Posted by
Phil Lamb on Thu, May 17, 2012 @ 09:03 AM
As we all know by now, Congress had passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to expand health care coverage and set standards for health insurance. But, can the government make health insurance more accessible and affordable at the same time?
Not likely and not with the PPACA. A quick review of a similar program in Massachusetts suggests—along with a little common mathematical sense—that there’s clearly very little that’s affordable in PPACA. The bills will start rolling in from PPACA.
Study after study shows that the U.S. has among the most expensive health care systems in the world. The same procedures tend to cost significantly more in the U.S. This paints the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in a corner from the outset. Add in the fact that the PPACA rolls out benefits (e.g., covering older dependents, eliminating the ability of insurance companies to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, etc...) prior to generating any meaningful revenue and a costly program becomes inevitable.
The PPACA is going to demonstrate, as we have seen elsewhere, that if something can't go on forever, then it won't. Rationing and economizing are inevitable. The benefits of PPACA have been clearly communicated in the past couple of years. What is unknown is the costs and trade-offs that will necessarily emerge in the wake of the PPACA.
Posted by
Phil Lamb on Thu, May 10, 2012 @ 11:06 PM
Recent studies have demonstrated that HR systems can reduce burn-out by providing consistent and easily-accessible answers to common HR questions. Additionally, HR systems set a foundation for other beneficial HR programs including performance management and wellness.
A new study on the workplace and HR systems finds that long work hours drastically increases a person’s risk of slipping into depression. The findings suggest that a variety of careers and demographics are vulnerable to this risk. HR systems can reduce this stress, but HR systems are not a panacea.
Workers who put in an average of about eleven hours or work per day at their offices had roughly 2.5x greater chance of slipping into depression than their similarly situated workers who clocked out after seven or eight hours of work. Additionally, well-designed HR systems-- both technological and wellness programs reduce the risk of burn-out by roughly 30%.
With or without HR systems, junior employees are found to be more prone to depression than others who may have developed coping mechanisms. Experts suggest that this is because they have higher control over the work they perform and their work schedules.
When selecting HR systems, experts talk a lot about workplace wellness programs—employers everywhere in the globe are rolling out several health programs to help make employees healthier, making them eat right and exercise enough so that they lose weight and in turn cost the company less in health care expenses. HR systems can help track these efforts.
And though for the most part employees become more productive at work because of wellness offerings and HR systems, the happiness factor doesn't always correlate. Armed with this information, employers must also focus, and calibrate HR systems to deal with an employee's mental health as well.
To learn more about HR systems, request an online consultation today.
Posted by
Phil Lamb on Tue, May 08, 2012 @ 12:43 PM
Hiring managers and HR professionals are continually looking for human resources solutions. Recently, some of started to scan Facebook to evaluate candidates?
Is this approach a legitimate human resource solution or is it off-limits? How often are hiring managers turning to this method?
“Growing but still rare”. That’s the way Laura Friedel, a Chicago attorney characterizes private-sector employer requests for applicants’ or employees’ Facebook e-mail addresses and passwords. “Clients are enquiring about it more, but few have implemented policies requiring applicants or employees to provide Facebook log-in information, log in to Facebook in front of or ‘friend’ company representatives,” she told SHRM Online.
Others have seen broader use of this technique as a potential human resources solution for weeding out undesirable candidates. Depending on the job, the method could be considered a valid human resource solution or it could be an invasion of privacy.
"If a particular position requires public scrutiny, then this screening could be legitimate. However, that is not the case for the vast majority of positions. Further, whatever the position, the screening should not infringe upon an applicants equal employment opportunity rights," said Elizabeth Sawyer, a West Coast attorney.
Beyond the legal risks are the morale risks associated with implementing an invasive screening process even if the screener considers it to be a wise human resources solution.
"Employee morale can definitely be effected by these so-called HR solutions," said Sawyer. "The benefit gained by more information in screening can easily be off-set by disrupting a broader segment of employees. There are other human resouces solutions available to address the issue."
Posted by
Phil Lamb on Sun, May 06, 2012 @ 07:39 PM
Which way is the job market going? Whether growth is robust or slower, your company can benefit from an Applicant Tracking System.
