Resources for Entrepreneurs - Advice on Human Resources Challenges - Gaebler Ventures

Need good advice on recruiting, hiring, firing and retaining employees? This is the place. As an entrepreneur, you need to know HR inside and out -- everything from answering employee questions to determining the benefits package you offer your employees. These articles will guide you through the complex world of human resources.

Hiring First Employee. I'm hiring my first employee - what do I do? If that's your current challenge, this is the right article for you.
Finding Good Employees. Finding good employees is critical to your success. The better your employees, the more likely your company will be successful. But where do you find good employees?

Alternatives to Hiring Employees. We discuss alternatives to hiring employees. Sometimes you need people fast. Here are some ways entrepreneurs can address personnel shortages.
Motivating Employees. Smart entrepreneurs have a secret weapon. They know how to motivate their employees. Now you can learn their secret as well.
Employee Performance Reviews. Most entrepreneurs wait too long to start conducting employee performance reviews. If you don't yet conduct performance reviews, here's how to get started.
Employee Benefits Primer. We cover the basics. What is an employee benefits plan? Why should you offer employee benefits?
Employee Benefits. Designing an employee benefits plan is a complex undertaking. Here are some considerations to keep in mind when offering employee benefits.
How to Set Up a 401(k) Plan. Attracting and retaining high-quality employees is a priority for every business owner. Establishing a 401(k) plan can help.
Small Businesses and Equal Opportunity. Federal laws protect your employees from discrimination. Are you in full compliance with the equal opportunity laws that apply to your business?
Illegal Interview Questions. Do you know the differenc between legal interview questions and illegal interview questions? If not, your business is at risk.
Understanding Workers Compensation. Workers' compensation insurance covers injuries and occupational diseases picked up at work.
Using PEOs. There are advantages and disadvantages to Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs). We cover the pros and cons of PEOs and employee leasing.
Employee Handbooks. An employee handbook is a must-have for every business. Formally writing down policies in an employee handbook can help your business to run more smoothly. Plus, it could keep you out of court.
Offering Employees Stock Options. Employee stock options are an increasingly common form of employee compensation. If you want to attract and keep good workers, learn about employee stock options.
Conducting Employee Reviews. Some entrepreneurs never conduct employee reviews. That's a mistake. Conducting employee reviews can have a very positive impact on your business bottomline.
Family and Medical Leave Act. In 1993, Congress passed the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The purpose of the act is to provide job security for employees who need to be temporarily absent from the workplace in order to attend to a family-related medical crisis.
Small Business Sexual Harassment. Small business sexual harassment? If it happens at your business, you could lose your business! More importantly, it's just plain bad. Take a hard line against sexual harassment before it occurs.
Firing Employees. Need to know how to fire an employee? It's not as simple as just handing them a pink slip.

Conducting Background Checks. Conducting background checks is a necessary part of the hiring process. Businesses that hire employees without a thorough background check are asking for all kinds of problems.
Finding Employees on the Web. Are you finding employees on the web? These days, recruiting via the web is the most efficient way to find top talent.
Laying Off Employees. Laying off employees is never pleasant. Most entrepreneurs hope they never have to conduct layoffs. If you find yourself needing to layoff employees, make sure you do it right.
Minimum Wage. Are you paying minimum wage? You better be! The national minimum wage applies to nearly all workers and sets hourly rates below which pay must not be allowed to fall.
Boosting Employee Productivity. Here are eight great ways to boost employee productivity and motivate employees to do great things for your business.
Workplace Safety. Interested in small business workplace saftety? This article explains steps entrepreneurs can take to establish effective safety programs.
Small Business Substance Abuse Policies. Regardless of size or location, no business is immune to the myriad problems that come with employee alcohol and drug abuse.
Small Business Owners Compensation. How much money do small business owners make? It depends. Every small business owner struggles with how much to take out of and how much to leave in their companies.
Working with Family Members. Hiring relatives? Running a family business? Conflict in a family business is perhaps one of the most unpleasant things one can experience.
Telecommuting and Flex Time. Telecommuting, flex time, and compressed work weeks are catching on. If you are looking for innovative ways to run a company, this article will get you started.
Labor Law Posters. Looking for information on labor law posters and labor law poster compliance? We've got everything you need to know about federal HR posters and state HR posters.
