Articles by Atlas Business Solutions, Inc. on ArticleSnatch.com

Tracking Job Performance

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Tracking job performance does not have to be a difficult job for managers. With an effective tracking system, employers can make sure performance reviews are conducted on a regular and consistent basis. Regular reviews will help employees know where they stand in regard to their job performance, keep employeesÃ¢â¬â¢ performance goals aligned with company objectives, and can give managers a better understanding of what is going on in their departments. When a manager sits down with his or her employeeÃ¢â¬â¢s to review the prior evaluation periodÃ¢â¬â¢s goals and objectives they should also discuss the goals and objectives for the next year. Each goal and objective should be scored, could be weighted, and is used for evaluating an employeeÃ¢â¬â¢s job performance at the end of the evaluation period. With a good system in place, the manager and the employee will have specific review dates to discuss how the goals and objectives are coming along. The discussion should include a review of the employeeÃ¢â¬â¢s recent history of meeting their goals and objectives, as well as what will be required to ensure that he or she can accomplish their goals and objectives in the future.** End Summary**

About the Author:
Are you looking for a way to easily review your employees"' job performance? Take a look at Staff FilesÃÂ® HR software, which has helped thousands of users easily conduct performance reviews, as well as manage their other employee information. Download a FREE Staff Files demo at www.easy-performance-review.com.

Employee Benefits are more than Health Insurance

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Providing health insurance is a great benefit your organization offers employees, but it is not the only benefit employees are looking for when contemplating different employment options. There are other insurance benefits such as dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance. There are also 401(k) and other retirement plans that benefit employees. And, vacation time is a great benefit to employees, too. Fortunately, most employees are not expecting your organization to foot the bill for all of the benefits. They do expect your organization to provide the option for buying benefits, which would be at a lower cost to them than it would be if they were to purchase these benefits on their own and it would save them time in researching and signing up for insurance plans on their own. Some insurance and retirement plans also allow employees to save on taxes, if the insurance premiums or retirement contributions are tax free. Providing some employer-paid benefits will make your organization even more attractive to highly qualified candidates and will help to retain employees as well.** End Summary**

About the Author:
Track your employee benefit programs and much more with Staff Files HR software. Try it for yourself to see how easy it can be by downloading a FREE Staff Files demo at www.easyemployeebenefit.com.

The benefits of granting your managers and supervisors access to the HRIS

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Your organization finally implemented an HRIS system that will allow multiple users on the system. This is great right? Absolutely! However, during the design and implementation process there was discussion about what kind of access the managers and supervisors would have in terms of their employeesÃ¢â¬â¢ information. ItÃ¢â¬â¢s a great idea to share pertinent HR information with your managers and supervisors. There is a lot of information stored in an HRIS system, and it is prudent to allow limited access to supervisors and managers to information regarding the employees they manage. For example, managers can be responsible for inputting and updating absences, performance review information, and disciplinary warnings, as well as answer questions about vacation time. It is essentially the same amount of work for the managers and supervisors. They would have to report time-off somehow, so it is simply a process change for them since they would be expected to document the human resource information themselves, instead of asking someone else to do it for them. This not only saves the HR department a lot of duplicating work, but could save a lot of trees in the process if your organization has relied on paper forms for these processes.** End Summary**

About the Author:
You can share human resource information with your managers and supervisors, too, with Staff FilesÃÂ® HRIS. It is an easy-to-use and easy-to-learn human resource information software solution. Go to www.hrissolution.com to learn more about Staff Files.

Why and How to Establish a Records Retention Policy for your Staff Files

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

When it comes to retaining personnel records of any sort, some people may panic as it can be very overwhelming trying to decipher the different records retention requirements. The best way to go about ensuring that your organization is compliant with the state and federal record retention requirements is to develop a policy surrounding personnel records retention. Even though there may be some rules and regulations surrounding how long you must legally retain staff records, particularly after an employee terminates, a good rule of thumb is to follow the stateÃ¢â¬â¢s statute of limitations on contract, fraud, and/or tort claims. In most states, this time will not usually exceed seven years. This is a good timeframe to follow even though some of the federal regulations stipulate three years for keeping personnel records. Whenever a policy is established, it is imperative to conduct training following the implementation of the record retention policy. This is needed so that each HR staff member and manager affected by the changes knows what the policy and procedures are for both filing paperwork, as well as purging information from an employeeÃ¢â¬â¢s file.** End Summary**

About the Author:
Staff FilesÃÂ® HR software from Atlas Business Solutions, Inc. is an easy way to store your personnel files. Learn more and download a FREE demo at www.staff-files.com.

Convincing Your Boss They Should Purchase HR Software for You to Use

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

You are spending more and more time tracking down and filing human resource paperwork, making changes about an employeesÃ¢â¬â¢ personnel data in multiple spreadsheets and documents, or just answering questions that supervising managers could answer for themselves if that information were readily available to them. An HR software solution could alleviate all those problems. But, how do you convince your boss? And, how do you convince them of an HR software solution if youÃ¢â¬â¢re technically not an HR person? Clearly, the time you are spending on HR paperwork will be the first thing to point out to your boss. However, instead of going to him or her complaining about how much time youÃ¢â¬â¢re spending on manual tasks, bring to him or her solutions on how to streamline processes, which will free up your time to perform the higher-level functions of your job.** End Summary**

About the Author:
Staff FilesÃÂ® HR software has been used by thousands of office managers, department managers, CFO"'s, and owners and presidents of small- and mid-size companies, in addition to HR professionals. Try it for yourself by downloading the free demo at www.hrsoftwaresolutions.com.

