Hybrid, Remote, Onsite…Oh My!

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Relatively few companies offered flexible work environments prior to 2020. When the global health crisis turned the world upside down, mandatory closures and lockdowns forced an abrupt shift.

Suddenly, millions of employees whose jobs could be done virtually were working from home. Even organizations with frontline employees (healthcare, retail, education, law enforcement, public safety) allowed support staff and administrators to work remotely.

For the most part, remote workers proved to be amazingly productive, even if their situation was not ideal. Working parents managed to squeeze virtual schooling and job tasks into their day. We MacGyvered home offices. We created lockdown lingo like “blursday,” and “quaranteam” to help ease the shift to the new reality we are experiencing.

For most small businesses, the first iteration of flexible working was understandably chaotic. But anything that kept the lights on was better than nothing. As the months flew by (or dragged on, depending on your perspective), businesses started creating policies to formalize flexible working arrangements. Flexible work schedules and hybrid working environments are no longer seen as a temporary stopgap measure.

Clearly, the need for flexible working is not going away. Business learns quickly, and early adopters have proven that adapting to change can bring new levels of productivity and competitive advantage.

One area that remains critical for small business is time and attendance. There are many challenges in this area alone. Organizing employees with varied work schedules and tracking time accurately are paramount to creating success for any company. More so in today’s complex hybrid working environments.

For businesses serious about moving forward, it’s time to adopt comprehensive systems that support flexible work environments.

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Stay on the right side of compliance with time & attendance

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Whether you’re at the office now, returning to the workplace, or phasing in a hybrid model, employee health and safety should be the main priority as you transition to this next phase of the new normal. The CDC recommends daily in-person health checks (e.g., symptom and temperature screening) of employees before they enter the workplace.

One of the easiest ways to do this is with a touchless timeclock with advanced facial recognition. Our Vision timeclock combines the best features of biometric security with the non-contact operational speed to keep employees safe and secure during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Best of all it integrates with our all-in-one HRIS creating a unified, connected human resource experience.

Because the Vision time clock uses facial recognition to verify identity, it supports workforces everywhere. This includes office settings, retail environments, restaurants, hotels, schools, manufacturing facilities, call centers, industrial worksites, and healthcare settings. Combined with the TimeWorks app, you can centralize time data for multiple worksites, work-at-home employees, and mobile employees. Stay on the right side of compliance and CDC guidelines with the data you need to accurately track time and attendance.

Vision is a biometric clock with advanced facial recognition.

Vision is our employee time clock that confirms identity faster and more accurately than ever. Verification takes less than a second— clock-in is quick and orderly.

  • Facial recognition is simple and identifies employees quickly and accurately to prevent lost productivity due to slow clock in queues
  • Creates accurate timecards which are easily processed and securely stored
  • Not vulnerable to lost key cards or passwords which saves time and hassle for managers and the HR team
  • Prevents all forms of time theft including buddy punching, the sharing of the clock in devices, or hours padding

Vision Facial Recognition

Unlike fingerprint clocks, facial recognition is not affected by gloves or dusty, greasy, or worn fingerprints. This makes it ideal for all work environments including office settings, healthcare, retail, hospitality, educational, manufacturing, and industrial. In addition, Vision is your best protection against buddy punching which is common with PIN and proxy card systems. Vision makes buddy punching impossible which saves your labor budget. With Vision, you can collect exact clock-in/out time data in real-time from every site. Discover the ease, security, and reliability of Vision for shift clock ins.

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The Key to Hotel Success | Consolidated Human Resources

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In what should feel like a home-away-from-home, the comfort, satisfaction, and enjoyment of your hotel guests are easily influenced by the way they’re treated and customer service, whether it’s outstanding or underwhelming, leaves a lasting impression. In the uber-competitive hotel industry, hospitality and human resources go hand-in-hand—let’s look at why it’s so vital. 

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Six Compliance Challenges & How to Conquer Them

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Small business compliance has never been more complex. This blog will introduce you to the leading challenges and solutions that will help you to stay on the right side of the law. It’s important to understand regulations and create compliant processes. This way, you protect your employees, customers, and your entire business. Managing compliance allows you to focus on the work that matters, and to leave the worrying behind.

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COVID-19 Government Resources | Consolidated Human Resources

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This guidance is based on what is currently known about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person, especially between people who are physically near each other (within about 6 feet). People who are infected but do not show symptoms can also spread the virus to others.