Starting an Internship Program. Hiring interns? Creating internship programs is a smart move for any small business owner. Summer interns can help with all sorts of projects, and the price is right.
Minimum Wages by State. Finding out what the minimum wage is for your state is more difficult than it should be. We've done the research for you.
How to Write Employee Handbooks. Wondering how to write an employee handbook? Communicating your personnel policies in a professional employee handbook is essential. If you've been tasked with writing an employee handbook, this article is a must-read.
401k Plans and Section 125 Flexible Spending Account. Employee benefits for small businesses is a catch-22. You have a limited budget but you need to attract and retain great employees. This article on 401k plans and Section 125 flexible spending accounts discusses some great employee perks you can offer at a reasonable cost.
Offering Stock Options. Considering offering stock options to employees? For small firms, stock options can level the playing field for recruiting the best and the brightest.
Paying for Performance. Interested in employee incentive programs? In this article on small business compensation, we offer guidelines for creatively rewarding your employees' hard work.
Workers Compensation Insurance. Injuries on the job can occur at any time. If you are a small business owner, make sure you are complying with all workers' compensation requirements.
Mentoring Employees. Smart entrepreneurs and small business CEOs understand the importance of mentoring new employees. Implementing a mentoring program helps small business employees be more effective faster.
Severance Packages. Firing an employee isn't pleasant but severance packages can soften the blow. This article offers helpful guidance on providing severance packages for laid-off employees.
Workforce Diversity. While it's true that non-compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity or Affirmative Action legislation may lead to penalties or cause your small business to lose government contracts, there are better reasons to promote diversity in your workforce.
Brown Bag Lunches. Improve workplace dynamics by offering brown bag workshops and events. Your employees will appreciate your concern and they will become better employees in the process.
Planning Office Social Events. Planning social gatherings for your employees outside of work is one of the best ways to encourage a healthy work environment where teamwork thrives.
Overtime Overload. Asking employees to work overtime is difficult. The key is to handle overtime in such a way that working overtime isn't a crisis but rather an essential yet temporary necessity.
Apprentice Programs. Apprentices - it sounds like something out of the middle ages. Surprisingly, thanks in part to Donald Trump, the idea of hiring apprentices is coming back.
Dealing with Problem Employees. Wondering what to do with a problem employee? Despite our best efforts to hire smart, inevitably we entrepreneurs end up with a nightmare employee that puts our business at risk.
Creating a Learning Organization. Creating a learning organization requires a deep rethinking of the leader's role. Small business owners must see themselves as learning leaders, responsible for helping their employees develop the capacity to carry out their mission.
Good Interview Questions. Asking good interview questions when hiring can make or break a business. That's because hiring the right people is central to the continuing growth and success of your business.
Partnering with Local Business Schools. Trying to grow your business? Partnering with local business schools can be a great way to tap into talent. Professors and students are both potential resouces for you. Here's how to reach out and tap into that power.
Rising Star Employees. Rising star employees must be identified and nurtured. How do you recognize a rising star on your staff and what should you do to nurture those talents?
Small Business Health Insurance Plans. Finding good, affordable small business health insurance plans has become a nearly Herculean challenge for small business owners.
Health Savings Accounts. Health savings accounts -- you've read about them but do you understand how to use them to grow your business?
Employee Wellness Programs. Small business wellness programs are catching on. The costs of implementing a wellness program are minimal compared to the benefits.
Preventing Violence in the Workplace. Violence in the workplace is a serious safety and health issue. Its most extreme form, homicide, is the fourth-leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States.
Preparing for Annual Employee Reviews. Wondering how to conduct employee reviews effectively? Giving feedback to employees is extremely important. Here are some useful tips for conducting employee reviews.
Productivity and Vacation Comparisons by Country. Working too hard? Need a vacation? If you live in the United States, forget about it. We take a look at productivity levels by country.
How to Be More Efficient. If you're falling behind in your work, maybe your productivity needs to improve. Here are ten proven productivity improvement tips that can help you get more done in less time.
Setting and Achieving Goals. Sadly, many entrepreneurs don't achieve their goals. In large part, that's because they have not learned the art of effective goal setting. Here's what you need to know to set goals and achieve them!
