As a small business owner, there will come a point when you need extra help and will start thinking about hiring either a full-time employee or an outside contractor. Don’t make the mistake of thinking they are the same thing. They aren’t. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of hiring employees vs. independent contractors…
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Soon students and new graduates will be flooding into the workspace over the summer and throughout the year looking for internships. As an employer, it’s tempting to bring on interns in hopes of offering a “permanent” job later on down the road. Whether it’s a paid or unpaid internship, you do have to be mindful…
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As the middle of 2018 draws near, we can now get a better grasp on the HR trends that are on the rise and weed out the predictions that didn’t take hold. With older generations moving on, younger generations moving in, artificial intelligence taking over and the need to cultivate a more diverse work environment,…
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Our nation’s workforce continues to evolve in its ideas, products, processes and services while at the same time being affected by naturally occurring demographic shifts. Our aging Baby Boomer generation is being replaced by Millennials and, eventually, Generation Z. These changes have, and will continue to, result in a more competitive economy that affects the…
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Ask anyone in the workforce what they most desire from their superiors, and the answer is likely to be treated with dignity and respect. In the workplace, over half of employees feel that they don’t regularly get respect from upper management. This is important to pay attention to because employees report that being treated with…
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When people think about company culture, they often think of open, collaborative floor plans, company-provided gym memberships and lunches, plus unlimited vacation time. Although these on-the-job perks can play into employee morale and retention, building a great company culture doesn’t involve an office redesign or an updated employee benefits sheet. By making your company personal,…
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W-2 tax forms should be mailed to you or delivered electronically before January 31st. A W-2 that was mailed may take a few days to make it to your mailbox, but if you still haven’t received it after the first week of February, there are four steps to take so you can begin filing your…
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As you may have guessed, the future is leaning towards remote work. In a survey conducted at London Business School’s Global Leadership Summit, of the 600 executives, entrepreneurs and business academics in attendance, 34 percent said more than 50 percent of their full-time workforce would be working remotely within three years. And 25 percent said…
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Some businesses with 25 to 50 employees were grandfathered into old health care plans that will no longer be available. Businesses who currently have coverage through a grandfathered plan will need to transition to an Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2018. The new ACA plan comes with a…
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Due to technology, medicine, and improvements in public health, people are living longer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. life expectancy reached 78.8 years in 2014. Physical activity and healthy eating habits have also contributed to this and, in turn, these new ways of living and our longer lifespans are…
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One of the most important advantages of any business is its people. When the workforce is in tune the business can thrive. Employee performance reviews are a necessity when it comes to achieving peak performance. No, reviews aren’t always seen as “fun”, but they are beneficial to the company, the manager and the employee. Here…
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Writing a resume can sometimes feel like an impossible task. How long should it be? How do you find the right balance between modesty and confidence? With so many different formats to choose from, how do you know which one will “wow” its readers? In the end, creating a winning resume comes down to just…
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When it comes to finding quality candidates, you may be missing out on opportunities due to your geographical location. However, there is a way to grab the attention of those you find to have the skills, talent, culture and ambition that you’re seeking, even if they reside out of town. By knowing how to overcome…
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The most common tax form U.S. employees receive is a W2 form. These forms are sent to employees each year in January so they can file their taxes with the correct documentation. Let’s take a closer look at how to break down the W2 form so the employer and employee will always know what to…
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When trying to conjure up a workspace that will suit each individual and foster creativity, two different scenarios are often considered: should you provide a solitary environment with private offices, or a collaborative environment with an open workspace? Let’s take a look at why each one has its own benefits and downsides. Cost Because private…
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Inc. Magazine included Syndeo on its annual listing of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America. Syndeo is ranked 1,754 on the 36th prestigious Inc. 5,000 list with a growth of 222% in the last three years. The Inc. 5000 list is the most comprehensive look at America’s successful independent entrepreneurs. Companies such as Pandora,…
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Having a good boss can be one of the reasons employees stay at their job. Have you ever heard the phrase, “People don’t leave jobs, they leave managers”? This certainly rings true as a recent study showed that 50% of people have left a job because of a bad boss. No, bosses shouldn’t be overly…
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Have you ever been interviewed for a job before? The answer is probably yes. Conducting an effective interview boils down to knowing how job seekers prepare for it. Even if you’ve conducted thousands of interviews, there’s always room to make it a more comfortable process. 1. Know Exactly What You’re Looking For If you don’t…
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In March of this year, the Wichita Business Journal and Cox Business began accepting nominations for the 2017 Women In Business Awards. These outstanding women in the Wichita area were to be nominated for their career accomplishments and contributions to the success of other women. Tonja Sowder, Vice President of Human Resource and Benefits at…
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Do you need to write a cover letter in order to apply for a job? In most cases, the answer is yes. Your cover letter may make the difference between landing a job interview or having your resume thrown away, so it’s important to steer clear of mistakes that a potential employer will notice right…
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Syndeo has been approved as the first, and currently only, Kansas-based Certified Professional Employer Organization (CPEO). This certification is currently held by only 84 companies nationwide. The new PEO certification program was established by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as part of the Small Business Efficiency Act (SBEA). PEOs are companies that handle HR, payroll,…
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Severe weather emergencies can range from thunderstorms and tornadoes to snow and sleet. You must prepare your business for closure when employees could experience dangerous conditions trying to make it to their place of employment. But, are these policies set in stone? Do you make your own policies? Let’s take a closer look so you…
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The definition of a “people-oriented company” is one that cares about their employees and is invested in their success. The individual is respected, valued and empowered. Focusing on people makes good business sense. In the increasingly competitive landscape of goods and services, a company’s people are the differentiator. And companies aren’t just in competition for…
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Employee rewards are a form of recognition that shouldn’t be thought of as “nice”, but instead, necessary. By providing your employees with simple rewards, you are reinforcing the actions and behaviors you most want to see repeated. Since the majority of employees want you to see them as essential contributors, and truly want to be…
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Toxic workers can make their co-workers unhappy, frustrated, less productive and even reconsider their place of employment. Perhaps these toxic workers do great work, they meet their bottom lines and they’re always cheerful around their superiors. In these cases, they tend to be well liked by management. The challenge is that they may be unaware…
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In the workplace, communication is vital when it comes to achieving success and happiness. The quality of an organization’s internal communication often says a lot about the company itself—the environment, the culture and employee retention and happiness. If you feel you’re coming up short, fortunately there are plenty of ways you can improve interoffice communication….
