Onboarding is rarely the easy process that employees and employers both wish it was, but that has the potential to change—and it should. Studies have found that organizations with a standard onboarding process experience increases in retention and greater new hire productivity overall.

Suffice it to say: onboarding matters. But that doesn’t mean it has to be the blizzard of faxed signatures, loose papers, and stress that you’ve become accustomed to. With the right HR software, onboarding can be easy, organized, and simple. Here’s how:

Paperless Onboarding

Everyone knows the old saying, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” This expression perfectly describes the value of upgrading your onboarding process. One major benefit of implementing HR software is seamless organization that allows you to onboard new hires without paper, in less time and with greater ease.

How much time and energy do you think businesses waste trying to recover lost documents or figuring out where a new hire is in the onboarding process? Keep track of everything from tax forms, to resumes, to employee handbooks, to specific details about the new hire. The right HR software acts as a portal where employees and employers both have access to all of the information they need for the onboarding process to go off without a hitch.

As you know, it’s important to not lose sight of a new hire amidst all of the potential distractions a company faces. Software allows you to know exactly where the new hire is in the onboarding process, which helps improve the training process and ultimately produces better performance results. Tracking also allows the employer to pinpoint problem areas and evaluate the efficiency of their onboarding process overall.

There’s no denying that we are well into the digital age and that any process that isn’t paperless is well behind the curve. At CPS, we believe that HR software should simplify the entire onboarding process and engage your new hires, helping you to create great first impressions and long-term, happy employees.

Make onboarding easy for you and your employees by implementing effective and simple HR software at your company.

Hiring the best talent is a constant struggle for businesses of all sizes, and keeping up on the latest trends is an important part of staying competitive.

In her article “Hiring Trends for 2018,” Joy Jordan explores the various factors contributing to the shift in focus that is occurring in our modern job market. She specifically notes the high turnover rates, a shortened average tenure, and general lack of talent—all of which are present in what is considered a fluid job market.

To gain more insight into the current state of affairs, Jordan spoke with experts in the field, including Complete Payroll Solutions’ very own Karyn Rhodes, VP and Director of Complete HR Solutions.

Rhodes offered her expertise on the growing “war for talent” and reflected on the obsolescence of a lifetime employment contract, saying that employers are learning to adapt to this paradigm shift.

“With the competition for talent, 90 percent of employers anticipate more competition from emerging markets in India, North America and Asia,” Rhodes told Jordan. “Greater emphasis will be placed on the employee experience as companies are forced to focus on corporate culture and values more than pay.”

The article, which appeared in the January issue of Cape & Plymouth Business, also covers the methods that employers are implementing to reach and retain the right employees, such as innovative recruitment strategies like engaging video, an emphasis on community involvement, and building an employer brand.

To learn more about how hiring trends are shaping the regional and national job market, and to hear more of Rhodes’ insights, you can access Jordan’s article here.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects workers in companies with 15 or more employees from sexual harassment. But despite the law, recent headlines highlight the prevalence of the problem. In fact, according to a new poll, 30 percent of American women say they’ve experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.

In the current climate, it’s essential that businesses of all sizes take needed steps to prevent—and address—sexual harassment, or risk potential liability and public relations fallout. Here are five steps you can take to keep your site harassment-free.

Five Steps You Can Take to Stop Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

1. Develop a written policy.

While some states require employers with a certain number of employees to adopt a policy against sexual harassment, it’s wise for every employer to develop a written policy. So employees understand what constitutes unacceptable behavior, be sure to clearly define sexual harassment and what actions are prohibited. Once you’ve developed the policy, communicate it to all employees, include it in your handbook, and require employees to sign and acknowledge they’ve read it.

2. Ensure adequate reporting procedures.

Recent reports of sexual harassment dominating the news reveal that many victims never report the incidents. To encourage victims to speak up, all businesses should have a procedure for reporting incidents, as well as for how the complaints will be investigated.

That way, victims—or bystanders who witness the behavior—will feel comfortable coming forward and confident their claim will be acted upon quickly. And be sure to list at least three individuals authorized to receive complaints in case one is an employee’s alleged harasser.

3. Spell out consequences.

No matter their level in the organization, employees who are found to have engaged in sexual harassment must face disciplinary consequences for their misconduct. Be sure to spell out the actions you plan to take based on the results of the investigation, which may range from a written warning to suspension or even termination, depending on the circumstances. And it’s critical that your enforcement of punishments be consistent and unbiased.

4. Hold training.

Every worker has the right to a workplace free of harassment. But some employees may not understand the distinction between acceptable friendly behavior and offensive flirtation that crosses the line. So that everyone knows what constitutes sexual harassment, hold regular training for all employees that includes relevant and realistic examples for the specific site. (If your state has specific requirements, be sure to check that the training meets them.) And consider an extra training just for those managers and supervisors who are authorized to receive complaints.

5. Change the culture.

Whether due to roles, gender, or pay, power dynamics can cause some employees to feel intimidated and vulnerable, creating an environment ripe for harassment. To combat the possibility of such behavior, company leadership should pledge to create a culture based on inclusion, equality, respect. Visible and vocal commitment from the top can go a long way towards establishing a work environment that fosters decency and discourages harassment.

For more information about how you can protect workers by preventing sexual harassment in the workplace, contact us here.