For the third year in a row, strong winter job growth has pettered out in the spring. United States employers created an average of 239,000 jobs every month in the winter months follwerd by only 78,000 jobs per month in the spring, according to the data recorded by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
So, are we headed towards a recovery, recession, or stagnation? Well, It’s too early to predict, but many hiring companies, professionals and employment organizations are actually exhibiting more faith in the job market of this current year 2012.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management’s Jobs Outlook Survey for the Q2 of 2012, 58 percent of all respondents have some good levels of confidence in the U.S. labor market and expect a if not steep, steady job growth for the quarter of April to June 2012. That’s up steeply from just 34 percent of all respondents who went with these figures in the fourth quarter of 2011. This would speak to the need for an Applicant Tracking System to help sort through candidate resumes.
There’s even a positive report for the much maligned young work force, whose unemployment rates have soared high during this post-recession period. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has predicted that employers will hire 10.2 percent more college graduates in 2012 as compared to 2011. Much better news for graduates with high technical skill sets, 69 percent of all the respondents to NACE’s most recent opinion polling are seeking engineering majors for open jobs in 2012, followed by those with business management degrees (63 percent), commerce and accounting degrees (53 percent) and computer science and ITdegrees (49 percent).
The bad (and now old) news is that there still is an imbalance in many job seekers’ educational qualifications and the skill sets needed for those positions available today.
A fresh report by McKinsey Global Institute revealed the skills gap is not going away anytime in near future. McKinsey’s study revealed that in 2011 alone, 30 percent of all the United States's companies had many vacant positions open for more than six months that they just couldn't fill-up, and ironically this happened at a time when unemployment hovered above 9 percent. Even in a slow job market, an Applicant Tracking System can help make sure that you identify the right candidates.
The skills deficiency is coming to a higher end in cities of Memphis, Tenn., which till late had the third-highest hiring rates among all major metro areas in 2011, according to a new study by Gallup. Memphis City officials estimate that they have got at least 3,000 new jobs coming in the next couple of years ahead because of hiring surges in few large corporations like Mitsubishi Inc. and Electrolux etc. Many of those positions are rooted in manufacturing line, which has been a stalwart of the economic recovery but is also falling victim to the skills mismatch gap.
There’s a great shortage of work force who are educationally well equipped for those jobs which are coming along, said Patricia Myers, a business services analyst with Workforce Investment Network, a division of the federally funded Workforce Investment Act program that serves the Memphis region’s labor market developmental needs.
Myers’ organization is collaborating with local industrial groups, community colleges and businesses to fill the talents gap for filling those future openings and making these fresh pass outs more future ready. This process covers every aspect right from interviewing manufacturers to determining their specific skill-set requirements for fresh jobs and then developing a curricula that addresses those needs, she said.
Workforce Investment Network has applied for a federal grant in the tune of $6 million to $12 million to aid in the skills gap study effort.
“The grant would really be phenomenal,” Myers said. “It would enable us to achieve things much quicker. But regardless of whether we get the grant, we’re going ahead with this anyway. We don't have a choice.”
While employers can't control the job market, they can improve their chances of landing the right candidates by using an Applicant Tracking System.
Posted by
Phil Lamb on Mon, Apr 30, 2012 @ 09:02 AM
HR software packages are now available for companies of all sizes, including the middle market. Three key questions to ask when considering an HR software package include:
1) Is the HR software package a web-based software (aka Software as a Service) or an installed HR software package?
The trend in all software applications is towards web-based software that leverages the accessibility provided by ubiquitous high-speed Internet connections. A web-based HR software package will generally provide better access and a lower total cost of ownership.
2) What technology platform does the HR software package utilize?
It's important that an HR software package be written in code that a) can be updated effectively and efficiently and b) that it is a mainstream technology platrform that has a deep pool of developer resources-- this will allow the HR software company to attract and retain high-quality developers. Over time, this will impact the HR software package and its ability to meet new requirements over time.
3) What is the implementation and support structure associated with teh HR software package?
An HR software package is not something that can be opened from shrinkwrap and installed by the user by herself. An HR software package requires a structured implementation process that gathers and organizes data that can be migrated into the system. It's important that the HR software provider has an organized and effective implementation process for the HR software package.
