t have to deal with the headache of managing multiple vendors anymore. All of your HR functions are under one roof. PEO prices range between 2 and 10 percent of wages. For very small companies (less than 5 employees) some PEOs may charge a flat fee per month.
What option is best for you? You won’t know until you’ve got a side by side comparison based on your wants, needs, and budget! Contact Employer Solutions Plus if you’re interested in learning more about the PEO relationship and its costs!
How Much Does A New HR Manager Cost?
/in Employees, Hiring & Firing /by adminIf you’re to the point where HR tasks are piling up, higher than the eye can see, you’re probably ready to bring on an HR Manager…someone you can offload these non-revenue generating activities to. But wait a minute, how much does an HR Manager actually cost?
Salary.com states that the median expected salary for a typical Human Resources Manager in the United States is $88,408. Glassdoor.com puts that number at around $80,000. Either way, it is important to note that many factors directly affect an HR Manager’s responsibilities and workload – therefore affecting what the appropriate salary at your organization will be. How many employees will the HR Manager oversee? Will they work on their own or will they work alongside another employee such as the office manager? What type of education or training will be necessary to adequately serve your business?
Here’s something to consider: While bringing on an HR Manager will keep things in-house and certainly decrease the amount of time you personally waste each day on tasks that do not generate revenue, you are probably STILL going to need to outsource certain aspects of your business that fall under “HR” including payroll, benefits, and workers compensation.
An HR Manager will absolutely assist your business, but will he or she cost more than what their services are worth? Don’t forget that fulltime employees typically come with the added expense of employee benefits.
Most large companies that are in “employee management overload” will argue yes, an HR Manager is absolutely necessary and the cost of hiring is justifiable; management can generate a lot more sales (totaling more than that HR Manager’s salary) if they themselves aren’t focusing on non-revenue generating tasks. But, for the small to medium sized business owner, the expense of hiring fulltime, knowing that you’ll still need to outsource various aspects of HR, is quite daunting. Many choose to stay put in their frustrations, wearing their HR hat along with many other hats.
Are you that person? Wearing too many hats but not in a position to hire? If so, have you ever considered a PEO? Through the co-employment relationship a PEO will become the legal employer of your staff and handle all the payroll, benefits and HR functions. Outsourcing, well yes, but it’s all through one convenient relationship!
Like all professional services, PEO prices vary depending on the company. But, in most instances, a PEO relationship will cost you less than a fulltime HR Manager, and, you won’t have to deal with the headache of managing multiple vendors anymore. All of your HR functions are under one roof. PEO prices range between 2 and 10 percent of wages. For very small companies (less than 5 employees) some PEOs may charge a flat fee per month.
What option is best for you? You won’t know until you’ve got a side by side comparison based on your wants, needs, and budget! Contact Employer Solutions Plus if you’re interested in learning more about the PEO relationship and its costs!
5 Ways to Cut Operational Costs
/in Cash Flow, Cost Reduction, Vendor Selection /by adminRunning a 1-man shop was pretty great, wasn’t it? Operational costs were relatively low …. no office lease, no employee benefits, no payroll, just one or two insurance providers.
However, most successful businesses grow over time. From one employee …. To two…. To three…. To one day waking up and having a department of 20 fulltime employees!
Gone are the days when your business’ monthly accounts payable page consisted of your own health insurance and an occasional dining expense for client entertainment! But chin up; an increase in operational costs is often a sign of growth. It’s important not to get tied up in the growth phase though, and forget about the expenses that are piling up. Did you know that keeping ongoing and recurring expenses under control is an important part of ensuring continued growth and success? It’s not just about increasing income!
Employer Solutions Plus recommends analyzing these 5 operational expenses. Decreasing them will result in a bigger and better bottom line each month.
Don’t have time to shop around? At Employer Solutions Plus, we represent multiple providers in payroll administration, PEO solutions, and benefits. This allows us the flexibility to customize a cost effective solution to meet the individual needs of our clients (while saving you money, too!). Contact us to discuss your business’ expenses; everyone has some room to save!
Workplace Safety Tips for Restaurants
/in Uncategorized /by adminHere are some quick tips for promoting a safer workplace:
Review Safety Guidelines for Equipment: Machines and tools within the kitchen often come with instructions and safety guidelines, but you can’t rely on everyone to read them on their own. Review workplace machines and tools often. These reviews should never be reserved for “new employees only” – a quick review for all never hurt anyone and will remind employees of general safety practices they may have become too careless with over time.