Investing in HR Software versus Maintaining a Manual System

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

If your company is small, you havenÃ¢â¬â¢t really needed to worry about maintaining a manual HR system. However, if you are starting to grow and the projections for your organization are to grow exponentially in the next couple of years. This would be a good time to invest in an HR software program before you are too overwhelmed with paperwork and messy files. There are many benefits for investing in an HR software program. These include: Ã¢â¬Â¢ Reduced time spent in tracking down and filing paperwork. This includes being able to quickly find time-off accrual balances, benefit information, or performance evaluations for current employees and to answer job verification calls regarding former employees. Ã¢â¬Â¢ An organized system for keeping your data with an automatic backup system to ensure your data is not lost. The backup system of your employee personnel files should be kept as part of your disaster planning efforts. Ã¢â¬Â¢ Managers can be more effective by contributing and updating information directly to their departmentÃ¢â¬â¢s employeesÃ¢â¬â¢ personnel files, which reduces the amount of time spent keeping the information up-to-date and current.** End Summary**

About the Author:
HR software can be easy and affordable. Download a free trial version of Staff Files HR software at www.easyhrsoftware.com to try it for yourself. It is easy to use, easy to learn, and starts at only $295.

Employee Performance Evaluations Are Important for Employee Morale

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Consistent and constructive employee performance evaluations are important for employee morale. Employees want to know how they are doing, what they are doing well, as well as areas that need a little improvement in their results. One of the biggest comments from employees in most organizations is that they donÃ¢â¬â¢t receive any feedback about how they are doing and if they do get any feedback, itÃ¢â¬â¢s almost always negative. While sometimes performance evaluations are not the most pleasant thing to receive, they should always be constructive. Typically, annual reviews for employee performance evaluations are given on the anniversary date that the employee joined the company. Some companies prefer to bundle reviews together by department or division making tracking easier. Or, they perform all employee evaluations at the end of the calendar or fiscal year. The problem with this philosophy is employees could compare notes on reviews, which could lead to morale issues, plus managers can become overwhelmed by the number of performance evaluations they must perform in a short amount of time. Scheduling employee performance reviews as close to an employeesÃ¢â¬â¢ hire date is the best strategy for most companies.** End Summary**

About the Author:
Employee performance evaluations can be typed and stored directly into Staff Files HR software. A built-in alert system will remind users when performance reviews are due. Try Staff Files for yourself by downloading a free demo version of the software at www.employee-performance-evaluation.com.

Certification Requirements for Specialized Positions

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Nurses, doctors, engineers, accountants, attorneysÃ¢â¬âwhat do these all have in commonÃ¢â¬âa certification or license for performing their jobs. There are positions, such as human resources, where certifications can be obtained, but not required to perform the job functions. Having that certification and knowledge base lends more credibility to the individual, whereby increasing your organizationÃ¢â¬â¢s competitive advantage in the industry. Often times, the individual will receive a notice in the mail from the granting organization when it is time to renew their certification. Teachers are a great example. Prior to their teaching credentials expiring, they receive a notice in the mail one year from the date that it is due to expire. There are usually some classes that they must take, such as continuing education classes, that must be met in order to renew their credentials. WouldnÃ¢â¬â¢t it be great if your organization could keep track of those certifications for those professionals, in addition to their training, and remind them when their certification or license is about to expire?** End Summary**

About the Author:
Certification and license information can be kept in a similar manner as training. Staff Files HR software makes keeping track of training and certifications easy. You can enter records for each training class and set expiration dates for certification renewals. Try it for yourself by downloading a free Staff Files demo at www.track-training-certification.com.

Why Establish Time-Off Eligibility and Accrual Schedule

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Establishing a time-off policy is a major benefit most employers give to their employees. You should outline the specifics of the time-off policy to ensure it will not be abused by the employees and that it will be implemented fairly to all employees. Clearly communicating the time-off policy will also eliminate questions from employees. The first item to decide on for your policies is the time-off eligibility. Then, decide how much time each employee shall accrue. The time-off eligibility date will determine when an employee can either begin accruing time off or when they can begin using their accrued time-off. For example, some companies begin accruing time-off from an employeeÃ¢â¬'s hire date, but the employee is not allowed to actually use that time off until after a 90-day probation period. Next, you will set up an accrual schedule. Employee could accrue time off by number of hours worked or by receiving a lump sum during set time periods. An accrual schedule could look something like this: Ã¢â¬Â¢ For those employees with 0 to 5 consecutive years of employment will receive 23 PTO days a year; Ã¢â¬Â¢ 5 15 consecutive years of employment will receive 27 PTO days a year;** End Summary**

About the Author:
Accruing time off for your employees doesn"'t have to be difficult or time-consuming. There"'s no need to update dozens of spreadsheets or deal with complicated calculations. Staff Files HR software is easy to use and will save you time. The auto accrual policies calculate time-off accruals automatically. Try it for yourself by downloading a free Staff Files demo at www.time-off-accruals.com.