COVID-19 spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets and very small particles that contain the virus. These droplets and particles can be breathed in by other people or land on their eyes, noses, or mouth. In some circumstances, they may contaminate surfaces they touch. People who are closer than 6 feet from the infected person are most likely to get infected.

Implementing this guidance may help prevent workplace exposures to SARS-CoV-2 in non-healthcare settings; separate guidance is available for healthcare settings. CDC also has guidance for critical infrastructure work settings. Unless otherwise specified, this interim guidance for businesses and employers applies to critical infrastructure workplaces as well.

The Delta variant causes more infections and spreads faster than earlier forms of the virus that causes COVID-19. It might cause more severe illness than previous strains in unvaccinated people.

  • Vaccines continue to reduce a person’s risk of contracting the virus that cause COVID-19, including this variant.
  • Vaccines continue to be highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death, including against this variant.
  • Fully vaccinated people with breakthrough infections from this variant appear to be infectious for a shorter period.
  • Get vaccinated and wear masks indoors in public spaces to reduce the spread of this variant.

Click the following links to see helpful information direct from the official governmental authorities.

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National Payroll Week—meet our team

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At CHR, we are incredibly fortunate to have a combined 61 years of service and expertise between our three payroll professionals. They each have their own advantages and particular skill sets that our clients love and depend on each day. They have a wonderful collaborative spirit and they naturally ensure that all of our clients receive the white-glove approach that is at the core of our service model. What they have is truly magic and in the spirit of #NationalPayrollWeek, CHR would love to spotlight our payroll professionals!

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Illinois Leading The Way With Sexual Harassment Training

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Starting January 1, 2020, all employees in Illinois will be required to take annual sexual harassment training thanks to a new senate bill signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker on August 9, 2019.

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Using HR to create a culture of compliance

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A comprehensive human resources strategy relies on more than just organizational productivity and efficiency. Ensuring that your employees are supported to do their jobs and working in an environment that fosters a culture of compliance and respect is essential to your organizational success. More than ever, and in recognition of the strength and value of the #metoo movement, anti-harassment training and policies need to be comprehensive and readily accessible to your employees. Keeping up-to-date on policies, being aware of changes to state employment laws, and navigating employee rights can be overwhelming unless you have the proper resources in place to systemize your strategy.

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#Election2020: Time off to vote | Consolidated Human Resources

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#Election2020 is coming up this Tuesday, November 3. Access and opportunity to vote in the United States is the right of every eligible person. Given the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have the country in its grip, many individuals are working remotely or voting by mail-in ballot. However, for those individuals who are working onsite and need time off to vote, employers may have some questions as to how much time off is required and whether the time off must be paid or not.

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Managing HR Compliance During the COVID-19 Crisis

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As an employer, business owners must do everything possible to ensure the safety and health of all staff. In these challenging times, however, even the most cautious and OSHA and CDC-compliant business owner may get news that one of their employees is sick or has been potentially exposed to the virus.  While government agencies like the Equal  Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and laws such as the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) are established to enforce anti-discrimination practices, employers are now afforded greater latitude to protect employees and the public-at-large.

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Stay Afloat During the COVID-19 Crisis | Consolidated Human Resources

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As every business owner knows, the economic position of a business fluctuates over time. There are ebbs and flows that require strategic decision-making to weather the negative impact on the overall operations. However, with such planning, most of these negative economic patterns generally do not substantially challenge the life of the business, and companies can bounce back relatively quickly.

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Shelter-In-(Work)Place | Consolidated Human Resources

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Know the right way to manage work-from-home situations.

Given the COVID-19 outbreak that is spreading across the U.S., many companies are either required to institute work-from-home arrangements or opting to do so to facilitate the social distancing best practices that health professionals have recommended.

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5 ways to reduce unplanned overtime & save your labor budget

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Good systems solve business problems, including unplanned overtime. Does your company have an unplanned overtime problem? If so, you’re not alone.

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How to engage remote workers with HR | Consolidated Human Resources

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Over the last decade or so, the lure of remote work opportunities has changed the American workforce. Employees, who have grown weary of the 9 to 5 in-office grind, have turned to companies offering the flexibility of a position that enables freedom and choice—whether that’s working remotely, nomadically or a combination of at-home and in-office. With over 3.9 million Americans working as digital nomads, the trend has become the new normal for many companies who now must consider how remote workers culture affects their bottom line. While it can save money—with 25 percent less employee turnover rates—it can also cause workers to feel isolated and disengaged from their company. So, how can you leverage the benefits of remote opportunities with an experience that supports your staff and fosters a positive employee-employer relationship?

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