Provide Training: Whether it’s how to operate the meat slicer or how to lift a heavy box properly, providing employees with the proper workplace training can limit the number of accidents on the job, therefore limiting the number of workers compensation claims.
Slippery When Wet: We all know that wet surfaces are dangerous, but we don’t always remember to prevent having a wet surface in the first place. If there’s a spill, immediately clean it up. If you absolutely need to mop floors during business hours, dry the floor immediately afterwards. Do not leave wet areas unattended – slipping or falling is one of the most common injuries in the hospitality industry!
Avoid the Heat: The kitchen is a hot place! Always have pot holders and/or gloves within close reach. Have fire extinguishers readily available too – inside and outside of the kitchen!
Store Things Properly: Whether you’re putting knives into a knife block or hanging them on a magnetic strip, always put them back where they belong. This goes for all objects that can accidentally get in the way and injure someone, such as buckets in walkways or hazardous chemicals outside of the supply closet.
The abovementioned tips certainly promote a safer restaurant, but accidents can still happen to the best of us, and when they do you’ll want to make sure that you have a PEO on your side, or at the very least a great workers compensation policy!
To read more about workers compensation policies, click here.
To learn more about the benefits of working with a PEO and limiting your workplace risk, click here.
Our team is also available to answer any questions you may have.
How Many Employment Laws and Regulations Are There?
/in Compliance, Risk Management /by adminTo those of us that practice employment law and are licensed professionals, we thrive off this stuff! For those of us (employers) that are just short of an employment law degree, keeping up with these ever-changing rules and regulations is an absolute nightmare!
The Department of Labor (DOL) administers and enforces more than 180 federal laws – and then each of these laws breaks into sub-sections of specific rules and regulations. That’s not even counting state-specific employer/employee regulations!
These federal mandates and the regulations that implement them cover workplace activities for about 10 million employers and 125 million workers. “Activities” include wage and hour practices, discrimination, harassment of all forms, workers compensation, workplace safety and health, benefits, workers unions, and much more.
Many employers choose to protect themselves through a co-employment relationship with a PEO. PEOs are familiar with all state and federal employment laws and can navigate this complex landscape much more effectively and efficiently than the average business owner.
With a better understanding of each law, your business can be better positioned to avoid unsafe or unfair practices. And, through the co-employment relationship, the liability is shared – this is very important for businesses that may face an unexpected lawsuit in the future!
Want to learn more? Contact Employer Solutions Plus!
Am I In Need of Outsourced HR?
/in General, Vendor Selection /by adminDid you know that outsourcing HR to a trusted partner can actually help grow your business? With HR and employee management taken care of, you can focus on your core competencies and sales.
At Employer Solutions Plus, we represent the “best of” outsourced HR services. We represent multiple providers in PEO Strategies, Payroll Only Solutions, Health Insurance Options / Employee Benefits and Ancillary Benefit Program. This allows us the flexibility to customize a cost effective solution to meet the individual needs of our clients.
Isn’t it time to relax and rest easier when it comes to managing your HR related responsibilities? Contact us to get started!
How To Recruit & Retain Top Performing Attorneys
/in HR Solutions for Law Firms /by adminEmployer Solutions Plus offers the following tips for recruiting and retaining top performing attorneys:
Tips for Recruiting:
Tips for Retaining:
We recognize that the abovementioned steps are a lot to take on for the busy practice owner, or even office manager, which is why Employer Solutions Plus specializes in HR solutions for law firms.
Contact us today for more information on recruiting and retaining top performing attorneys!
PEO Growth Trends – Grow With Us!
/in PEOs /by adminOverall, they help you perform more productively and profitably! But, just how popular is the co-employment business model?
According to NAPEO (National Association of Professional Employer Organizations) the year 2012, and all years prior to that, were full of growth and opportunity within the PEO industry.
Approximately 110,000 small to mid-size businesses across the country utilize a PEO and those numbers will significantly grow in 2013. In just the past year, industry revenue grew by $8 billion, totaling in at $92 billion!