Why implement a Human Resource Information Software (HRIS) System?

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Running a business will generate a lot of information, both related to the business and related to your employees. You need to be able to harness and secure this information in a system for a couple of different reasons. First, you donÃ¢â¬'t want confidential information about your organization or employees getting into the wrong hands. Additionally, a human resource information software (HRIS) system is a wise choice because it will reduce the amount of paper generated, organize your data, streamline processes, and help your companyÃ¢â¬'s bottom line. So, why is HR information important? Your employees are your biggest assetÃ¢â¬âhaving a system in which to contain their private personnel information, safely and securely is critical. You have worked hard to become an employer of choiceÃ¢â¬âdonÃ¢â¬'t ruin that credibility by mishandling confidential information. Making a Business Case for the HRIS System The HRIS system is an investment to an organization. An HRIS system is more than just a storage and organizational tool to contain confidential information about your organizationÃ¢â¬'s employees. The HRIS system needs to be viewed from a financial perspective.** End Summary**

About the Author:
An effective HRIS system doesn"'t have to be difficult to use. Staff Files human resource information software is easy to use and designed to look like the paper filing system you are already accustomed to. Go to www.hrissolution.com to learn more about Staff Files HRIS and to download a free demo to try it for yourself.

You Already Wear Multiple HatsÃ¢â¬âDon't Let HR Recordkeeping Take Up All Your Time

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

ItÃ¢â¬'s that time of yearÃ¢â¬âperformance review time, and you are dreading it. Not only do you already have to organize and input the evaluations, but you will also have to file them into each employeeÃ¢â¬'s files. And, this is just one of your human resource responsibilities. The many hats you wear are thread bear and you need some relief. The answer to help you streamline the HR processes is by implementing HR software solutions. There are many advantages to storing your HR records electronically in a HR software program. These include: Ã¢â¬Â¢ Quick access Ã¢â¬Â¢ Easy reporting Ã¢â¬Â¢ Set up reminders for critical dates Ã¢â¬Â¢ Streamline processes These are a few of the many advantages for storing your HR records electronically. Below are a few ideas of how to effectively maintain your HR records. Ã¢â¬Â¢ Only keep the information that is required legally, and for historical and operational reasons;** End Summary**

About the Author:
Do you wear many hats, too? Start working more efficiently by implementing Staff files HR software. For over 10 years, Staff Files has helped users manage their employee information, such as benefits, time-off accruals, training and certifications, wage rates, performance reviews, disciplinary warnings, and much more. Download a FREE Staff Files demo and learn more at www.hrsoftwaresolutions.com.

What Should Be Kept in Personnel Files?

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

There are many different types of information you collect for each employee, which is why it is important to keep organized personnel files. But what exactly should be kept in the personnel files? Below is a list of some of the different pieces of information that should be contained within the personnel file. Ã¢â¬Â¢ Employment application and resume Ã¢â¬Â¢ Offer letters and signed agreements, such as employment agreements or contracts Ã¢â¬Â¢ Basic employment data, such as the W-4 Ã¢â¬Â¢ Performance evaluations Ã¢â¬Â¢ Job description Ã¢â¬Â¢ Employment status changes Ã¢â¬Â¢ Continuing education and certification documents Ã¢â¬Â¢ Awards and recognition letters Ã¢â¬Â¢ Performance management, including disciplinary notices Ã¢â¬Â¢ Exit interview information Ã¢â¬Â¢ Termination documentation, such as a resignation letter All medical information on any employee should be kept in a separate file and only accessible to those that must have access to this information. The type of medical information that should be kept in a medical file includes any WorkersÃ¢â¬' Compensation information, Family and Medical Leave Act forms, Leaves of Absence forms, and the Americans with Disabilities Act information. Additionally, the I-9 Form should be filed alphabetically and kept in a completely separate file from the medical or personnel file.** End Summary**

About the Author:
Using HR software to store your personnel files is easy and can save you time. Learn about how to keep electronic personnel records and download a FREE demo of Staff FilesÃÂ® HR software at www.staff-files.com.

Donât Forget to Offer Employee Benefits

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Running an organization can seem overwhelming at times, particularly when you start adding various types of employee benefits to the mix. For instance, employers do not need to provide any sort of benefits to their employees, such as medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. However, employers do offer employee benefits so that they can be sought after with highly qualified candidates. The cost of providing medical, dental and vision benefits to an employee is very expensive for an employer. Often times, the employee has no idea how much the employer pays for these benefits. Thatâs why it is important to make employees aware of how much the benefits cost and present it to them as part of their compensation package. Having medical, dental and vision coverage is very important to a lot of employees and having the option to enroll in these benefits makes your organization a choice employer. Another great benefit to offer employees is having an eligibility date that is close to their date of hire, if not on their date of hire. This will definitely be a bonus if an employee has received more than one offer of employment and their skills are hard to find.** End Summary**