Give Yourself a Break

Prepping Your Workforce for Summer Vacation

Around the office, talk about summer travel plans may be stirring as the weather warms, but this year, it may sound a little different. With gas prices at record highs, the weakened dollar and worries of economic instability, many consumers are forgoing the “extras” to stay afloat during uncertain times. And one of the first things cut from the budget is often the annual summer vacation.

Eliminating vacation isn’t a good thing according to many experts. With stress levels at record highs as pressures on consumers mount, taking time off from work to enjoy a little rest and relaxation is something people should make a top priority – and employers should encourage. According to an annual survey by Expedia.com, over 30% of employed adults don’t take all their vacation days each year. The reasons cited for this vary from having too much work to schedule a vacation, problems scheduling vacation time in advance, or the desire to receive incentives, such as money back for untaken days.

Organizations benefit when their employees take vacation time. Increased morale, productivity, and overall attitude and outlook are evident in a well-rested, vacationed workforce. So, how can you prep your office for summer vacation – and make sure you have time to reap the rewards of well-deserved time off yourself? Check out these five tips.

1. Lead by Example
Business owners, managers, and other leaders often find it difficult to make time for a vacation. It takes preparation and trust to leave the office completely (that means no Blackberry, no laptop, nothing but emergency access). People tend to follow the lead of management regarding how they use – or don’t use – their time off. So, many choose to take their time off in small chunks throughout the year and avoid a traditional vacation, forfeiting the benefits of real relaxation and rest your brain needs to function properly. In a recent report on how the brain functions in the workplace, the Society for Human Resource Management noted that prolonged stress takes a physical toll on the brain, harming mood, memory, and overall mental functions.

But, according to the Expedia.com report, workers would be more likely to use all their vacation time if management set the example by using theirs. So that means if you aren’t taking your time off, you’re not the only one whose brain is suffering – your entire team may be in dire need of a break.

2. Help People Plan Ahead
Top concerns for employers regarding summer vacation time include managing workload and making sure productivity remains high. It may surprise you, though, that this concern is also mirrored in the workforce. Expedia.com’s research showed that a heavy workload was a major reason that workers do not take all their vacation.

You can avoid worries about staffing levels and productivity while ensuring that you and your workers benefit from some time away from work by being proactive and requesting time-off schedules in advance. This will help you plan ahead to hire temporary workers before demand peaks for seasonal help.

3. Be As Flexible as Possible
Though it’s important to start planning early to help everyone on your team be able to fit in a solid chunk of time off this summer, it’s equally important to be as flexible as possible in the process. Employees often have to plan around friends, family, or events that are not well-prepared in advance, so try to be understanding if their plans change. Also, consider how and  when you will schedule your own vacation time. You may want to set your personal vacation plans early or wait to plan around the requests of your employees. Do what works for you. Don’t make planning for a vacation so stressful that it’s not an enjoyable experience.

4. Help Your People Go
Since workload is a top concern for both employers and employees, make time to equip your workers to be able to take their time off as planned. Let your employees know you are willing to meet with them to help them plan on how to complete their tasks and projects before they leave the office so they don’t feel the need to check in on things while they’re out. An astonishing number of workers – from entry-level all the way to top management – aren’t able to leave work at the office while they’re on vacation. So, do your team one of the greatest favors you can and help them set priorities and organize their time while they’re at work so they can really relax while they’re away.

5. Give Rewards that Travel
One of the greatest things you can do to emphasize the importance of taking a vacation is to give rewards and incentives that equip your team for a great vacation. Ideas include gas cards, certificates for pet care, plane tickets, vacation or cruise packages, or even a bonus day off work. Workers surveyed by Expedia.com said that company culture and policies played a large role in how they felt about taking time off. So, giving rewards that encourage workers to enjoy a great vacation will help your workforce know that it’s something you value.

Using these tips can help you equip and motivate your workforce to enjoy some time away from work. The increased morale and productivity that a summer vacation brings will make an impact on your entire team.

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Tips for Giving a Reference Check

How to Minimize Risk When Providing References

Because of defamation and negligent reference claims, responding to reference checks has gone from giving simple replies to offering convoluted and tricky responses. Truthful and insightful answers can help employers evaluate potential candidates, while detailed references can help former employees land the job. Fear of litigation keeps some employers from helping out fellow supervisors and former employees. By following a few recommendations, employers can minimize their organization’s risk for a lawsuit when helping former workers and their prospective employers.

Follow Company Policy
When receiving a reference check request, the first thing employers should do is follow their company’s established policy. Most policies require supervisors to notify the human resources department of reference requests. While many reference requests are made over the phone, supervisors can avoid responding immediately to requests for information by taking down the requester’s contact information and returning the call after the company policy has been reviewed and the HR department has been contacted.