Posted by
Phil Lamb on Fri, Apr 27, 2012 @ 09:21 AM
Studies show that health benefits, taxes, and other fringe benefits cost employers between 15% and 25% of their payroll. Do employees understand and appreciate these expenditures? Not likely. That's where a Total Compensation Statement comes into play...
With the rising costs of health insurance and the persistent cost of payroll and similar taxes, a Total Compensation Statement is a critical tool in communicating the total amount that employers spend on a given employee.
And, with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) phasing in, many aspects of Total Compensation Statements are now becoming mandatory for employers with 250 or more employees.
For a consultation on Total Compensation Statements and how your company can use a Total Compensation Statement for communication and compliance purposes, request an online consultation today.
Posted by
Phil Lamb on Thu, Apr 26, 2012 @ 09:16 AM
As with many technology projects, getting started with an HRMS Portal can seem like a daunting task. It doesn't have to be that way...
An HRMS Portal doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs to be informative. In other words, an HRMS Portal can be a work in process. A few steps to getting started with your HRMS Portal:
* Publish generally applicable links and documents on the HRMS Portal,
* Utilize video to attract viewers to the HRMS Portal-- for example, you can introduce the new health plan or develop a simple new hire video,
* Establish an onboarding process on the HRMS Portal-- this will estanlish consistency and take a load off of your managers and HR team.
With an HRMS Portal, you can start simple and build it over time. For more information on HRMS Portals, request our white paper.
Posted by
Phil Lamb on Wed, Apr 25, 2012 @ 08:51 AM
The term "My HRMS" refers to the flexibility available in a Human Resource Management System (HRMS) and specifically the employee self-service component of HRMS.
For some companies just starting out with HRMS, "My HRMS" can refer to a simple informational portal with links, documents, and embedded videos that provide key information to employees. For more advanced users, "My HRMS" can also include online benefit enrollment, time tracking, performance management and workflows.
How do you determine what "My HRMS" means to you? There are a few key questions to ask:
* Are there frequently asked questions that I want "My HRMS" to handle?
* What is my top HR priority? How can "My HRMS" help me address that issue?
* Are there other departments that could benefit from HRMS? How do I engage them in the process?
There are many possibilities for how "My HRMS" can apply to your company. Request an HRMS white paper to learn more.
Posted by
Phil Lamb on Tue, Apr 24, 2012 @ 09:38 AM
ADP HRB was designed to address the needs of many small to medium-sized HR departments. ADP HRB, and most HRMS software packages, provides the following functionality:
* Online benefit enrollment,
* Time & Attendance,
* Time off tracking,
* Applicant tracking,
* Performance management,
* Onboarding, and
* Workflows.
When comparing ADP HRB with its competitors, there are several factors to consider:
* Flexibility of technology: Does the HRMS software allow the user to address their specific HR situation? Can the HR software work effectively with all payroll servicing companies, including competitors of ADP?
* Customer service: Do you want a dedicated resource to service your HRMS software? Or, will a call center environment, typical for ADP HRB users, be workable for your organizations?
* Price: What is the total cost of ownership for ADP HRB? This includes PEPM (Per Employee Per Month) fees, installation fees, file feeds, and others. It's not unusual for ADP HRB users to face significant costs that they may not have considered when they purchased ADP HRB.
Posted by
Phil Lamb on Mon, Apr 23, 2012 @ 09:27 AM
HRMS Software has become an easy decision for most HR departments. HRMS software centralizes HR data and offers a full range of HR functionality from online benefit enrollment to time tracking, applicant tracking, and performance management.
However, HRMS Software is not without pitfalls. Here are three pitfalls to avoid when selecting and implementing HRMS Software:
1) Lack of Dedicated Implementation Resources. Avoid asking the HRMS Software implementation team to implement HRMS Software without providing dedicated time to the HRMS Software implementation team. Typically, an HRMS Software implementation team will need 60 to 100 hours total over the 6 to 8 week implementation process.
2) Overly Broad Implementation Scope. Avoid trying to do too much at once. During an HRMS Software implementation, the HRMS Software implementation team needs to focus on the highest priorities. As with any technology implementation, an HRMS software implementation will benefit from some quick wins, especially on high priority items.
3) Selecting a Software that Does Not Have Broad HR Functionality. While some HRMS Software packages may address the highest HRMS Software priority, be sure that the HRMS Software system addresses your HR department's needs over the long term.