This just goes to show you that when you focus on your core competencies, you will thrive! With that said, we invite you to join the PEO family and all that it has to offer. When you permit a PEO to manage all tasks outside of your company’s core competencies, you can operate much more effectively and efficiently, permitting organizational growth.
With healthcare reform well on its way the regulatory challenges for small business will only increase; the landscape is getting extremely complex to say the least. With a PEO, you will only focus on your revenue-generating tasks!
Contact us today to learn more.
Transitioning from 1099 to Employee – Employer Checklist
/in Employees, Hiring & Firing /by adminBut, sometimes the switch needs to occur prior to that; misclassification is punishable by tax penalties so it is not recommended that you delay the transition to W2 employment if it is in fact necessary.
The misclassification of employees as independent contractors presents a serious problem for affected employees,employers, and the entire economy. The Department of Labor has countless initiatives in place to identify misclassifications and get workers the benefits they are entitled to such as family and medical leave, overtime, minimum wage and unemployment insurance.
When you employ a 1099 worker, the only forms necessary for the worker to complete each year is a W9, which is a request for the taxpayer identification number and certification. The worker is responsible for paying their own taxes as an independent contractor.
When the worker becomes an employee, much more responsibility falls on you as the employer. Below is a “hiring” checklist for transitioning into a W2 position. We strongly recommend consulting with a professional such as Employer Solutions Plus that can assist you in any of the areas below; each has its own complexities. Essentially, switching a 1099 worker to a W-2 employee should be handled just like a new hire would be.
It is also recommended that you consider the assistance of a payroll service provider if you are not using one already. A payroll service provider will handle all of the above-mentioned forms and verification processes for you, and help streamline your payroll each month.
For more information on hiring or transitioning an employee from 1099 to W2, contact our team.
How Does a PEO Reduce Employer Liability?
/in Compliance, Risk Management /by adminThrough the co-employment business model, PEOs reduce an employer’s liability in the following ways:
Payroll: There are hundreds of regulations surrounding payroll, all of which businesses must comply. Learning all of them can be extremely tedious and confusing. With a PEO managing your payroll, you can rest assured knowing it’s handled by the experts. In a co-employment relationship, your PEO assumes liability for payroll activities, which is important if there is fine or lawsuit surrounding payroll.
Workers Compensation: Many PEOs provide workers compensation insurance as well, which takes another form of liability off your plate.
Risk Management: In addition to providing insurance, some PEOs will provide risk assessments for your workplace and even safety training for employees to limit the overall risk of your workplace.
EPLI: Employment Practices Litigation Insurance (EPLI) protects employers from employees or former employees who wish to sue them. Many PEOs offer EPLI through the co-employment relationship.
To limit your Company’s liability and simultaneously improve your company’s overall cash flow position, contact Employer Solutions Plus.
Employer Solutions Plus Client Highlight: Tampa Law Firm
/in Case Studies, HR Solutions for Law Firms, Vendor Selection /by adminSituation:
The firm was lacking in the expertise and management of policies, procedures and compliance. In addition, state unemployment had significantly increased that year and the firm had some employee issues that resulted in a sizable outflow of cash.
The firm engaged Employer Solutions Plus to analyze its current situation and offer a number of cost effective alternatives.
Solution:
Employer Solutions Plus provides PEO Strategies, Payroll Only Solutions, Health Insurance Options, Employee Benefits and Ancillary Benefit Programs. We represent multiple providers in each product category which allows us the flexibility to customize a cost effective solution to meet the individual needs of our clients.
At first, the Tampa Law Firm was unsure about a PEO’s ability to actually save their Company money. After multiple meetings and negotiations, Employer Solutions Plus was able to save the client a significant amount of money from moving just the firm’s payroll over to a PEO platform. In addition to saving money, the firm gained a completely customized on-line payroll system with the ability to easily access payroll reports, employee data, employee forms and more.
Additional vendor management provided by Employer Solutions Plus resulted in the following:
One immeasurable solution is the peace of mind delivered to the owner/partner of the firm, who now knows that with one call or email the firm’s payroll, taxes, benefits, workers comp, compliance and more can be taken care of.
For More Information:
Is your vendor set-up in need of a professional analysis? If you’re looking for ways to save money and operate more effectively and efficiently, contact Employer Solutions Plus.