Recognition & Rewards

10 low-cost communication tips to start open enrollment right

09/23/2024

With benefits election open-enrollment season looming at organizations across the country, make sure you avoid the mistake too many employers make: plopping a benefits booklet in front of employees and telling them to figure it out. That just doesn’t work anymore. Benefits have become too complex for employees to figure them out on their own. Here are 10 ways you can do a better job of communicating with your employees.

The new overtime rule: Factor bonuses into exempt salaries

05/13/2024

Employers can satisfy up to 10% of the new white-collar salary threshold by paying nondiscretionary bonuses, incentives and commissions.

I want an Oompa-Loompa now! Workplace version

12/11/2023

Twenty-seven percent of employees recently polled by gift-card purveyor Blackhawk Network said they would consider leaving their jobs if they didn’t receive a holiday gift this year.

Employer survey: 4% pay raises projected in 2024

12/08/2023

Though down from the actual average increase of 4.4% in 2023, wage projections remain well above the recent trendline. Since 2014, salary budgets have grown an average of 3% per year.

These 8 great holiday perks can reduce employee stress

11/27/2023

You can help ease employee stress this holiday season by adding a few low-cost timesavers to your holiday bonus package. Small holiday kindnesses on the part of the company can pay off in a big way for the organization all year. Here are a few ways your organization can help holiday-harried employees stay productive at work.

Year-end bonuses: 4 ways to decide who should receive how much

11/22/2023

Bonuses are a great way to show appreciation. They’re also a wonderful retention tactic. So, who gets what? You have four choices.

How to battle poor retention by improving interactions and saying “thank you”

11/20/2023

At the HR Specialist Summit 2023, Karl Ahlrichs, renowned HR expert and speaker, shared insightful strategies for providing rewards and recognition to employees. In his presentation, he emphasized the potential to bolster your team’s retention without significant additional costs, focusing instead on the value and thoughtfulness of the rewards and recognition you offer.

Smaller raises predicted in 2024

11/13/2023

Based on 2024 salary-budget surveys conducted by seven consulting firms, payroll vendors and business organizations, raises for the coming year should average 3.9%.

Avoid tax trap built into holiday gift cards for employees

10/23/2023

In today’s inflationary economy, employees will probably be thrilled to receive gift cards redeemable for merchandise or—even better!—gasoline. Who wouldn’t like 25 or 50 extra bucks during the holidays? However, employees’ excitement may dim when they realize the value of those gift cards counts as taxable income. That’s because giving gift cards to employees is the plastic equivalent of giving them cash—and cash is always taxable.

Take every opportunity to deliver positive feedback

09/27/2023

For some employees, hearing words of praise is better than a cash bonus—and such praise is a key reason people want to stay in their jobs. Yet many managers can muster up such phrases only during annual reviews … if at all. Here are 10 key ideas managers should consider when offering positive feedback to employees.