Hiring Freelancers. Hiring freelancers is a great option for small business owners who are short on certain skills or are simply short on time. When you hire a freelancer, you pay for their services but you don't have to worry about benefits or payroll taxes. Once the freelancing jobs are complete, you can either part ways or give them additional work.
Online Recruitment. Internet recruiting has revolutionized the HR world and made it easier for small businesses to find talented employees.
Parental Leave. Parental leave requirements can get business owners in trouble if they don't understand them. Parental leave perks can also be a valuable recruiting tool.
Career Fairs. Exhibiting at career fairs can be a great recruiting tool. You get the opportunity to promote your organization to tons of prospective hires in a highly efficient manner.
Setting Up an ESOP. Setting up an ESOP isn't a new concept but Sam Zell's recent success in buying the Chicago Tribune has many of us wondering -- could we too benefit from an ESOP?
Determining Compensation Levels. How much to pay employees? That's a question that every growing business must address, and we've got a few insights to share on the subject.
Pay for Performance Compensation Plans. Pay for performance compensation plans are win-win for employees and business owners. When pay for performance salaries are properly implemented, everyone shares a common goal of doing what's best for the company.
Outsourcing Recruiting. Outsourcing recruiting to temp agencies, headhunters, and executive search firms can free a business owner up to focus on more important things.
Productivity Management. Productivity improvement can not happen without a strong productivity management system. Learn how to improve productivity within your organization.
Workplace Design. Winning workplaces know the value of workplace design. We look at some best practices in designing an effective workplace.
How to Hire Good Writers. Hiring good writers is essential, but it's not easy. We offer tips on how to hire good writers and avoid getting stuck with a grammar-challenged employee.
Employee Training. In business, it is generally assumed that employee training programs are a good investment. However, rising costs are causing some business leaders to rethink that assumption. Like any other investment, training programs need to prove their worth in order to survive.
Green Card Costs. Getting a green card for an employee is a noble undertaking, but there are costs involved. In this article, we answer the question: How much does it cost to get a green card?
How to Create an Innovative Work Environment. Creating a work environment that stimulates creativity and innovation starts with an understanding of two key drivers of innovation.
An Unemployment Insurance System Primer. It takes a bite out of your cash every payroll, but do you really understand what unemployment insurance is and how the system works?
Facebook and MySpace Monitoring. With the success of online social networks, finding out about a prospective employee is even easier. We discuss the importance of monitoring employees who use Facebook, MySpace and other resources on the Web.
How to Recruit University Students. Google, McKinsey, SUN: these companies that have made it big, have maintained close interaction with the newest talent. How can your small business hire the best and the brightest employees? Stay close to the talent pool at universities.
How to Save Money While Keeping Your Best Employees. With small businesses, retaining and attracting the best possible employees is critical for long-term success. You may not have the financial capital available to offer your employees a lot of money, so you have to get creative in order to keep your best workers.
Micromanaging Employees. Growing your best employees along with your company is a key component of long-term success. Don't stifle your best employees with unnecessary micromanagement. Find the happy medium between involvement and employee development.
How to Determine When an Employee Deserves a Raise. When should you think about giving your employee a raise? What makes an employee eligible for a raise? Find out how to give your employee the raise they deserve.
Motivating Employees. In order to get the most out of your employees, they need to be motivated properly. How well you motivate your employees can have seriously implications toward your bottom line.
Managing Employee Breaks. By managing your employee's break times, you can increase your productivity and reduce your costs.
Reviewing Employees. Reviewing your employees is both necessary and beneficial. By consistently reviewing your employees and providing honest feedback, both the employees and the company will be better off.
Employee Motivation. Talent attraction and retention is a hefty problem at all start-ups. Thankfully, there are some prime motivators that attract and keep start up employees hooked to the company. This article on employee motivation is a must-read for small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Employee Discounts. Employee product discounts are a great perk for your employees. Make sure the perk is in the best interests of the company and not at the expense of your customers or your bottom line.
How to Look Presentable. It is important to give off a good first impression on your company. Here are some tips for maintaining your appearance as well as your employees, so everybody can look presentable and professional.
Hiring an Office Manager. Hiring an office manager is a task that should not be taken lightly. We offer some excellent tips on how to hire an office manager.