Provide Factual and Objective Responses
Often, when an employee applies for a new job, they usually sign a form stating that their employment information can be disclosed for reference checks. Or, when they leave a company, an exit interview is conducted. Before any information is provided, managers should make sure the former employee’s signature authorizing any future reference checks is on file. Employers should only answer questions that they feel comfortable answering. Employee information should never be given voluntarily. Reference information provided must be factual and relevant to the time the employer worked with the employee. No personal commentary or opinions should be included.

Seek Advice for Unusual Circumstances
Managers should seek legal advice before responding to a reference check for a former employee who left on bad terms. For example, if an employee was fired from the company for violence and a manager failed to report this to a potential employer during a reference check, and then the employee commits a violent act while employed at the other company, the manager who did not disclose this information can be vulnerable to a negligent reference claim. It’s advisable to check with the company’s attorney before responding to a situation like this.

Make Note of the Conversation
After speaking with a former employee’s potential employer, managers should summarize their conversations in writing and keep them on file. For employers to protect their organization against litigation, information about the reference check should be documented. Be sure to include the former employee’s name, date of the conversation, the requester’s name and contact information, and the information you disclosed about your former employee.

Don’t Disclose Sensitive Information
A description of a former employee should not include any information about the individual’s race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status. Disclosing sensitive information is irrelevant and can potentially lead to lawsuits.

By following an established company policy for reference requests, managers can minimize chances for litigation. Remembering to provide unbiased and accurate information, document conversations, and seek legal advice will protect employers, help good employees gain new jobs, and prevent other employers from hiring unfit employees.

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HR Tip of the Month

What You Need to Know about Age Discrimination

With the coming retirement of the Baby Boomer generation, the subject of mature workers is getting a lot of attention these days. Experts say that an increasing number of mature workers are choosing to remain in their jobs well past retirement age, re-entering the workforce after a short retirement, or shifting careers but remaining in the workforce. In fact, many mature workers are finding fulfilling work during retirement by starting a job in a brand new field, applying for internships, purchasing franchises, or working as consultants for former employers.

Whether you’re seeing more applications from mature workers or trying to retain your maturing workforce to help stay ahead of the looming worker shortage, it’s important to keep in mind the basics of age discrimination requirements to make sure your workplace is compliant under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).

The ADEA prohibits companies with at least 20 employees from considering age in employment decisions including hiring, compensation, benefits, promotions and training for persons age 40 or older, unless a specific exception to the law applies. Most states follow the ADEA’s guidelines, but some states have stricter laws in place regarding age discrimination.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces and oversees the ADEA. The EEOC or courts have imposed various remedies for violations of the ADEA, including hiring, reinstatement or promotion; compensatory damages in the form of back pay and lost wages and benefits or front pay accompanying reinstatement; and punitive damages for intentional discrimination. 

So, how can you avoid age discrimination in the workplace? First, make sure you are familiar with state and federal laws. These tips can also help you make sure your company is equipped to avoid age discrimination in the workplace.

5 Tips to Avoid Age Discrimination

  1. Check job ads and applications.  Avoid using language relating to age on all job ads and applications. Don’t ask for any unnecessary age-related information on your application, including but not limited to age or date of birth. In one case, a job applicant was awarded $50,000 in compensatory damages when he was denied an interview at a company although seven people younger than him were interviewed and hired. The job application had asked for his date of military discharge, which alerted the company to the fact that he was over 40 years of age.
  2. Review your interview process. Don’t deny interviews to applicants based on their age – or any other protected characteristic, for that matter. Make sure that your interview process focuses on the knowledge, skills and experience of each candidate. Make sure everyone involved in the hiring process knows not to probe candidates for information about their age or date of birth.
  3. Have a policy in place. Having a company policy prohibiting all forms of harassment and discrimination based on any protected class, like age, race, sex, religion, and disability is important to protect your company and employees. Also remember to ensure that your policy is compliant with federal and state laws.
  4. Investigate complaints immediately. It’s critical to create a formal process to serve as a guide to investigate complaints of harassment and discrimination and to investigate all complaints immediately. Employers who ignore complaints or do not respond in a timely manner make themselves more vulnerable to paying large settlements if charges are ever filed. Terminating an individual who complains of harassment without conducting a thorough investigation can expose you to retaliation claims in addition to discrimination claims.
  5. Require ADEA training. Train all employees who have responsibilities that fall under the ADEA’s protections – hiring, compensation, benefits, promotions and training – to be compliant with the law. Your organization can be held liable for their actions, particularly if no effort is made to train them.

Ensuring that your workplace avoids age discrimination will allow you to recruit and retain mature workers with ease and weather the coming labor shortage.

To make sure that your organization is compliant under the ADEA and applicable state laws, contact your local Express Employment Professionals representative to discuss our employee handbook creation and HR Hotline services.

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Exchange is a publication of Express Services, Inc., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Copyright 2008.