As 2021 comes to an end and 2022 quickly approaches, the time for employers to evaluate and implement strategies to bring newfound (or continued) success and compliance to their organizations is now. Here is my list of top resolutions employers should follow to ensure a promising and rewarding new year:
Review the Prior Year
2021 was a rollercoaster year full of changes for employers, many of which were related to the pandemic. Resolve to review how you handled these changes and determine what you did right and what you did wrong. As conditions continue to change, don’t forget the many valuable lessons your organization learned while navigating the pandemic.
Make Sure to Properly Classify Your Employees as Nonexempt or Exempt
Nonexempt employees are entitled to overtime compensation, while exempt employees are not. Properly classifying workers as exempt or nonexempt is vital because overtime pay disputes are fertile ground for lawsuits. Avoid extensive liability by resolving to audit your workforce to correctly classify all employees and ensure they are exempt or nonexempt.
Train Relevant Personnel
Training is essential to organizational success. If your company’s family and medical leave, discrimination, workplace safety, security awareness, and other training are up to date, you are in the minority. Resolve to implement improved employee training processes to have the most efficient, liability-free, and profitable organization.
Review and Update Your Employee Handbook
Updating employee handbooks and policies should be on every employer’s yearly resolution list. Laws constantly change. Suppose your employee handbook is outdated or not easily understood. In that case, it will almost certainly lead to compliance issues and liability for your company. Commit to review, modify, clarify, and improve your handbook policies as needed.
Accommodate Pregnancy-Related Restrictions
Most employers know their requirements to reasonably accommodate employees experiencing workplace difficulties due to physical or mental disabilities. Still, fewer know that they must accommodate pregnant workers with similar inabilities to work. Resolve to accommodate employees who are temporarily unable to perform their jobs due to pregnancy-related conditions, including childbirth, in the same manner you accommodate employees with disabilities.
Get Employee Feedback
Collecting employee feedback is an excellent way to discover current and potential problems before they become lawsuits. Employee feedback is also valuable in adapting and instituting processes that make your company more efficient. Resolve to improve communication with your workers, and good things will happen. Remember, nobody knows your business better than your rank-and-file personnel.
Invest in Employee Development
Focusing on employee development shows you care about their success, leading to a more satisfied and productive workforce. And since workers are a company’s biggest asset, continuing to develop employee skills will increase the value of your business. Investing in employee development is one resolution you should not ignore.
Monitor Your Company for Equitable Treatment of Employees
Treating your workers fairly and equitably will not only improve their morale and productivity, but it is the right thing to do. Therefore, resolve to monitor your company to ensure fair treatment of all employees, and positive results will follow.
Appreciate Your Current Employees Too
Resolve not to favor new hires over your current workers. In today’s growing labor shortage, some employers’ anxiety to find new workers leads to undervaluing the staff they have, causing existing employees to leave. Sweet talking and enticing new workers to join your company, possibly with higher compensation, does not serve your company if it causes experienced and knowledgeable personnel to feel overlooked and leave.
Whether employers follow these new year resolutions or create their own, there are always ways to improve your business and make it more compliant. The key is to act now. Do not procrastinate. Favorable results will ensue if you resolve to treat your employees well and upgrade your work environment. Let’s make 2022 a great year!
