Category: Benefits and Compensation

This topic provides guidance on how to handle compensation issues in a way that attracts and retains the best talent and advances the strategic goals of your business. You get news and tips on what’s going on nationally and in the states, and updates on changes in regulations, possible governmental action, and emerging compensation trends.

No Nonsense Retention: 80% Open Door Policy

6. Keep Your Door Open 80% of the Time [Go here for retention tips 1-5.] Let your people know you are accessible to them, says Cortes, author of the book, No Nonsense Retention. Avoid telling people to make an appointment or come back later. Make sure the time you do spend with your people is […]

‘Fire the Slugs’—That’s the Best Turnover

“There’s good and bad turnover,” says Cortes, author of the book, No Nonsense Retention, which he characterizes as a collection of no-nonsense ways to retain your best people. Firing a non-performer—a slug— is good turnover. But when a top performer leaves to go elsewhere and your organization is left with a huge void, that’s bad […]

Immigration Enforcement: Are You in Compliance with Federal Immigration Law?

This is a serious issue; various government agencies have started to coordinate their efforts as they search for unauthorized workers. The smallest mistake in your paperwork or policies could lead to hefty fines and costly lawsuits. With the latest immigration crackdown under way, it’s crucial for you to make your I-9 administration run smoothly and […]

Is Your Employment Handbook’s Paid Time Off Policy Clear?

In a BLR webinar titled “New Year, New Laws, New Employee Handbook: What to Change and What to Keep in 2012,” Lisa Barnett Sween outlined some guidelines on what to include in employment handbooks and gave some guidance on the inclusion of paid time off (PTO) and other leave policies. Mandatory Unpaid Time Off to […]

Dependent Coverage Can Pose Challenges

Many, perhaps most, employers provide some coverage to employees’ dependents under the benefit plans they offer. But an employer needs to be careful when it does so. Many factors can complicate this coverage. Following are examples that highlight complicated situations that can arise for an employer that covers employees’ dependents and how an employer should address […]

Four Metrics ‘Gotchas’—Blindsided in the C-Suite

Greene, a member of the Ann Arbor, Michigan, office of the law firm Dykema Gossett, and director of the firm’s Employment Law Department, offered his tips at BLR’s recent Employment Law Update in Las Vegas. Gotcha #1. Different Interpretation of Results Say you have submitted statistics showing that retention has improved. Your stats are unassailable—checked […]

40 Metrics—And Not a One Interesting to Management

There is no single set of metrics that fits all companies, Greene says. You need to step back and find out what management really needs. You’re looking for a few strategic, relevant metrics, he says. Greene is a member of the Ann Arbor, Michigan, office of the law firm Dykema Gossett, and is director of […]

Can Companies Really Link Pay with Performance?

Parikh, who is director of product marketing at compensation software development company Callidus (www.calliduscloud.com), recently spoke to BLR on pay for performance. BLR: How well do companies really link pay with performance? Parikh: Companies basically end up spending about 8-10% of their gross revenue on variable compensation. That could be a very large amount of […]

Why Bother with Incentive Comp in Today’s Economy?

Perhaps at the beginning of 2008, says Parikh, director of product marketing at compensation software development company Callidus (www.calliduscloud.com), you developed your strategy for increasing productivity. Maybe you decided to expand incentive compensation to employees other than sales staff and executives; after all, the trend is toward more incentive compensation, rather than less. You set […]