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Working remotely offers many distinct benefits for both employers and employees, but there are challenges. Engagement and connection are more difficult to instill across the miles. Remote employees can become isolated entities rather than part of a team working towards a common goal. Helping remote employees engage, focus and connect begins with the onboarding process….
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Workplace Trends surveyed over 1,000 professionals as well as 116 HR leaders to understand their views on workplace flexibility. Here are five surprising statistics according to their study. 67% of HR professionals think that their employees have a balanced work-life, yet 45% of employees feel that they don’t have enough time each week to do personal…
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Coming into the office Monday through Friday may eventually be a thing of the past. In fact, according to Forbes, one in five people are working from home at least once a week already. This workforce flexibility is sought after by many employees and can play a large role in employee retention, and a decreased…
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With technology at its most advanced, many people think that the human resources profession will become obsolete and replaced with software. Others beg to differ. Without a doubt, technology is changing the way we all do things, especially when it comes to the workforce. But, rather than overriding people’s jobs, technology can simply act as…
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We know them all too well—they’re the employees who create gossip, talk badly about clients, pick apart others’ work, undermine authority and can always find something to complain about. These are traits that may go unnoticed at first, but can create a substantial amount of damage over time. While every workplace is prone to a…
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RSM Marketing offers a unique opportunity for companies to get marketing help through a diverse team of in-house resources. By purchasing an Outsourced Marketing Department subscription, companies who might not have had the resources for marketing are able to get great work quickly, effectively and efficiently, providing clients with a notable competitive advantage. In 2016, the…
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Trinity Precision is a trusted producer of precision aerospace machined parts and assemblies. They’ve built their company on three fundamental pillars – People, Process and Principle – bringing customers the best value in the industry. As their HR partner, Syndeo works with them to manage their HR functions and to help them focus, and succeed, on…
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Metal Finishing Co is the largest privately owned Aerospace Processing company in North America and a valued client of Syndeo. A true “one stop shop” for Aerospace, incorporating Heat Treatment, Non-Destructive Testing, Finishing, Plating, Finish Painting through Part Mark and Package, for Aluminum, Hard Metals, Stainless, Titanium, Exotic Metals and Composites. Syndeo partners with Metal…
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Employee engagement is a big issue today that we’re all aware of. According to Gallup, as of December 2016, employee engagement is sitting at 34.4%, which is a high percentage as compared to the past, but still disappointingly low. Look at it this way—only about ⅓ of your employees are engaged at work everyday. This…
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River City Brewery, opened in 1993, was the first brew pub to operate in the city of Wichita. With approximately 60 full and part time employees, owner/operator Chris Arnold was left performing the HR functions of the company for hours at a time. This left him behind his desk worrying about the “must be done”…
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When getting the word out about an open position within an organization, basic recruitment platforms are generally utilized—online ads or newspaper ads, a career page on the company’s website, and maybe even a job fair. When we think about how to attract quality candidates, we need to remember that the best candidates aren’t always looking…
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Burnout in the workplace is something we know all too well; we’ve heard about it, we’ve experienced it and we’ve seen it. According to the 2015 Workplace Index conducted by Staples Advantage, 53 percent of employees feel overworked and burnt out. Because this is so detrimental to both the individual and the organization, employee burnout…
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Onboarding, which is linked to employee retention, is the process of introducing new hires to the performance and social aspects of the job as efficiently, yet thoroughly, as possible. This should always be a top priority for HR departments because, according to the Impact Instruction Group, nearly 33% of new hires look for a different…
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Instead of embracing the situation to help improve performance and achieve goals, everyone is dreading their performance review. This is one of the most stressful times of the year for employees; they foresee being told all of the ways they are letting their employer down despite their hard work and long hours. Performance reviews tend…
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