How to Keep Talented Employees. Mediocre employees are nothing but a waste of time. These tips will help you keep the most talented team of employees, who will bring nothing but success to your company.
Common Employee Complaints at Startup Companies. There are certain common complaints among employees of most start ups. If these major employee complaints are taken care of, quite a lot of good will and harmony can be generated in the startup work place.
Develop a Work Culture that Mentors. Employees are the most important assets that a company can have. This is especially the case in a startup company where the entrepreneur will depend heavily on the small number of employees he or she may have during the early stages of the company.
Exercise in the Work Place: How and Why. Is your company physically fit? When it comes to exercise in the workplace, there are many things that companies can do to encourage employees to stay well and be healthy.
Keys to a Tight-Knit Corporate Culture. If employee cohesiveness and company loyalty are lacking within your organization, this article is a must-read. We offer tips to make your company culture stronger.
Ways to Increase Work Force Health. We offer five great ideas to improve the health of your work force. These are relatively simple things you can do to encourage employee to stay in shape and be well.
When to Fire CEOs. Since CEOs are expected to perform an abundance of tasks, making mistakes are quite common. Here is how to identify minor mistakes from the ones that can be deal breaking.
How Taking Vacations Can Be Productive. Many people avoid taking vacations because they feel like they will become less productive. Vacations can actually cause you to become more productive at work - here's how.
Firing an Employee. Letting an employee go can be one of the hardest parts of managing a small business. If an employee is consistently exhibiting sub-par behavior, there comes a time when you have to let them go.
Tribal Knowledge. Do you have systems to back up your operating procedures or is that knowledge embedded in your employees' brains? Tribal knowledge can be a dangerous way for a growing business to operate. Make sure you have systems and back-up plans to avoid future headaches.
Starting an Employee Incentive Program. There can be nothing better than a simple "thank you" for a job well done by your employees. But sometimes, it is a nice incentive or motivational boost to do something a little extra to reward hard work. If you want to know how to create effective employee motivation progams, here are a few considerations to think about before you start.
The People Every Start-Up Business Needs. There are certain people that every business needs in its beginning stages. Having a supporter, example, reference and foil all give your company a better chance of pushing through the tough times and coming out better on the other end.
How to Deal with Employee Quarrels. Quarrelling employees can affect more people than those involved. Job satisfaction, quality control and customer service can all suffer. As a result, managing employee quarrels is critical.
Laying Off Employees. The balance between laying off your workforce versus keeping them on until better times can be tricky. Properly managing this balance can greatly improve your company in a time of need.
Employee Suggestions and Feedback. Can your employees seek help above their direct supervisor? Make sure your employees can discuss issues with someone outside of their supervisor.
Background Checks on Employees. For startups and small businesses, recruiting and hiring are often done without a thorough hiring process and a background check. In the effort to get help right away to build up the company, entrepreneurs often go through quick hires only to regret it later on. In addition, entrepreneurs should also be worried now about negligent hiring.
When to Fire an Employee. Giving assistance to problem employees can be beneficial to any business. But at what point is it time to say enough is enough?
Helping Employees Balance Work and Family. In the workforce today, there are many families where both parents work, single-parent households, and other types of family structures that put stress on the balance of work and family. Here are a couple ideas in helping your employees reduce this stress.
HR Issues After Downsizing. Downsizing causes stress for those who leave the company and those employees that remain. Keeping up the morale of these survivors is important. This article discusses a few ways to address issues and keep the company on track.
Controlling Gossip in the Workplace. It is something we have all participated in at one time or another. But why is it so bad? What can be done to stop it?
Selecting the Best Evaluation Method for Your Company. Because each company is different in the way that it is set up, the industry it is in, and the type of employees they have, there is no best way to conduct an employee evaluation. Here are a few different methods to consider, and advice when setting up your own method.
Measuring Employee Performance. How do you decide what should be included in an employee evaluation? Here are some things to consider when listing the criteria an employee should accomplish in the job.
Workplace Sexual Harassment. Small businesses often have a less formal working environment than their larger counterparts. Don't let this informality lead to sexual harassment.
Encourage Reading at Work. By encouraging your employees to read, you are encouraging them to improve. Reading can help employees at all levels and can have great benefits for your company.
Secrets to Employee Retention. Keeping talented workers is important for a small business. These are some things that companies do in order to keep their talented workforce in house.
External Recruiting. No matter how small your company or enterprise, the short-term as well as the long-term success of your business will be determined by the ability for your company to stay innovative. An outside party is usually the best catalyst for such innovation. This article will talk about the different pros and cons of external recruiting and when it is most effective to bring an outsider into the organization.
Internal Recruiting. Recruiting is a huge human resources function in any business. Internal recruiting is usually the first choice for most small startups that are looking to grow their employee base. This article will talk about the different pros and cons of internal recruiting and when it is most effective.
Diversity in the Workplace. Diversity is a subject that will get attention for the remainder of our lives. Sometimes stereotypes and prejudice can emerge in a diverse workplace. As a small business owner, it is your job to deal with these situations.
Diversity: An Introduction to Theories of Diversity. Many theories of diversity have emerged in corporate America. Some are better than others, but understanding the strengths and weaknesses of these theories and their applications will enable you to better prepare your business for a global world.
Diversity: Discrimination and Fairness Paradigm. The Discrimination and Fairness Paradigm is one of the main diversity theories in practice today. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of this theory and how it relates to your small business.
Diversity: The Access and Legitimacy Paradigm. Access and Legitimacy is one of the most popular diversity paradigms in use today. Learn what makes it so popular and why it shouldn't necessarily be used.
Diversity: The Emerging Diversity Paradigm. The Emerging Diversity Paradigm is the newest diversity theory out there. Learn how this theory can help your business make a solid diversity program and help you prepare for a new, globally integrated world.
Fires Burn, and Firing Someone Can Hurt. Sometimes employees become detrimental to the workplace or consistently underperform. This can be a major detriment to a small business. In an expense driven market the one operating today, you need to know when to cut the cord. This article briefly explains some keys to a successful parting of ways.
How to Approach Constructive Feedback. We outline a very simple way to approach constructive feedback in the workplace. Follow this structure and your employees should be able to communicate much more efficiently.
Myths About 401(k) Plans. If you think your small business can't afford a 401(k) plan, think again. We discuss some small business 401(k) plan myths that simply don't hold up under scrutiny.
How Much Money Should Company Founders Get?. What is the basis of determining the salaries of company founders? Should there be a vast difference between their pay and the salaries of other executives?
Offering Unique Employee Benefits. If you've ever wondered how you can make your company stand apart with small business employee benefits, take a look at how online payroll service SurePayroll implements unique human resources techniques to reward employees. A great company starts with a great human resources department.
Understanding the Need for an MBA. In today's highly competitive business environment, let's try and understand if acquiring a degree in management or business administration is an imperative qualification in one's professional armor.
Good Service for Employee Background Checks. If you are not conducting background checks on new employees, you will get burned. It's not if, it's when. Be sure to use a service like Direct Screening that can do instant criminal background checks.
Creativity and Employees. Creativity can drive a company to new heights, but how do you get employees to be more creative? We've got a few ideas.
Building Employee Self-Esteem. One aspect of Human Resources is improving employee performance. It turns out that a good way to do this is by improving employee self-esteem and confidence.
Benefits of Friendship at Work. Friendship at work is essential. We discuss how to foster camaraderie at the office and tap into the power of good times and friendship.
My Employee Is Undermining My Authority. Dealing with a problem employee is never pleasant. But he worst of the many problem employee types is the employee who openly questions authority. Here's how to deal with an employee that has authority confrontation issues.
Layoff Letter. These sample layoff letters are worth looking at if you are about to layoff employees. We reference several example layoff letters that were used in the real world.
Informal Leaders. Have you ever wondered why and how some individuals manage to influence more than the formal leader? How they become so influential? And how do you manage them?
Conducting Performance Reviews. As an employer or manager, you will need to conduct staff performance reviews at some point. We discuss some ways you can do it to make them meaningful.
Employee Performance Measurement. We share some methods of measuring employee performance that will be beneficial to the company.
Building the Right Company Culture. We often hear so much about company culture, but many entrepreneurs tend to not put enough emphasis on building and fostering the right culture within their companies.
What Metrics Are You Using?. Every business needs metrics, not only to measure, but to set the precedent and direction of the business and its employees. Metrics are not always as easy to establish as one might think, but with out the right metrics in place, you may not be steering your ship in the right direction.